Sleeping Pads Reviews

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Sleeping Pads Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sleeping Pads Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Backpacker Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Gear Guide: Sleeping Pads Steve Howe Mar. 2006		This roundup compares six current sleeping pads based on extensive field tests in varying and usually rugged conditions. Top-rated is the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core. Tests find it comfortable even below 20 degrees, and it packs small -- but does sometimes need its repair kit. The Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite closed-cell sleeping pad is rated a bargain, and the half-length Exped Downmat 7 Short insulated air mattress is selected as Best Buy. Despite use on many trips in rough conditions, it hasn't had any leaks, and the review praises the way the stuff sack doubles as a pump. The Therm-a-Rest ProLite 3 is recommended for sturdy comfort, and the Insul Mat Max Thermo-Lite is recommended for extra width and elbow room. The large-diameter outside tubes on the Thermo-Lite keep you centered on the pad. The Slumberjack Fusion Core gets fainter praise -- it's tough but heavy.
2. Backpacking.net	Fat and Light Sleeping Pads Mike Lanza Dec. 2002 (plus updates as of July 2006)		Based on rugged field trips by five testers over 130 nights, this review compares four sleeping pads, rating them for overall value. The Exped Foam Air Mattress gets the highest rating, praised for its comfortable three-inch thickness, non-slip surface and fast inflation. It doesn't get a perfect score, because it's narrow and had two tears. The Big Agnes REM Air Core Regular sleeping pad is recommended only for temperatures over 40 degrees. Durability is worse, since one broken seam couldn't even be fixed with the repair kit. Also for warm nights is the Insul Mat X-Lite Compact, judged hard to inflate. Ranked last is the Exped Down Air Mattress, three inches thick and warm down to about ten degrees, but expensive and taking about five minutes to inflate. This Web Site also offers separate reviews testing 10 sleeping pads (some of which are older models), plus an announcement of an Editor's Choice Gold award for the Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads, recommending the Therm-a-Rest Fusion for its removable foot section and internal sheet of closed-cell foam.
3. Backpacker.com	Fat and Light Sleeping Pads Mike Lanza Dec. 2002 (plus updates as of July 2006)		Based on rugged field trips by five testers over 130 nights, this review compares four sleeping pads, rating them for overall value. The Exped Foam Air Mattress gets the highest rating, praised for its comfortable three-inch thickness, non-slip surface and fast inflation. It doesn't get a perfect score, because it's narrow and had two tears. The Big Agnes REM Air Core Regular sleeping pad is recommended only for temperatures over 40 degrees. Durability is worse, since one broken seam couldn't even be fixed with the repair kit. Also for warm nights is the Insul Mat X-Lite Compact, judged hard to inflate. Ranked last is the Exped Down Air Mattress, three inches thick and warm down to about ten degrees, but expensive and taking about five minutes to inflate. This Web Site also offers separate reviews testing 10 sleeping pads (some of which are older models), plus an announcement of an Editor's Choice Gold award for the Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads, recommending the Therm-a-Rest Fusion for its removable foot section and internal sheet of closed-cell foam.

Sleeping Pads Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sleeping Pads Ratings Comments on Reviews

