How to Choose the Best Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

Camping doesn't have to mean roughing it. Generously sized to accommodate two happy campers, the NEMO Roamer Double feels like your bed at home except it's much easier to fit in the back of your car.
$39
10% Reward
on this and every eligible full-price item*
+
$30
Bonus Card
valid for 60 days after joining*
=
$69
Value
Keep shopping
Imported.
View all NEMO Self-inflating PadsBest Use | Camping |
---|---|
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 | 11 x 26 inches |
Sleeping Capacity | 2-person |
Pad Thickness (in.) | 4 inches |
Dimensions | 78 x 52 x 4 inches |
Weight | 7 lbs. 8 oz. |
Gender | Unisex |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
Disclosure: I received Nemo Roamer Double Sleeping Pad in exchange for an honest review. Many people enjoy time outdoors, but not everybody enjoys sleeping on a 20-inch wide sleeping pad. And without a good night's sleep, life is a misery. NEMO Roamer Double Sleeping Pad looks more like a full-size bed for glamping than a regular camping sleeping pad. It is 78 by 52 inches, big enough for two people or a very comfortable bed for a big guy like me at 6 feet and 200 lb. When I opened the pad for the first time I let it self-inflate for about an hour. Front panel of the mattress has three valves with easy explanatory graphics. I needed six pump sacks with air (included with the pad) to fill it up. However, after that first time it only took 10-15 minutes for the pad to self-inflate and two sacks was enough for a comfortable setup. Please note that after the first time the pad was inflated, the deflated pad became almost twice as big as it was in the original packaging. Fortunately, Nemo includes a large duffle bag sufficient for the pad’s expanded size. The top of the pad is of a nice material and is pleasant to touch with somewhat sci-fi colors that reminded me of the movie Matrix. Fabric at the bottom is 75D polyester tough enough to protect from punctures, but I would still recommend a ground sheet. I am a side sleeper and move a lot in my sleep and Roamer provided plenty of space for that. Also the pad's material didn't produce much noise. I had a very comfortable sleep on multiple occasions. Make sure to check dimensions of the floor of your tent. Many two-person tents are not big enough to accommodate a pad of this size. At 7lbs 8oz it is mainly for car camping, however I might try to take it in a pulk/sled for winter camping. R-Value 6 should be enough insulation for freezing temperatures. Talking about the price, $399.95 is comparable to the price of two 25-inch 4-season sleeping pads, but with definitely more comfort. It is also a definite plus that Nemo used recycled materials in the production of this pad.
This is the most comfortable camping pad I’ve ever tried out! It’s plush and dosen’t feel at all like an air mattress but more like quality memory foam. The valve system is simple and was easy to inflate with the included pump sack even with their jazz sleeping bag already attached to the top of it. One way deflate valve made breaking it down easy as pie. Plenty warm for 2 - 40 degree nights without being too hot when the temp started to rise in the morning. Car camping luxury item but wouldn’t want to pack it in very far.
My husband and I bought this mattress as an supposed upgrade from thin single sleeping pads, but in retrospect we should have stuck with those. We inflated it at home before our 5 day camping trip and it seemed fine. I’m a side sleeper and loved how thick and comfortable it seemed to be and was really excited. However, the first morning a giant bubble formed inside the top right corner of the mat rendering it completely useless! It was a devastating fail and we ended up sleeping on the ground for the rest of our trip. REI was fantastic about taking it back, but for $400 I would not have expected such a major issue. I think the manufacturer needs to go back to the drawing board on this one.
Excellent double sized sleeping pad. I got this for myself and my two dogs. Slept like a baby on this thing. I did end up getting a small usb chargable pump to make inflating and deflating faster. The included pump bag thing is awkward at best, mostly useless and cumbersome. I feel this is pretty durable as well. Of course it will never squeeze back down to the original size after first inflating but they do include a good sized duffle bag for it. Also you can roll it up with the NEMO Jazz double sized sleeping bag if you want.
This sleeping pad is so comfortable, I use it when I visit family instead of a bulky inflatable bed. But it started leaking after just 5 nights of camping. It always lived well above the rocks—on top of a reflective pad, which was on top of the tent floor, which was on top of the tent footprint. I don’t know if it’s the valve system or a small hole. But I’m 4 months past being able to return it. If I had it to do over again, I’d get a different brand. Eighty-five bucks a night is a bit pricey.
I was so excited about this given the other great reviews and everything I’ve read online about this sleeping pad. My partner and I slept on this a total of 2 nights before returning. Both nights it completely deflated overnight. No sign of holes and the openings seemed tight. Very sad & disappointing, not sure if ours was faulty but definitely not worth $400 if it deflates overnight.
I bought this a month ago and am loving it. It’s easy to blow up and so very comfortable. It is a bit bulky but as I do mostly raft trips it is still smaller than what most people use. Because it is so thick I can sleep anywhere which is amazing.
We’ve been through a bunch of difference camping sleep pads over the years but this is the first time my spouse & I have had a true double pad (vs lots of solutions to try to connect two pads). Cannot believe how easy to use and comfortable this was on a recent 5-night trip. Definitely heavy but gosh, very worth it. Highly recommend. I feel like I slept better than at home, TBH.
After the second night the mattress developed a huge bulge next to me as I was sleeping. I woke up to what I thought was the sound of a wild animal clawing it’s way inside to murder me in my sleep, thankfully it was only my $400 mattress falling apart!
when I got home after purchasing the pad I inflated to check it out. It held air for about 10 minutes when I laid on it, Checked the valves to ensure they were fully sealed, which they were. Where it was brand new I did not even waste my time to see where it might be leaking.....Great QC Nemo! I will not be replacing it with another as I have read other reviews stating they have had the same problem along with others stating that the leaks are where the coverings meet and are sealed..