Sleeping on a leaky midway deflated sleeping pad on a backpacking journey might depart you by no means eager to go backpacking once more. That’s why a top quality sleeping pad is a vital piece of substances that may actually make or break your journey. There are quite a lot of components that go into discovering the perfect sleeping pad for backpacking – worth, insulation, weight, dimension, and extra.
On this weblog publish, we make it easier to slender it down by sharing a listing of the preferred sleeping pads which can be light-weight, heat, and sturdy sufficient to face as much as a multiday trek. On the finish of this publish, we additionally break down the essential components when selecting a sleeping pad primarily based in your private wants.
Able to get on the market? Listed here are the perfect sleeping pads for backpacking.
Greatest Sleeping Pads for Backpacking at a Look
Therm-a-Relaxation ProLite Plus
Key Options:
- Weight: 1 lb, 7 oz
- R-Worth: 3.2
- Thickness: 1.5 inches
- Packed Measurement: 6.8 x 11in
- Obtainable sizes: common, brief, lengthy
- MSRP: $119.95 (common)
Verify Worth: REI | Backcountry | Moosejaw
Nice for: 3-season backpacking, again sleepers
Professionals: nice worth for worth, sturdy, straightforward to inflate
Cons: heavier and bulkier than different sleeping pads, not nice for facet sleepers
The Therm-a-Relaxation ProLite Plus is designed with consolation in thoughts, and it’s my private sleeping pad of alternative. Whereas it’s not the lightest sleeping pad obtainable, I like that it’s one flat piece of padding with out baffles. At 1.5″ thick, it’s sufficient padding that you may’t really feel the bottom or little rocks that you simply may need set your tent up on high of. Nonetheless, it’s not so thick that when you roll round at night time, you are feeling such as you would possibly fall off. It’s insulated sufficient to camp in chilly temperatures, however when you camp within the winter, you would possibly wish to add a foam pad beneath. There’s a ladies’s model obtainable of the Plus which is just a little shorter and 1 ounce lighter than the lads’s Common dimension.
In comparison with the opposite light-weight sleeping pads on this checklist, the Thermarest ProLite Plus is just a little on the cumbersome facet when within the stuff sack, nevertheless it nonetheless packs down properly sufficient to come back alongside for the trip. One different benefit is that it partially self-inflates. You simply twist open the valve, and the pad slowly begins to inflate by itself. You do have to complete inflating it with your individual breath.
If you wish to shave off an additional 5oz, take a look at the ProLite common model.
Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad
Key Options:
- Weight: 12 oz
- R-Worth: 4.2
- Thickness: 2.5 inches
- Packed Measurement: 4 x 9 inches
- Obtainable sizes: small, common, common broad, giant
- MSRP: $199.95 (common)
Verify Worth: Backcountry | REI | Moosejaw
Nice for: ultralight backpacking, 3-season backpacking
Professionals: most light-weight sleeping pad on the checklist, tremendous compact
Cons: runs slender, noisy whenever you roll over
General, Therm-a-Relaxation appears to have the market cornered in relation to heat and lightness, making them among the best manufacturers of sleeping pads for backpacking. Their Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite will hold you heat and comfy within the backcountry, and it’s the lightest inflatable sleeping pad that we stand behind. That is additionally the backpacking sleeping pad of alternative of BFT group member Linda who has used this sleeping pad on over a dozen backpacking journeys.
This sleeping pad does are inclined to run slender, so when you toss and switch, we advocate getting the broad model. It may be noisy whenever you roll over so if you’re a lightweight sleeper hold that in thoughts, however we expect for the load and heat, this sleeping pad is price it.
NEMO Tensor Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad
Key Options:
- Weight: 15 oz
- R-Worth: 3.5
- Thickness: 3 inches
- Packed Measurement: 3 x 8 inches
- Obtainable sizes: common, common broad, lengthy broad
- MSRP: $189.95 (common)
Verify Worth: REI | Backcountry
Nice for: facet sleepers, light-weight backpacking, 3-season backpacking
Professionals: light-weight and compact, one of many thickest pads on our checklist, is available in a large model, not noisy whenever you roll over
Cons: fragile – straightforward to puncture a gap or trigger a leak
A private favourite of mine, the NEMO Tensor Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad, is a light-weight, insulated sleeping pad that’s straightforward to retailer and pack whilst you’re backpacking. It’s obtained insulated layers to fend off chilly nevertheless it’ll do you properly to carry alongside further padding when you’re tenting through the winter.
It packs down very small and the valve makes it fast to inflate and deflate. It additionally is available in a large model and with a thickness of three inches, I discover this sleeping pad extremely snug. I like that you may alter the firmness by letting just a little air out. You do should be just a little cautious with this one as the fabric is comparatively skinny. If you wish to use it straight on the bottom be certain there isn’t something sharp beneath it.
Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad
Key Options:
- Weight: 1 lb, 0.9 oz
- R-Worth: 3.1
- Thickness: 2 inches
- Packed Measurement: 4 x 9 inches
- MSRP: $139.95
Verify Worth: Backcountry | REI | Moosejaw
Nice for: summer time backpacking, light-weight backpacking
Professionals: sturdy valve, best to inflate, compresses down tremendous small
Cons: solely snug for heat climate journeys, not nice for facet sleepers
The Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad is likely one of the greatest and most well-reviewed sleeping pads for 2022. It’s a light-weight and sturdy pad that’s straightforward to move out and in of the carry bag. Among the finest options of this sleeping pad is that you should use the stuff sack to explode the pad. You hook the stuff sack as much as the valve, then you definitely scoop up some air into the stuff sack, roll down the highest, and it forces air into the sleeping pad. It takes lower than a minute to replenish, and all your pals will probably be jealous as they huff and puff to blow their pads up. The valve on this sleeping pad can also be one of the crucial sturdy valves available on the market which is fairly large contemplating valves are the place frequent leakage occurs.
As a bonus, the pad has an anti-microbial coating that retains any nastiness from increase over time. This sleeping pad is available in a ladies’s model too. If you’d like just a little extra padding, the Sea to Summit Consolation Mild Insulated Sleeping Pad is a good choice.
Klymit Double V Sleeping Pad
Key Options:
- Weight: 2lb 8.5oz
- R-Worth: 1.6
- Thickness: 3 inches
- Packed Measurement: 5 x 9 inches
- Obtainable sizes: double
- MSRP: $129.95 (double)
Verify Worth: Backcountry
Nice for: {couples}, backpacking along with your canine, brief backpacking journeys, summer time backpacking
Professionals: facet rails forestall you from rolling off, can roll over with out airflow disrupting your associate, straightforward to inflate
Cons: heavy and ponderous for lengthy backpacking journeys, solely good for summer time
Are you in search of a approach to cuddle along with your associate on backpacking journeys? Look no additional than the Klymit Double V Sleeping Pad. This sleeping pad matches completely in two-person backpacking tents and is a good choice for these trying to keep away from uncomfortably pushing collectively 2 one-person pads.
You’d suppose that inflating a double sleeping pad could be tougher than a single, however this sleeping pad is fast to inflate and deflate utilizing an analogous stuff sack mechanism because the Sea to Summit sleeping pad talked about above. The draw back of this sleeping pad is its bulkiness and weight, however when you might break up the load in 2, it’d be the identical weight and dimension as among the different sleeping pads we advocate on this checklist of the perfect sleeping pads for backpacking.
For those who don’t thoughts caring the additional weight, there may be an insulated model obtainable that can will let you use this sleeping pad for 3-season journeys. And you’ll want to take a look at our information to the greatest double sleeping baggage to pair along with your 2-person sleeping pad!
Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir Xtherm Sleeping Pad
Key Options:
- Weight: 15 oz
- R-Worth: 6.9
- Thickness: 2.5 inches
- Packed Measurement: 4 x 9 inches
- Obtainable sizes: common, giant
- MSRP: $229.95 (common)
Verify Worth: Backcountry | REI
Nice for: winter backpacking, 4-season backpacking, light-weight backpacking
Professionals: warmest sleeping pad on our checklist, extraordinarily light-weight for the way heat it’s
Cons: costliest sleeping pad on our checklist, noisy whenever you roll over, straightforward to slip off the slippery materials when you transfer round rather a lot
This is likely one of the priciest sleeping pads on this checklist, however the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir Xtherm Sleeping Pad can also be the warmest by far and one of many lightest. It’s made for mountaineering, winter tenting, and backpacking so if that’s the type of factor you’ll be doing, then investing in an ultra-warm, snug, light-weight sleeping pad like this will probably be price it in the long term.
For those who camp in winter, you need to carry quite a lot of further gear, so it’s good to have a sleeping pad that’s light-weight and doesn’t take up an excessive amount of room in your pack. The downsides of this sleeping pad are it’s an costly funding, and the slippery materials is noisy and simple to slip off of when you transfer round in your sleep.
This sleeping pad may also be just a little delicate – a number of reviewers skilled leaks or valve points with this pad, however Therm-a-rest provides a restricted lifetime guarantee and their customer support is nice when you do have a difficulty.
