The BEST and WORST sleeping pads of 2023
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- čas přidán 30. 05. 2022
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Thermarest Uberlite bit.ly/3PQcuIL
Thermarest Xtherm Max bit.ly/3GIXTur
Klymit Static V Lite Insulated bit.ly/3t6jh7a
Big Agnes Rapid SL
Sea To Summit Ether Light Extreme bit.ly/3jH9osb
Nemo Tensor Insulated bit.ly/2L0E8pL
Other Awesome Gear:
Big Agnes Copper Spur Platinum
Big Agnes Fly Creek Carbon
Mountain Hardwear Ozonic Rain Jacket bit.ly/3tQ01vN
Black Diamond Spot Headlamp bit.ly/3HpqzZv
Helinox Chair Zero bit.ly/3HybcOg
Thermarest Compressible Pillow bit.ly/3hGKPsp
Sea to Summit Alto TR2
Jetboil Micromo bit.ly/32JOgfh
MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe bit.ly/3FFMf2e
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest Backpack bit.ly/3ED3jV6
Western Mountaineering Alpinlite bit.ly/3zqFrT5
Kelty Cosmic Down 20 (less expensive alternative) bit.ly/3sUwCOI
Nemo Tensor Insulated Pad
Thermarest Uberlite Pad bit.ly/3mOBrbc
Hyperlite Mountain Gear bit.ly/3mOBkMO
Big Agnes Copper Spur
Best sleeping pad for backpacking. Worst sleeping pad. Best camping mat for sleeping in the woods. Backpacking gear. what to take backpacking. ultralight hiking. ul gear. ultralight backpacking. Heavy gear loadout. what's a good weight for backpacking. camping gear - Zábava
I am 62 years old and I’m shocked how expensive camping gear has become. When I was young I shopped at the original REI in Seattle. I usually hit their bargain basement and I’m still using the equipment to this day. Today’s equipment cost more than my first car.
When you were young, REI also had their lifetime-no-questions-asked-no-receipt-needed return policy. 😭
Inflation over almost 50 years sucks
Yeah, 150.00 - 200.00 for a blow up pad... I hear ya..
You are not gonna get a proper car for 200 bucks in todays age. But yeah 200 bucks is too much for a sleeping pad.
@@mauricio533 Hi Mauricio, Agreed; however I think the items I purchased 30+ years ago that still serve me well are far superior in quality than anything made today. 🙂
Dan I am new to back packing and I really appreciate your videos and insight. I would say the thing that I appreciate the most and I hope you continue to do is, putting the product information on the screen. It’s nice to not have to click 1000 links trying to figure things out. Keep up the good content.
I’ve had my “regular” Etherlight XT insulated down to the mid-20s and was just fine. Super comfortable at 4” thick. I love it. No experience with the “extreme”.
you mean you have the insulated version ? There are 3 versions : normal, insulated, extreme.
I used the Etherlight XT all the way down to -10 sleeping on snow with a foam pad underneath and a 20 degree sleeping bag. had the best sleep I’ve ever had while camping.
Same, have been camping this last winter in good old Flagstaff, great comfy pad and stuff sack to boot...
Same here! Also the size difference when they’re packed down is massive. The regular is close to the size of a nalgene.
Same here. I used the Etherlight XT mummy shape last winter on snow down to 19F and it was awesome, super warm, cosy and I have had a better sleep than in my mattress! Ha. Don't really understand why Dan doesn't like it.
I love my Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm, regular. Unlike the one you have, mine is rounded on the ends. It only weighs 15oz with the pump sack, only 13oz without the sack. Can't beat it for a pad with a 6.9 R-value.
Love my Sea To Summit Ether Light XT Small 4''. Kept me warm in -5 Celsius (23 °F ), was compactable, light and quiet. Hiking mostly in Norway and Iceland. No need/ experience with the Ether L XT Extreme.
Love the vibe of these videos. Informative but also fun and entertaining - great combo!
