Sleeping pads can make or break your night of sleep. Get a crappy one and you’ll wake up even more tired than you were before going to sleep. Get a good one and you will feel like you slept on your on bed at home. But, how do you know what’s the best sleeping pad for you? That’s why we’re here. One of our goals here at The Adventure Junkies is to make your life easier when it comes to choosing outdoor gear. As you know, we like keeping things simple. So think about what type of hiking trip you plan to use the pad for and your budget. Then check out the models that fit those needs. Thermarest NeoAir XthermAir Pad0.93 lbs5.7$$$4.7 Thermarest NeoAir XLiteAir Pad0.75 lbs3.2$$$4.5 REI Air Rail 1.5Self-Inflating1.62 lbs4.2$$4.5 Big Agnes Q-Core SLAir Pad1.21 lbs4.5$$4.1 Sea to Summit Comfort Light InsulatedAir Pad1.28 lbs4.2$$$4.8 Thermarest NeoAir All SeasonAir Pad1.31 lbs4.9$$$4.5 Thermarest Z Lite SOLClosed-cell Foam0.87 lbs2.6$4.5 Sea to Summit Ultralight Air Pad0.78 lbs0.7$$4.8
Klymit Insulated Static V LiteAir Pad1.22 lbs4.4$$4.7 Thermarest NeoAir VentureAir Pad1.31 lbs1.8$4.4 Depending on how you plan to use the mat and the weather conditions you’ll face, there are 3 options to choose from. An air pad is manually inflated and uses air for cushioning. Some of the best models use insulation materials to increase warmth. These mats are the most comfortable ones for backpacking. However they are heavier and not very durable, they can be punctured or ripped easily. A self-inflating pad uses a combination of open-cell foam insulation and air for cushioning. All you have to do is open the valve and the air fills automatically. They are comfy and pack small but they are the most expensive option. A closed cell foam pad is the cheapest, lightest and most durable option. The downside is they’re not as comfy as the other types and tend to be bulky. The R value measures the sleeping pad’s ability to resist heat flow. So, the higher the R value the better it will insulate you from the cold ground.
You need to consider what climate you’ll be camping in most of the time. For cold weather camping, look for a pad with an R value over 5. In the summer months, you can get away with a pad with a lower R value. For very cold weather, put a closed foam pad under your sleeping mat for extra insulation. Like it happens with any piece of outdoor gear you put on your backpack, you need to consider weight. If you’re planning an ultra-light hiking trip, foam pads are the lightest but they take a lot of room. Some of the best air pad models have reduced their weight a lot, making them the best choice for these kinds of adventures. Manufacturers make pads in a few different sizes, which determines its weight and price tag. At a minimum, your shoulders and hips need to fit on a pad. Shorter people can save weight by carrying a short sized pad. Some tall people prefer to carry a short pad and then use clothes to cushion the legs. If you have a small tent, be sure to take the dimensions into consideration when choosing a pad.
How much room your pad will take up in your pack is worth considering. Generally, warmer pads are thicker and take up more space. This isn’t always the case, there are plenty of mats that pack small, but tend to be more expensive than their bulkier counterparts. These are a great option if you’re looking for the best backpacking sleeping pad on the market. Some sleeping pads come in a women’s version. These pads typically are a bit shorter and offer more insulation in the hips and feet. Check out the latest price on: BEST FOR: General hiking and ultralight adventures FEATURES: Air construction, baffled insulation, 2.5 inches thick. PROS: Packs down small. Very warm and comfortable. FEATURES: Self-inflating, foam insulation, 1.5 inches thick. PROS: Wide and comfortable. Side rails keep you in. CONS: Heavy, bulky and thin. FEATURES: Air construction, synthetic insulation, 3.5 inches thick. PROS: Compact, comfortable and relatively light.
FEATURES: Air construction, AirSprung cells, synthetic, 2 inches thick. PROS: Warm, very stable and packs down small.Not as comfy as other pads. PROS: Compact, durable, warm and comfortable. CONS: A bit noisy. Edges collapse under load. FEATURES: Closed cell foam, 0.75 inches thick. PROS: Lightweight and warm. FEATURES: Air construction, AirSprung cells, 2 inches thick.Packs down very small. CONS: Not very warm. PROS: Warm, cheap and relatively lightweight. CONS: Noisy and not very durable. FEATURES: Air construction, baffled insulation, 2.25 inches thick.Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2016 Weight and packed size continue to dominate the sleeping pad conversation, but the comfort dial also is turned up in our top picks About Best Sellers in Camping Sleeping Pads These lists, updated hourly, contain bestselling items. Here you can discover the best Camping Sleeping Pads in Amazon Best Sellers, and find the top 100 most popular Amazon Camping Sleeping Pads.
Backpackers have more options for ultralight sleeping pads in 2016 than ever before. There are dozens of different backpacking pad sizes, shapes, and types of construction, ranging from dirt-simple foam pads to lush inflatable cushions four-inches thick. How do you choose the best backpacking sleeping pad for 2016 and beyond? The answer gets easy once you understand the basic types of backpacking sleeping pads, their sizes, weight, and how much they cost. There are three basic types of backpacking pads — foam pads, self-inflating pads, and air pads. All backpacking sleeping pads are designed to keep your body from contacting the ground, which is usually cold, as well as cushion your body from rocks or roots. The most important factors for most backpackers are weight, cost, and comfort. Foam pads are dirt-simple — they are thin, lightweight, super durable, shed water, and are inexpensive. Because they don’t compress, they are relatively bulky. You roll them up and usually attach them to the bottom outside portion of your backpack.
