Sleeping Pads, Air Mattresses

I am trying to get back into some backpacking after many years away from it. I would mostly be doing pretty fair weather trips during the warmer months for now so I don't need serious cold weather insulation. Being an older guy of 68 years a very important consideration is sleeping comfort. I am looking at air mattresses right now and have considered 4 of them: Eureka Singlis, Thermarest NeoAir, Klymit Static V and Big Agnes Air Core. I am using Campmor as a comparison point while trying to decide. What I am trying to reconcile is price vs specs on these things.

The Singlis is available for $29. NeoAir Trekker is $89. Static V is $57. Air Core is $59. They all weigh from 20 to 22 oz. with the Singlis being the heaviest at 22. The biggest difference is in the NeoAir. Is 2 oz. worth $60? I have had Eureka equipment in the past. As a matter of fact I still have a Eureka 2 person dome that is still in fine shape after over 20 years. These air mattresses are all in the 2.5 to 3.25 inch thickness range and online reviews are favorable on the comfort level of all of them.

Can anyone comment on why they would choose any one of these over the other?

Welcome, Bill,

What can I say--I love the NeoAir and won't consider anything else at this point. I've used a BA Air Core in the older style and it's not nearly as comfortable or warm. Mind, I'm using a higher R-value model than the Trekker, because I need it in the mountains.

Biggest NeoAir learning point is to not over-inflate, as they're more comfortable with less than a typical mattress. The room they take in a pack is tiny compared to a foam pad.

Can't comment on the others, hopefully others can.

Cheers,

Another one you should consider is the Exped UL7 Synmat. It is a bit more pricey, but oh, so comfortable (for me, anyway).

If you're going to be out in nights below 45*F, your mat definitely needs some insulation. If you'll be out in fall or spring, look at the insulated versions of the pads you mention. They aren't winter pads, but will keep you warm on nights that get down to the 30s and 20s F. You need to be prepared for something a bit lower than the "average" low temperature.

I would head for a store and try various pads out on the floor. Or order several, try them out on your living room floor and send back the ones you don't want. Individual sleep styles vary considerably. Not everyone is comfortable with all mats. For example, I found the NeoAir very uncomfortable--due to its horizontal baffles it "bucked me off" every time I turned over, which I do frequently at night. Chasing the thing around the tent got old really fast! Others think the NeoAir is wonderful. One thing I like about Exped mats is that the outside lengthwise tubes are slightly bigger, which keeps me from rolling off. (Other mats may also have that feature.) Your Mileage May (and probably will) Vary!

Whatever pad you get, spend a couple of nights on the floor at home with it, while you can still return it.

Even though you need the padding (I certainly do!) under hips and shoulders, you can usually get by with a shorter (and thus lighter) mattress by putting your pack under your lower legs and feet. I usually sleep curled up in the fetal position, so a full length pad is just wasted weight for me.

Note that a fully blown-up air pad is like sleeping on a brick. Squishy is how you want it!

is 2 ox worth $60.... That is something for you to decide (it wouldn't be worth it to me).

Comfort is also a very personal decision. I can tell you what I use (REI Stratus), but comfort isn't entirely determined by pad thickness. Different people find different baffle systems more or less comfortable. Fabric (and whether it crinkles) can also be important.

My pad has a slightly larger outside baffle that keeps me centered on the pad as I sleep (the Expeds do this too). I like that feature. Some people really like horizontal baffles (thermarest) and some really like internal baffles (high end big agnes). It is hard to tell you what you will like. If you can get to an REI they have pads you can try out before buying. I found that a very enlightening experience.

I wouldn't completely throw out the r-value for your pad either. You never know when your going to get caught in miscalculated or off-nominal weather.

I've used the Big Agnes Q-Core (regular and SL), the Exped downmat 7, and several neoairs. BA comes in at the tail of the pack: heavier than it needs to be, not as warm as its weight calls for, and least comfortable of the three. (Bear in mind: comfort is purely a personal call; there is no objective way to measure it. Like others said, you have to decide this one by trying them out in the store; we can't make a call for you.)