I love my Rapid SL. I'm a side sleeper, but the raised edges on the regular width really make a difference
Great video Dan, thanks. New subscriber here (from Australia), and really appreciate that you included metric stats for these mats 👍
This was very helpful. Been debating most of these. Got stuck on Nemo, SLX, and Rapide and needed to know a bit more.
I think I would opt for the Xtherm. For me, the higher R value combined with the increased durability *plus* the fact that it packs down pretty small is worth a little less comfort. Love Big Agnes though. Maybe the Xtherm underneath Big Agnes... 😆
Thank you for all your reviews. Planning a 2023 thru hike on AT and I’m going to be re-watching all your videos over the summer to help me make some decisions. Your experience and advice is so appreciated!!!!!!!
Congrats on your thru hike, Margie!
I bought the big Agnes rapide thanks to your advice and love it! I have used it twice so far. The first weekend was around 70 degrees and the second weekend went down to 37. Very comfortable in both temperatures.
EXPED DOWNMAT!!Comfortable and warm, does not lose air. It has an R value around 7! So good I brought a spare so I could take a friend Winter backpacking. I live in Alaska,I camp with no heat source down to -30 F. I agree with you for the Sea to Summit Either Extreme IInsulated) LOUD!!!Crackly It was so loud it drown out my tinnitus and let bears know I was in the area. I love the Flextail Lite. I will probably have to check out the Thermarest. When I go lightweight I take the Klymt. Love your channel.
Exped are fantastic and made in democratic Taiwan, not Communist China like all Sea to Summit products are.
Fully agree with Exped. I have two of them and they're plush and super warm even below freezing. Have slept on Expeds and was warm down to 0 degrees. Have poked a hole in one but they repaired it for FREE!
@@givannimikel4586 Did you repair it out in the field? I worry about holes in these pads.
@@christianwolff780 It does happen, but I've made repairs in the field successfully with Tenacious Tape. You can repair any nylon gear with that stuff. However, Exped's repairs are a better long term repair.
I've been using the xtherm for years and love it! Good choice! I recently switched to the women's neoair for non-winter camping tho because it's lighter and still r-value 5.4!
What I learned from this is that not being a snow-camper gives me a lot more options when it comes to choosing a sleeping pad (& saving money on it!).
Another great vid, Dan!
I have learned this as well this last year. If you are backpacking in the cold your gear costs go up astronomically. Light+warm = $$$$
Exactly, camping in tropical places or during the summer gives you much more options for products that will suit you and are light and cheap. I go in the opposite direction from most of the trekking tribe, stay away from cold mountains and love tropical islands with mountains and preserved forests, and in the end you arrive at some surreal paradise beach.
It certainly can be, but if you are willing to compromise a little bit of comfort, it is possible to do it fairly cheap. Personally i have just used a foam pad through my winter outdoors experiences due to budget restrictions, with just R3.5. managed to sleep just fine outside in norwegian temps (-15 to -20 C) with no more protection from the cold than my sleeping bag.
yeah you have to pay a premium to be comfortable while camping in the snow… not to mention people in your life will think you are absolutely insane for purposely going out and staying in a tent in below freezing conditions lol
@@bianohehe Sounds wonderful but if seems all that savings would go to air travel.
Love the size comparison to the water bottle. Some in the military including myself ditch the canteen and use similar bottles. So the comparison has helped with loadout planning. Thanks for the help
Nice quick/clean review Dan:) I just upgraded my Nemo Tensor to a BA Rapide based on comfort:) anxious to try it out...
We are car campers, but aim for the sweet spot between car camping gear and backpacking gear on account of the fact that it's five in my family, in a hatchback. We upgraded to a Big Agnes Air Core Ultra last year and love it. Comfy, keeps us warm, and doesn't take up a ridiculous amount of space.
