Ground pads have been a secret product at Wiggy's. they have been shown in the catalog since 1988, but because of the success of the sleeping bags, they have been overshadowed. Our ground pads are unique because the padding is a polyester fiber and not foam. Foam has several faults, such as losing resilience once the temperature drops below 32 degrees, getting hard and retaining moisture. If it is self-inflating and is punctured it becomes useless. The patch kits have never worked.
The exterior fabric of Wiggy's is textured, waterproofed 300 denier polyester. It is very similar to corduroy. The padding is Densified Polyester Fiberfill. For years, manufacturers of futons have used this fiberfill construction as their padding. I have found that in a 2" thickness it works so well that it can be used alone in winter conditions. Most winter campers use two foam pads, but with the Wiggy pad one is all you need. The fiber differs from foam in several respects. The fiber is completely unaffected by water and will inflate without a valve. Two 1" web belts are positioned at one end, so you can roll it up tight as possible and cinch it down. The pads are also available as mated sets. Using two separate pads under a mated set of sleeping bags leaves a lot to be desired. They slide away from each person. With the mated set, each side stabilizes the other when movement occurs.
Mated pads are joined using a #10 YKK 65" zipper.
Ground Pad Weights:
40" › 1.5 lbs.
60" › 2.75 lbs.
72" › 3.25 lbs.
84" › 4 lbs.
After using my Wiggy's pad over the past winter, through spring and now midway through the summer here in the North Eastern U.S., I feel that I've used it enough and under a wide enough variety of conditions, to be able write an honest review.
I bought the Wiggy's pad based on my experience with their sleeping bags. They're built to withstand hard use, they're the most comfortable bags I've ever had the pleasure of sleeping in and in my experience, they're warm well below their temperature ratings.
My Wiggy's ground pad is no different. It's a very well made and rugged pad, comfortable and very warm. I've used it directly on snow and frozen ground with nothing but a cheap poly tarp over my Wiggy's 0* Super Light, in temps down to -11* F and been perfectly warm and comfortable and I've never felt a hint of cold through the pad.
I've always carried and had to use two closed cell foam pads to insulate me from the ground in cold weather and at times I've had to use my coat and other clothing between the above mentioned pads and my bag to avoid feeling the cold through them.
With my Wiggy's pad, I just squeeze the quick release buckles on the built in compression straps, unroll my pad, which lays flat, by the way, lay my sleeping bag on top, crawl in and sleep warm and comfortable at half the bulk of the 2 CCF pads that didn't work half as well.
This is my new all season pad. It's comfortable enough to replace my inflatable warm weather pad, it can't go flat and there's no valve to deal with. It's warmer than any of the other pads I've used, alone, or in combination and like Wiggy's bags, it works as advertised and it's made to last for years. Another great product from Wiggy's, I just wish I'd gotten one sooner.
– Bob Smith
I have been using my wiggys pad this winter the last time I used it I was with a friend on ghost River in the Rocky mountains Northwest of Calgary Alberta Canada it was minus 40 with no wind we dident have a tent just pads and the ground. She had a blow up exped down filled pad good to minus 37 they say. Well I could not even get her pad to stay inflated after about 20 minutes it would just deflate. I'm guessing because the air condenses there wasent a hole in it she had your wiggys super light freedom shelter sleeping bag good down to about minus 18 Celsius 0 Fahrenheit that was all she had. I had your sleeping pad I had your over bag sleeping bag, and I had some old military sleeping bag that my brother gave me when I was like 10 years old it's not even a full sleeping bag it doesn't have a hood or anything I don't even know what the temperature rating is it's not very thick But it was all that I had. I did not feel any cold on my back and I did not feel cold at all through the night I was toasty warm I mean absolutely no cold until about 5 in the morning that's when it was -40 I felt the slightest bit of coolness on my hip cuz I'm a side sleeper but nothing to write home about. I was being very aware because I was really amazed that I was so toasty warm even with the sleeping pad, because it's not that thick I don't understand how it completely blocks the cold at that kind of temperature which is about as cold as it can get. All I was wearing for clothes was the wiggy's liner jacket a pair of sweatpants I didn't even have a toque. My friend did get cold because she was sleeping directly on the ground because the sleeping pad deflated she said she got an hour of sleep but not that much. but personally that's pretty darn good considering the fact her sleeping bag was only rated for -18 and she was sleeping directly on the ground. I think that you would be dead or on your way in any other sleeping bag. I was wearing Renegade mitts in which I also bought a pair of the extreme Arctic mitt liners which I wear inside the Renegade mitts if I'm stationary or else it's very cold and if I need to do work with my fingers I simply take the liners stick them in my pockets and when I switch them back and forth my fingers don't get cold because of the material that he uses. I'm definitely like his stuff I'd love to get a pair of bibs and parka for next winter.
