What is a really good pad?
Big Agnes Insulcore
For road camping, I've gone to a heavy duty cot with 3" foam pad under a North Face Snow Shoe. In all seriousness, my cot/pad/sleeping bag is as comfortable as my bed at home. Plus its warm.
I also suggest wearing a fleece beanie at night. Its amazing how much difference keeping your head warm at night can make. When I'm in camp, I wear a fleece beanie all the time.
I've also heated up a jug of water in a plastic bottle and thrown it into my bed before I crawl in. Adding a body size hand warmer also helps.
Staying warm in a base camp setup isn't hard. In fact, one of my complaints is keeping it too warm. Most people new to camping in the cold think they're going to freeze to death when the temps drop below 20. With good equipment and a little thought it ain't that big a deal.
