Gear Guide: Sleeping Pads

Camping and backpacking can be a lot of fun but sleeping on the dirt isn't for most people. Camping mats provide you with a comfortable surface to sleep on without lugging a 100+ pound mattress on your adventures. Because sleeping pads are so essential to overnight outdoor activities there are many many options and it can seem a little overwhelming. In this gear guide I'm going to try to explain some of the differences between pads and show you the tools you need to select one. If you would rather just pick one from a list or want some suggestions I have put a few I like from my favorite company at this bottom of the post.

-Warmth
The first factor you need to consider when purchasing a sleeping pad for camping or backpacking is it's warmth, usually measured in an R-Value (thermal resistance). It may seem odd to think about how much insulation a sleeping pad offers, logically, that's the job of your sleeping bag, however, when you lay down you create a lot more contact with the ground and the earth is very good at drawing heat away from your body. Keep in mind that a temperature rating is not necessarily a comfort rating. I generally suggest getting bags and pads at least 10 degrees warmer then you expect temperatures to actually be. In extremely cold temperatures it is common practice to combine an inflatable pad with a closed cell foam pad. More on what that means in a minute. Side note for those interested, an R-Value is determined by heating a metal sensor through the air mat with a metal plate.

Here is a rough chart from Sierra Trading Post equating R-Value and temperature ratings

-Cushion

The second choice you have to make is thickness. A thicker mat provides more cushion, which may be more comfortable for you, but does so at the cost of increased weight and size. It is quite reasonable to have two mats if you backpack, one lightweight one for backcountry trips and a thicker one for car camping.

-Packability

Once you've decided on warmth and thickness your options will be narrowed down considerably and your final choice to make is weight and size. The packability of a mat will increase the more you spend on it. So if you want an ultralight backpacking pad, expect to spend top dollar, while a car camping mat will be much larger and heavier but also cost less.

A couple of people have asked me what the difference is between inflatable and non-inflatable pads is so I'll go over that in terms of the three categories I just covered.

-Non-inflatable

Generally referred to as closed cell foam pads, non-inflatable sleeping pads are generally very inexpensive, are infinately durable (nothing to pop), generally insulate pretty wll. The disadvantage is they take up a lot of room, and usually offer less cushion.

-Inflatable pads

Blow up mats offer a lot of cushion with very little bulk and more expensive models can be extremely light weight. They are however almost exclusively more expensive then their foam cousins and can potentially pop leaving you sleeping on dirt.

Here are a few examples from Thermarest, my favorite sleeping pad company.

As light as they come: Neoair XLite

Budget lightweight closed cell foam mat: Z Lite

Ultralight self imflating: Evolite

Warm enough for Siberia but weights about as much as a dutch oven: MondoKing 3D

Low weight and solid durability combine with respectable cushion, a staple of boy scouts everywhere: Trail Lite

Super duper cushion with weight to match: Luxury Map