The Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2023

The classic pick for thru-hikers or backcountry adventurers who need ultralight simplicity in a durable package, the time-tested Neo Air lineup gets a treasured update with the new XLite NXT ($200-240). One of our testers used the previous model alone for all three thru-hikes of the Triple Crown (AT, PCT, and CDT), and while most accrued their fair share of patches along the way, they kept him warm and cozy through all sorts of terrain and climates.

The XLite NXT uses a unique technology called a Triangular Core Matrix, which stacks two layers of triangular baffles to create a super stable surface while trapping as much heat as possible. This is merged with a material called ThermaCapture, which keeps the pad at a featherlight 13 ounces, while still boasting a comparatively stellar R-Value of 4.5 (up from 4.2 in the last model). This makes it, aside from Therm-a-Rest’s Uberlite with half the R-value, the lightest pad on this list.

The obvious question when you see such a light, warm pad is, “how long will it survive”? While it’s not as durable as some of the heavier denier pads we cover here, we can say from personal experience that if you take care of it, it’ll fend off punctures and slow leaks over months of torture.

This pad packs up tiny and disappears in your pack, yet offers superior comfort and warmth. It’s perfect for light, or ultralight, backpacking kits in pretty much any temperature you may encounter on a three-season thru-hike. We recently took the new NXT pad on a winter backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon, and were impressed by the comfy 3-inch height (a boost from its previous 2.5 inches) and improved insulation. For side-sleepers who tend to bottom out pads, this is a welcome change.

The WingLock valve used to inflate/deflate the pad is brilliant. A larger opening than previous iterations allows it to inflate fast, and a one-way flap means you can pause between breaths without having air escape. Opening the valve and twisting the wings deflates the pad swiftly. The worst part of each morning.

Negatives? The biggest con to the XLite used to be how darn loud it was, but the NXT update targeted that directly, reducing the noise by 83%. We’ve taken this on several backpacking trips already, and even slept in a small cave with three other campers. They all agreed that the noise is next to none, and it didn’t wake anybody up no matter how much we squirmed around in the tight space. Nailed it Therm-a-Rest!

In short, the NeoAir XLite NXT is one of the best lightweight, durable, and streamlined pads you can buy for long treks across the country, or sporadic adventures into the mountains where weight and warmth are paramount.

The Klymit Static V ($65) is an incredible value. For less than 70 bucks, you can get a super-packable and quite comfortable backpacking pad. At a little over a pound, it’s not ultralight, but it’s certainly on the light end of the spectrum.

It packs down easily and only takes a few breaths to inflate. We’ve had one in testing that wore out after 6 months of hard use and stopped holding air, but we’ve had another in testing for more than 18 months with no durability concerns.

If you sleep cold or are camping during the fall or winter, you may want to consider a pad with a higher warmth rating. The Static also comes in a long and wide version if you need a little more wiggle room. They weigh and cost a bit more, but they offer up more comfort and still clock in under or around $100.

Read our full review of the similar insulated Klymit Static V for more info.

Exped’s Ultra 7R ($240) is a super cool pad. Here’s the bottom line: it’s made with a layer of down insulation that boosts the R-value to an absurd 7.1. All while tipping the scales at a relatively scant 22.9 ounces, and packing down small enough for lightweight backpacking or mountaineering. It’s rad. For the alpine athlete needing maximum warmth in sub-zero conditions, or those intrepid winter thru-hikers, the Exped Ultra 7R could be a game changer.

Exped employed what they call Downmat Technology in this pad, including a layer of premium 700-fill down coupled with a 9 cm air cushion, offering one of the coziest, warmest nights of sleep our testers have had on a backpacking trip. It feels like they hit that massive, plush air mattress you use for sleepovers at your friend’s house with a shrink-ray gun and made it packable.

Notable features of the Ultra include a 20 denier ripstop face fabric that fends off poky sticks or rocks, an included “Schnozzel” pump bag (which we feel worked better than some other designs out there), and an “in” and “out” valve for simple inflating and deflating.

While there are lighter pads out there with R-values that come close to the Ultra’s, this is one of the thicker ones on the market, and therefore more comfortable. This also makes it a great pad for side sleepers.

