I’ve had very few problems with any inflatable sleeping pad I’ve tested. Some have lost air, but I’ve never fully deflated (knock on wood). That said, there are some tips for getting the best night’s sleep and having a pleasant trip.

Do not spread your pad through your mouth.: For one thing, some of these pads are huge, and it’s just a pain, but your breath is also hot and moist and you’re injecting into nylon, which is a recipe for mildew and mold. This problem can be somewhat extreme—some people have bitten open pads they’ve had mouth-blown for years and found no sign of mold—but considering what a pain it is anyway, it seems easy to avoid. Most manufacturers these days include a pump sack, which serves to inflate your pad. There are also motorized pumps that weigh only an ounce or two, eg Flexsteel Pump.

Don’t overdo it.: Insulated sleeping pads work by putting air and material between you and the cold ground, but that doesn’t mean you need to inflate it until it’s hard. It varies by pad. I usually find the best way to do this is to blow it, and then start deflating, testing it by lying down until it feels comfortable. The downside to this method is that your pad isn’t as thick and you’re more likely to go under if you let out too much air. I find this isn’t much of an issue for stomach or back sleepers, but if you’re a side sleeper it can take a while to find the sweet spot between comfort and warmth.

Carry a patch kit: Most sleeping pads these days include a patch kit. I rarely bring these kits and keep a small roll instead. Strong tape ($6)which will fix rips and tears in everything from sleeping pads to tents. Be sure to test a small piece of tape on your pad beforehand to make sure the tape sticks, and bring an alcohol wipe to clean the affected area.

Women need more R-value pads: Women generally have a lower body mass than men, which means that women must add about 1 R value to achieve the same amount of insulation under the same conditions. (I also recommend increasing the R-value if you’re a generally cold sleeper.)

The sleeping bag classification assumes R5 pads: Most of the temporary ratings you see on sleeping bags are only valid if you’re using a sleeping pad with an R-value of 5 or higher (they also assume you’re wearing a base layer). If your pad is low, you will need to adjust the temperature of your sleeping bag accordingly. For example, using your 30 degree quilt with an R4 pad will keep you cold if you are exposed to freezing temperatures. In this situation you’ll either want to increase the R-value of the pad, or bring a warm sleeping bag.