The Expeds are incredibly warm and very comfortable (but not as comfortable, to me, as the NeoAir. Again: emphasis on "to me.") However, I don't need that much R value because I don't camp on frozen ground or in subzero temperatures.

I've pretty much settled on the NeoAir as my pad of choice, and my favorite is the 66" All-Season. It hits just the right combination, for me, of warmth (R4.9), weight (18 ounces), and comfort (I like rectangular pads as I can "sprawl" a bit, and I've got a corner to rest my hand on.) Yes, it's more expensive than the Trekker; whether it's worth it is a call you have to make for yourself. I've also used the "women's" Neoair Xlite, also a 66" pad, and like it except for the tapered shape. (The only difference I've found between it and the men's/unisex version is that for the same weight, the R value is about 20% higher. Call me Sue.)

The 66" pads are, for me, essentially full-length. I'm only 5-10, and my shoulders are placed at the top of the pad; my pillow uses my pack as a base, so my head isn't even on or over the pad, and doesn't need to be. Also, I'm a side sleeper, and tend to bend my knees slightly. So, 66" is plenty long, and it leaves me a little more room in the tent to store other gear.

You might also want to take a look at the Sea to Summit pads. They're thinner, but provide substantial comfort (second only to Neoair, in my opinion) at about the same weight. (A 1.5 inch pad versus a 2.5 inch pad effectively adds an inch of headroom to your tent, which is nice, too.) I've spent about 15 minutes on one of the prototype Ultralight models, and it was nice, but not nice enough to get me to switch. I have a buddy who used one of the Comfortlight prototypes on a 10-day JMT through hike, and absolutely loved it.

For me, NeoAir All Season does everything I want a pad to do, and does it just right.

I will have to check which of them come in the 66 inch length. I am also only 5' 10" so would probably be perfectly happy with a shorter pad. I wish someone made an air mattress in the wider widths but shorter. All of the shorter pads are also in the narrow 20" width.

But I really need to try and keep costs down right now. As I said I will be doing my backpacking during warmer weather and don't see any need for a high R value right now. I don't find the CCF pads comfortable at all which is why I am looking into air mattresses.

I sure wish someone who has tried the Singlis would chime in. If that is a reasonably decent mattress I can't see paying a fortune more for little or no advantage.

In cold weather pads are an integral part of your night time insulation (health and safety) but if you don't plan on going out in cold weather the pad is just for comfort. The most you are risking is a bit of discomfort.

If the price is right and it matches your needs go for it and come back to tell us how you liked it. I bought my pad under similar circumstances (eyeing it up because it was quite a bit cheaper and not much heavier). I couldn't find many reviews but decided to go for it anyway. This is a commercially produced product. How bad could it be? Try it out a few nights on the floor in your house to make sure it doesn't completely fall apart. In the end, even the fanciest thermarest will go flat (and become useless) from one good jab from a thorn.

Also, I'd like to amend my statement above. $60 seems like a fabulous deal for two ox. Those are big animals. I wouldn't however pay $60 to save 2 oz on my pack weight.

For awhile CD made a short, wide NeoAir but I don't see anything like that on the site today. It's possible some retailer still has one rattling around.

Remember thinking at the time it might be ideal for hammocking, as it would have wrapped around the sides enough to prevent those pesky cold spots.

Cheers,

You and a lot of other people! You'd think the manufacturers would be listening! I think that one of the problems is that most of the people who are complaining are either making do with a long pad or have already figured out how to cut their pads shorter, so won't buy a new pad. I personally have no problems with the 20" wide pad, but YMMV!

Exped does have some medium/wide pads in their Synmat line. I'm not trying to sell them or anything, just a satisfied customer.

