What to look for in a lodge
Okay, okay—do you really want to know what the best sleeping bag is? Well, we’d love to tell you clearly, here, this one—but we can’t. We don’t know what relaxes you and gives you a good night’s rest. We’ve selected five sleeping pads that will serve most people well, but below are some things to consider when choosing between them.
Weight
If you’re looking to backpack, chances are you’re not looking to haul your queen-sized, two-foot-thick air mattress from ye olde box store that works like a car camping charm.
But if you’re like most people, you’re also looking at sleeping on a ⅛-inch-thick piece of fabric that’s a little better than sleeping in dirt to save a few ounces.
A reasonable backpacking sleeping pad will weigh a pound or less; every sleeping pad on our list fits that bill.
IR-Value
Yes, yes, we run about the value of R Method of Selection and give it its own category, but it’s actually an important consideration in a bedroom.
Whether you throw the covers on the floor the second you go to sleep or wake up in the morning like a blanket burrito, you probably know how warm or cold you are. Choosing a bed with an eye not only for comfort but also for the isolation ratio will ensure that you get the night of sleep you want.
If you sleep warm and go out in a warm place, lower values of R are good; if you sleep in the cold, even in the summer, you’ll probably want to look for something in the 3-4 range. The R-values of the sleeping pads on our list range from 2.6 to 5.7.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: it doesn’t matter how warm you are sleeping bag is something. If your sleeping pad has a low r-value, you will probably still feel cold. Your sleeping bag and pad work together as a system–and we’d argue that system is the top place backpackers should invest in quality gear.
Here’s another tip: the insulation doesn’t always match the height of the air mattress. We found that even a two-foot-thick air mattress for home use won’t cut it camping on a cool night. Instead of length, check the R value, which measures insulation. The R value is why a short foam pad like the Z Lite can feel warmer than a cheap, thick air mattress. Insulation works by creating a layer of warmth between you and the cold ground. This is one reason that an r-rated sleeping pad almost always feels warmer than a camping bed (all other factors being equal).
Comfort
A good sleeping pad helps you get a good night’s sleep, and part of a good night’s sleep is making you comfortable. There are generally two types of sleeping pads: closed-foam sleeping pads, which are thinner and more supportive in nature, and breathable sleeping pads (aka, air-filled cells), which are thicker and lift you up. Inflatable sleeping pads tend to be more comfortable and have a higher R-value than closed foam pads, but the latter can be used as sleeping pads during the day—and are much cheaper and more durable than inflatables. No sleeping position will feel as comfortable as a bed, but it’s worth considering how far you are from the bed-like experience you want. If a sleeping pad isn’t comfortable enough for you, consider lightweight backpacking camping bed.