Massive Agnes Insulated Q-Core Deluxe Sleeping Pad
Key Options:
- Weight: 1 lb, 9 oz
- R-Worth: 4.3
- Thickness: 3.5 inches
- Packed Measurement: 5 x 8.5 inches
- Obtainable sizes: common, common broad, lengthy broad
- MSRP: $169.95 (common)
Verify Worth: REI | Backcountry | Moosejaw
Nice for: individuals who toss & flip at night time, facet sleepers, 3-season backpacking
Professionals: thickest sleeping pad on our checklist, is available in a large model, extraordinarily snug
Cons: time-consuming to inflate, doesn’t pack down very small
The Massive Agnes Insulated Q-Core Deluxe Sleeping Pad is the best sleeping pad for anybody in search of most consolation and who doesn’t thoughts carrying just a little further weight and bulk. For its weight, you get a excessive R-Worth of 4.3, which makes it an important alternative for 3-season backpacking. One other cool characteristic is that along with the three.5-inch thickness, it additionally has 4.25-inch outer chambers to be sure to’re good and cradled within the center, making this the proper sleeping pad for facet and lively sleepers.
One draw back of this sleeping pad is the inflation course of – the pad comes with an inflatable airbag, however many reviewers be aware how tedious it’s to make use of (round 5 minutes to inflate) vs. a self-inflating sleeping pad. I’ve used an older mannequin of this sleeping pad prior to now and though I discovered it to be tremendous snug, I skilled leaks so take warning inflating this sleeping pad.
NEMO Switchback Foam Sleeping Pad
Key Options:
- Weight: 14.5 oz
- R-Worth: 2.0
- Thickness: 0.9 inches
- Packed Measurement: 20 x 5.5 x 5 inches
- Obtainable sizes: common, brief
- MSRP: $54.95 (common)
Nice for: summer time backpacking, light-weight backpacking, utilizing as a sleeping house on your canine
Professionals: doesn’t require inflation, most sturdy sleeping pad choice, budget-friendly
Cons: thinner than inflatable sleeping pads, doesn’t present heat in chilly climate, cumbersome to hold
For those who don’t like inflatable sleeping pads and like one thing easy that requires no setup time after an extended day of climbing, take a look at the NEMO Switchback Foam Sleeping Pad. This foam sleeping pad is light-weight and extremely sturdy because you don’t have to fret about leaks or valve points. It’s fairly barebones and never fairly as heat and comfy as the opposite choices on this checklist, however when you’re on a funds and wish one thing easy, this can be a good choice for you.
Many reviewers be aware pairing this sleeping pad with an inflatable sleeping pad for further padding and heat on backpacking journeys or utilizing this pad as a sleeping house for his or her canine. You can too use this sleeping pad as a sit pad when it’s folded up. The draw back of a foam sleeping pad is you sometimes should carry it on the surface of your pack because it doesn’t compress like an inflatable pad does.
REI Co-op Trailbreak Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad
Key Options:
- Weight: 2lbs 8oz
- R-Worth: 5.1
- Thickness: 1.75 inches
- Packed Measurement: 6.5 x 20 inches
- Obtainable sizes: common, lengthy
- MSRP: $74.95 (common)
Verify Worth: REI
Nice for: brief backpacking journeys, funds backpackers, 3-season backpacking
Professionals: cheap for an inflatable pad, sturdy
Cons: heaviest and bulkiest sleeping pad on our checklist, arduous to inflate/deflate
In case you are in search of a high-quality, budget-friendly sleeping pad, look no additional than the REI Co-op Trailbreak Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad. With an R-Worth of 5.1, this can be a heat sleeping pad that’s nice for 3-season journeys.
The draw back of this sleeping pad is the load and dimension – that is ideally a automobile tenting sleeping pad, nevertheless it may also be used for brief backpacking journeys or in case your backpacking sleeping bag and/or tent is small. There may be additionally a ladies’s model obtainable, which is able to prevent a number of ounces.
The best way to Select the Greatest Sleeping Pad for Backpacking
I owned the identical previous sleeping pad for a very long time since I began backpacking greater than a decade in the past, however a number of years again I made a decision it was time to improve. Since my authentic funding, sleeping pads have come a great distance. Now they’re lighter, extra snug, and rather more compact than ever earlier than.
In my seek for the perfect backpacking sleeping pad, I grew to become overwhelmed with the variety of choices. There was rather a lot to think about like worth, R-Worth, weight, and dimension. So I did a bunch of analysis on how to decide on the perfect sleeping pad for backpacking and needed to share with you what I discovered
So, how do you select the perfect sleeping pad for backpacking? Listed here are the components to think about when making your buy:
Foam Sleeping Pads vs Inflatable Sleeping Pads
There are two fundamental kinds of sleeping pads. The primary is a closed-cell foam pad. These are the most cost effective and most sturdy pads obtainable, however they are usually much less snug. Their stiff form additionally means you don’t have the power to pack them down, and most of the people find yourself carrying them on the surface of their pack.
