How to Choose the Best Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

With Comfort Warmth Zones in the hip and foot areas to provide extra support and insulation, the women's Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated Air sleeping pad helps ensure you enjoy a cozy night.
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View the Sea to Summit Comfort Product LineView all Sea to Summit Air PadsBest Use | Backpacking |
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Sleeping Pad Type | Air |
Sleeping Pad Shape | Semirectangular |
Insulated | Yes |
Insulation Type | Open-cell Foam |
R-Value | 3.9 |
Repair Kit Included | Yes |
Stuff Sack Included | Yes |
Packed Size | Regular Mummy: 4.25 x 9 inches Large Mummy: 4.5 x 9 inches |
Sleeping Capacity | 1-person |
Pad Thickness (in.) | 2.5 inches |
Dimensions | Regular Mummy: 67 x 21 x 2.5 inches Large Mummy: 72 x 25 x 2.5 inches |
Weight | Regular Mummy: 1 lb. 5 oz. Large Mummy: 1 lb. 9.2 oz. |
Gender | Women's |
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Didn't last very long but was cool while it lasted.
I love this sleeping pad. I have had a few over the last 20 years, mostly ThermoLIte ones. This pad was so easy to inflate and the cushioning is outstanding (as I am a side sleeper and have problems with my hips bottoming out, but not with this one). Easy to deflate and pack back into its compression sack. The only downside is that this sleeping pad is very loud when you move around. Very loud! On the Appalachian trail, I think the other thru-hikers could hear every time I moved around. The rustling noise it makes is very noticeable. So, If you are with your loved one and looking for a zesty night, everyone will be hearing it! LOL!
I was super excited for this pad, as it is very lightweight and easy to inflate and has good insulating qualities. However, I slept on it 3 nights and had terrible back pain each time. The first night, I thought there was a rock or bump under my pad that was causing the issue but that was not the case. Second night, horrible back pain so I decided to deflate the pad slightly. Third night, horrible back pain again (kept tossing and turning from left side to back to right side). The 4th night I deflated it completely and slept on the ground. 4th night was the best night of sleep I had with only the deflated pad underneath me.
Just took this pad on a 4-day backpacking trip and I was very happy with it. I am a side sleeper and the pad was very roomy and comfortable. If you sit on it, it does bottom out but when you lie flat, it supports your weight evenly and my hips did not touch the ground. The pump sack is very light (2 oz.) and works very well - it has a quick-connect with the air valve on the pad which is super easy to use. I cannot attest to its insulating properties because the weather was fairly warm during our trip. For reference, I am 5'7" and 140 lbs.
So far I've only spent Memorial Day weekend camping and using this mat (coupled with a Coleman foam mat underneath), both on a plywood bunk in a cabin and on the chilly, Alaska ground. It was AMAZING. I'm 5'1", roughly 112 lbs and curvy, and sleep all over the place (especially in my mummy sleeping bag). I didn't feel ANY pressure on my shoulders or hips whatsoever during both nights. It was easy to unpack and blow up (albeit pretty cumbersome for an asthmatic, but I'll figure out a blow-up method that works better), clean and then roll up to be stored again. It packs pretty small and light, and fits perfectly in my backpack. I highly recommend!
I purchased this pad in large as I'm a restless side sleeper and I find that there's just not enough wiggle room on regular size pads. If this came in a regular length wide version, I would have purchased that one instead as, at 5'5", I dont need the extra length. This pad performs as it should, with enough lift to keep my hips off the ground and not bottoming out and enough insulation to keep the ground chill a bay. The face material is not clammy and does not produce the noise from movement that some other pads do. If you're looking for an ultralight pad, look elsewhere, but I prefer comfort and this pad has it in aces. Highly recommend!
I absolutely love this sleeping pad. I have used a few others from big names in the outdoor industry and I always had the same two problems; a loud mat and an uncomfortable mat when I was on my side. I sleep on my side most of the time and this mat keeps me comfortable, not only that, it's QUIET, which I absolutely love. The insulation is an added bonus. While I'm not a cold sleeper, I do tend to get cold while camping, and I have not had this problem with this mat. This mat also has enough room in the hips to keep my entire body on the mat while on my side. I would recommend this mat to pretty much anyone looking to actually sleep comfortably outside.
This pad is super light, but without the foam, it gave me bad back pain and I will be returning it, and just bought a Therm A Rest Apex instead. Highly recommend getting something with foam included. This pad is just not worth the price. Its also extremely noisy!
I really really really love this product. It by far works the best of any ive tried. The main issue is as you turn it's so loud and squeaky, i'm not only waking myself up I'm waking others up too. Needs some sort of liner to stop that issue. Having to return due to the noise.
Getting to this mat has been a process for me. After years of sleeping on the ground I finally stepped up to some egg-crate foam. After scolding myself for not having made that move years ago, I stepped up to a "self-inflating" pad that made things even better. However, I would often wake up with pain or stiffness in my hip. I assumed that was just a consequence of an aging body spending the night in a tent. Then I discovered this mat. What a difference! It is lighter than what I had been carrying and far more comfortable. Blowing it up (one of my concerns) is not a problem. Absolutely recommended!