Best lightweight sleeping pad?

[LuckyMan]

I have recently upgraded most of my decades-old backpacking gear and am happy with most of my choices so far, including TarpTent Notch and Gossamear Gear Mariposa pack. I still have a heavy full-length Thermarest and am looking for a lighter but still comfortable option, and am confounded by all the products out there. Among the choices I'm looking at are the Thermarest NeoAir XLite, the new Gossamer Gear Airbeam Sleeper (GG recommends a Thinlight foam pad beneath), new Multimat Superlite Air, Klymit Inertia O Zone or other Klymit Inertia model, Synmat UL 7, REI Flash Insulated Air, Mammut Alpine foam mat, and Big Agnes Q-Core SL or heavier Insulated Q-Core. I am a side sleeper and a light sleeper, 6'2", 180#, in my early 50s and plan to hike several hundred miles of trails a year in the coming years, spring through fall, including Colorado Trail, Benton Mackaye, John Muir, Foothills Trail and longish sections of the AT and PCT. I use a Montbell Super Spiral Down Hugger #3 bag (not recommended; despite its great cost it leaked down the first time I used it and had to be repaired). I'd appreciate any advice.

[Mobius]

I have the REI Flash pad (the full length one). I flop around a fair bit and do sleep on my side. I find it comfortable and easy to deal with.

However, the past couple trips I've been on have been in the 20's (F) at night and even with a 6 panel z-rest beneath the REI inflatable I feel the ground sucking the heat out of me. I've got an Xtherm in the mail that I hope will be warmer for these colder nights.

[HooKooDooKu]

Because of your size and sleep position, I would recommend a sleep pad that is at least 77"x25"x2" (i.e. larger than the standard 72"x20" size).

Since you're time frame is 3 season, it doesn't sound like you need a "winter" level pad (such as the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm). So I would look at the Therm-a-Rest Prolite series JUST to get an idea of the R level you might need.
The used to have the 'Prolite3' and 'Prolite4'... 3 for 3-season, 4 for 4-season. Today, they call them 'Prolite' and 'Prolite Plus'. They label the 'Prolite' as being a 3-season pad, but they don't specifically call the 'Prolite Plus' a 4-season bag. So that sounds to me like the 'Prolite Plus' is a 3-season pad with a little extra for warmth. The 'Prolite' has an R-Value of 2.2, while the 'Prolite Plus' has an R-Value of 3.8. So using that information, I'm going to suggest that you look for pads with an R-Value of at least 3.0. (BTW, the 'NeoAir All Season has an R-Value of 4.9 for comparison).

So I would review the specs of all the pads you were considering.
1. Throw out any pad that doesn't come in at least a 77"x25"x2" size.
2. Throw out any pad that doesn't have an R-Value of at least 4.0
3. Sort the remainders by weight (include anything extra you might need to inflate them).
4. Pay attention to rolled size.
5. Pick the lightest weight pad that doesn't have an unreasonable rolled size.

BTW, with the NeoAir, what I've learned is that unless they are changing the inner reflective layer, it doesn't really like to get wet. So I wouldn't recommend blowing up a NeoAir (or perhaps any pad) strictly with your breath. I've seen a few pads that have built-in hand pumps (look cool, don't know the weight penalty). There are battery operated inflater. I personally use the NeoAir Xlite and use a plastic garbage bag and a rubber band to inflate it. Simply cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Push the nozzle of the pad through the hole and use a rubber band to secure it in place. Then carefully capture air in the trash bag and squeeze it into the pad. When the pad is mostly inflated, remove the bag and finish topping it off with your breath. You'll have to either be careful not to overstress your bag when you squeeze it, or pay a small weight penalty and use plastic trash compactor bags.

[bfayer]

I highly recommend the Exped UL7 Synmat LW. It is a rather large mat to blow up, so I also highly recommend the Exped schnozzel pump bag, which can also double as a pack liner.

Very comfortable, warm down to the 20s, packs compact, not noisy, and very light for its size.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

[Rocket Jones]

I like the NeoAir Trekker. It's a bit heavier than the standard models, both in weight and durability. I've got the standard size (72"x20"), but am seriously looking at the wide torso model (47"x25"), and will just use my pack under my legs.

