The BEST and WORST sleeping pads of 2023

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Best sleeping pad for backpacking. Worst sleeping pad. Best camping mat for sleeping in the woods. Backpacking gear. what to take backpacking. ultralight hiking. ul gear. ultralight backpacking. Heavy gear loadout. what's a good weight for backpacking. camping gear

[craighellberg]

I am 62 years old and I’m shocked how expensive camping gear has become. When I was young I shopped at the original REI in Seattle. I usually hit their bargain basement and I’m still using the equipment to this day. Today’s equipment cost more than my first car.

[jeffpeters]

I’ve had my “regular” Etherlight XT insulated down to the mid-20s and was just fine. Super comfortable at 4” thick. I love it. No experience with the “extreme”.

[ken]

Dan I am new to back packing and I really appreciate your videos and insight. I would say the thing that I appreciate the most and I hope you continue to do is, putting the product information on the screen. It’s nice to not have to click 1000 links trying to figure things out. Keep up the good content.

[jgeisler]

I love my Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm, regular. Unlike the one you have, mine is rounded on the ends. It only weighs 15oz with the pump sack, only 13oz without the sack. Can't beat it for a pad with a 6.9 R-value.

[annaless]

Love my Sea To Summit  Ether Light XT Small 4''. Kept me warm in -5 Celsius (23 °F ), was compactable, light and quiet. Hiking mostly in Norway and Iceland. No need/ experience with the Ether L XT Extreme.

[zazaturmanidze]

I sold mine Thermarest Xtherm Max for the reason, that when sleeping on the side, it pushed against my hip so hard, that I was waking up from the pain. I was trying to play with different air pressures with no luck. I am a regular size person, 80kgs. I strongly recommend to try it out before you buy for that particular reason. Definitely not a problem if you are strictly a back sleeper.

[CampSaw]

Funny, I love my Sea to Summit- comfort is king. I have never been cold on it- but it is bigger than most. If I don’t sleep well everyone around me will pay one way or another! Lol The Exped is so loud you might get kicked out of camp! I get two pads, a winter one (the S2S) that goes in a bigger capacity backpack and a late spring/summer pad so I’m waiting for you, Dan, to make a decision on how my summer is gonna go! No pressure 😳😃

[mysterylovescompany]

What I learned from this is that not being a snow-camper gives me a lot more options when it comes to choosing a sleeping pad (& saving money on it!).
Another great vid, Dan!

[trickofthetrail]

I have the Sea To Summit Ether Light Extreme wide and I have never been cold on it, even in snowy conditions. I find it ultra comfortable also. However, it is really bulky, so is strictly my cold weather pad. I have a Nemo Tensor Insulated 2022 wide for other conditions and love that also.

[babblned]

I tried a lot of pads. The Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated is my favorite. Very comfortable, and packing size isn't that bad. For me it is worth it for the extra comfort after a long day outdoors. Also love the integrated pump sack. Makes inflation super easy.

[andrewneilson]

I’m 290 lbs and a side sleeper. The Big Agnes Q Core SLX allows me to get a good nights sleep, which is pretty impressive. 4” of loft. No loss of volume during the night. My hips and shoulders don’t collapse it

[danfox]

Surprised Exped didn't make your list! Great sleeping pads - and especially popular among side sleepers. Thanks for the comparisons!

[DumpTrumpTREON]

EXPED DOWNMAT!!Comfortable and warm, does not lose air. It has an R value around 7! So good I brought a spare so I could take a friend Winter backpacking. I live in Alaska, I camp with no heat source down to -30 F. I agree with you for the Sea to Summit Either Extreme IInsulated) LOUD!!!Crackly It was so loud it drown out my tinnitus and let bears know I was in the area. I love the Flextail Lite. I will probably have to check out the Thermarest. When I go lightweight I take the Klymt. Love your channel.

[dgrad]

I just bought the Big Agnes Q-Core Deluxe, it's blue he didn't show it here. But it is super comfortable with a r value of 4.3. It's a lot bigger to pack than my old Static V, but it's way more comfortable to sleep on.

[JasonRasmussen]

I have the Klymit Insulated Static-V. It's great, comfortable, packs small, inflates in 9 breaths. My wife is a side sleeper and loves it.

[chrisbushman]

I use the klymit static v lite and can confirm its an excellent pad on a budget. If you can't drop like 300 bucks on a pad, its definitely worth the money. A comfortable and reliable 3 season pad.

[Ghost_Os]

I think I would opt for the Xtherm. For me, the higher R value combined with the increased durability *plus* the fact that it packs down pretty small is worth a little less comfort. Love Big Agnes though. Maybe the Xtherm underneath Big Agnes... 😆

[arniewingco]

Great video Dan, thanks. New subscriber here (from Australia), and really appreciate that you included metric stats for these mats 👍

[andrewdevonshire]

The Sea to Summit Etherlight XT Insulated is VERY comfortable, packs small & is so thick it is a MUST for side sleepers. Decent R Vakue at 3.2 also. I got the Wide Rectangular version- worth every penny for a good sleep on the ground.

[maryblakley]

We are car campers, but aim for the sweet spot between car camping gear and backpacking gear on account of the fact that it's five in my family, in a hatchback. We upgraded to a Big Agnes Air Core Ultra last year and love it. Comfy, keeps us warm, and doesn't take up a ridiculous amount of space.