Cheers Dan, I upgraded my Nemo Tensor Insulated regular to the Thremorest Xtherm wide/long and Its been the best choice I've made. I gave my old Nemo to my partner to use, she says she doesn't want it now and wants to upgrade to the xtherm after using mine. The extra R value of the xtherm makes a big difference. For my style of sleeping I find the xthrem so much more stable and comfortable. Might not be the same for everyone as we are all different but I would go the Xtherm for the insulating properties alone.
I bought the Klymit mat after watching your review.. after camping with it for a few trips I love it.. I have it paired with an Alpkit Insulation mat too and it works a treat. Camped out on Dartmoor with it with 5 degrees celsius and it worked okay, felt a bit of a chill but it wasn't uncomfortable. Looking forward to using it in the summer
I sold mine Thermarest Xtherm Max for the reason, that when sleeping on the side, it pushed against my hip so hard, that I was waking up from the pain. I was trying to play with different air pressures with no luck. I am a regular size person, 80kgs. I strongly recommend to try it out before you buy for that particular reason. Definitely not a problem if you are strictly a back sleeper.
Am learning so much of your channel even though I am not a backpacker. But I do enjoy traveling with my motorbike and tent. On and off road. Your tips are very handy for that as well. Thank you!
Now that we have taken up winter snowshoe camping, I struggle with which pads to consider. Our first year winter camping I just took our regular 3-season pads (e.g. Thermarest & Klymit) and we FROZE.
So now we haul in the bigger heavier pads like the MondoKing 3d. VERY WARM and VERY COMFORTABLE but very heavy. Best for car camping only.
So this video is VERY helpful brother.
Thanks so much for your time and effort to make these great videos! Stay warm!
Very helpful review and informative content. I really like it. Thanks.
I have the Sea To Summit Ether Light Extreme wide and I have never been cold on it, even in snowy conditions. I find it ultra comfortable also. However, it is really bulky, so is strictly my cold weather pad. I have a Nemo Tensor Insulated 2022 wide for other conditions and love that also.
Also have the Sea to Summit Extreme and was thinking about the Nemo for summer!
Hi, I have a question.
Will those winter Matts BE too warm for summer temperatures? Like is this something that ca happen.?
I expect temperatures between 5-30 degrees. Wi will combine them with a field bed.
I am looking for the most comfortable matt.
Yeah he clearly wasn't using it fully inflated. You let any air out of that thing and it stops protecting you nearly as much
Great comarison and I agree with the verdict. One high end competitor you might want to look at is the Exped deepsleep. Quite thick and packs big but it's very durable, and extreeeemly insulated.
Great video, love the information and the entertainment!!
I have the Klymit Insulated Static-V. It's great, comfortable, packs small, inflates in 9 breaths. My wife is a side sleeper and loves it.
I’ve got some thermarest neo air variant it’s like 4” thick, packs down really small and love it. Having the 4” of pad is nice because I can either pump it all the way up or let a little out and I can sink in a bit better. With my Nemo pillow I get great sleep on the trail!
So! Thanks for the advice Dan I have today (9th November 2022) purchased the Big Agnes Rapide SL for the princely sum of £99 here in the UK. I got the long one so neither my head or feet dangle off the ends. Looking forward to testing it out as the temperature drops. 👍
Great review thanks Dan! Have you tried the Klymit Klymaloft pad? Seems like maybe an option if comfort is no1 priority?
Really glad I pulled the trigger on the Rapide SL. Going to put it to the test on my AT thru hike 2023!
Very informative video - thanks for putting it out there. Can you please provide a link for the air pump? I couldn't find it at Backcountry.
I have a simple neoair and could sleep in any temperature down to -30C, love it. It takes too much space though and for normal temp i just bought the uberlight, tested in my house so far and i can feel the difference easily, the neoair reflects the warmth back to my back, the uberlight reflects it only for a minute or so
I tried a lot of pads. The Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated is my favorite. Very comfortable, and packing size isn't that bad. For me it is worth it for the extra comfort after a long day outdoors. Also love the integrated pump sack. Makes inflation super easy.
