How to Choose the Best Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

Camping doesn't have to mean roughing it. The spacious NEMO Roamer XL Wide sleeping pad feels like your bed at home, except it's a whole lot easier to throw in the back of your car.
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Imported.
View all NEMO Self-inflating PadsBest Use | Camping |
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Sleeping Pad Type | Self-inflating |
Sleeping Pad Shape | Rectangular |
Insulated | Yes |
Insulation Type | Open-cell Foam |
R-Value | 6 |
Repair Kit Included | Yes |
Stuff Sack Included | Yes |
Packed Size | 10 x 16 inches |
Sleeping Capacity | 1-person |
Pad Thickness (in.) | 4 inches |
Dimensions | 78 x 30 x 4 inches |
Weight | 5 lbs. 8 oz. |
Gender | Unisex |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials Contains materials that meet the bluesign® criteria |
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Nothing like a good night's sleep. Just took the Nemo Roamer XL Wide pad on a week long road trip that included tent camping, overlanding in the back of the truck etc... Southern Sierra and Panamint Valley (Ballarat area). Temperatures ranged from 65-30 degrees including some snow, rain, wind and beautiful sunny weather. The pad was really comfortable in all conditions and I slept better than I usually do with a lighter set up. I also brought along the new Nemo Jazz 30 sleeping bag that's designed to match with the pad. The long length and width of the pad supported my head, feet, and my arms, elbows didn't hang off the ends or sides which added a lot to the overall comfort, especially when it was colder. The length of the pad covered the full length of the floor of my two person tent. I didn't have to pile stuff at the ends as I'm prone to do with a lighter pad to help keep pillows and or feet supported or sliding off. However, the pad is 30" wide so it took up 2/3rds of the tents floor effectively making it a one person area. When I used the pad in a bigger four person tent I also brought along, I was just as comfortable. The non-slip top of the pad prevented sliding off on uneven ground. The bigger tent area did provide more space for more convenient set up and later getting the pad rolled and packed. As far as set up, there is an instruction tag on the stuff sack and some pictures printed by the valves on the pad itself. A little confusing at first, but after the initial set up it made more sense. The pad self-inflated fairly quickly, but not enough to use. Using the handy air fill bag that came with the pad took a couple extra minutes. The fill bag worked great for me. It works like a dry bag, and must be used in the proper one way valve. A lot easier than blowing up a balloon. I did notice that when it was cold the valves are harder to manipulate, especially with cold fingers, but doable. They are not glove friendly either. I also thought I lost a lot of firmness one night. I don't think the valves leaked. Rather I think because it was warm when I filled the pad and 30 degrees in the morning that the air in the pad simply cooled down. It's a big thick bad with a lot of air in it, so next time when I expect frigid temps I'll firm it up a little extra. The Nemo Jazz sleeping bag has pad sleeves that fit the Roamer pad perfectly if you like to use those. I don't, but I did used them to roll the pad and bag together to stow in the oversize storage duffle that came with the Jazz bag just to try it and fit great. The Roamer pad has toggles for folding it in half for packing, but also, maybe more important for some, the pad can be attached to another one to create a pretty nice size bed. Deflating the pad when packing up was easier than I expected. I did inflate it, and deflate and repack it, according to the instructions, at home before I left on my trip. Always a good idea with new gear if you have the time. Overall I have to give the Roamer XL five stars because it's really comfortable, warm, relatively easy to set up and take down, well thought out, and of quality user friendly construction. As part of a system it's even better, but as a stand alone item it's the new car camping go to for me.
This pad is amazing. Used 5 nights with a Nemo Jazz sleeping bag. Perfect combo! It's not for back packing, but after 3 spine surgeries it's perfect for what I need. I've tried every air bed , cot and contraptions out there and this one is the one for me. I like to put it on a cot (check the size of the cot, they have to be really close to the pad size to work). But it's great on my cot or on the floor of the tent. If you car camp and/or need extra comfort in a bunk house this is the one you want.
