Klymit Insulated Static V Lite Review

The Klymit Insulated Static V Lite hits a great balance of warmth, weight, packed size, and price. Continue reading to see how it performed against other top pads.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

When it comes to comfort, the Klymit Insulated Static V Lite feels very different than the other pads in the review. Vertically baffled sleeping pads often feel bouncy when you move your feet or readjust. Meanwhile, the edges of horizontally baffled sleeping pads often collapse. The Klymit's dynamic side rails and v-chamber design did a pretty good job of solving these two issues. While we appreciate that the edges don't collapse and it doesn't feel bouncy, our testers preferred sleeping on smoother surfaces of pads like the Therm-a-Rest EvoLite or NeoAir Venture. Our testers' most common complaint about this pad was that it tends to make a squeaking sound when you shift sleeping positions. One tester noted that it often sounds like the pad is, “farting at you.”

Weight

At just 19.6 ounces, this pad offers an impressive amount of warmth for the weight. If it was more durable and more comfortable to sleep on, this would have been a top contender indeed.

Warmth

The Insulated Static V Lite has a stated R-value of 4.4, making it warm enough to sleep around snow in the shoulder seasons. Unless you're using an ultralight quilt or sleeping bag that lacks insulation on the bottom, this pad will probably feel warmer than other pads with similar R values because the insulation of your sleeping pad will fill this pad's deep baffles thus trapping air and keeping you warmer. Still, if you sleep cold or are looking for a winter pad and want to camp on rock, frozen dirt, or ice, you should consider supplementing this pad with a foam pad such as the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL for a combined R-value of almost 7.

Packed Size

This pad packs to a little over a liter in size making it a fairly compressible pad for the R-value.

Durability

We used all of the pads in this review side-by-side while guiding backpacking trips in Colorado. This was the only pad to come back with holes in it… and it had multiple. Thankfully, it comes with a patch kit that made fixing the holes quick and easy once you find them. While this pad uses 30 denier polyester that should be about as durable as some of the other pads in this review, in practice, the Insulated Static V Lite seems a little less durable. If you are buying this pad to use in the winter, you should consider purchasing a cheap foam pad to supplement it. Not only will this combo be warmer, but also so that if you accidentally puncture the Insulated Static V, you will at least have a foam pad between you and the frozen ground. You should also note that we were intentionally abusive during our review. If you take care of your pad and use it inside your tent, this pad will probably work really well for you.

Best Applications

If you need a cold weather pad and don't want to break the bank, this pad will be great for you. Budget winter campers will love this pad.

Value

For just $100, this pad packs an impressive amount of warmth for the weight. Because we had bad luck with the durability of this pad, we can't say that it's the best value on the market, but then again we were pretty rough for the purposes of the review. Take care of this pad, and it'll take care of you and keep you cozy all night long.

Conclusion

The Klymit Insulated Static V Lite is a good pad at a good price. It is warm and lightweight but isn't as durable as we'd like it to be. The deep baffles feel stable and give a lot of back support but aren't as comfortable as smoother faced sleeping pads. We recommend this pad for people looking for a warm sleeping pad that doesn't weigh or cost too much.