My winter experience is to place a CCF pad on top of the NeoAir, it's warmer that way.

[CarlZ993]

I used the Xlite NeoAir on the AT this year. Worked great! I'm 6'1" & was hiking at 182 lbs (I weigh more since I've gotten back home to Momma's cooking). I was warm down to about 15 deg. The pad never leaked on me. I side sleep a lot. I made sure I always had a ground sheet beneath it when I used it in a shelter. Didn't want to snag it on something & cause a leak.

[winger]

Exped is the most comfortable pad for its weight that I've tried.

[Nyte]

I have the REI Flash pad (the full length one). I flop around a fair bit and do sleep on my side. I find it comfortable and easy to deal with.

However, the past couple trips I've been on have been in the 20's (F) at night and even with a 6 panel z-rest beneath the REI inflatable I feel the ground sucking the heat out of me. I've got an Xtherm in the mail that I hope will be warmer for these colder nights.

Put your Z rest on top of the air pad. The air in the pad is still moving too freely, and the ambient and moving air is sapping the heat.

[Mobius]

Put your Z rest on top of the air pad. The air in the pad is still moving too freely, and the ambient and moving air is sapping the heat.

Can't wait to try that out!

[juma]

because I side sleep I knew I could use a narrower pad so I had a downmat made by stephenson's warmlite. I'm 6' and had him make my mattress 5'10" and 20" wide at the shoulder. It weighes 19 oz and I estimate the R factor and at least 5.

[Coffee]

The Thermarest Prolite has been surprisingly comfortable and light at just about a pound and relatively cheap (often on sale). One advantage of the Prolite is that it is just an inch tall. That makes a difference in terms of keeping me and my bag away from condensation on the walls of my shelter. I personally also found the Prolite more comfortable than the Exped mat I tried previously. I like the fact that the prolite doesn't have any vertical or horizontal ridges -- it is just flat.

My advice is to buy the pad you think is the best fit from REI. If it doesn't work out, they will exchange it for another pad without any hassles.

[russb]

I have the REI Flash pad (the full length one). I flop around a fair bit and do sleep on my side. I find it comfortable and easy to deal with.

However, the past couple trips I've been on have been in the 20's (F) at night and even with a 6 panel z-rest beneath the REI inflatable I feel the ground sucking the heat out of me. I've got an Xtherm in the mail that I hope will be warmer for these colder nights.

I used the xtherm with a ccf pad beneath it at -12*F and it was plenty warm. This was in a leanto with an elevated floor; I only mention this fact because these are typically colder than being on the ground.

[rangeley]

+1 on the prolite. It's comfortable and pretty light weight. Only being an inch tall is a lot less annoying when you inevitably roll off the pad. I would still recommend a ccf pad underneath it at temperatures 25* and less. I've had mine for more than a year and I've had no durability issues yet

[daddytwosticks]

The Thermarest Prolite has been surprisingly comfortable and light at just about a pound and relatively cheap (often on sale). One advantage of the Prolite is that it is just an inch tall. That makes a difference in terms of keeping me and my bag away from condensation on the walls of my shelter. I personally also found the Prolite more comfortable than the Exped mat I tried previously. I like the fact that the prolite doesn't have any vertical or horizontal ridges -- it is just flat.

My advice is to buy the pad you think is the best fit from REI. If it doesn't work out, they will exchange it for another pad without any hassles.

Agree. Best bang for the buck IMHO.

