My new sleeping pad popped on its first night out near Moab...

I got a fancy inflatable pad that said it was good for desert camping. Set it up on a clear spot, no rocks I could see. Woke up at 3 AM on the hard ground, it had a slow leak from a tiny cactus spine I missed. Learned that 'puncture resistant' doesn't mean 'cactus proof'... What's a really tough pad for rough ground like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph4552mo ago

My old Thermarest lasted a whole season before a goathead got it. I felt so betrayed! For real desert stuff, I've had good luck with the Nemo Tensor Alpine. It's pretty thick.

miles8252mo ago

Goatheads are the worst! Try a Tyvek groundsheet.

charles_price20d ago

Honestly I think people overhype the puncture resistant thing. You're sleeping on the ground it's gonna happen eventually. Just bring a patch kit and deal with it like everyone else did before all this fancy gear.