Best Camping Sleeping Pads
The pad matters more than the sleeping bag and this post said so, which was less obvious in 2010 than it is now. Most cold nights are cold from underneath, because the ground conducts heat away far faster than air does.
The number to look at is R-value, and this is the real change since this was written. It used to be quoted inconsistently by every brand; since 2020 there has been a single standardised test, so R-values are now comparable across makers. Roughly: R2 for summer, R3 to R4 for three-season, R5 and up for snow.
The three types:
- Closed-cell foam. Cheap, indestructible, bulky, R around 2. It cannot fail, which is why many people carry one as well as an inflatable on long trips.
- Self-inflating foam-and-air. Comfortable, forgiving, heavier. The sensible choice for car camping.
- Air pads. Lightest and most comfortable for their weight, now with internal baffling and reflective layers that get R5 out of something the size of a water bottle. They also puncture, so carry the patch kit.
Width and length are underrated. A regular pad is 51cm wide and most people's elbows are not. If you sleep badly on a pad, the answer is more often a wide one than a thicker one.
One thing the original got right and is still ignored: inflate it with a pump sack, not your lungs. Breath moisture inside a pad freezes in winter and grows mould year round.
Part of the guide to sleeping bags and pads.