Right? I have the wide version and i have slept in -8 celsius just fine
I've heard good things as well but it looks huge when packed down. That's a non-starter.
Just bought a Big Agnes Rapid SL in the 25x72 thanks to your review and I’m super happy. Also had a luxury of camping with Chef Corso in my home state of Missouri! Thanks for the recommendation, bought the tiny pump as well!
Hello from your neighbor in Minnesota. Great video, love the mixture of detailed review and humor. I've been a subscriber for a while but never commented (that I can remember). All my gear was destroyed in a flooded basement, so your take on current gear is appreciated.
I just got to test my new BA Rapide SL last week. What a great pad! I’m 6’2” 270# (bought the long/wide) and I slept very comfortably on it, never slipped off, never lost air. I used a Ridgerest under it to protect it like I have all of my backpacking career with my old Thermarest pads.
are you a side sleeper? im a big guy too and sleep on my side. whats a Ridgerest? im new to camping have been using a cheap pad from Dicks and looking to get a good pad. i wont be sleeping in anything under 30 degrees. thanks
@@heavydpm666 Yeah, I'm a side sleeper. I'm using a Nemo Disco sleeping bag also. It has a spoon shape for more footbox room. Ridgerest is a thin, closed cell foam pad. They are fairly cheap and will protect your expensive pad from the ground. They will also give a little more R value.
Surprised Exped didn't make your list! Great sleeping pads - and especially popular among side sleepers. Thanks for the comparisons!
Just spent a week on my exped dura... amazing pad.
Yes Exped is The Best so far, super comfy light weight and durable.
love my Exped.. I think we are up to 4 of them.. R3 for summer, R7 downmat for my -40 Februarys camping.
From what I've seen, Exped has the best warmth/price out there, and still comes highly packable. I've been using a Synmat 7 for years now.
Would you guys say it’s not worth to update from an exped ultra 3R to a big Agnes or sts xt insulated?
I have the exped but i don’t thinks its that comfortable…
Hi Dan, your advice and gear expertise is really appreciated. Your opinion on the Exped Versa 4r would have been good.
Watching this after I just bought my Rapide SL from the REI anniversary sale 😎 Great video as always!
Thanks Dan! Really helped!
thanks for the video!! it came just in time - i need a sleeping system for my 21 day bikepacking trip in august and for now, I'll go with one of the two season or budget pads. I didn't know where to start looking, and this was definitely helpful!
You might look at the Trekology UL80, it is budget friendly, light, thick and comfortable with the raised sides
Thanks for the review Dan
Your videos have gotten so good adding Emit
Excellent video 👌🏼
Kept it moving & stuffed a lot of info in a short video. And I'm fine with a tie at the end.
Great video- Thanks for sharing!
Just got the xtherm. Thanks for reaffirming my decision. Have the prolite plus also and its great just doesn't roll down as small but nice and steardy for kayak camping. Thanks for the vid
GREAT VIDEO! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
This really helps. Thank you
I used my uber lite on snow this spring and stayed warm. It only got down to about 25 degrees and I added a space blanket under it but I was surprised how warm I stayed. I sleep pretty warm, though.
I've ended up with Expeds and really like them. Use the pump sack as a bag liner. I also only buy wide, and my R7 mummy is 25oz, R4 mummy is 18 and neither sound like chip bags🙂
Thank you for the video. Blessings to you.
Thanks for this video! I own an older x-therm but I had been looking at the sea to summit until I saw this video. I had a BA years ago but it sprung a leak on the first trip.
I bought the Klymit Static V Recon insulated sleeping pad on eBay factory refurbished for $45, it has an R Value of 4. I love it, it performs great and the price was ridiculously low. It had the same warranty as a brand new one as well.