I usually pack a short foam pad with me (in addition to an air pad) because a foam pad is so easy to use as an ultralight seat, either folded up on a rock or laid out on the ground with some sort of backrest. Keeps your legs and butt from getting wet or dirty, and because it won’t “pop,” I can throw it down on sharp rocks and never worry. Sleeping on a backpacking foam pad, though, isn’t that great. If there is a bump underneath your foam pad while sleeping, you’ll always know that bump is there. Get a foam pad if you’re on the tightest budget . . . or you expect to be camping out in a very thorny area. Therm-a-Rest took the backpacking world by storm years ago by creating an open-cell foam insulating material inside of an inflatable pad. The foam crushes down to pack tightly for travel, but when the sleeping pad is opened up inside a tent, for example, the foam will push up and suck air into the pad. Add a few puffs of air and you can firm up the pad to your own personal liking.
These pads are about 1-to-2 inches thick. Because of the interior open-celled foam, they offer a bit more insulation from the ground for cold-weather backpacking than typical non-insulated air backpacking pads. Self-Inflating backpacking sleeping pads are usually heavier than closed-cell foam backpacking pads, but they are much more comfortable. In addition, if you end up with a small hole or depression under your sleeping spot that you didn’t see when you pitched your tent, you can throw a t-shirt into the depression and add some air pressure to your self-inflating pad . . . to create a sort of bridge effect to even out your bed. Less expensive self-inflating pads are heavier and bulky — you roll them up like foam pads — but the more expensive models are surprisingly foldable and packable into spaces smaller than a football. Get a self-inflating pad if you want a durable air pad that is quiet to roll around on or want the ability to really crank up the firmness level.
Air Pads bring a whole new level of comfort to backpacking. They are usually two-to-four inches thick and resemble the vinyl inflatable air mattresses people bring to the beach. Air pads for backpacking, though, are much higher quality and are manufactured from ultralight materials. Plus, air pads are amazing to sleep on. Big guys should error toward wider air pads, though, because the thicker ones can feel “tippy” for guys with wide shoulders and their arms will hang off the edges. Tip: Use a t-shirt to level ground under your air pad or roll some stuff sacks or a jacket under the edges to combat any lean or tip you encounter in your tent. The downside to backpacking air pads is the cost — super-thick, big-name brands can easily rocket past $100. While you can buy insulated air pads for cold-weather camping, it increases their weight and cost. Most air pads tend to make a crinkly noise or sometimes a squeaking sort of noise when you roll around on them. If you move a lot when you sleep — or have sensitive sleepers as backpacking buddies — you might be better off with a self-inflating pad.
In addition, air pads are utterly worthless if you poke a hole in one, but you can usually repair holes on the trail with the repair kits that come with them. and get fast & free 2-day shipping on most orders over $50. In this day and age, don’t buy any backpacking sleeping pad that weighs more than 2 pounds. Look for something 16-to-24 ounces, which is 1-to-1.5 pounds. As for length, consider your height. If you’re a tall guy, get the long versions so your feet don’t hang off the edge. (Of course, I know one 6’3″ guy who uses a super light, ultra-short backpacking pad — which lets his lower legs rest on the ground inside his sleeping bag. The weight savings are worth it to him, but for most people, the best backpacking sleeping pad is a full-length backpacking sleeping pad.) Most pads are 20 inches wide. Big guys should consider getting the 24-inch wide models — I think it’s worth the extra weight and cost. In fact, I think a more restful night in the backcountry is worth at least 8 extra ounces.
and get free shipping on many pad options. Is there truly a best backpacking sleeping pad? If cost isn’t a factor, the Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated Mat is very compelling. It weighs 25 ounces in a 21.5″ x 72″ size with a 2.5-inch thick cushion of air. Sure, that’s a bit heavier than ultralight options, but it’s also insulated — and comes with two separate layers you can inflate to different pressures. For instance, you can crank up the pressure in the bottom layer to give you support over uneven ground but keep the upper layer softer. For a similar feel, Sea to Summit’s UltraLight Insulated Mat and Comfort Light Mat forego the dual layers in favor of lighter construction. Of course, is it really the best if it’s out of your budget? What if you could buy two backpacking air pads for the price of one bigger-name brand air pad? The Klymit Static V is offering the best bang for your sleeping pad buck that I’ve ever seen. Consider the specs: 23 inches wide by 72 inches long by 2.5 inches thick with a weight of 18.1 ounces . . . and a price that flirts around $50.
For around $60, you can opt for the new Static V2, which ships free from Amazon. It boasts the same size specs in an even lighter package — 16.33 ounces. If you really want a wild-but-surprisingly comfortable super ultra-light backpacking pad, check out our Klymit Intertia X Frame review. At 9.5 ounces, the Inertia X Frame is an amazing feat of engineering. It’s best for serious ultralight backpackers, though. There are several other easy-to-recommend backpacking sleeping pad options for you. Here’s a roundup of some of the best backpacking sleeping pads, each of which has a great balance of durability, weight, quality, and cost: Shop all ultralight backpacking sleeping pads at Moosejaw and see which pads are ‘Made in the USA’ + free shipping on orders over $49. We want to say again that there are many great backpacking sleeping pads available these days — and puzzling out the “best” comes down to a lot of personal preferences and budget. Generally, though, we recommend that you invest in a good pad from a reputable manufacturer.