We could come up with almost no negatives for this plush pad. But if we had to pick one, we found it somewhat difficult to top off the air in the pad with our mouth after doing the bulk of the work with the Schnozzel, as the valve lays quite flush with the pad. A quick word of caution on this — it’s important to use the Schnozzel to inflate it as often as possible, as moisture buildup from your breath could damage the down fill inside over time.

While it is on the heavier/bulky side, for the insulation and overall comfort you are getting, we feel they’ve kept it very light and manageable.

The Ultra 7R is an incredible and surprisingly affordable piece of engineering. We have no hesitation recommending it to any dedicated adventurer who needs a reliable, mega-warm pad for gnarly conditions in the mountains.

The NEMO Tensor Sleeping Pad ($200-230) has always been wide, supportive, quiet, and relatively warm. The original Tensor was somewhere between good and great. It was upgraded for 2022, and the results are top-notch.

The pad’s improvements come from the inside out. NEMO redesigned its Spaceframe — what the brand calls the structural baffles inside the pad that give it support and stability — to make both the insulated and uninsulated pads warmer.

The new baffle design still has individual tack points that prevent the pad from feeling like a raft underneath you, and the insulation is still woven between the baffles in a way that keeps it quiet. There’s no pad squeaking or crinkling while rolling around.

The pad comes with the NEMO Vortex Pump Sack, which inflated all sizes of the pad quickly and efficiently without filling the pad with moisture from your breath.

It’s available in mummy and rectangular shapes, two lengths, and as both insulated and uninsulated options. Though this pad is light and compact enough to use for backpacking, it’s plenty comfortable and durable for car camping too.

Check out our full review for more info on this cozy pad.

The most impressive thing about the NeoAir Uberlite ($230-260) is its weight — or lack thereof. At just 8.8 ounces, it certainly won’t weigh you down. And because it packs down to the size of a soda can, you’ll have more room in your pack for other gear and snacks.

But what really won us over is its comfort level. We were pleasantly surprised to find it felt great and wasn’t noisy when we shifted positions during the night.

As one tester noted, “It was just as comfortable as other air mattresses of the same thickness. I could sleep on my side at my preferred air pressure without shoulder or hip pain.

“I flip sides while sleeping, and the UberLite was worlds quieter than the XLite, something tentmates and campsite neighbors will appreciate. I’ve had neighboring campers get up and move in the middle of the night because of the crackling of my XLite.”

Since 2020, Therm-a-Rest backpacking sleeping pads have featured the WingLock Valve. The wings toggle for one-way inflation, making it far easier to blow up. It’s the same easy-to-use Therm-a-Rest valves we’ve reliably used for years, except greatly improved.

It’s also available in a large version, which retails for $250 and weighs in at 12 ounces.

Read our full review of the NeoAir Uberlite.

It’s hard to add even more innovation to the simple design and concept of an accordion-style foam pad, but the NEMO Switchback ($45-55) continues to impress backpackers and campers with each new design and update. Their latest iteration offers even greater plushness via taller nodes in a smaller pack size, for a cozy, warm pad that will hold up to the wear and tear of weekend use, or a months-long thru-hike. Plus, at $55, it’s a nice break for your wallet.

For years the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite has been the industry’s foam pad standard, without much competition. Now, with the Switchback making a name for itself in the backpacking world, it’s not the only slab of foam seen strapped to hiker’s packs on trail.

Though it’s 0.5 ounces heavier than the Z Lite, and holds the same R-value of 2, it’s a tad bit thicker and we feel like it offers just a little more cushion and comfort. It’s definitely one of the best foam pads we’ve slept on.

A metalized thermal reflective film bounces heat back to your body, while dual-density Axiotomic foam provides a soft layer of comfort, paired with a tougher layer for support. This makes the pad a solid insulator on its own in milder temps, or a great way to add more comfort, protection, and warmth when paired with an inflatable pad on colder adventures.

While we haven’t had the chance to put it through a 2,000+ mile trek yet, it’s shown little wear and tear as we’ve tested it, and a plethora of online comments praise its durability and comfort over the length of a taxing thru-hike. We’d say you don’t have to worry about this falling apart any time soon.

As an ultralight standalone pad for fast and light missions, or another addition to your sleep system for freezing expeditions, the NEMO Switchback will have you in a deep, comfortable slumber every night.