I'm still using my Thermarest mat that I bought in 1992. In the thirty years I've been using it, never failed me. Nuff said - ! 😁
Funny, I love my Sea to Summit- comfort is king. I have never been cold on it- but it is bigger than most. If I don’t sleep well everyone around me will pay one way or another! Lol The Exped is so loud you might get kicked out of camp! I get two pads, a winter one (the S2S) that goes in a bigger capacity backpack and a late spring/summer pad so I’m waiting for you, Dan, to make a decision on how my summer is gonna go! No pressure 😳😃
Your comment gave me hope. I just bought that pad and was shocked by the review in the video 😅😅
the exped is loud? do you mean Therm-a-rest? i have both the Exped Downmat 9rw and the therm-a-rest uberlite.. and gosh, the uberlite is loud. the exped is silent as a mouse :)
@@MrJacobryborg no, I meant what I said! the exped ultra 3R was a comfortable pad but the noise kept me and my camp mates in surrounding tents awake. Even a slight head turn had that thing squealing, it was really bad!
@@CampSaw wow, i’ve never expierenced that with exped, i only habe their down mats though :)
Also love my Sea to Summit XT extreme and had no issues! Only downside is that it is big.
I just got back from a 2 week hike and took my etherlite xt extreme "regular size" I will never take anything else, sure it's slightly bulky but it's not loud like everyone claims it can be loud only from your sleeping bad rubbing against it but the mat itself it quiet.
It's the most comfortable Mat I have had being a side sleeper and I certainly never got cold from underneath. The only disadvantage is the size
I have no idea why I originally clicked on this….but you made an awesome video and I thank you for that!!! Great info and analysis!
It's great how you keep the ads entertaining. Well done.
I love how this man is both trolling us and informing us at the same time. ty lol
Since I already have a very light foam pad, I would go with the Klymit static v. My foam pad is bulky but extremely light and I can actually sleep on it. I tie it onto the bottom of my pack. I'm always insured being insulated with it, and I have a dog, which makes me worried about getting anything else.
Nice review And so much fun!
Thanks. Good video. Confirmed what Id found online.
Loving my new Nemo Quasar 3D Insulated (regular wide). Kept me warm on that frost morning in Algonquin. Rolls down to the size of a Nalgene, which is amazing for 25 inches wide and 3.5 inches thick. Great for side sleeping. And super quiet too.
Just bought this at REI a couple of weeks ago at 30% Off so great deal and I know I'll love it
The Sea to Summit Etherlight XT Insulated is VERY comfortable, packs small & is so thick it is a MUST for side sleepers. Decent R Vakue at 3.2 also. I got the Wide Rectangular version- worth every penny for a good sleep on the ground.
Thank you. I'm looking for a side and stomach sleeper, i read that the Etherlight XT is a good choice.
Great video Dan. Do you get Exped mats in the USA? They are very good.
That flashback edit though!
I just picked up the Klymit Static V
I'll be testing it out next weekend.
The Exped Ultra 3R is very similar to the Big Agnes pads. I love it! Super comfortable.
I use Layon sleeping pad. It's comfortable. It's not for winter but I love how small it packs.
Hey Dan, have you tried or have an thoughts on the Paria Recharge XL pad ?
I agree with you on the XTherm. I had the S2S ultralight/non-insulated, which came in at a higher R value than the insulated, go figure. Weight vs R Value, the Xtherm is the king.
I’ve got some thermarest neo air variant it’s like 4” thick, packs down really small and love it. Having the 4” of pad is nice because I can either pump it I bought the Klymit Static V Recon insulated sleeping pad on eBay factory refurbished for $45, it has an R Value of 4. I love it, it performs great and the price was ridiculously low. It had the same warranty as a brand new one as well.
I’m still rocking this old thermarest I got from a military surplus. Little on the heavy side, but so durable and comfortable
Thank you so much . Nice video.
Thermarest Neo Air Xtherm 👍🏼👍🏼 we use 3 in different sizes and we are really happy with them, also the lifetime guarantee is nice to have 😊 small / light / all weather conditions - perfekt 😴
Would be good to get your thoughts on how Exped pads compare to all these
Dan you gotta review the zenbivy light! I wanna see what you think!
