Sleeping Pad R-Value: What It Means on Cold Ground

James HerrinJames Herrin·1 min read·

A sleeping bag is only half your warmth. The ground underneath steals heat all night, and the R-value of your pad decides how much of it stays with you.

Match the pad to the season.

  • R-value 2 is fine for summer and warm nights
  • R-value 4 handles most shoulder season cold
  • R-value 6 and up is for true winter camping
  • Stack two pads to add their R-values together

The pad is not a comfort extra, it is insulation. Skimp here and the best bag in the world will still leave you shivering.

Test your pad at home on a cold floor before the trip. If you can feel the chill through it in the living room, you will feel it twice as hard on the ground.