The Best Sleeping Pad Review

Types of Pads
The 17 sleeping pads we tested can be divided into six different categories based on their construction.

Closed Cell Foam
The “classic foam pad” refers to these highly durable and versatile mats. They’re lightweight but bulky. They’re best for those on a budget, for sleeping directly on the ground, or for extended trips that demand the most reliable sleeping pad. Everyone from novice backpackers to the world’s best alpinists use closed cell pads.

Self-Inflating Foam
Open cell foam is glued to the top and bottom of the pad’s interior. Self-inflating pads are comfortable, hold their shape well, but are neither the most compact nor lightweight.

Standard Air Core
Open chambers are filled with air like an inflatable pool mattress. These require a lot of air to blow up, collect moisture inside (which needs to be drained out), and are affordably priced. Though thicker than self-inflating foam pads, air core construction is often bouncy, can be slippery, and is not warm. Standard air core pads make a good first backpacking pad.

Synthetic Insulated Air Core
Synthetic insulation is glued to the underside of the sleep surface. Their thickness makes them comfortable and the insulation makes them reasonably warm, but they also require a lot of air to inflate and collect moisture. Generally modestly priced, synthetic insulated air core pads make for a good budget winter pad.

Down Filled Air Core
A small amount of down is stuffed inside the pad. This insulates you from the snow and ice below. These pads are thick and comfortable, very warm, but expensive and not very light. They need to be inflated with a pump, which is generally included, because moisture from your lungs will degrade the down inside the pad.

Structurally Insulated Air Core
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir series dominates this category. Internal baffles minimize air circulation and insulate your body from the cold beneath. Unfortunately the edges of these pads collapse under load and make the pad feel narrower than it is (their baffles are oriented horizontally, as opposed to vertically like most other air core pads). NeoAir models offer the greatest amount of warmth and comfort for their weight, and pack down to a shockingly small size. These are arguably the most technologically advanced sleeping pads available and offer the highest performance for multi-day mobile trips.

Criteria for Evaluation
We evaluated each sleeping pad based on the following criteria:

Weight
The weight of the pads we tested ranged from 9.1 oz. (Klymit Intertia X Frame) to 36 oz. (Exped DownMat 9). Weight is positively correlated with comfort: in general, the heavier the pad the more comfortable it is.

Packed Size
Closed cell foam pads are the bulkiest type of pad. Their large size generally prevents them from fitting within your pack. The smallest pad we tested was the Klymit Interia X Frame, which can fit in your pocket. The next smallest was the NeoAir XLite. See our specifications table above and in each individual review for packed volumes.

Durability
The Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest SOLite and Z-Lite are the most durable pads we tested. Their closed cell foam resists extended use and abuse and allows the pads to serve purposes other than sleeping. Inflatable pads are less durable, but relatively easy to patch. We found the Nemo Zor to be the least durable pad we tested.

Comfort
Here we evaluated how well each pad transformed rocks and roots into plush heavenly clouds. Although comfort is subjective – and one can quickly become inured to pains of the thin, ultralight pad – we came to the following general conclusions: thicker pads cushion the hips and knees better than thinner pads; flat surfaces are more comfortable for putting your head on than bumpy surfaces; grippier fabrics keep you and your pad attached for longer; square pads offer more surface area than mummy shaped pads, and the NeoAir’s horizontal air chambers are more comfortable than competing companies' vertical chambers. (Vertical chambers are generally larger and bumpier, have little internal structure, and can feel like an inflatable pool toy.) The most comfortable pad will depend upon your preferences. Top contenders are the Exped DownMat 9, Neo Air Trekker, and ProLite Plus. Our testers found the Klymit Intertia X Frame to be the least comfortable pad. If comfort is top priority, check out our Car Camping Mattress Review.

Warmth
A pad’s ability to insulate you from the cold below is a crucial concern for winter users when the temperature difference between your body and the ground can exceed 60 degrees. Two main factors influence warmth: a pad’s thickness (thicker is warmer) and air circulation (more reduces warmth). Winter sleeping pads aim to prevent the warm air at the top of a pad from mixing with teh cold air at the bottom of a pad. Unfortunately there is no industry standard for measuring R-Values (several companies are in the process of developing one). Our warmth variable reflects our experience testing the pads on ice and snow. The R-Value column presented above, and in each individual review, shows either the value from the manufacturer or from independent testing done by Backpacking Light. When comparing R-values know that the measurement is linear: a pad with an R-value of 5.0 is five times warmer than a pad with an R-value of 1.0. The warmest pad we tested was the Exped DownMat 9 followed by the NeoAir XTherm.

Inflation Method and Storage
You breath contains water vapor that can damage a sleeping pad over time. In warm weather vapor from your lungs enters the pad when you inflate it and leaves the pad when you deflate it. In cold weather, however, water vapor condenses into liquid form and remains inside the pad even after deflation. Some winter pads, such as the NeoAir AllSeason and XTherm, include stuff sacks that can be used for inflation. Other pads, such as the Exped SynMat and DownMat, have built-in hand pumps. Neither of these options is particularly easy or lightweight. Two other inflation options are the Nemo Disco Pad Pump and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Pump Sack.

Bottom Line
Our Editors' Choice award goes to the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm, the highest performance all-purpose sleeping pad on the market. Its impressive warmth-to-weight ratio, low weight, and small packed size establish it firmly as the ultimate year-round pad for multi-day trips.

Our Best Buy award goes to the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL, the most compact closed cell foam pad we’ve tested. Besides being the most pad for your money, this pad performs well for everything from entry-level backpacking to high-end Alpine climbing.

Our Top Pick award is presented to the Nemo Astro Insulated, which artfully balances the comfort required by car campers with the compact size demanded by backpackers. We also recommend the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite, the most comfortable and warmest ultralight pad we’ve ever tested.

Best Pads for Specific Applications
Ultralight backpacking: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite size Small.
Winter backpacking and mountaineering: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm.
Winter base camping: Exped DownMat 9.
Alpine climbing: Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL cut in half.
Big wall climbing: Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest SOLite cut in half for low angle routes and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite for steep routes.
Car camping: see our Car Camping Mattress Review.