How to Choose the Best Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

Great for side sleepers who need extra thickness, the 4 in. Exped MegaMat sleeping pad offers warmth and soft pressure-relieving comfort that cradles the body for a better night's sleep.
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View the Exped MegaMat Product LineView all Exped 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 | 8.1 |
Repair Kit Included | Yes |
Stuff Sack Included | Yes |
Packed Size | Medium Wide: 7.9 x 26.5 inches Long X-Wide: 9.8 x 31.1 inches |
Sleeping Capacity | 1-person |
Pad Thickness (in.) | 4 inches |
Dimensions | Medium Wide: 72 x 25.6 x 4 inches Long X-Wide: 77.6 x 30.3 x 4 inches |
Weight | Medium Wide: 4 lbs. 9 oz. Long X-Wide: 5 lbs. 11.7 oz. |
Gender | Unisex |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
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This is one of the most comfortable sleeping pads I've ever come across. Weighing around 4–5 pounds, it is not meant for backpackers, but if you're looking for something for car camping, this is your sleeping pad. It has a self-inflating feature, is great for side sleepers like myself, is easy to inflate with the hand pump, and can keep you warm during cooler months. For easy transport, it comes with a handy bag to store it in and keep the dirt off. Overall, I highly recommend it!
The Exped Mega Mat is a fantastic sleeping pad. The 4 inch thickness makes it super comfortable, even for side sleepers - I find I can't get a good night sleep on anything less than that. The material feels good to the touch with a slight bit of stretch. Right away I noticed how generously sized the storage bag is - you definitely will not need to wrestle to get it back in there. There is also room for the included hand pump and the Exped Mega Pump (sold separately). Inflating: Once you open the Inflate valve, it starts to self inflate very quickly, but you will need to use the attached pin to keep the valve open (see pic). I left it for 5 minutes, then it took about a minute with the hand pump to get it up to my desired level of firmness, which is pretty much as firm as it gets. Alternatively, if you also have the Exped Mega Pump, that will do the job in about 1:30. Deflating: Pretty straightforward, just open the deflate valve and the air rushes out. Folding it into thirds (as suggested on Exped YouTube video) and then rolling it up took a few minutes. But with the bag being as large as it is, you really don't need to squeeze every bit of air out of it to put it away. If you have the Mega Pump, it takes about 1 minute to deflate. This is a great solution for car camping or even to have around for kids' sleepovers or camping in the backyard. Perfect comfort!
Comfort to the extreme. This is a quality sleeping pad with high end cushioning, stability, and duration. A few things to note: it’s huge. This won’t fit in a majority of the tents I own except for a massive 3 person car camping tent. But it fits my 6’2 partner comfortably so there’s that. My 33” dog (in full sploot) loves it with a lot of space to spare. Second, mind the instructions to fully inflate and rest for 24 hours prior to use. Finally, this is an incredibly comfortable sleeping pad that would work well for long term car camping, even a guest sleeping pad at home.
The Exped MegaMat makes for an excellent basecamp mat. While it's obviously too big for backpacking, it packs down fairly small for something that is ultimately pretty roomy and cushioned when inflated. It comes with minimal instructions, but it's simple enough to set up. I do recommend using the pin on the self-inflate valve when inflating. In my experience, it was much slower without using the pin. After around 10 minutes of letting it self-inflate, I used the foam pump and it was fully inflated in 2 to 3 minutes. You can get the mattress pretty firm and I actually decided to let out some air so that it had some give when I slept on my side. While the mat is still new and I have yet to really test how it holds up, it feels as though its well made with sturdy materials and I was not afraid of puncturing it easily. Overall, I'm impressed by the quality and look forward to using it more, although to reiterate for those who may have missed it in the description, this is meant for use in camping, NOT backpacking due to its size and weight.
Sleeping pad is comfortable and better for side sleepers than others! Laying on side, I didn't feel the ground below at all. Definitely plan for a longer inflate time first time out of the bag, 15 minutes didn't do much for me. I like the carrying bag with the separate compartment for the pump and the roll-top. Using the pump is easy and pretty quick! The extra width is definitely worth it!
Fantastic pad. I am a bigger guy and always struggled at night and in the morning when camping. I decided to give this a shot and it is a game changer. My sleeping bag was not sliding off, it was thick enough to be off the ground and I only felt like I dipped low enough to feel the ground 1 time when I was kneeling on it. It was 30 degrees the day I used it and I woke up without feeling freezing cold. The only thing I struggled with a bit was breakdown to fit it into the sleeve, but that could be user error. Highly recommend.
We used this mat multiple times over the past few months and let me tell you, it sure holds up to its name! The first time we used it was for a child’s sleepover party. The mat is extra long and wide so it worked perfectly to fit one child on one end and one on the other. Although not necessary, lining it with a sheet definitely made it more comfortable for the littles. The second time we used it was at a camping trip. My 6’2” husband used it for the first time. As a light sleeper, he prefers a lot of cushion underneath him. He could not stop ranting about this pad. It’s wide enough for him to lay on his back but thick enough for him to lay on his side without hitting the ground. Although it could be a bit longer, most of the pads we have tried are much too short. He just about fully fit on this one. My only qualm with this is how large it is to pack. I definitely would recommend using this on a car camping trip or where you don’t need to pack it in. Although it comes in a large bag, it’s very bulky to carry.
I am very happy with this purchase. After years of using my backpacking gear for car camping, I purchased this. It is fantastic for car camping. Very comfortable, perfectly insulated… though I haven’t tested below 25 degrees. Highly recommend.
Slow leak after 3 nights camping. No apparent holes/rips. Was not abused in any way. Saw other reports of same issue on other websites, especially with heavier campers. Have not located leak yet. Loved it when it held air, but I want reliable equipment I can trust - this pad doesn't qualify.
Actually self-inflates and only needs a handful of pumps to fully inflate. Super thick and cushy. Pretty easy to deflate and get all the air out. Love the storage bag and compactness when rolled for such a large pad. Highly recommend any Exped product.