Are you looking for a sleeping pad that will keep you comfortable and warm even when you’re deep in the backcountry? It’s time you met the Boundary Deluxe ($180-280). With an R-value of 4.3, it delivers excellent insulation from the ground, keeping you cozy all night. The Boundary is essentially an upgrade to the mega-popular Q-Core Deluxe, boasting the same weight, but boosting the thickness from 3.5 to 4.25 inches. This thing is cozy.

We found this pad incredibly comfortable on flat and uneven surfaces alike. The 4.25-inch thickness is lofty enough to satisfy even the side sleepers among us, and the 20-inch width is just enough to keep most testers happy. The pad employs PrimaLoft Silver Insulation, paired with a heat-reflective barrier that effectively insulates your body during chilly nights.

For added comfort, there are wide, extra-wide, long, and extra-long versions available. Just remember that increasing the dimensions will add to the weight and packed size. This is probably the biggest con to the pad, as it is quite heavy and doesn’t pack down nearly as small as some of the other options on this list. For many, though, the comfort and warmth it offers are well worth the penalty.

While it’s not as quiet as foam-insulated camping pads, we found the Boundary to be one of the quietest inflatable backpacking pads we tested. A mega-soft quilted two-way stretch top offers a super comfy sleeping surface. The dual valves made inflation easy, and once you get the hang of it, the inflation sack is helpful and breath-saving.

For fast-paced, ultralight forays this wouldn’t be the best pad. But, if you’re looking for maximum comfort and insulation in the wild, and packability isn’t your biggest concern, this would be a fantastic option.

Our editor has been testing this sleeping pad ($229-249) since it came out in 2015. And as of 2023, it’s still going strong, having never sprung a leak.

One of our favorite things about this pad is the double air chambers. This feature has proven to be integral in preventing tears and gives it a built-in redundancy. If one side pops (which it hasn’t in many, many camping trips for our tester), the other should still be good, keeping you off the cold ground.

The double chambers also allow you to create a custom firmness. You can inflate it by blowing, which is very easy to do and doesn’t take many breaths to fill.

You can also use the pump bag that comes integrated into the stuff sack. Either way, it’s fast and easy to fill this pad.

At 1 pound, 13.8 ounces, this pad is on the heavy side for backpacking, but we’re willing to carry a little extra weight for when temps drop low at night. The redundancy alone is worth a few extra ounces, and the pad works great for car camping too.

Although the 40-denier fabric isn’t the toughest possible, we’ve found it plenty strong in addition to being warm, packable, and comfortable. And if something does go awry, the pad comes with a repair kit. All in all, the Comfort Plus Insulated is a great backpacking and car camping sleeping pad.

The NEMO Flyer ($140-160) combines the best of foam-core comfort with air bed packability. At 1 pound 6 ounces, it’s not the lightest, most packable option, but the added comfort is worth it if you don’t mind a few more ounces.

As one of our reviewers noted, “The NEMO Flyer is a lightweight, three-season pad that hits the sweet spot between an air pad and a self-inflating foam pad. The unique air-filled foam baffles create stable, cushioned thickness with more durability and resistance to bottoming than an air pad, with a slight weight and bulk penalty. But it’s lighter and packs smaller than a self-inflating pad.”

We got to take a look at the updated Flyer for 2023, and can confirm that it is still worthy of the pad’s stellar reputation. This popular hybrid design is now made with bluesign approved fabrics, and is produced in a resource-conserving way that greatly reduces its impact on the environment. We’re big fans of that.

Right out of the bag we were initially impressed by how quickly the Flyer inflates, whether you want to let it fill up by itself, or top it off with your own breath. This thing deploys fast, which is a welcome reprieve from the light-headed task of inflating full-on air pads.

The low-profile valve is pretty easy to use, and allows you to make micro-adjustments to the pad’s firmness. We did find it a bit difficult to let small amounts of air out while making adjustments though, as air would sometimes continue to seep out of the two-way valve until blowing into again or putting the cap back on.

The 3.3 R-value is a solid boost from a dedicated foam pad like the NEMO Switchback, but the added bulk may not be worth it for some. We also appreciate how soft and quiet the outer fabric is, which contributes to a restful night of sleep.

Overall, this is a great option for those who love the reliability and ease of a foam pad, but may want a bit more of the loft and comfort found in air pads.

Read our full review of the NEMO Flyer for more info.