It’s a big, soft and VERY comfortable sleeping pad. I estimate it’s about 80%-85% self-inflating. The included pump sack allows for a quick air top off. I recommend inflating it once before you leave on a trip. The foam is so compressed from factory/retail storage that it takes a long time to expand. I let it sit to self-inflate for over 30 minutes with little expansion. I had to use the pump sack 15+ times to get it filled. After the initial inflation, deflation, and storage, the foam began to expand a lot faster. Now, I let it self inflate for about 10 minutes and then it only takes 2-3 full pump sacks to balloon up this pad. Amazingly comfortable for a back sleeper like me, but I also enjoy reading in bed when camping. The 4 inch thick pad accommodates the variety of reader’s positions very nicely. Hips and elbows never once hit the ground underneath the pad. Familiarize yourself with these ports before setting it up in the dark. It wasn’t completely obvious to me the first few times using it. The inflation/bleed valve shares the same port. It would be a little too easy to let out all the air when reaching back to press on the bleed valve. One little detail that I really appreciate is the storage sack. It is the smallest possible size without making it difficult to put away. When stored, the pad will expand slightly to tightly fill the storage sack. Nemo included a handle flap on the bottom of the sack that makes a good grab point when wrestling the pad out of the sack. *if pairing with the Jazz sleeping bag, the pad must be deflated in order to fit within the pad sleeves underneath the sleeping bag.
This pad will give you the most comfortable car camping sleeping experience. The memory foam topper is a dream - doesn't squeak when you move around and minimal movement of the pad throughout when tossing and turning. It fit into the back of my Honda HRV after deflating it a bit so the door can close. Not the easiest to set up, and the pump it comes with isn't the most intuitive to use, either. I ended up just blowing into it after letting it self-inflate for a bit. Packing it down is no easy feat either. I couldn't get it done in my car, so I had to do it on the ground over a tarp since you need both knees to really squeeze all the air out. Not any different than any other cushy camping mattress though. I used this along with the NEMO Jazz sleeping bag, which has sleeves to keep this pad in place. It was such a comfortable sleep. It's also pretty heavy and not the most compact in size when packed down. If you have limited storage space, I wouldn't recommend this.
Papa Bear. This pad is ridiculous for a small person. When it came in the mail I thought - oh no this is silly. Still it’s hard to give up once you try it out. It’s beautiful and matches my Nemo sleeping bag. I do not like the inflate sack. It barely fits in my 2-man tent - worried about water issues. I would really like a smaller version of this both for petite people and packing around. I tried a smaller one though, and it was too small. Can these pads please meet and make a baby bear just right :)
This is 0 stars. Got this for camping and guests. Did not use for some time. Then used off and on for several months. Woke up with big bubble in the center. The adhesive for top layer must have been bad. Over 1 year so no return from REI. This is the junkest piece of junk ever bought. Looked good and had many good reviews. Waste of money. Get a cheap inflatable coleman mattress instead, which is still in use after many years.
The NEMO Roamer sleeping pad is one of the most comfortable sleeping pads I’ve slept on. It is heavy, but it’s meant for car camping, so it doesn’t have to be light. Unlike some lighter weight sleeping pads that make noise, this one is quiet and it gave me the support I needed for a good nights rest. With how thick it is, it helps to keep you warm on those chilly nights. It doesn’t inflate very quickly and I think another company does a better job with their self inflating system, but it does work…just have patience. You can also help it along manually if need be.
These mats are great down to ~20s F. At that temp is took a little bit to stop feeling the chill, but they held warmth after that pretty well. We have used these now 6 times vs our old Exped MegaMat. I would trade the megamat for one of these any day. The weight, the size, the packed dimensions, everything is better (besides cold rating). With the vortex bag they take no time at all to setup AND they are one of the easiest pads we've ever owned at packing up. Seriously, you cannot discount how easy these are to put back in their bag compared to other mats. Sometimes Nemo products can seem over priced based on brand name, but these are worth the money.
My husband and I both have the Nemo sleeping pad and absolutely love it! It’s expensive but worth. I am on a camping trip as I type this review. It is our first use.
This sleeping pad is so comfortable and the quality is A+. I am a side sleeper and tend to move around at night, so the size of the Roamer very much fits my needs. Packing it up is very easy - just open it all three valves and do a soft roll, unroll and tightly roll again with only the middle valve open. This method should fit the included stuff sack with no problem. When rolled up, it is a bit on the larger size due to the material and size, but it is meant for car camping, definitely not backpacking. I bought it a few years ago and it is one of my favorite camping items I own.