The opposite choice is an inflatable sleeping pad. These can both be self-inflating or manually inflated by blowing air into them. These present extra cushion than a foam pad however are much less sturdy since they’re susceptible to puncture. This implies you need to be very cautious when utilizing an inflatable sleeping pad straight on the bottom with the intention to keep away from leaks. Inflatable sleeping pads are considerably extra snug than foam pads, and in lots of instances the distinction in weight is negligible.
Insulation: The R-Worth
The R-value is an indicator of insulation. R values vary from 1.0 on the low finish to 10 on the excessive finish, and the upper the R-value the extra warmth the pad goes to retain. Most sleeping pads supposed for backpacking have R-values round 2.0-5.0.
The very first thing you’ll wish to take into consideration is the sort of local weather you’ll be utilizing your sleeping pad in. In case you are a good climate backpacker and will probably be spending most nights in heat summer time temperatures, then you may get away with a decrease R-value. However, if you’re doing winter or snow tenting, then you will have one thing with an R-value nearer to five. Pads with R-values larger than 5 are heavier and usually supposed for automobile tenting.
Weight
Weight is a crucial issue to think about for your whole gear, and sleeping pads are not any exception. Closed-cell foam pads are the lightest and usually weigh in at lower than a pound.
The lightest inflatable sleeping pads are comparable in weight to the froth pads. The Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite is just about the lightest choice obtainable at 12 ounces. Relying on how plush you wish to go, an affordable weight vary for an inflatable pad is 10 ounces as much as 2 kilos. And whereas not all the time the case, there tends to be a tradeoff between weight and sturdiness with inflatable sleeping pads. For those who select one of many ultralight inflatable choices, you have to deal with it with warning and keep away from utilizing it straight on the bottom.
Thickness
Inflatable sleeping pads fluctuate wherever from one to 4 inches thick, and a thicker pad goes to supply further consolation if you’re a facet sleeper. The draw back of a thicker pad is that they take longer to inflate by mouth. In case you are a again sleeper and have a tendency to remain put all through the night time, then you definitely may be happy with a thinner pad. Closed-cell foam pads are usually thinner, normally working at lower than 1 inch thick.
Size and Width
As a way to minimize down on weight, sleeping pads are getting smaller and smaller. Actually, some sleeping pads now are available in 3/4 size that means the underside of your legs and ft will probably be hanging off. Many even have a tapered or mummy-shaped design the place the top and foot are narrower than the remainder of the pad.
Whereas it varies throughout manufacturers, a regular-sized sleeping pad is roughly 72 inches lengthy by 20 inches broad, and most manufacturers make their sleeping pads in a number of sizes to accommodate those that are shorter, taller, or have broad shoulders. For those who transfer round rather a lot whilst you sleep, it’s possible you’ll wan to purchase a large sleeping pad.
Girls’s Backpacking Sleeping Pads
Some backpacking sleeping pads are available in a ladies’s particular model. These are usually shorter and are generally just a little wider to accommodate numerous physique shapes and bigger hips. Girls’s sleeping pads are additionally made to be hotter, with a better R-value since ladies typically sleep colder than males.
Packed Measurement
That is one space the place sleeping pads have made some severe developments. Some sleeping pads lately are smaller than a Nalgene bottle when packed down, that means they take up manner much less house in your bag than they used to. For backpacking, you’ll need one thing that packs right down to about 4-5.5 inches by 8-11 inches. After all, you should use one thing bigger, however we’d solely advocate that for shorter journeys or when you’re splitting up gear between your associate or campmate.
Different Options
One-way valves: Most of the latest sleeping pads, just like the Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated Sleeping Pad, have one-way valves. Which means when you find yourself blowing them up, the air can’t come again out of the valve, making it simpler to explode. Then whenever you wish to deflate it, there’s a separate valve that you simply open the place the air escapes from.
Self-inflating: There are a number of pads available on the market which can be self-inflating. My Therm-a-Relaxation ProLite Plus is certainly one of them. For those who select to purchase a self-inflating pad, try to be ready that after some use, the pad may not self-inflate prefer it used to. At that time, you’ll find yourself blowing it up along with your mouth similar to the remaining, however the self-inflation is a pleasant characteristic whereas it lasts.
Built-in pump: Many more moderen sleeping pads include a pump built-in into the stuff sack. You principally fill the stuff sack with air and push or roll that air into the sleeping pad for simpler filling. This does add a number of ounces, however usually this isn’t an excessive amount of of a difficulty.
What’s the greatest sleeping pad for backpacking that you simply’ve discovered? Do you’ve gotten a favourite? Go away a remark under and tell us!
