How to Choose the Best Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

Great for side sleepers who need extra thickness, the 4 in. Exped MegaMat Duo 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 Duo: 11 x 22 inches Long Wide-Plus Duo: 12 x 28 inches Queen: 12 x 31.5 inches |
Sleeping Capacity | 2-person |
Pad Thickness (in.) | 4 inches |
Dimensions | Medium Duo: 72 x 41.3 x 4 Long Wide-Plus Duo: 77.6 x 52 x 4 Queen: 80 x 59.8 x 4 |
Weight | Medium Duo: 7 lbs. 5.8 oz. Long Wide-Plus Duo: 9 lbs. 11.2 oz. Queen: 11 lbs. 14.1 oz. |
Gender | Unisex |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
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I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. Having previously used sleeping pads without foam and more thin to save on weight this was truly a massive step up. It is basically a fancy air mattress with a foam layer that makes all the difference. Much less back pain following use. Great for me as a side sleeper and great for my girlfriend as well as a back sleeper. Could also use in a car, but is essentially the size of a double bed and packs up fairly well all things considered. Would definitely recommend if you are looking to splurge and take your camping set up to the next level. Would consider getting an air pump to speed up set up.
Most comfortable camping sleep I've ever had! I used this in conjunction with the exped megapump, which I would I highly recommend considering if you decide to buy this mat. I slept on this mat with my partner for a weekend winter car camping trip and also slept on it for a full week at my Mother-In-Law's house. Easy set-up particularly with the megapump, which inflates it in ~5 minutes (otherwise using the self-inflation and the included manual pump takes a bit more time (~15 minutes self-inflating and ~3-5 minutes to top off with the manual pump). Fits perfectly in my 3-person tent (a Copper Spur UL3). Keeps air well - I did not need to top it off once the entire week. Has great insulation against the cold ground and is just incredibly comfortable. The stuff sack is a length-wise roll top, which makes tear down soooo much easier than the usual top narrow mouth stuff sacks. Only downside is that it is large, so only suitable for car camping. Highly recommend if your looking for an easy way to increase your car camping comfort.
I was excited to try out this mattress as I have been looking for an option that is smaller and easier to use than a traditional air mattress for car camping and travel. The mattress comes in an easy to carry bag with a built in strap, inflator, and repair kit. I got this mattress just in time as I was going to be visiting family out of town and needed an air mattress. After unrolling the mattress, I laid it out for about 15min, but didn’t notice it self inflating. This was due to the inflation tab not being in the inlet. Once inserted, it inflated fairly quickly. Once it was almost full, I topped it off with the inflation bag. This entire process took about 20 minutes, once I had the inflation issue figured out. This mattress is VERY comfy. I was pleasantly surprised as it is not as thick as a traditional air mattress. About 4-5” once fully inflated. This comes in handy as the mattress is warmer due to the thickness and self inflating foam. The outer material of the mattress is durable and held up well with dogs on it. The only downside to this mattress is its size, which is why I would recommend it for car camping or family visits. For these purposes, it’s one of the best options on the market in my opinion.
This mat is fabulous for side/combination sleepers. My husband and I have never had such a restful night outside (we're both sides/combination sleepers). The mat supports through foam and air. The foam soft enough to hug your body, but dense enough to support the hips and prevent hips/shoulders from digging into the ground. Its also comfortable for back sleeper if you prefer a softer mattress generally. I will say, this mat is a beast... Comfort at the expense of weight. It is NOT meant for backpacking, don't try and use it as such. This mat is for car-camping only. Use it as such and you have a wonderful nights sleep under the starry skies. Also, pro-tip, make sure to follow the directions for self-inflating. Give yourself 15 minutes of built-in self-inflate time before expecting to hop in. While this length of time is kind of a doozy, its well worth the cozy and comfortable night's rest you get on this bad boy. Happy camping!
