QUIETEST sleeping systems?

Chris,
I don’t have a solution for a less-noisy pad. I suggest that you still use two tents but put the entrances for each tent very close together, FACING each other. You and your son sleep in one tent and the females sleep in the other but each group can see into the other tent, they’re that close. Each person will know that if something frightening/scary happens they can immediately get into the other tent for comforting. The son who turns and thrashes around a lot (not at all so unusual for kids) will still make noise on his pad and YOU will be the person who sacrifices sleep. Maybe that’s better than the females losing sleep.
Of course, some would suggest ear plugs which many use anytime they are with a group to avoid the noise of pads, ziplocks or zippers being opened and closed, open and closed, all night long! or others’ snoring or getting up to go pee in the night.

Your family trip sounds wonderful. Keep thinking until you all find the solution to a problem that many have with ” noises” in the night while camping/backpacking. Hope you all have a wonderful time!

Thanks you, I have looked several of those options in other trips.  Tents that close and they can hear him. Need to be 10-15 ft apart or I get the 3am complaints.  Earplugs are too uncomfortable, including the really soft squishy ones.  They work for me, which is why I sleep with him, but others get sore ears, take them out, and then wake up at 3am.  Tried using a fan for noise, didn’t help.  Thought about an iPhone white noise app, but  haven’t gone there yet.  Now my gals are not the princess types that need pampering….this sleep issue is really the only hangup.

Will try those kind of things IN ADDITION to trying to make his bedding more quiet.  If even the bedding can be 30% more quiet, that will be worth a lot.  I wonder about the zpack 20d pertex fabric…its pretty ‘swishy’.  I love the weight and have three of them, but of course didn’t research their volume before buying them ;)   If there aren’t other options, will try to find something that makes noise to drown it out…

All outdoor fabrics (especially those used for sleeping pads, bags, and tents) are swish-y nylon-y fabrics.  It’s the easiest/best way to get lightness and durability.  Unfortunately, “rotisserie-style” sleepers like your son (and me) are the bane of our camping companions! ;~)

Most of the gear you have is on the “quieter” side (no “potato chip” XLite!) already.

The best solution is to camp near running water, which does a great job of masking most sounds…but that may not be possible.  Earplugs for everyone is tricky (you wouldn’t hear animals approaching).

I really like Jane’s idea — that’s smart!

no idea if this would work, but you could try getting a thin closed cell foam pad and putting that on top of your son’s sleeping pad. it might muffle the noise of him moving around, and wouldn’t make any noise itself. Or have you tried using the quilt attachments to attach the quilt to the pad so it doesn’t move around when he does?

Kids are better able to deal with less padding than adults. Maybe go with JUST the closed cell foam pad.

yeah, for a kid a closed cell fine is usually fine in my limited experience…..not on the concrete but in the woods.  It’s what I have for my kids. pile some leaves under if it’s not good enough….

I tried inflatables in the store, wanted it to work for the weight savings.  Tried several in the store and landed on Nemo tensor as the quietest…. gave it a shot but still too loud for me.  I went back to a self inflating pad…. so that’s my 1st choice for me.

What about a different approach with Earplugs?

Thick balaclavas are good at diminishing noise but why not a fleece liner? Fleece liners in a heavier weight are great noise reducers, not [NOT] the UL thin stuff and ditto for a fleece cover for the mat. Not at all UL but then you did say extra weight was acceptable for this trip

If weight’s not critical because car camping, maybe a cotton flannel or canvas sleeping bag, paired with inexpensive open- or closed-cell foam pads (as mentioned above) would be quieter. See LL Bean, Cabela’s, etc. for the combination of price and temperature rating that meets your needs. Try it at home or backyard during the return period.

Or maybe a simple cotton-covered, down or synthetic insulated quilt from a big box or department store.

Duvet covers over nylon/polyester quilts might be quiet enough, but there could be some rustling.

I spent many warm summer nights in the Sierra Nevada foothills cowboy camping with a bedroom quilt on top of a foam pad. Much more comfortable than a nylon sleeping bag or quilt.

HTH.

— Rex

Maybe add a heavy wool blanket under the quilt, to hold the boy down at night and further reduce noise. Seems a new fad is (expensive) weighted blankets to reduce night time rotisserizing. Wouldn’t go that far, but worth considering the concept.

— Rex

I think a lot of the advice above got it right.  You want to get away from thin ultralight popular backpacking fabrics.  Closed cell foam pad… kids don’t need the padding.  The one problem is it is difficult to find pure cotton bags anymore.  Most just have the cotton flannel inside with a nylon shell.  I guess you could just turn them inside out.  Perhaps pair it with a liner.  something like this:

https://www.sierratradingpost.com/wenzel-30-f-cardinal-sleeping-bag-rectangular~p~383vx/?filterString=sleeping-bags-and-pads~d~208%2F

with this it might actually be near its rated temp:

https://www.sierratradingpost.com/rugged-bear-sherpa-lined-sleeping-bag-for-kids~p~283yg/?filterString=sleeping-bags-and-pads~d~208%2F