Rab is finally making sleeping pads! As die-hard fans of the brand, the GearJunkie team couldn’t be more stoked at the release of these cozy portable beds. As is to be expected by those fastidious Rab developers, the pads are thoughtfully specked out with sleek, bomb-proof designs.

We were lucky to get an early peek at them in January ’23, and have already taken them on a number of backcountry missions through demanding terrain. Our first impressions have been overwhelmingly positive.

The Ionosphere 5.5 ($200-230) stands out as a solid balance between lightweight packability, and comfortable warmth. At 24 ounces (19.4 ounces for the Ionosphere 5), it clocks in heavier than the gold standard Thermarest NeoAir Xlite NXT, but stuffs down almost as small, packs a higher R-value, and boasts subtle, comfort-oriented tech that could make the penalty worthwhile. The devil is in the details.

We were initially struck by the ergonomic shape of the pad. Oversized outer chambers seem to lightly hug you without feeling constricting, while the soft outer fabric is stippled with grip print designed to keep your sleeping bag or inflatable pillow in place. The mummy shape (on the 5) cuts weight and bulk, but the slightly raised sides make it feel larger than it is.

The heat retention of the pad is noticeably efficient. Using bleeding edge TILT technology within Stratus R synthetic insulation, it is able to greatly diminish radiant heat loss. This is a complex system offering lightweight, low-bulk warmth for chilly nights in the wild.

While we’re still gauging its durability, our initial complaint has to do with the low-profile two-way valve. The included pump sack (which is one of the easiest to use we’ve tried, and is creatively illustrated to look like an elephant) does a good job of inflating the pad entirely by itself. However, if you do have to top it off with your mouth or decide to save weight by not bringing the sack, the valve sits super close to the fabric, making filling it a bit difficult. The valve also pops out of the pad quite easily when you remove the pump sack, which can get pretty annoying.

We do like that the valve lays on the bottom of the pad, keeping it out of your way at night. But, we can imagine this being a con if the pad develops slow leaks and you have to top it off mid-sleep. Something our tester seems to always find himself having to do near the end of a long thru-hike.

Can we say these pads will be just as good as the other time-tested legends in this guide? We just haven’t put enough miles on them yet. But, if we know anything about Rab, with a bit of love there’s a good chance they will be inching their way toward the top in no time. From a brand that knows what you need in the alpine, you better believe they’re quality.

Check out our coverage of the launch for a bit more information on the new lineup.

The Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus ($115-145) is comfortable and warm without sacrificing much in the realm of price and packed size. Made from a mix of foam and air baffles, it offers an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio.

We gave it a couple of breaths to top it off (it is a self-inflating pad) and were immediately pleased with the comfort and insulation. It packs down smaller than a roll of paper towels and weighs a little over a pound.

With an R-value of 3.2, the ProLite Plus could be a year-round sleeping pad for those who run warmer. For those who tend to get cold at night, you’ll most likely prefer something more insulated in winter.

It’s also available in a women’s-specific design.

This insulated sleeping pad ($189-219) packs down small and has some extra features that make it stand out.

First off, we liked the integrated pump bag that’s built into the stuff sack (called the Airstream pump). Basically, you lightly blow into the bag and then squeeze the air into the pad. It seems weird at first, but it’s much less energy-intensive than directly blowing up the pad.

This pad also has a “pillow lock” that helps certain Sea to Summit pillows stay in place. Its sticky felt grabs onto the pillow to keep it from moving around while you sleep. If you already have an Aeros Pillow, this could be great. If not, it might not do you any good.

These features aside, the Ether Light XT provides extra insulation for cold nights and is light enough to easily take backpacking. It’s not the cheapest out there, but this is an excellent choice if extra insulation and less weight are important to you.

There’s a reason closed-cell foam is a cult classic. It’s light, it’s warm, and it’s virtually indestructible. It’s no surprise that you regularly see it listed among thru-hikers’ favorite pieces of gear.

The crazy popular Z Lite Sol ($48-58) has been the leader in ultralight foam pads for a long time and still stands as a good choice today. The aluminized surface (the silver side) reflects heat back toward your body and provides extra warmth at night, while the egg-carton pattern increases comfort and insulation.

Even if you don’t plan to use this as your sole sleeping pad, it’s a great addition to whatever else you choose to use on top. It provides unmatched durability and extra insulation, which are integral factors for getting a good night’s rest at camp.