Awesome info, thank you!!,,,,,,
I recently bought the Rapide 25x72 inch and used it for camping in Yosemite area this past weekend and it is basically what you said and then some and Ive been a Tensor user awhile.
Hey Dan, many thanks for this informative and entertaining review. Nice!
I have a question about the Klymit insulated static V. Do you think it's possible to use this pad in winter with a foam mat underneath?
I ask because the "old" r-value was 4.4. Now they have made an update and the "new" r-value is only 1.9.
Do you think it is possible?
Cheers and may thanks
J*
Thanks! I need good, light and compact for bikepacking.
I had already decided that my next pad would be a xtherm so I’m am glad you agreed it’s an amazing pad especially if you only have 1 pad
I use the klymit static v lite and can confirm its an excellent pad on a budget. If you can't drop like 300 bucks on a pad, its definitely worth the money. A comfortable and reliable 3 season pad.
Eh, I tried it out for a while but I hated it. I am a side sleeper though so that might have affected the performance. I ended up going with a thermarest trail scout and it's way warmer and more comfortable even though it's about a third of the thickness of the static v lite
Concur. It's great.
I've used mine down to like 20F with a foam pad under it. It's been great. The baffles allow your sleeping bag insulation to expand a little bit and provide extra warmth.
agree. i only paid $70 for mine new and that alone seals the deal for me, but it would be worth it at full price too
Own 3 different Static V’s love em! Work, play and 1 for the kid.
I'm liking Dan. The right blend of entertainment and info.
Have a 4 season kylmit. Used it in November in Massachusetts. With a 45 degree EMS bag. Stayed nice and toasty. Along with just a ozark trail pad under it as extra protection
In the last two seasons I’ve had the Nemo, Xlite, SLX and DLX. I really liked the DLX. 🤙🏼
I picked up the BA Rapide SL earlier this year and have already used it on several trips. Best sleep I’ve ever gotten while backpacking! I’m a side sleeper too and have never felt the ground.
Did you get the wide or the regular? If the regular, did you find it big enough?
I like your conclusion. I just bought the Big Agnes Rapide whassisname. Great pad but a stupid name. It’s my first good quality pad after decades of roughing it. I’ve only had a few nights on it so far but it really does seem to tick all my boxes.
Thanks for the helpful video. I had experience with the Seatosummit matrass. Which was super comfortable, but holes kept appearing on the welding spots. A well known problem, but a larger dealbreaker for me then the isolation value, since that's not so important to me (good weather camper boy ;) I think I will go for the Big Agnes, comfortable is important to me, since I've got enough back problems already.
All right my man, getting the red one 25x72. Should have listened to you on the black pad LOL. Thanks for the great videos love your channel. Keep up the great work. ✌️
You should review a couple of Exped pads. I've been using one for years now and love it. I'd like to hear how you think they compare to these others.
Another good video Dan! I work for REI and I pretty much agree with everything you said.
People looking for alternatives may want to look at the Thermarest Neoair Xlite (almost as warm as the Xtherm, down to 12 oz!) or if on a budget, the ProLite Apex is a great deal at $129! A good Big Agnes alternative is the Q-Core. Well worth considering.
Sea to Summit makes some great products. Especially their liners. And the focus a lot of attention on sleep systems, but the only sleeping pad of theirs I like at all is the Ether Light XT Extreme, which is very warm, comfortable, but it's on the heavy side.
Your man Emmett is definitely your best ever video editor - quality has gone up significantly.....
Went camping with my son a few nights ago and was just looking for a sleeping pad after a cold night on the hard ground haha. Thank you for this video!
Last week I had my Exped mat of 14 years develop a leek, so started looking at alternatives. This video helps a lot but I wondered why you didn't include any newer Exped models. Should I avoid them?
I have to say it! ever since emit has been on board it seems like your channel has gotten a sarcastic style of comedy that is just great lol. props to him, I'm assuming it has been his ideas.