Am I too sweaty for Pads?

[SLiuGraphite]

Hey everyone, on my last backpacking trip in March, it got down to around 20 degrees at night.
I was only using a 30 degree bag so I put on a light fleece sweater and my heavy undershirt.

The bag was closed up around me and I had a Klymit Inertia X-lite under me along with a wide 1/4" pad from Gossamer Gear.

I woke up to find that my back was SOAKED in sweat. Did I overestimate the cold, or am I just too sweaty for pads?

Help me!

[Cannibal]

I'm too sweaty for pads, so I'm tempted to answer your question with a "yes".
But, you had some pretty thick layers going on there inside a 30° bag. I would play around with bedtime attire first and see if that doesn't lessen the issue.

[lazy river road]

What you experienced is condensation. I know the GG pad is CCF (closed cell foam) and I would assume your other pad is as well. What this means is that they do not breath and moisture does not pass through them. So when you sweat at night the water collects on the top of your pad soaking your back because the moisture has no where to evaporate too. So pads work great in keeping you warm from underneath however many hangers (including myself) have experienced a build up of condensation creating a sweaty back. I've woken up in varying temps from hot to cold with puddles of water which collected in the dimples of Z-Rest pad. What I would suggest is venting your sleeping bag or using it more like a TQ rather then a sleeping bag allowing for some air flow from underneath you. Also play around with how much clothing you wear at night as well as how thick or thin of a pad you use depending on the varying temps. Hope this helps.

[jmstallard]

What this means is that they do not breath and moisture does not pass through them. So when you sweat at night the water collects on the top of your pad soaking your back because the moisture has no where to evaporate too.

But I thought the theory behind vapor barriers was that, by not allowing the water vapor to leave the microclimate you've created, the body will somehow sense that the humidity is at the proper level and turn off, or greatly reduce, perspiration.

[nothermark]

Vapor barrier has to be next to the skin. Anything between the barrier and the skin will be soaked.

I use a fleece cover on a CCF pad with no condensation issues. I assume it is because there is a bit of air circulation. That is fleece on one side and nylon on the other.

[SLiuGraphite]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I'll be going on a few trips this summer so I'm going to experiment a little with using my bag as a top quilt.

I may try the fleece on the pad idea as well.

[historyteacher]

I'm curious about the Klymit - have you tried it without the GG pad? Or, do you still need a pad for consistent warmth?

[wake.joe]

I can not sleep on a pad unless I'm in a sleeping bag (And then I always slide off anyway)

Too sweaty! Only where it touches against me, though. The same goes for an inflatable pillow; I tried to use one under my knee's and they got pretty damp.

Lame.

[SLiuGraphite]

I'm curious about the Klymit - have you tried it without the GG pad? Or, do you still need a pad for consistent warmth?

I actually have been meaning to try it out without the CCF pad underneath.
In theory it should work. I'll try it out in my backyard sometime this week and post something about it.

[JohnSawyer]

Heck, I'm too sweaty for Insultex!

I made an UQ out of the stuff, and the first night I woke up with a damp backside....

Pads? I sweat even worse... but only in a hammock. Go figure...

So I shipped it off to a friend in Florida!

John