I'm on the hunt for a warm, lightweight sleeping pad that packs small. What does everyone recommend?

Exped used to be the cheapest option and then thermarest as the pricier option

Worth taking into account R value as the higher this is the warmer it is

https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/ultralight-airbeds/

Will list them by weight and show R value
https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/r-v ... ained-i206
I use a thermarest neo air x lite as its fine for most UK locations but I don't really do below zero( but when I have it's been fine).
https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/neo ... eping-mat/
Less R value and you need 2 one for warm and one for NOT warm

IME a cold air bed is horrible. It's like trying to sleep on a fridge and more R is not like taking a winter sleeping bag in summer. Used mine to 20degrees/ heat wave UK

Get a Thermarest. Any one. Really good pack size and weight as well as build qual and after service. Like Exposure I suppose!?

Get an Exped. Any one. Really good pack size and weight as well as build qual and after service.

RIP wrote: ↑Sat Mar 11, 2023 8:39 pm Get an Exped. Any one. Really good pack size and weight as well as build qual and after service.

I was gonna slug off Exped first Reg but thought its best not to. Only cos 2 items failed on me already but it's probably how I use em. One a mat and the other a drybag (which I obviously patched up). Replaced with 2 x S2S bags with eVent and they've been good in the same level of usage/abuse (I think).

Exped and Thermarest are the usual default answers. Neither are cheap but when it comes to mats, you do get what you pay for in terms of performance and warranty.

I also hear good things about Nemo mats but don't have direct experience.

Been using the same Neoair Xlite for about 5 years. Rather happy with it.

I've got an xlite and it's wonderful. Pricey of course but cheaper than staying in hotels

Another happy Xlite owner, very comfy. Used down to 0 degrees and coped fine with that

Following this with interest, as I need to get a new mat soon. Does the xtherm sound like a packet of crisps when you move about, or is the t'internet stretching the truth?

It's possible that people just weren't used to insulated inflatable mats of that type (the classic Thermarest is self-inflating but uses open celled foam and so is quiet). When I got my Exped there were lots of "crisp packet" comments about the NeoAirs but in truth the Exped Synmat wasn't that quiet either, maybe just a different less annoying sort of "not quiet". Also remember that one of your ears is right next to the mat so any noise is going to seem extraordinarily loud.

I've been in bothies with people using NeoAirs and they don't seem noisy to someone not lying on them.

I've torn one of the internal welds on an Exped (replaced under warranty), the tear was my fault really: I'd fully inflated the mat then sort of flopped onto it meaning that the air inside had nowhere to go so the weld was the weakest point, a bit like sitting on a fully inflated balloon. Easy to avoid: fully inflate the mat then let a little out, not enough to let the material crinkle but just enough to have somewhere for the air to move around.

Just get the highest R-value mat you can afford (they do get bulkier when packed so take that into account), mats aren't like sleeping bags in that a super warm mat can be used in hot weather. Think about how you don't swap out your bed's mattress for summer.

Exped have changed/rationalised their range recently so when anyone talks about a model you need to "convert" the old model names to the new ones.

Neoair xlite ordered

Does the xtherm sound like a packet of crisps when you move about, or is the t'internet stretching the truth?

The newer ones claim to be [x5]quieter and it has never woken me up but its not silent but its not as bad as sleeping on crisp packets

I use an exped dura 5
It's tough, warm, quiet, heavy and bulky.

See all of the above.

Been there, seen them, tried them, bought them, sold them on.....

After my years of sleeping in ditches, bothies and bivys the king for me is
https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/ten ... eping-mat/

Especially as I've found the perfect sleeping bag for 10 months of the year here in the UK
https://www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/ ... untry-bed/

And just bought the Sierra Designs Backcountry Bivi 3000 to fit them both in (still to get out and test this one)

Anyone tried the Light Tour mats?
Look like the Sea to Summit style, watched a couple of decent reviews on YouTube.
https://collinsoutdoors.com/products/li ... -20d-nylon

Decathlon have some cheap light ones

Lazarus wrote: ↑Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:56 am sleeping on crisp packets

Interested in this. Every description of Thermarests seems to reference it. Question is, anyone ever done that experiment?

Seems unfair to criticise Thermarests otherwise (although I'm an Exped man).

Anyone Here prepared to step up and try it, in the interests of proper scientific comparison?

Because there are obviously several different qualities of mat, to test the whole range you'd have to select a corresponding variety of crisp packets too. Against the premium Uberlite you'd probably use something like Tyrells (*) or Burts (*) or something like that. For the inferior original Thermarests you might be ok with just bog-standard Walkers (*) for example.

I think this would then allow us to speak with some authority.

It's not clear if the packets have to be full or empty for the test. If it's the latter I'm happy to volunteer to consume the contents. Salt and vinegar please. (sorry, I mean sea salt and cider vinegar if we're talking about the premium ones).

(*) other mainly-fresh-air packets of potato-based tasty snack are available.

Thermarest user here, with sleeping bag not quilt. Never noticed the crisp packet noise that others refer to but then I usually drop off quickly and apparently snore so maybe others would be the best judge of how noisy my mat might be

RIP wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 1:50 am

Lazarus wrote: ↑Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:56 am sleeping on crisp packets

Because there are obviously several different qualities of mat, to test the whole range you'd have to select a corresponding variety of crisp packets too

If you deflate a pad 'a bit', will that sound like crinkle cut?

psling wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 11:16 amto but then I usually drop off quickly and apparently snore so maybe others would be the best judge of how noisy my mat might be

At a group bivy,I sure the snoring will drown out the 'crips-packetness'

psling wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 11:16 am Thermarest user here, with sleeping bag not quilt. Never noticed the crisp packet noise that others refer to but then I usually drop off quickly and apparently snore so maybe others would be the best judge of how noisy my mat might be

I have never heard your sleeping mat

Raggedstone wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 1:05 pm

psling wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 11:16 am Thermarest user here, with sleeping bag not quilt. Never noticed the crisp packet noise that others refer to but then I usually drop off quickly and apparently snore so maybe others would be the best judge of how noisy my mat might be

I have never heard your sleeping mat