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The best sleeping pads

Rough it in absolute comfort with the best sleeping pads available

Sleeping pads are a necessity for any backpacking or camping trip. They not only give you a comfortable surface for sleeping, but they also provide an extra layer of warmth. Anyone who has slept without one learns the hard way how quickly heat drains from the body. This cooling is especially pronounced when your back is laying against the cold ground or is exposed to the cold ambient air in a hammock. Even the best sleeping bag or the warmest quilt won’t prevent this bone-chilling heat loss.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite

The best sleeping pad overall

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Why you should buy this: The NeoAir XLite is not only comfortable and warm for sleeping, but it’s also lightweight, delivering one of the best warmth-to-weight ratios on the market.

Who it’s for: Weekend backpackers who don’t mind paying a little extra for a three-season sleeping pad that’s comfortable, warm, and packs down to fit in a backpack.

Weight: 12 ounces

Why we picked the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite:

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite is an inflatable air mattress sleeping pad with a sleek, tapered mummy design. It’s popular among backpackers and for a good reason — the pad isn’t only warm and comfortable for sleeping, but it’s also lightweight, adding less than a pound to your base weight.

The NeoAir XLite delivers lightweight warmth in three seasons thanks to the company’s innovative Therm-a-capture reflective layer that traps heat without using bulky down or synthetic fills. It’s incredibly warm for 3-season use — this pad has an R-Value of 3.2, providing protection from the cold down to about 25-degrees Fahrenheit.

Because Therm-a-Rest doesn’t use insulating materials to provide warmth, the NeoAir XLite is exceptionally light and compact, weighing a mere 12 ounces. It also packs down tightly to the size of a water bottle, allowing you to store it easily inside your backpack. On the comfort scale, the NeoAir XLite hits the middle ground with 2.5-inches of cushioning to protect you from the hard surface of the ground or shelter.

The most significant criticism we have with the XLite is the noise it makes when you move around. The crinkly sound can be bothersome while trying to fall asleep. Because it’s an inflatable, the sleeping pad also remains susceptible to developing a leak, especially on demanding thru-hikes where the pad repeatedly sees a variety of surfaces. Thankfully, field repair is easy.

Klymit Hammock V

The best hammock sleeping pad

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Why you should buy this: The Hammock V sleeping pad from Klymit is designed to fit securely in your hammock and won’t slip out like a traditional sleeping pad.

Who it’s for: The Klymit Hammock is a must-have for hammock campers looking to add a layer of insulation to a hammock.

Weight: 27.3 ounces

Why we picked the Klymit Hammock V:

Hammocks are incredibly comfortable for sleeping, but they suffer from a fatal flaw: When you snuggle up in your sleeping bag and lay down in your hammock, all your weight shifts to your back. This compresses the sleeping bag in the area, preventing it from trapping the warm air necessary to keep you warm. As a result, hammock campers feel an annoying draft. The best way to remedy this situation is with a thin sleeping pad that provides a layer of insulation.

Most sleeping pads are designed to be used on the ground and don’t fit well in a hammock. The Klymit Hammock V gets rid of this issue with no-slip zones that grip and a unique shape designed to fit perfectly in any standard single or double hammock. The pad not only fits underneath you but it also has wings that wrap around, keeping you warm on the side.

To prevent a cold draft on your back, the Hammock V has deep welds which allow the sleeping bag to loft beneath you. It’s also compact, measuring 4 inches by 8 inches and weighing 27 ounces when packed. Best of all, its streamlined shape takes only 15 to 20 breaths to inflate, making it quick and easy to set up at camp.

Nemo Tensor Insulated

The best inflatable air sleeping pad

NEMO Tensor
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Why you should buy this: The Nemo Tensor is lightweight, warm, and packs down to a small size. It’s one of the quietest pads on the market.

Who it’s for: Weekend backpackers who want a three-season sleeping pad that hits the mark for warmth, comfort, and pack size.

Weight: 1 pound, 1 ounce

Why we picked the Nemo Tensor:

The Tensor offers an impressive mixture of warmth and comfort while remaining free of extra bulk. New to Nemo is an easy-to-use valve for inflation that sits flush with the sleeping pad. Using a combination of stratofiber and aluminized film, this ultra-warm pad’s thermal mirror reflects radiant heat and its layer of insulating PrimaLoft will keep you snug and cozy all night long.

Comfort and convenience are also at the forefront with the Nemo Tensor. The “spaceframe” baffles are basically die-cut trusses of low-stretch fabric that create a firm and stable sleep surface, allowing you to roll over or read comfortably on your stomach without sinking into the pad.  Back, side or stomach sleepers will find this 3-inch pad very comfortable for sleeping. The heat reflecting metal layer is suspended in the center of the pad so it doesn’t crinkle, making the tensor one of the quietest pads on the market.

Our only gripe is the pad’s 20D nylon bottom, which saves on weight but is thin for a piece of gear that rests on the ground. You need to treat this pad with some extra care. Thankfully, its bottom surface is compatible with pressure-sensitive adhesive patches so you can do quick and easy field repairs.

Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…