Vent: my $40 sleeping pad failed at 2am near Joshua Tree
Woke up flat on the ground at 2am, the inflatable pad had a slow leak that left me on rocks. Patted around in the dark, found a tiny hole near the valve, patched it with a bike tire kit I always carry. It held for the last two nights, but now I'm eyeing foam pads for good. Anyone else had luck swapping to closed cell after a blowout like this?
A tiny hole near the valve is like the most common leak you can get lol, that's what patch kits are for. Foam pads are fine but they're bulky and not exactly comfy either, so swapping a whole setup over one slow leak seems kinda dramatic. Just carry the patch kit and maybe test the pad at home before trips.