[rocketsocks]

Sleeping Pad R Values

Measuring Insulation

If you’re a home owner, you are probably familiar with the concept of an R-Value. If not, it’s a measure used in the building and construction industry to rate the thermal resistance of building insulation under specific test conditions. The higher the R value, the more effective it is.
R value performance testing is done in a 70 F environment with no air movement. As such, it doesn’t reflect many real world conditions where you’d use a sleeping pad, so I highly recommend that you augment any gear selection that you make based on it with field testing.
If you are interested in sleeping pads for early spring, late autumn or winter conditions, R-Value is additive. When it gets cold, I like to use two pads, a closed cell foam pad and an insulated inflatable one with a combined R-Value of at least 5.
For purposes of backpacking, you also need to factor in weight, comfort, compressibility, and rigidity when you make a sleeping pad selection. In addition, side sleepers may not receive the full R-value of benefit of an inflatable insulated pad because their bodies are not in full contact with the surface of the pad. This is particularly true for insulated sleeping pads that depend on your body heat to warm them up, including the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir product line, Exped’s DownMats and Big Agnes’ Insulated Pads.
Sleeping Pad R-Value Comparison

The following table provides a side by side comparison of the major sleeping pads available in the US market. The pad weights listed are sized for 72″ long x 20″ wide pads, though there are a few exceptions below. The R-Value of a pad should still remain the same if you select a longer, shorter, or wider variation of the pad. If a sleeping pad has a R-Value of “Not Available”, it’s because the manufacturer has not supplied one or R-value testing has not been performed.

Manufacturer	Model	R-Value	Weight (oz)	Thickness (in)	Price USD	Type
Big Agnes	Clearview	1	15	2.5	49.95	Inflatable
Big Agnes	Aircore	1	22	2.5	39.95	Inflatable
Big Agnes	Insulated Aircore	4.1	21	2.5	89.95	Inflatable
Big Agnes	Insulated Q-Core	5	27	3.5	139.95	Inflatable
Big Agnes	Insulated Q-Core SL	5	18	3.5	159.95	Inflatable
Big Agnes	Dual Core	5.0	38	2.5	89.95	Inflatable
Klymit	Inertia X Frame	Not Avail.	9.1	1.5	99.95	Inflatable
Klymit	Static V	1.3	18.1	2.5	59.95	Inflatable
Klymit	Inertia XL	Not Avail.	16.8	1.5	129.95	Inflatable
Klymit	Insulated Static V	4.4	25	2.5	89.95	Inflatable
Klymit	Inertia X-Lite	Not Avail.	6.1	1.5	89.95	Inflatable
Therm-arest	Z-lite SOL	2.6	14	0.75	34.95	Closed Cell
Therm-a-Rest	Prolite	2.2	16	1.0	99.95	Self-Inflating
Therm-a-Rest	Prolite Womens	2.8	16	2.5	99.95	Self-Inflating
Therm-a-Rest	NeoAir XLite	3.2	12	2.5	159.95	Inflatable
Therm-a-Rest	NeoAir XLite Womens	3.9	11	2.5	159.95	Inflatable
Therm-a-Rest	NeoAir XTherm	5.7	15	2.5	189.95	Inflatable
Therm-a-Rest	NeoAir All Season	4.9	19	2.5	149.95	Inflatable
Therm-a-Rest	NeoAir Trekker	2.0	19	2.5	119.95	Inflatable
Therm-a-Rest	Ridgerest Solar	3.5	19	0.79	39.95	Closed Cell
Therm-a-Rest	Ridgerest SOLite	2.8	14	1.5	29.95	Closed Cell
Therma-Rest	Prolite Plus	3.8	22	1.5	99.95	Self-Inflating
Therma-Rest	Prolite Plus Womens	4.6	21	1.5	109.95	Self-Inflating
Therm-a-Rest	Trail Lite	3.8	32	1.5	69.95	Self-Inflating
Exped	Downmat 7	5.9	30	2.8	168.95	Inflatable
Exped	Downmat UL 7	5.9	20.5	2.8	198.95	Inflatable
Exped	Downmat 9	8.0	34	3.5	198.95	Inflatable
Exped	Synmat 7	4.9	30.3	2.8	128.95	Inflatable
Exped	Synmat UL 7	3.1	16.2	2.8	164.95	Inflatable
Exped	Synmat 9	6.0	25.4	3.5	168.95	Inflatable
Exped	Airmat Basic 7.5	0.7	11.8	3.0	69.00	Inflatable
Exped	Airmat Basic UL 7.5	0.7	12.5	3.0	88.95	Inflatable
Gossamer Gear	Nightlight	2.27	4.9	0.75	21.00	Closed Cell
NEMO	TUO Standard	Not Avail.	36	1.6	99.95	Inflatable
NEMO	Astro Air	Not Avail.	20	2.5	89.95	Inflatable
NEMO	Astro Insulated	Not Avail.	20	2.5	109.95	Inflatable
NEMO	Cosmo Air	Not Avail.	29	3.0	139.95	Inflatable
NEMO	Cosmo Insulated	Not Avail.	34	3.0	159.95	Inflatable
NEMO	ZOR	Not Avail.	14	1	99.95	Inflatable
REI	Standard Blue Foam	1.4	9.6	0.38	29.00	Foam
REI	Lite-Core 1.5	3.2	27	1.5	89.95	Self-Inflating
REI	Trekker 1.75	4.2	40	1.75	69.50	Self-Inflating

