How to Choose the Best Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

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Built for two in a new, lightweight design, the comfy Exped SynMat Duo sleeping pad has increased length, width and thickness for improved insulation against the cold, hard ground.
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View all Exped Air PadsBest Use | Backpacking |
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Sleeping Pad Type | Air |
Sleeping Pad Shape | Semirectangular |
Insulated | Yes |
Insulation Type | Synthetic |
R-Value | 4.8 |
Repair Kit Included | Yes |
Stuff Sack Included | Yes |
Packed Size | 10 x 6.7 inches |
Sleeping Capacity | 2-person |
Pad Thickness (in.) | 2.8 |
Gender | Unisex |
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A year ago I bought the standard size and returned it because it was too small, IMO, for two people. I was thrilled to see it now offered in a longer and wider version. My BF is 6'1 and I am 5'8 and we both fit perfectly on this. I have a feeling we will be permanently retiring our Theraest neoairs (won't miss the noise). However, this product is not good for true backpacking as it is still large and heavy. I chose the non HL version because I wanted the thicker fabric. We will be using this for camping trips where we have to fly with our gear but not in a true backpacking trip.
This sleeping pad is an absolute dream. Easy to inflate and deflate, perfect size and very comfortable for two people. Feels very sturdy and haven't worried about it popping - used 15 times. Only used this for car camping so far, but won't hesitate to take it on shorter backpacking trips. Only minor annoyance is the carrying case is very small and leaves no room for error when packing up. After some practice, it will fit if you fold it long-ways twice, squeeze every bit of air out, and roll as tight as possible.
As a solo backpacker (A.T. 2014, L.T. 2016, and many weekend trips) I have a lot of single person gear... sleeping bags, tents, air pads, etc. This past summer my girlfriend and I packed up our Jeep for a month-long 7,000 mile overlanding expedition across North America and into the Canadian Rockies. Paired with our REI Quarterdome 2 tent, the SynMat was exactly what we needed to be comfortable and share the space well. The inflation design is phenomenal - I use my breath instead of the bag - but there's a neat back flow preventer that makes the process so much easier than the normal pad way of trying to keep air from escaping while you inflate it. I hesitated at the price initially, but am VERY happy to own this piece of gear. If you're considering it in any way for you and a significant other for your backcountry adventures, hesitate no longer... just buy it!
My wife & I go to a lot of festivals and go car camping frequently. We just bought this and a duo sleeping bag for our most recent festival. I toss & turn all night and she's a light sleeper that usually wakes up when I move. She & I slept better on this than on our mattress at home. The reason is the divider within the mat that doesn't disturb her when I move. The best gear investment I've made in a few years!
We decided to go for the double mat to accommodate side-by-side sleeping/snuggling & it's such a win. No one rolls off, no seams or edges to deal with and it's big enough that it stays in place in the tent. The bellow-style inflation bag is amazing! Super easy set up & deflation. We bought the large size which definitely adds weight (it's 1-1.5 lb more than 2 single mats) but we were super comfortable with that extra length & width.
This mat provides great insolation from the ground and it keeps the air. We didn't feel any changes in the pressure in the 2 days and 2 nights that we camped (first time ever that I don't have to re-inflate my mat, even just a bit. The fact that each half inflates separately adds a plus of comfort. I can twist, turn, or inflate my half a bit more and none of those would bother the person on the other half; goodbye to the "waterbed effect". We got the large one, the extra roomy part is great and the little extra weight is not an issue for us because we usually go car camping (now we may need to upgrade the tent...) It is easy to carry and there a re no mysteries to deflate and fold it back in the sac. The bag-pump blows my mind: so efficient and so much fun to use. I highly recommend it!
For now the majority of our camping is car camping. Bought this to make dual sleeping a possibility without the dreaded "crack" between us. First night out, HANDS down the best mat ever. We slept like babies. I didn't feel him turn over in the night. At 34 degrees, we were super warm. I'd highly recommend this to any couple looking to upgrade to a dual pad. It's even light enough for short backpacking trips!
Mat was perfect for more comfortable tent sleeping next to my partner. Wide at top with a taper towards the bottom, so we were able to adjust ourselves at the top so our arms had enough space to sleep without being on top of one another. Separate valves for each side of the sleeping mat almost like a "sleep number." I imagine it's also helpful at keeping the mat from deflating as much overnight. Felt that the "schnozzle" bag with valve for blowing the mat up was super easy to use and effective. If you capture enough air in it, you can fill one side in 2.5 bags, but would recommend topping off each side by blowing air into it so that there is no problem with deflation overnight. Used it backpacking the Wonderland trail this year and it was perfect for us- and really reasonable weight. Recommend!
We got the Big Agnes Cabin Creek 15 Double Sleeping Bag to use with the Exped SynMat Duo Sleeping Pad (pad size regular - the pad fits well within the sleeping bag's pad compartment. Very easy to inflate with included inflation system. Very happy with this purchase.
I actually bought this for car camping in my Tesla Model Y. The smaller size fits perfectly and is really quite comfortable. (FEIW I have also tried a Tesmat, which cost more, took up more space and wasn’t anywhere near as comfortable) It would be snug for 2 adults, but would do in a pinch if you’re tent camping. The pump bag/ dry bag is a great accessory, and it all repacks fairly easily.