I’ve had very few problems with any inflatable sleeping pad I’ve tried. Some have lost air, but none have ever completely deflated (knock on wood). That said, there are some tricks to get the best sleep possible and have a pleasant trip.

Do not inflate your sanitary pad with your mouth: On the one hand, some of these pads are huge and are just a pain, but also the breath is hot and humid and you’re injecting nylon, which is a recipe for mold and mildew. This concern may be somewhat overblown—some people have opened sanitary pads they’ve inflated with their mouths for years and found no signs of mold—but considering how painful it is to do it anyway, it seems easier to just avoid it. Most manufacturers include some type of pump bag these days, making it easy to inflate the mat. There are also motorized pumps that only weigh one or two ounces, like the Flextail pump.

Do not inflate too much: Insulated sleeping mats work by putting air and material between you and the cold ground, but that doesn’t mean you should blow them up until they’re taut. Varies depending on pad. I generally find the best method is to inflate it taut and then start letting the air out, lying down to test it until you get to where it feels comfortable. The downside to this method is that the pad is not as thick and is more likely to bottom out if you let too much air out. I think this isn’t a big deal for stomach or back sleepers, but if you sleep on your side, it may take you some time 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 instead carry a small roll of Tenacious Tape ($6), which will fix rips and tears in everything from sleeping mats to tents. Be sure to test a small piece of tape on your pad beforehand to make sure it sticks and bring an alcohol wipe to clean the affected area.

Women need sanitary pads with a higher R value: Women generally have a lower body mass than men, meaning they need to add about 1 R-value to get the same amount of insulation in the same situation. (I also recommend increasing the R value if you are a cold sleeper in general.)

Sleeping bag ratings assume R5 pads: Most temperature ratings you see on sleeping bags are true only if you’re using a sleeping pad with an R-value of 5 or higher (they also assume you’re using a base layer). If your padding is lower, you will need to adjust the temperature rating of your sleeping bag accordingly. For example, using your 30-degree quilt with an R4 pad will likely leave you cold if you encounter freezing temperatures. In that situation, you’ll want to increase the R-value of the pad or bring a warmer sleeping bag.