Air-Filled Sleeping Pads

Featured review by David Link

A super comfy lightweight mat for warm sleep in cold conditions. When the conditions are “extreme,” the Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated pad delivers. The Thermolite insulation helps you forget that you are sleeping on the ground, and it is completely worth the bulk and weight.

I have been a fan of the Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated mat for a few years now, and have reviewed it here previously. For the weight and packability (16 oz), it provides really good comfort in warmer weather. But in colder winter and shoulder season temps, I have used a bulkier/heavier Therm-a-Rest mat, as the UltraLight Insulated really isn’t up to the task. Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated So, when the chance to try the Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated mat came along, I was eager to give it a go.

Read more: Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated reviews (2)

Featured review by PhilNC

The NeoAir Topo Luxe offers excellent comfort and insulation for a price in weight and pocketbook. For "comfortably light" hikers (not ultralight!), this is the "recliner" for your back country living room. Warm enough to take you into at least the shoulder seasons, unbelievably comfy, sturdily constructed, and much quieter than other NeoAir models. Weight is the big issue (1lb 7-14 oz depending on size), but the 4-inch height also might have to be factored in for those who are tall enough to be near your tent walls. At this height, it's also a bit bouncy if you are sensitive to that.

This is a preliminary review after two months of testing. More to come this winter! I have trimmed my pack weight down over the years to what I call "comfortably light," with emphasis on the comfort. Therefore I was excited to test the new NeoAir Topo Luxe as it seemed to fit my style of adding on a bit of weight in order to lounge comfortably in camp. Or I could have just been looking forward to all the hard work "testing" the Topo Luxe... Product Description & Specs The NeoAir Topo Luxe is a comfort-first sleeping pad for those who balance luxury and weight.

Read more: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe reviews (2)

Reviewed by KiwiKlimber

The NEMO Tensor Alpine ultralight sleeping pad is a do-it-all pad. It’s small and light enough to carry into the mountains, it’s warm enough to use in all four seasons, it’s comfortable enough to sleep soundly through the night, and it’s easy enough to inflate/deflate that you won’t dread setting up or tearing down. This pad is the warmest I’ve ever slept on and one of the easiest to inflate/deflate.

Conditions: I’ve tested the NEMO Tensor Alpine pad (Wide/Long option) over the course of three months, during late autumn and winter camping trips. I’ve spent a total of nine nights sleeping on the pad, and my nephew borrowed it for an additional three nights. Specs: Remember, these are the specs for the Long/Wide option. NEMO also sells a Regular/Mummy version of this pad, which is 4 inches shorter, 5 inches narrower, and 7 ounces lighter.  Length: 75.5 inches / 191.8 cm (Manufacturer claim is 76") (Regular/Mummy is 72") Width: 25 inches / 63.5 cm (Manufacturer claim is 25") (Regular/Mummy is 20") Thickness: 2.875 inches / 7.3 cm (Manufacturer claim is 3") (Regular/Mummy is the same) R-Value: 4.8—bring on the cold weather! (Regular/Mummy...

Read more: NEMO Tensor Alpine Ultralight review (1)

Reviewed by Sean Van Cleve

Exped's lightweight and easy to use Ultra 1R sleeping pad is quiet, durable, and provides substantial comfort throughout a wide temperature range. Paired with a short CCF (closed-cell foam) pad, the Ultra 1R proved to be comfortable down to the mid-30°F range on the 93-mile Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park in September 2022. Although this sleeping pad is aimed toward lightweight/ultralight hikers, any camper looking for a compact and durable sleeping pad may find this product more than sufficient for three-season overnights. Multiple sizes, widths, and a rectangular model are available.

People do not want to take risks when it comes down to a night of much needed rest. Although individuals in the past have accepted poor quality sleep as "ordinary," this stigma has been rapidly changing with the development of outdoor technology. Based out of Switzerland, Exped has been in the industry since 1983.  Preparing camp at N. Puyallup River on the Wonderland Trail The Ultra 1R sleeping mat is a straightforward product with two easy to operate valves. The proprietary Exped Flatvalve has one-way operation, as to not leak when filling.   Note the lower inflation check valve Included is a Schnozzel Pumpbag UL (20L/size small) for quick and moisture-free filling.

Read more: Exped Ultra 1R review (1)

Featured review by David Link

Lightweight comfy pad, gives a great night's sleep.

I was intrigued by Sea to Summit's new line of sleeping pads, so when the REI dividend and coupon came out, I decided to give it a try. The first thing I notice was how small the packed size was. I'm always trying to put less bulk in my back, so this is good news for me. I was taken by the pad's interesting new valve design. There are essentially two "plugs" in one. You open the outer plug to inflate, and both plugs to deflate. I find that it takes about a dozen or so breaths to inflate it fully, which is much faster than my previous pad, which usually took a couple of minutes to inflate.