4. Outside Magazine 2006 Gear Guide >> Details/Subscribe	2006 Buyer's Guide Editors of Outside Magazine April 2006		Outside Magazine doesn't compare sleeping pads in this 2006 gear guide, but it does recommend the Therm-a-Rest Trail Lite sleeping pad as a "killer value." It also highlights a new heated sleeping pad, the Pacific Outdoor Equipment Hot!, which uses a sensor to keep the temperature inside your sleeping bag between 68 and 77 degrees Farenheit. It's powered by 4 AA batteries, and the review notes that Pac Outdoor makes a solar charger for AA batteries designed to work well even in low-light conditions, as on forest trails.
5. Camping Life Magazine	2006 Editor's Choice Gear Awards Editors May 2006		This family camping site gives one of its 2006 Editor's Choice awards to the new Big Agnes Dual Core sleeping pad that combines air, foam and synthetic-fill insulation. The 2.5-inch thick pad offers plenty of cushioning, and the insulation brings its temperature rating down to 0 degrees F. It comes in both rectangular and mummy shapes in two lengths, as well as in a 25 x 78-inch extra large size. The review also recommends the Therm-a-Rest Trail Comfort and Slumberjack Fusion Core sleeping pads. Since this is such a current review, we'd rate it higher if it compared more sleeping pads or gave more details about field testing.
6. Outside Magazine	Sleeping Pads Editors As of July 2006		Two sleeping pads that were featured in Outside Magazine's 2004 Buyer's Guide issue get brief separate reviews here at the magazine's Web site: the Big Agnes Air Core and the Therm-a-Rest ProLite 4. Other sleeping pads are covered pretty well in the question-and-answer section called The Gear Guy. For car camping, he recommends the big, thick (and heavy) Cascade Designs LE Megarest (discontinued) and Cabela's Ultra Double sleeping pads. The slightly smaller Therm-a-Rest DreamTime, (now in the XL size, the closest model to the LE Megarest), is another good choice. For winter backpacking, the Therm-a-Rest ProLite 4 is highly rated, along with the Big Agnes Insulated REM Air Core and Insul Mat Max Thermo -- any of these preferably layered with a closed-cell pad for extra insulation. For closed-cell sleeping pads, he recommends the Cascade Designs Z-Rest, Strata Rest 25 and Mountain Hardware Trailhead 77 (which is extra large).
7. Lightweight Backpacking and Camping >> Details/Subscribe	Sleep Systems Lee Van Horn (edited by Ryan Jordan) 2006		This book is aimed at people who want to try ultralight backpacking, so one suggestion is to go without a sleeping pad altogether in warm weather, using "a thick layer of forest duff" instead. For winter camping, though, closed-cell sleeping pads offer good insulation at very low weight. Recommended brands include Gossamer Gear, Cascade Designs and Pacific Outdoor Equipment. The author notes that other companies make good sleeping pads too, but warns that cheap closed-cell sleeping pads from discount stores are apt to be brittle in cold weather, absorb water and not last as long as slightly more expensive pads from better brands. Self-inflating open-cell foam mattresses offer more comfort, but cost and weigh more. Torso-length sleeping pads that rely on a pillow for the head, and other gear to pad the legs, are another option. Two examples are the Gossamer Gear NightLight and the Bozeman Mountain Works TorsoLite.
8. Camping Life Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Sleeping pads: waking up on the right side of the tent Lori Lee-Howell July 2004		This review emphasizes heavier sleeping pads suitable for car camping rather than for backpacking, including some air mattresses. The top-rated sleeping pads are briefly described, but not ranked. The 2.5-inch Big Agnes REM Hinman is rated to -30 degrees F, but the nylon cover is more slippery than the microfleece top on the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Camp sleeping pad. The Therm-a-Rest varies the amount of foam to support the hips better, but the fleece top can be hard to keep clean. The Exped Downmat, with goose down fill as well as air, is less convenient because you have to inflate it yourself. If you let it self-inflate for about 30 minutes, it takes another 15 manual pumps to fill. Two pads from Slumberjack are also recommended, including the self-inflating Deluxe Camper, with more foam at the head, and the large Trekker Longitude with larger tubes at the edges to keep the sleeper on the pad. In field tests, the big valves on the Trekker Longitude can bother the feet. For campers with big tents, the Wenzel Insta-Bed air mattress is soft but colder, and it’s not as durable as the other sleeping pads discussed.

Sleeping Pads Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sleeping Pads Ratings Comments on Reviews

