Sleeping Pads and Air Mattresses

Besides the sleeping bag, you'll require some kind of sleeping mat to soften out the bumps in the ground. My preference for trips where there isn't much carrying involved—like a canoe trip without portaging (carrying your canoe over land)—is a 2 1/2-inch-thick foam mattress covered in fabric. Although this type of mat is extremely comfortable, it's too heavy and bulky for backpacking, cycling, or other trips that require compactness and weight. Inflatable mattresses have all but disappeared from the outdoor bedding scene, and for good reason: They inevitably got punctured and needed patching. They were also cumbersome and heavy.

Therm-a-Rest Mattresses

No matter what type of camping you end up doing, it won't be long before you encounter a seeming miracle of modern design and ingenuity in outdoor sleeping technology. The Therm-a-Rest mattress is a compact piece of outdoor bedding that becomes a light-weight roll you can conveniently attach to the bottom of a backpack. This self-inflating mat has a nylon outer shell covering (and bonded to) a foam-cushioned core. It comes to life when you unroll it and open a valve in one corner that allows air into the inner chamber. Blowing into the valve for a few seconds speeds up the inflating process.

Nothing beats the Therm-a-Rest mattress for comfort, compactness, and portability. These mats are quite durable, though you should take care not to snag one on a branch or lay it over sharp stones on the ground. A repair kit for the mat is available; keep one in your backpack on longer trips so you're not left without a comfortable bed to look forward to in the evening.

Therm-a-Rest mats come in a number of configurations, including an ultra-light weight for trekkers with serious weight concerns. They are also available in two lengths: three-quarter and full. Try each out; determine which length and weight are right for you.

Closed-Cell Foam Sleeping Pads

For a more rugged—and cheaper—night's sleep, consider one of the closed-cell foam sleeping mats for your night under the stars. These mats come in three-quarter and full-length versions and offer a reasonable comfort-to-weight-to-price ratio. Some manufacturers incorporate a ridged design that adds comfort and traps air in pockets for greater insulation against cold ground. Closed-cell sleeping mats are available in different thicknesses and weights from a range of manufacturers; you'll have to try out various mats in the purchasing process.

Camping Pillows

A pillowcase stuffed with clothes works nicely as a pillow in the outdoors, but there are other options. Commercially available inflatable pillows offer a little more comfort for the weary traveler, as does the inflated bladder from an expired box of wine.