Ultra 6.5R Outdated Review

The Bottom Line

The Exped Ultra 6.5R is a reliable, all-season sleeping pad that balances warmth, comfort, and packability better than most. It’s warm enough to handle real winter conditions, yet still light enough to bring all year round.

The combination of vertical baffles, extra thickness, and supportive side rails creates a stable sleeping platform that caters especially for side sleepers. The rectangular shape (and wide options) gives you a very usable space, perfect for anyone who changes positions throughout the night.

We tested the Ultra 6.5R on a weeklong trek through the Grand Canyon and on a cold night in the Rocky Mountains, and it delivered solidly in all conditions. However, if you stick to warm weather trips or prioritize light weight, this pad may be more than you need. We have more favorites reviewed in our sleeping pad gear guide.

How We Tested

We tested the Ultra 6.5R on a week-long backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon, as well as a few cold overnights in the Rocky Mountains. This trip gave us a combination of warm desert camps and cold alpine conditions to test comfort, warmth, durability, and usability in real-world settings.

Comfort

The Exped Ultra 6.5R offers above-average comfort for all-season use. The medium-width version is 72 inches long, 20.5 inches wide, and a comfortable 3.5 inches thick. Pumped up to full capacity, 3.5 inches is thick enough to keep most people out.

While many companies seem to be doing away with vertical baffles, we think the ones on the Exped Ultra are quite comfortable. The side rails aren’t huge, but the vertical baffles help hug the body to keep it in place. Side sleepers will especially appreciate the forgiving feel of the vertical baffles.

The top plastic sheet is a good standard for inflatable pads – nothing too cozy or comfortable. Larger people may also consider sizing up the medium-wide 25.6-inch version, as we found the standard to be a bit on the narrow side.

Weight & Packaging

The Exped Ultra prioritizes a large sleeping area and plenty of insulation over significant weight savings. That said, it is an average weight for an inflatable sleeping pad, especially considering how warm and comfortable it is. The long and wide version is only 5 ounces.

The pad is super easy to pack thanks to its lightweight design and flexible fabric, and the stuff sack has plenty of extra room so you feel like you’re trying to stuff 10 pounds into a 5 pound bag.

Strength

The Ultra 6.5R sacrifices a little in the durability department to keep the pad light and warm. Most air pads use fabrics in the 30–40 denier range, while this model relies on 20-denier ripstop polyester throughout. It’s not the most fragile pad out there, but it does require more care in use and placement. If you are lying on snow, the chances of tearing the 20D polyester are very low.

We recommend pairing the pad with a Thinlight foam pad for extra protection. If you do get a puncture, the included field repair kit makes it easy to handle repairs in the backcountry. One point of notable stiffness is the leaky and reducing valves, which can be common leak points in some pads.

Warmth

One of the standout features of this pad is its 4 season warmth. It uses microfiber insulation and reflective foil layers to achieve an impressive 6.9 R-value. That’s a lot in most winter conditions, and even more so in summer. Featuring a 3.5-inch thickness, this pad is rated for use in temperatures down to -31ºF. Pair this baby with a foam pad in the winter, and you’ll be cooking with gas.

Easy Setup

The Ultra 6.5R is straightforward to set up, except for a few issues. The included “Schnozzel” pump bag creates a tight connection to the pad and has a large space that makes it easy to capture more air. We were able to fill the pad completely with 3 fills of the pump bag. The pump bag protects your lungs and keeps moisture out of the pad.

If anything, the pump bag is built a bit smaller – it has a closed buckle roll and a valve cover. In our experience, we have found these items to be unnecessary, and add extra weight. The pump bag weighs 2.8 ounces, but for less than an ounce more, you can get an Ultra electric pump for effortless inflation.

The only other gripe we have is the placement of the inflate and deflate valves. They are located under the pad, which can make them difficult to find in the middle of the night. On the plus side, they don’t get in the way of your pillow, and the fine-tuning valve is a nice touch to the firmness dial.

Should You Buy the Ultra Exped 6.5R?

The Exped Ultra 6.5R is a great sleeping option for year-round use. It delivers enough insulation for winter conditions while remaining light and packable enough to carry through the shoulder season even in the summer. For backpackers who want one pad to cover a variety of situations, it’s a great piece to build an all-around sleeping system.

Vertical baffles, side rails, and generous thickness make for a very comfortable space, especially for side sleepers. Sprawlers and larger people will appreciate the rectangular shape and the availability of wide options for more space to spread out.

If you’re primarily a warm-weather backpacker, a light enthusiast, or trying to keep costs down, the Ultra 6.5R may be more pad than you need. There are simple and affordable options that handle typical three-season conditions without the added bulk and insulation.

What other backpacking pads should you consider?

Check out our full guide to backpacking sleeping pads to find out which one best suits your sleeping style.

Big Agnes Divide Insulated Review: The Divide is one of the best budget buys on our list and has the same design and comfort as the Ultra 6.5R. It has straight baffles, generous thickness, and a rectangular shape but is very heavy.

Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft Review: If great comfort is what you’re looking for, backpack pads don’t get much better than NeoLoft. You’ll take a weight penalty and spend less money, but the comfort of this thing is insane.

Therm-a-Rest XTherm NXT Review: The XTherm provides the same level of warmth as the Ultra (slightly more actually) but features a different baffle design that may be better for stomach or back sleepers. Horizontal baffles are stronger and more supportive than vertical baffles.