9. BackpackGearTest.org	Pads and Air Mattresses Contributing Editors As of July 2006		The sleeping pad reviews here are much more complete and detailed than at most review sites. In order to enroll as reviewers, people have to be active hikers or campers, meet certain qualifications and state their experience as part of their reviews. Reviews of the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core mattress praise its warmth and comfort (even for side sleepers), but one user had two in a row that leaked. The similar Exped Down Air Mattress only has one review, but no leaks are reported. Women love the Insul Mat Women's Max-Mtn pad (also comfortable for side sleeping), except that its tapered shape makes it hard to pair. The Therm-a-Rest reviews are basically positive.
10. About.com	Student Travel: Thermarest Z-Lite Sleeping Pad Review Kathleen Crisplisp Not Dated		The About.com guide for student travel reviews the Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite sleeping pad, part of the "Fast and Light" series for three-season backpackers. The reviewer says the entire Therm-a-Rest series is her favorite, recommending the Z-Lite in its 47-inch short version for a lightweight travel pad. The author suggests cutting a small piece of heavy plastic to use under the lower part of the sleeping bag, providing other uses for the plastic, as well. This review is linked to an even briefer review in the Walking section at About.com, apparently based on personal use, recommending the thicker and heavier Therm-a-Rest Guide Lite sleeping pad.
11. GearReview.com	Sleeping Pads: Cheap Sleep Insurance Steve Mann Nov. 1999		Several staff members rank sleeping pads based on extensive field tests in this older review, comparing 12 sleeping pads in three thickness categories. We'd rank this review higher if it was more recent, but the results are still useful. Cascade Designs sleeping pads get top rating in all three categories. The Therm-a-Rest LE (for Luxury Edition) is both soft and supportive, "well worth the extra weight on shorter trips." The Cascade Designs CampLite is made with slit closed-cell foam inside a fabric cover, while the best one-inch pad is the Therm-a-Rest Ultralite. Second choice for a lightweight sleeping pad is the European Artiach Skin Mat, which is waterproof, nonslip and especially compact when packed -- yet quite comfortable.
12. Alpinist Mountain Standards	Therm-a-Rest Prolite 3 Vanessa Pierce July 30, 2005		This climbing magazine gives its Mountain Standard Award to the Therm-a-Rest Prolite 3 sleeping pad, praising its combination of comfort with light weight. It comes in both a women's version and a men's version.
13. Dan & Sheree	Big Agnes Insulated Air Core REM Sleeping Pad Review Dan Wolfgang May 2006		This in-depth review (based on personal use for about a year) recommends the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core REM sleeping pad because of its comfortable 2.5-inch thickness combined with compact storage when rolled -- only 4 x 10 inches. The review notes that the Air Core is rated down to 35 degrees, while the Insulated Air Core uses PrimaLoft insulation for a 15-degree rating. The author says the insulated version is indeed comfortable in weather that cold, but recommends a closed-cell pad underneath the Big Agnes pad for even better winter insulation. He uses the ThermaRest RidgeRest for this purpose.
14. Silver Orange Stuff	MEC Apogee Long Sleeping Pad Review Dan James and Contributors July 2004		This in-depth review of a self-inflating sleeping pad by Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), a Canadian company, says it was selected because the MEC Apogee Long (now the MEC Kelvin) is less expensive than the Therm-a-Rest pads. The author finds the MEC pad comfortable, but difficult to roll small enough to fit the stuff sack, and definitely bulkier to carry than a Therm-a-Rest.
15. Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail >> Details/Subscribe	Chapter 9: Sleeping on the Trail Roland Mueser 1998		The recommendations in this book are based not only on the author's through-hiking experience, but also on an objective survey and interviews with 136 long-distance hikers on the Appalachian Trail. All the hikers interviewed carried a sleeping pad. The majority used the Ridge Rest, but the self-inflating Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads were carried by many. "Without exception, the pads commanded rave reviews. If sleeping comfort appears elusive, it seems clear that the restless sleeper should invest in a Therm-a-Rest pad." Some hikers carried several pads to layer. Full-length pads are recommended for thru-hikers, since they're apt to encounter cold weather at both ends of the trail.
16. HitTheTrail.com	Sleeping Pads Denise Traver Updated Jan. 30, 2006		This small site, run by outdoor expert Denise Traver, has some nice advice on various pieces of outdoor gear. This buying guide to sleeping pads briefly describes the four types and their advantages: Closed-cell foam, open-cell foam, self-inflating foam and air mattresses. The review picks the Therm-a-Rest series as offering the best balance between comfort and weight. Open-cell foam sleeping pads compress too much and are bulky to carry, air mattresses are too vulnerable to punctures, and closed-cell foam pads are less comfortable and more bulky to carry. Of the closed-cell sleeping pads, though, the Cascade Designs Ridge Rest is singled out as most comfortable.
17. Back Country Found.com	Gear List Editors of BackCountryFound.com As of July 2006		Guides at Yosemite National Park recommend two sleeping pads in their required gear list for backpacking trips. No basis for their recommendations are given, but it's reasonable to assume that the choices are based on experience leading many such trips. For women, they recommend the 66-inch-long Pacific Outdoor Insul Mat Max-Lite 1.0, and for men, the 72-inch Pacific Outdoor Insul Mat Max-Lite 1.0. Both roll up to a 7 x 11-inch pack size. The women's sleeping pad has extra insulation in the feet and includes extra support in the hip area as well.
18. European Outdoor Awards	European Outdoor Award for Best Product Judges of the European Outdoor Awards 2003		The Exped Down Air Mattress, made by a Swiss company, is awarded the highest rating. Tests at a Swiss governmental lab show that in cold weather, most sleeping warmth is lost toward the ground rather than the air. Further tests show that the Exped Down Air Mattress (insulated with goose down) is three times warmer than a conventional 2.5-inch self-inflating sleeping pad. The stuff sack doubles as an air pump, since inflation with the breath would add moisture inside the pad that could deteriorate the down.

