The Best Wide Sleeping Pads of 2023: Tested

Test Results: Since 74% of the population sleeps on their sides, we’re willing to bet at least 74% of our readers are stoked to find the Quasar. But a number of smart details add up to utter comfiness for sleepers of all kinds.

To fix a common complaint for those who don’t sleep stock-still on their backs, NEMO created a body-mapped depression in the center of the 25-inch-wide pad that prevents campers from rolling off in the middle of the night. The built-in pillow at the top of the pad will also help sleepers rest easy as their limbs and hips relax just like at home. Add in the 3.5-inch thickness—by far the cushiest in test—and our testing crew found themselves in dreamland. “My hips never once hit the ground,” reports one Wisconsin tester. “Honestly, the Quasar is so comfy that I’ve been using it for naps on my living room floor.” Yes, you read that right: It’s replacing her mattress at home. 

The plush-and-lush 30-denier polyester stretches over the top, adding sheetlike coziness to this rectangular pad. Synthetic insulation up-levels the warmth, making the Quasar a toasty pick for the worst of three-season conditions. Even with all these features, the pad still rolls up (stuff sack included) to the height of 1.5 Nalgene bottles. “I try to keep my pack weight at 12 to 18 pounds, but I’ll still make this pad a priority,” one tester reports after a trip to Wisconsin’s Northern Highland American Legion State Forest. Bonus: The entire backpacking pad is made from 100% postconsumer recycled materials.

Test Results: It’s rarer than a unicorn: extended sizing (25-inch width and 77-inch length) with a negligible weight penalty. The NeoAir UberLite pulls off this sorcery by using lighter materials, like the 15-denier nylon that covers the top and bottom of the pad. For some testers, this was nail-bitingly thin (most pads use a 20-denier or higher), but they were willing to make the tradeoff for a lighter backpack. “I agonized over every twig and pine needle, but it sure felt good throwing that pack over my shoulder!” proclaims one Colorado tester after spending a weekend near Kenosha Pass. Pro tip: Use a ground cloth to relieve your stress. 

Therm-a-Rest continued the slim-down by using a mummy shape that tapers toward the bottom, cutting excess material and grams. As a result, the NeoAir is the most packable pad in test—it’s barely larger than a 16 oz. soda bottle—but the sleek profile received mixed reviews. “I have wider hips, so my body is shaped like an ‘H’ and not a ‘V,’” explains one Kentucky-based tester. “My feet always dangled off the sides, which is fine when it’s warm out, but less so when it’s chilly.” Still, the 2.3 R-value is surprisingly high for such a featherweight, and the pad still boasts 2.5 inches of thickness. Assuming you stick to warm summer camping with this one, you’ll likely be comfortable enough. 

Setup is also a cinch. The NeoAir UberLite comes with its own pump sack, but it adds weight and still took one tester nearly 30 pumps. Our recommendation: Ditch the sack at home, save the weight and use your lungs. Three cheers for ultralight! 

Test Results: Looking for a pad that can keep you going when the mercury drops? Reach for the Sea to Summit Comfort Plus SI, the only pad in test that allowed one tester to proclaim, “Cozy!” after a 20-degree overnight during an early-season snowstorm near Escalante, Utah. The secret: Sea to Summit utilizes a unique Delta Core™ technology. Unlike most self-inflating pads, which use a cylindrical coring system that removes circular sections of foam to cut weight, the Comfort Plus cores out triangular shapes. Not only does this cut the weight by roughly 40% according to Sea to Summit, but it increases the R-value of the pad since the top and bottom of the polyurethane foam still maintain constant contact with the 30-denier polyester top and base. This enables consistent warmth that emphasizes heat on core body zones, like our torsos. “It was 65 degrees Fahrenheit overnight when I first tested the pad, and I got so hot!” says one Montana tester after an evening in Custer Gallatin National Forest. 

One of two self-inflating pads in the group, the Comfort Plus SI is a cinch to set up. Our Montana tester notes that she had to leave the valve open for a full day to successfully inflate it for the first time, but it fully filled within a few minutes on subsequent adventures.   

Comfort isn’t lacking, either. At just over 3 inches of thickness, the Comfort Plus is one of the cushier pads on this list. However, the added warmth and luxurious padding come with a caveat: It’s also the heaviest. Still, one tester says it’s worth it: “It’s my pampering item.”

Test Results: Extra space? Check. Ample insulation? Check. Packability? Check. Therm-a-Rest didn’t skimp on the details, which means the ProLite Apex delivers up similar features as pads that cost a lot more money. The added dimensions (25-inch width and 77-inch length) are similar to other pads, but the brand combines those with alternating internal chambers of foam and air to uptick the warmth while keeping the weight backpacker-friendly. In general, self-inflating pads are less bouncy than air pads, but our testers felt the ProLite Apex hit the sweet spot: “It almost sleeps like memory foam,” says one California tester. “It’s firm but cushioned where you need it to be.” Ding: Larger testers (2XL or bigger) grumbled over the mummy cut. 

The value continues for the four-season crowd. The ProLite Apex isn’t the warmest pad in this group, but it’s a close second with an R-value that still makes it appropriate for winter weather. Combined with its minimal weight (it weighs nearly 1.5 pounds less than our other reviewed four-season pad), the ProLite packs a lot of punch as the most affordable wide pad in test. Bonus: Durability is top-shelf. Thanks to the 50-denier polyester on the top and bottom, the ProLite is practically a fortress. But the benefits come with a penalty: comfort. At two inches thick, this pad is also the thinnest pad by a half-inch—and our testers noticed.