As I mentioned, if you aren't going to be out when nights get below 45*F, you'll be OK without an insulated pad. Just remember that "average" nightime temps include a lot of nights in which the thermometer goes well below that statistical calculation! I personally look for record lows for each month and prepare for about 5*F above that. Altitude makes a difference, too, as much as 10*F lower than the recorded temps in nearby towns (in case you go to the Smokies).

I agree, Mouse. I took an early-model BA Insulated Air Core out on an October night when temperatures fell to something between 30 and 35. I was warm on top with a WM Megalite - but I could actually feel the cold seeping up through that pad (or the heat draining down intot he ground from me through the pad, more accurately.)

To the OP: Have you looked at the REI house-brand? Given what they look like, I'd guess that maybe BA and Thermarest (and maybe another maker?) manufacture them for the REI brand. They look to be a bit cheaper, too. Just a thought.

There's another solution if you don't plan on going out in the cold, then decide to do so later: get the low-r-value pad you're looking at now. Then, if you decide to take a trip when you might get into lower temperatures (or colder ground) than it will handle, buy a closed cell pad like the Thermarest RidgeRest Classic- about $15 in the 48" length. You put it on top of your inflatable pad. You'd only need the short length to keep you warm from knees to shoulders, most likely.

A single pad with a higher r-value will weigh less and be a more efficient way to get to the same place than two pads, but if you only plan to go out into the cold rarely, two pads would be a practical solution.

As a Thermarest rep in the Rocky Mtn territory, I have some new info you might be interested in.

One thing to keep in mind with Thermarest is that everything is made in the USA, all materials come from the US, and no other pad goes through the quality control as does Thermarest. This isn't to say they are perfect, but it is a unique product in the outdoor market because it is scrutinized as much as it is. One example...every mattress that requires air is filled with air to a high psi, and then sits for 48 hours before it ships out...every single mattress...to make sure there are no leaks.

There is a new NeoAir mattress coming this spring (April to be exact). It is called the Voyager and will come in a size of 25" X 70" (not 66" unfortunately). This size has been something I have fought for for the last few years. This will be the only mattress that comes in this size for now. The Voyager retails for $89 and has a R-Value of 2.2.

Currently the NeoAir Trekker comes in a Large Torso size which is 25" X 45".

I would also look at the new EvoLite Plus Mattress which is also coming in April. It is not considered a NeoAir mattress (air only), but a combination of an air-only mattress and a self-inflatable. What this means is that it is 2.5" thick, weighs 20 oz for the regular size (20"X72"), but is self-inflatable. What I'm most looking forward to is that it will soft and supportive like a self-inflatable mattress but have the compressibility and pack size like a NeoAir. The R-Value will be 3.2 for the 'Plus' model. There will also be the EvoLite model that will have a 2.2 R-Value. These will retail for $119 for the Evolite and $139 for the EvoLite Plus.

There's a lot to choose from. I would avoid getting anything that doesn't have any type of insulation or r-value. I would also avoid anything that has a 2 year warranty or less.

There have been some really good points and a lot of great advice from everyone here. If heeded, you can't go wrong!

We have an REI near me in Greenville, SC. It is only about a 25 minute drive. I am going to go there and see what they have. I have visited a couple of other outfitters nearby and so far they only have Thermarest products and they charge bust out retail for them. I don't plan on trying anything in colder temps as I try to get back into this at my age. Maybe if I find I can deal with sleeping on the ground again I will do more next year.

Right now my emphasis is going to be on comfort and it seems an air mattress offers the best possibility. I also have to deal with a limited budget and want to stay under $75, as much under as possible. The trouble with cutting a pad to the size I really want is you can't do that with an air mattress.

jasonlivy,

I was unaware that the Trekker comes in a 25" x 45" size. I had not seen it listed anywhere. I will have to look into it. I believe I would be perfectly happy with that if it just gives me good comfort for my hips and shoulders.

You can actually cut down an air mat. You can reseal it with an iron set at high temp. You can find instructions online. I've been too scared to try it. It will obviously cancel any warranty, but people do it.