Sleeping Pads Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Sleeping Pads Ratings Comments on Reviews

19. OutdoorReview.com	Sleeping Pad Reviews Contributors As of July 2006		Users post reviews and ratings of sleeping pads. The site is convenient to use because you can sort the list by average rating or by price, or even by the number of reviews. Only six sleeping pads, all made by Cascade Designs (Therm-a-Rest) have enough reviews to make their ratings carry much weight. Of these six, the top-rated model is the Therm-a-Rest UltraLite Long; users say the one-inch thickness is enough for comfort, and it's still light and compact enough for backpacking. Second place goes to the thicker Therm-a-Rest Guidelite Long. Users suggest trying the UltraLite first and switching to the GuideLite if extra padding is needed. The GuideLite is also warmer for winter camping.
20. Trailspace.com	Sleeping Pads Contributors As of July 2006		Users review sleeping pads here, and you can sort the list by average rating. Unfortunately, only one sleeping pad has enough reviews for the average rating to be impressive. The Pacific Outdoor Equipment Insul Mat Max-Thermo gets a 4.5-star rating (out of a possible 5) from six users who praise the comfort of its 2.5-inch thickness combined with relatively light weight. A few other sleeping pads have reviews worth reading if you've narrowed your choice down, but many sleeping pads on the list have no reviews at all.
21. Epinions	Sleeping Pads & Camp Beds Contributors As of July 2006		In addition to the usual list of user reviews and ratings, Epinions publishes a list of the top ten sleeping pads based on average ratings. The only sleeping pad on the list to get more than one or two reviews, though, is the Therm-a-Rest series of sleeping pads, with various models lumped together getting an average 4.5 rating (out of a possible 5) based on 34 reviews. You can sort these reviews by average rating or by review date. Reviews praise the Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads for comfort, and only one user complains that his started to leak air. The larger list of sleeping pads is divided into two categories: Self-inflating and closed-cell foam. You can sort either list by average rating, or filter by brand name, and you can make a custom comparison chart by selecting several sleeping pads from the list. Most, however, have only a very few reviews.
22. Backpacker.com	Sleeping Pads Contributors As of July 2006		User ratings of 37 different sleeping pads are posted here in one long list, with links to longer reviews. The list shows the number of reviews on which the average rating is based, and few sleeping pads have more than one or two reviews. Exceptions include the ThermaRest UltraLite, rated a perfect 5 except for one user who got a leaky one, and various cheap closed-cell foam pads that get mixed reviews, including a G.I.-issued mat sometimes available in surplus stores. The Big Agnes Air-Core sleeping pad gets rave reviews for comfort, but some had to be replaced because of leaks, and users are not completely happy about having to inflate them.
23. PCTHiker.com	Sleeping Pads Contributors to PCTHiker.com April 2000		This forum is part of a site for Pacific Crest Trail hikers who are naturally interested in lightweight gear. Despite this, experienced hikers argue in favor of full-length self-inflating sleeping pads like the Therm-a-Rest series, saying that a good night's sleep is essential for success in long backpacking trips. A closed-cell foam pad like the Ridge Rest is a second choice -- lighter but not as comfortable.
24. Amazon.com	Sleeping Pads Contributors As of July 2006		Few of the sleeping pads listed at Amazon.com have reviews or ratings from users, and if you sort the list by "best selling," then sleeping bags get mixed in. We did find informative reviews of the Greatland Outdoors self-inflating sleeping pad, however. (This is a proprietary brand of the retailer Target.) Users give this pad a low average rating of 2 out of a possible 5, partly because it's bulkier than more expensive self-inflating sleeping pads, but mostly because it seems almost impossible to inflate. The Eddie Bauer Self-Inflating Pad, also sold at Target, gets a poor rating of 2.5, with users complaining not only of leaks but of lumpy spots, saying it doesn't inflate evenly.
25. Back Country Store.com	Lightweight Sleep Pads Contributors to BackCountryStore.com As of July 2006		This large retailer site publishes user reviews and ratings of the outdoor gear carried here. This list of sleeping pads shows the average ratings, but not the number of reviews on which they're based. Several self-inflating or inflatable sleeping pads get perfect 5-star ratings, but they're only based on three reviews each. The closed-cell RidgeRest gets a lower 4-point average rating. Reviews say it's not as comfortable as the air-filled sleeping pads, but some prefer it anyway because it's so light for backpacking.