– Raman
In the Winter, I use a size small pad as a driver's seat cushion. It beats any car heater that I have ever experienced.
– John Mallia
Hi Jerry,
Wiggy’s Ground Pad performs as advertised.
The first outdoor test was during the day, at about 20° F. Apparently, I was more comfortable than I realized. Before I knew it, I’d fallen asleep and stayed that way for two hours. An unplanned afternoon nap!
Two weeks of tent camping followed - some nights at 15° below zero - tent pitched directly on the snowpack. Comfortable, and no cold spots.
I like the way it unrolls flat. And, it grips the bag; no more sliding around. It rolls up easily, takes less packed space than two closed-cell foam pads, and is more comfortable. The straps are handy; roll up a parka and secure with the straps for a pillow that won’t slip away during the night.
Great product.
Thank you,
Pete
– Unknown
Also, with it belted around your waist (use a belt or a short length of rope) it becomes a combined sit pad and highly insulated skirt. Pretty amazing when the temp drops.
– Steve Shea
Just wanted to share a secondary use for this "ground pad". .When belted around the body, It makes a great improvised torso wrap/insulated kilt/skirt.
The ground pad, wrapped around the body, adds the equivalent of a winter coat's warmth to the section of body it is secured around, AND it is flexible enough to not impair leg movement--I used it this way last week when a storm front came in while I was out on my bike (April in new England) and was able to continue to wear it on my bike ride home. (I have often belted tarps around me in this fashion as well when confronted with inclement conditions)
With the ground pad forming an insulated skirt around me and my picnic blanket tied over my shoulder as a cape I went from near shivering to instantly warm and in fact spent two more pleasant (and safe from hypothermia) hours from well before dusk to dark on an overlook along the Connecticut River. ( I did also have a tarp with me to stop the wind and rain while I was sitting)
Great piece of kit with more than one use. Thank you Mr. Wiggy..
– Steve Shea
Hello.
I need to contact admin.
Thank you.
– Williampi
So after building a climbing wall and monkey bars in my kids room, I approached Wiggy to ask about his ground pads, needing something the kids can move around easily, but offering some padding should they slip (or choose to jump from top). Kids have not stopped climbing and jumping since we put the wall up. And good news is, should they get really tired, they can simply fall fast asleep on it. Tee hee...
So we will use this great pad for many things...and thank you for a great products that is well made and can take lots of abuse for years to come, we intend to put it to the full test!
1 - Crash Pad
2 - Sleepover Pad (for when kids have lots of friends over too)
3 - Camping, naturally!
4 - Wrestling/Karate matt
5 - Reading and cozy time with kids
6 - Pet bed (boys are begging for a puppy now that they met Cookie)
7 - Uh oh, boys think they should try sledding down the stairs with it. (I might suggest they try their wiggy bag instead)
Wish me safety during this testing period. HAHA
– NJohnson
I really enjoyed talking to you on the phone, you obviously are passionate about your products and it shows. I was shopping for a sleeping bag, but what i learned is the ground pad is also important and am so happy I bought both. Your pads are durable, comfortable and most importantly I was warm thru the night.
This is a first for me, since I enjoy camping in the winter, but never was well rested until now.
– Unknown
Mr. Wigutow
I purchased your Antarctic bag with the FTRSS system about 3 years ago and couldn’t be happier. I live in Northern Ontario and go on an annual camping trip every March. We sleep in tents and spend the weekend ice fishing in the day and enjoying the campfire by night. Two years ago the temperature at night dropped to -25 Celsius. I was the only person warm out of the group. In the morning my buddy (who froze) couldn’t believe that all I slept in was my underwear and a tee shirt. He had his snowsuit on under his bag. This year, he bought the same bag as I did. We both decided to put our bags to the test this January. It was the coldest weekend of the year here. We slept directly on the snow with your ground mat with our FTRSS Antarctic bags. The temperature was -39 degrees Celsius without the windchill. We were both toasty warm even considering our blood was quite “thin” we went to bed.
Thanks for a great product
– Derek Kulyski, P. Eng.