Read more: Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated reviews (4)

Featured review by Ashleigh

Tired of miserable, sleepless nights in the backcountry? Give the four-season Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core a try. Big Agnes claims that its Insulated Q-Core is the most comfortable pad on the planet. Is it? Well, I can’t answer that, but I can tell you that it is the most comfortable pad I have ever slept on. Because it is 3.5" thick, you’ll never know you're sleeping on the ground. The Q-Core features a quilted pattern of alternating vertical and horizontal baffles that provides even weight distribution and raised side beams to prevent rolling off the mat in the middle of the night. It may be a little bit on the heavy side at 27oz, but to me, a good night’s sleep is well worth a carrying few extra ounces.

I have owned my Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core for about a year and a half now. I have slept on it in temperatures ranging from 15 degrees to 75 degrees and on surfaces ranging from rocky, granite ground to plush grass. No matter the temperature or the surface I slept comfortably on the Q-Core. The Q-Core offers superb support, no matter if you are a side, back, or stomach sleeper. It can be made very firm for extra support or more soft to cradle your body. Even when it isn’t firm, your hips still don’t touch the ground.   Filling the Q-Core to 3/4 capacity provides a cradling effect on the body when you lie on it.

Read more: Big Agnes Q-Core reviews (12)

Featured review by Inga Aksamit

The Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite mattress is the perfect balance of warmth, size, and weight for a light backpacking kit. The pad weighs just 12 ounces with an R-Value of 3.2 in a profile the size of a one-liter water bottle.

The Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite inflatable mattress is a marvel of warmth in a small package. I was still using the very first NeoAir model, which was revolutionary when it came out but only had an R-Value of 2. The NeoAir XLite has an R-Value of 3.2. It doesn’t sound like much but it was noticeably warmer and best of all, it’s significantly smaller and lighter than my classic NeoAir. Field Test The first thing I noticed about the XLite was the small size. When deflated and rolled up, this pad is tiny.

Read more: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite reviews (23)

Featured review by Paul Lapierre

Perfect for backcountry camping.

I recently purchase one of these for a recent alpine expedition. I did not want to bring my old T/R feeling it was too bulky. After spending a couple of nights sleeping on some high elevation broken scree I am glad for the extra loft the Venture gave me. I never felt a thing. I like that it rolls to the size of a water bottle since there was a lot of scrambling and pack size mattered. It takes a lot of air to fill, so check some of the local hacks to fill.

Read more: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture reviews (4)

Featured review by Asher Krell

As the member of another website, I get to periodically test out new camping products in exchange for a review and got to play around the with the Static V2 on a recent backpacking trip in north Georgia. Overall I was really impressed with how lightweight and comfortable the pad was along with how small it packed up in my bag. One issue I often have with camping pads is that you have to sleep on your back without moving or you hit pressure points that make it uncomfortable. It was a completely different experience with this pad. I moved around all night, not because of the pad but because that's how I sleep, and every position I was in felt comfortable. This was so nice after a long day with a heavy pack on. I would highly suggest checking out the Static V2 for your next camping trip not only if you are backpacking but also for any form of camping.

This pad was super easy to use and I liked the design of the inflation valve. You just twist then pull to open then push and twist to lock it closed. It was easy and quick to get it completely inflated and it gives you the ability to make minor adjustments to how full of air the pad is. It was also very comfortable to sleep on and I was happy on both my side and back. The V pouch design really does work to cradle your body and reduce pressure points while sleeping. In terms of durability, I didn't get enough use to really assess this but the pad has a lifetime warranty and comes with a lightweight repair patch kit so I can imagine it is built to last.

Read more: Klymit Static V2 reviews (7)

Featured review by Mackaym

This is a solid, lightweight, easy to inflate sleeping pad. Everything it claims to be, and nothing it doesn't claim to be. Decent comfort and great price.

I received the camo-colored version of this pad a couple years ago for a Christmas gift. I've now had a chance to use it about 10 nights, and don't really have much negative to say about it. It packs small and is lightweight, making it a great pad for backpacking. It doesn't claim to provide any significant warmth, and I noticed this on its first use, when I was backpacking in the High Uintas of Utah, and the temperature got down to around 30 degrees. I was just a bit chilled in my 20-degree down sleeping bag, most of the chill coming from underneath through the Klymit Static V pad.

Read more: Klymit Static V reviews (26)