Why does nobody talk about sleeping pad R-value being a lie?

I spent three nights shivering at 40 degrees in Yosemite last month on a pad rated for 20 degrees. Turns out most brands test R-value in a lab at like 70 degrees with no wind. My buddy brought a $60 foam pad and slept fine. What brand actually measures under real conditions?

2 comments

2 Comments

jones.angela3d ago

Yosemite at 40 degrees on a "20-degree" pad? Honestly, that's like me buying a "waterproof" coat that's only waterproof if I stand perfectly still in a light drizzle.

oliver_fisher3d ago

That rating system is a total joke. Been burned the same way.