How to Choose a Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

This NEMO sleeping pad proves that camping doesn't have to mean roughing it. With 4 in. of plush cushioning, it's as comfortable as your bed at home—but it packs up small enough to toss in the car.
Imported.
View all NEMO Self-inflating Pads| Best Use | Camping |
|---|---|
| Sleeping Pad Type | Self-inflating |
| Sleeping Pad Shape | Rectangular |
| Insulated | Yes |
| Insulation Type | Open-cell Foam |
| R-Value | 7 |
| Repair Kit Included | Yes |
| Stuff Sack Included | Yes |
| Packed Size | Regular X-Wide: 10 x 16 inches Wide: 8.5 x 14 inches |
| Sleeping Capacity | 1-person |
| Pad Thickness (in.) | 4 inches |
| Dimensions | Regular X-Wide: 80 x 30 x 4 inches Wide: 76 x 25 x 4 inches |
| Weight | Regular X-Wide: 5 lbs. 8 oz. Wide: 4 lbs. |
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sustainability | Contains recycled materials Contains materials that meet the bluesign® criteria |
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I couldn’t be happier with the NEMO Roamer Sleeping Pad. This thing is seriously comfortable—way closer to a real mattress than any sleeping pad I’ve used before. The thickness makes a huge difference, especially after a long day outdoors. Setup is quick and easy, and it holds air really well throughout the night. I also appreciate how quiet it is when you move around—no annoying crinkling sounds. Packing it back up takes a little effort, but it’s absolutely worth it for the level of comfort you get. If you’re looking to upgrade your camping sleep setup, this is a no-brainer. 5 stars all the way
I purchased the product for car camping. My wife really enjoys car camping so I wanted to continue the momentum. Currently, we have the ultralight sleeping pad that she has been using from Nemo. Nothing wrong with it but I wanted to add more comfort. I purchased the updated roamer single wide sleeping pad and it feels just like a bed. She immediately feel in love with it. My boys also tried it and now I have to purchase two more. I highly recommend if you are wanting to bring the comfort of your bed to car camping. Just know it doesnt pack down extremely small but you wont be disappointed.
The NEMO Roamer Single is a total game-changer. It genuinely feels like a real mattress rather than a typical camping pad. Ultimate Comfort: It’s supportive enough for those with lower back pain—my brother-in-law used it as a guest bed and now wants one for his home. It’s also the only reason my wife now looks forward to camping trips. Easy Handling: Setup is quick, and it packs down much easier than expected for such a thick pad. If NEMO eventually makes a cozy camping blanket to match this, the setup would be unbeatable. Highly recommended for anyone who prioritizes sleep quality!
I bought this for regular camping - either in a tent or in my truck. Very comfortable and fits/works well with the Nemo Jazz. Self-inflating is a joke! But it comes with the bag to help inflate it so I’m not out of breath. It has a hook system for either folding it up or hooking two pads together. Folding it up is fairly easy - I hook the tabs and roll it up. To squeeze most of the air out, then unroll and roll a 2nd time to get it all out so it fits back in the bag easily. I’m a side sleeper and this is so comfortable. Love this!!
Nemo was and still is a leading competitor in the outdoor gear marketplace. Some of my original Nemo equipment is almost 20 years old now. And some has been replaced with new Nemo equipment. I have owned two Nemo Roamer single pads. The pads are some of if not the most comfortable pad one could sleep on. One of my originally purchased pads was generously replaced by Nemo, after multiple attempts by multiple qualified people could not locate a leak. Nemo also agreed the leak could not be found. The original Roamer was replaced by the newly designed Roamer Single. Still the same great product, with two changes. 1) The connection or fastening points for joining two pads together has changed. Instead of having multiple connection points, it has been reduced to just 2 per side. The original had 3 equally spaced along the bottom, and 2 (one at each corner). This made for almost seamless connection. With the new design, there is one at each end. It is evident the middle one should not have been eliminated. Although two pads will still lash together, I feel the middle one would have kept this a 5 star. 2) There are still two separate valves for inflation and deflation. Rather convenient. The concern is in the inflation valve design. Easy to use. Two stage. Use of both hands may be required to not overuse and decrease the holding power of the valve coming out of the port. There are multiple rings (4?) that grab onto the port foundation. It may hold up overtime. Or, it may not. Only time will tell. Other than these two concerns, the Roamer is still the sleeping pad that will keep you and your partner super comfy. And all your friends jealous. I am considering throwing away my queen size mattress and getting a roamer double wide for the home. No Joke.
I tried this pad and wanted it to be 5 star. I’d give it 4.5 compared to our other recently purchased pad, the Thermarest Mondoking. Things I like: comfortable, quiet, relatively easy to inflate, dark color (hids dirt that will come from camping), once rolled up it is smaller than any other pad at this comfort level. Things I don’t like: not quite as comfy as the Mondoking (less foam I think), a super big pain to roll tight enough to fit into storage bag. You don’t really have to use the storage bag if rolling it up tight enough is a problem. It comes with a great Velcro strap and you could store it without the bag. You would just want to roll the inflation bag inside the pad to store it if you did it that way. With the Thermarest Mondoking, the storage bag is the inflation device, which also comes with no strap, but it wasn’t needed. Once the Mondo pad was rolled up, you could close the deflation nozzle and it would hold its shape pretty well. Rolling up this Nemo pad felt like wrestling a python. Not fun when we were trying to hustle and pack up to leave a campsite quickly. In fact, this was the only part of packing up our campsite that was very annoying. lol. With comfort being pretty good for the Roamer, and rolling up problems aside, the biggest benefits of the Nemo pad are the smaller size when stored, and the dark color compared the the Mondoking. So if storage space is a problem for you, or if you have a big family like I do and storage space is limited, then the Nemo pad might be the right one for you to get.
I was hesitant to switch from the UL sleeping pad I'm used to, but after spending time sleeping on the Roamer I feel silly I ever went without it. The amount of comfort gained at the expense of a bit more weight and bulk is unreal. I also appreciate how simple and fast it is to set up, adjust, and put away the sleeping pad -- I've never had a problem getting it back down to the same packed size, and I don't have to spend loads of extra time inflating or deflating the pad compared to a car camping or even some back packing pads. Being able to attach to other pads easily is a big plus, as is the comfortable upper sleeping surface as I can go without a fitted sheet or sleeping bag liner. I can't speak to how well it will hold up in the long run, or how easy it may be to repair, but as it stands I'm very happy with the Roamer.
Picked a pair of the Single Wide pads up to link for queen sized equivalent. The mat is super comfortable, easily adjustable, the stretch top layer feels very plush and they inflate easily. The Vortex fill sack works great and the pads pack down easily to the original size (which is always a challenge). We tried numerous other options from other brands and this is a stand out, by far.
Bought this to upgrade our car camping. Did not disappoint. Love that it connects to another Roamer and super comfortable. Rolls up small compared to others. Highly recommend for any camper not limited by weight or size.
I LOVE my roamer mattress. I use the mattress in my VW vanagon and at friends for sleepovers. It's a little long on the bottom bed, but its so comfortable I do it anyway. By FAR the best air mattress I've ever utilized!