always found this helpful...from http://sectionhiker.com/sleeping-pad-r-values/

[Tipi Walter]

Beware of the highly vaunted Exped Downmat!! I just got back from a cold Thanksgiving trip and on Day 1 of a 19 day swaray had this wonderful thing happen to me with the Oh-So-Crappy Exped---one of the baffle tubes burst necessitating a trip detour 12 miles away to an emergency Thermarest cache. You can't sleep on a bulbous air bladder, and it's just a matter of time before another tube pops.

[Nooga]

I used the Xlite NeoAir on the AT this year. Worked great! I'm 6'1" & was hiking at 182 lbs (I weigh more since I've gotten back home to Momma's cooking). I was warm down to about 15 deg. The pad never leaked on me. I side sleep a lot. I made sure I always had a ground sheet beneath it when I used it in a shelter. Didn't want to snag it on something & cause a leak.

Agree. This was my experience last year with the Xlite NeoAir. No issues and very comfortable.

[colorado_rob]

I... I am a side sleeper and a light sleeper, 6'2", 180#, in my early 50s and plan to hike several hundred miles of trails a year in the coming years, spring through fall, including Colorado Trail, Benton Mackaye, John Muir, Foothills Trail and longish sections of the AT and PCT....

Sounds like me except I'm a few years older, but one key statement is the side sleeper thing, again, like myself, this means I need a thicker pad than the Prolite, meaning the Neo Air series, if you want to stay light. I used an old style NeoAir for 4 years, always treated me well, maybe 100 nights use, finally developed a slow leak which I could not find, sent it to the company (cascade designs, I think, right?) and they sent me a brand new NeoAir x-lite. The new Neo Air is even lighter and has a higher R value. Bottom line, completely sold on the Neo Air series. But yeah, kinda expensive. Campmore seems to always have the older NeoAir's on a good sale, like $80 for s hort, more for the medium. One comment about R value: this is really only important in the colder months, assuming you have at least R2.5 or so. I can share the calculations if anyone cares. I just used my x-lite, R=3.2 this last weekend in some frigid conditions and I was fine. The old style Neo Air is around R=2.5 if memory serves, still fine for most of 3-season use. finally, I was always apprehensive about the "crackling" sound of the new NeoAir, but found this to be a non-issue, and in fact, the new one is a tad quieter than the old one.

[LuckyMan]

Thanks for the responses; they will be helpful. The heavy old Thermarest I have been using is 72" and has been an adequate length and allowed me to sleep about as well as I do at home; I'm considering whether I should stay at that length or try a torso-length like most of the ultralight hikers I read about use, putting the empty back beneath the legs (but then, most of them are much younger than me). Has anyone out there switched from full-length to torso-length, and been happy or unhappy with the decision?
Also, I don't know anyone who has tried the Multimat Superlight Air, new Gossamer Gear inflatable or Klymit Inertia - has anybody tried any of those?

[Nyte]

I'm 6'4", and when I switched to the short z-rest (granted not just torso length, but 52" instead of 72"), I never noticed any issues, even sleeping on bare rock or concrete. Granted, I am primarily a side sleeper, so that may be a factor.