Pad question

Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Location
Arkansas
I know there's always trade-offs for most of the gear we end up selecting, nothing is perfect most of the time. That said, which sleeping pad do you think is the lightest YET the warmest as well?
 
Neo Air X-therm if you're looking for warmest for weight.
X-lite if you'll sacrifice a couple of R values for more weight saving.
I don't think anything else really comes close. There are some warmer & a few lighter, but none that beat the X-Therm in both categories, as far as I know.
 
I'm a fan of the ExPed synmat ul 7 for three season. This is a bit of a luxury item, and I have the long wide as I'm 6' & 200# and guard my sleep jealously. I have the ul 9 for late season.

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Neo Air X-therm if you're looking for warmest for weight.
X-lite if you'll sacrifice a couple of R values for more weight saving.
I don't think anything else really comes close. There are some warmer & a few lighter, but none that beat the X-Therm in both categories, as far as I know.

If you research hard enough you will see pretty much this exact conclusion.
 
Just know that if you are going lightest and warmest, you will sacrifice comfort if you like a pad that cushions as well. Sleeping pads are another of those areas where there are 3 main factors, and you can only have 2.

I tried lightest and warmest, ending up with a NeoAir Xlite. I was warm, but my body ached all night. I am definitely at an age where I need cushion over light weight. Gave it to my son, he loves it.
 
Just know that if you are going lightest and warmest, you will sacrifice comfort if you like a pad that cushions as well. Sleeping pads are another of those areas where there are 3 main factors, and you can only have 2.

I tried lightest and warmest, ending up with a NeoAir Xlite. I was warm, but my body ached all night. I am definitely at an age where I need cushion over light weight. Gave it to my son, he loves it.

Curious, how did the Xlite not cushion you? What pad did you end up going with. I love my Xlite and Xtherm and I'm a side sleeper so I get pressure points on my hips with thinner pads. I just let a little air out of the pads as necessary to allow the right level of comfort.
 
It was my hips if on my side, shoulders if on back. I ended up going with a Big Agnes Q-core SL after I tried my wife's regular Q-Core. 7 oz heavier, but an inch thicker. Plus a higher R value.
 
Gotcha. I need to try out a Q-core one of these days but my pads have been treating me fine so far. Like most things, it's all personal preference and what works for one person may not work the same for another.
 
i have a BA pad that I'm gonna try but it weighs 24 oz I think it was. Thought about a simple ridgerest but I'm afraid I wouldnt sleep.
 
Neo Air X-therm if you're looking for warmest for weight.
X-lite if you'll sacrifice a couple of R values for more weight saving.
I don't think anything else really comes close. There are some warmer & a few lighter, but none that beat the X-Therm in both categories, as far as I know.
^^^This.
 
My neck and right shoulder are kind of jacked up, so I have a ridiculous collection of pads and pillows. I see no one has mentioned Klymit, but I've been using their Static-V-Luxe for a couple of years. At 26oz it's a little heavy, but at 30" wide and 3" thick I get some awesome sleep on it. I recently spent a week on it, rain, high humidity, rocky ground, with brush that had recently been cut back. It looked like 2 inch spikes growing out of the ground, I slept like a log. In winter, the insulated version is 10oz more, one of them is always in my pack.

I've used Thermarest, Big Agnes and Exped pads over the years. All variations, light, thick, insulated, it's probably one of the only items that I willingly bought into the marketing and hype. I don't have a bad thing to say about any of the companies or pads I've used. BUT, I sleep on my side and turn a lot, so when I found a pad 30" wide I wondered why no other company thought of it.

striker3 is right, there is light, comfortable, warm -pick any two based on your need.

P.S. Whatever inflatable pad you like, carry and know how to use the repair kit.

PPS. Pillows- Exped Air Pillow UL inside a Goose Feet Gear Down-Filled stuff sack. Totals about 5ozs, small enough to fit in the same stuff sack with my sleeping bag.

Steve
 
Yup, that's the one.

I've been using a while, but in August I paired it with a K. Woobie. It was like being in bed!
 
Nuther UL9LW fan, thick enough I can adjust the pressure to a softness that i don't bottom out in. Your pad cannot be too warm, just too cold.
 
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I also have a UL9 synmat in LW. I'm a side sleeper who doesn't like super firm so I prefer the extra thickness. I also have a Nemo air with a foam topper that is even more comfortable and takes up more volume and a lower r-value but they are similar in weight. The xtherm and xlite are too thin and crinkly for me. The Q-core is also very comfortable, but quite heavy and has mixed reviews on durability. It's also quite slick, so I put silicon on mine as to not slide all over the tent.

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