The Exped MegaMat Duo has taken my camping sleep game from marginally okay to true at home comfort. As a dedicated side sleeper, I’ve spent far too many nights rolling around trying to find the elusive sweet spot, but with this luxuriously thick and perfectly cushioned mat, it cradles every curve lulling me into a sweet slumber. There’s plenty of room to stretch and wiggle around even with a similarly sized partner. With its generous thickness it is toasty even when temps drop. Pair it with the Mega Pump, and you’re ready for bed in under a minute. This is my new go-to mat for when I do not need to pack light and want maximum comfort even when I'm the only one sleeping in it. If you want to feel like you brought your bed from home to wherever you are camping, the Exped MegaMat Duo is the ticket.
I've long been a backpacker so am used to ultralight and tiny equipment. This sleeping pad is not that! It is large, lux, and plush. My partner and I recently got a four person tent for comfier digs at music festivals. We wanted room to stash our stuff and have a more of a home away from home. The MegaMat fits that bill completely. It is soft with a little bit of give, but no bounce. I move around a LOT in my sleep and worried that it would disturb my partner, but he didn't notice any more movement than usual. When we got it inflated, I thought it looked too small for two people to sleep on comfortably - we have a queen size bed at home - and was annoyed that I didn't get a bigger size. But after a night on it thought the size was perfect. For reference, we're a hetro couple, both 5'8" and around 150lbs. If you are sharing it and either person is bigger than us, you might want to size up. The fabric is soft and strong feeling. I use an ultralight quilt that is open on the back, so having material that feels good and isn't crinkly was a huge bonus. We have a 50lb husky mutt who was all over the pad and I didn't worry a bit about his nails. The material feels pretty bomb proof. This pad is said to be self inflating, but I've never had any that actually did that. It does come with an ingenious sponge hand pump that worked well, but I wonder if the Schnozzel pump bag I used on my backpacking Exped Ultra 5R would have been a faster way to air it up. If you are looking for a sleeping experience and weight and pack size mean nothing, this sleeping pad is it.
We have been extremely happy with this mat. Yes, it's expensive but it is very comfortable to sleep on. I'm 6'2 and it fits me fine, plus a wife or two kids (a bit tight, but doable). It doesn't pack down super tight, and it's hard to get back into its original shape so I think it's only useful for her camping. I absolutely would not be able to take something this big on a backpacking trip. This is also useful as a temporary air mattress or something like that if you just needed an extra bed. The foam isn't super thick or comfortable, but it strikes a good balance between packing down small and light, and comfort. Additionally, the 5-year warranty is very helpful.
I was happy to find a queen mattress like this and thought exped to be a good brand, but was furious to find a leak on day 1. We blew it up inside the house per directions, then on first camp trip, with a dedicated smooth tent site brought it right into the tent to blow up. found the leak at 12am, then 2am, 4am, etc. had to cancel our memorial day camp trip as we did not have a great way to find the leak due to limited water. I do not recommend this mattress.
So, I received this a little bit late being up here in Idaho to actually use it camping. So my wife and I broke it out and had a little living room movie night sleepover and we slept amazing on this mattress. It is so comfortable, easy to set up, and I can’t wait to use it on an actual camping trip after the winter. We were in need of a good mattress like this because we’re switching from a rooftop tent set up to a ground set up since we are having a kid and this mattress will be perfect for us. Highly recommend!
The Exped MegaMat Duo queen-sized sleeping pad is so comfortable, it’s basically turned our tent into a mobile luxury suite. My wife, my toddler, and I all pile onto it—and somehow, there’s enough room for everyone (even if we all still fight for the best spot like it’s a game of wilderness Twister). It’s thick, supportive, and way too plush for something that rolls up and fits in the back of the car. I expected “camping comfy,” not “I forgot I wasn’t at home” comfy. Now, every night under the stars is a friendly battle for territory. My toddler claims the center like a tiny king. My wife establishes her zone with a firm elbow. And me? I settle in wherever there’s space left—and still sleep great. Five stars. Plenty of room, but somehow never enough—because it’s that comfortable.