Finest Ultralight Sleeping Pads of 2025 – iRunFar

For a lot of fastpackers and ultralight backpackers who prioritize a light-weight pack, selecting the perfect ultralight sleeping pad is a balancing act between weight, heat, and sturdiness. We do no matter it takes to hold the lightest, smallest merchandise for every of our wants to attenuate pack weight, however most of us nonetheless need a good night time’s sleep.

A few of us forgo taking a correct sleeping pad after we’re attempting to cowl a number of floor, however after many nights of shivering on naked floor, we don’t advocate that route, particularly in case you’re attempting to get some sleep. Correct relaxation will go a good distance towards making your fastpacking journey pleasing, and a snug pad is doubtlessly much more essential than a heat sleeping bag to guard you from the chilly floor.

After intensive testing of each inflatable and non-inflatable pads, our staff has developed suggestions that can assist you navigate the market’s decisions. We charge pads primarily based on their sturdiness, weight, packable measurement, and luxury, and we provide options that strike the correct steadiness amongst these standards.

We discovered the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad to be a light-weight, sturdy inflatable pad that may stand up to regular use with out worrying about punctures. When it got here to foam pads, the NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad proved to be our favourite. If we wished the warmest pad that was nonetheless moderately light-weight, we turned to the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad. And, after all, we couldn’t assist however embrace the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″ for the true minimalists who’re going to be drained sufficient on the finish of the day that they may sleep in a pile of rocks.

Beneath are our high picks for fastpacking sleeping pads of 2024, starting from skinny items of froth to thick, heat inflatable pads. For extra background info, see our shopping for recommendation, testing methodology, and often requested questions beneath the picks.

You will discover a compilation of all of our different favourite fastpacking gear in our finest ultralight backpacking gear information. In the event you’re on the lookout for one thing particular, try our guides on the finest fastpacking packs, the finest ultralight tents, and the finest ultralight sleeping luggage.

Finest Ultralight Sleeping Pads

Professionals:

• Very gentle and heat
• Comfy
• Reasonably sturdy 30-denier material
• Massive and efficient inflation bag

Cons:

• Costly
• Mummy form was tippy for some testers
• Loud, crinkly sound bothers some

The Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad is gentle, heat, and comfy, and we discovered it to be extremely sturdy for the burden. A number of of us at iRunFar have been utilizing completely different variations of this pad for almost a decade, and we’ve solely seen it enhance technically over time, with the addition of an efficient one-way inflation valve and a big inflation bag.

The specs on this pad are arduous to beat. The scale common is simply 13.2 ounces, excluding the stuff sack and inflation bag, and has an R-value of 4.5, the second-highest of any pad on this record. iRunFar’s Editor-in-Chief, Meghan Hicks, makes use of this as her go-to sleeping pad after years of not taking a sleeping pad alongside on fastpacking journeys in her try and maintain her pack as gentle as potential. She additionally carries an inflatable pillow as of late, so maybe her gram-counting tendencies are beginning to get just a little extra relaxed.

It’s arduous to beat this sleeping pad for its weight and packability. It packs down exceptionally small with a 30-denier material, which we discovered to be thick sufficient that we didn’t fear about placing holes in it so long as we have been utilizing a tent or floor fabric of some kind.

A few of our testers have been aggravated by the loud crinkling sound this pad makes when rolling back and forth, and one discovered the horizontal baffles much less snug than these of different pads examined. Nonetheless, these have been the pad’s solely observable flaws. Whereas heavier than Therm-a-Relaxation’s lightest inflatable pad, it’s far more sturdy, and our testing staff determined that the additional weight was well worth the added peace of thoughts.

On account of its mixture of R-value, small measurement, and comparatively low weight, that is the perfect all-around sleeping pad for just about any three-season fastpacking journey.

Learn our full assessment of the earlier model of this pad, the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad.

Kind: Inflatable | Marketed Weight: 13 ounces (368 grams) | Precise Weight: 13.2 ounces (374 grams) | R-value: 4.5 | Form: Mummy | Thickness: 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) | Packed Measurement: 9 x 4.1 inches (23 x 10 centimeters)

Store the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad

Professionals:

• Comfy
• Cheap for an inflatable pad
• Heat

Cons:

The Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat is a superb choice in case you discover sleeping on vertical or horizontal baffles much less snug than quilted baffles however nonetheless need a pretty gentle and sturdy sleeping pad. We discovered that the quilted baffle sample did a greater job cradling us, leading to much less shifting round in the course of the night time. Whereas not the lightest pad available on the market — in measurement common, it weighs 19.3 ounces with the inflation bag and 17.9 ounces with out — it’s nonetheless aggressive and at a lower cost than different choices. This pad additionally is available in further small, small, and enormous sizes to accommodate varied physique sorts. You possibly can go for a shorter model to make use of your pack underneath your legs for added insulation, if you wish to save just a few grams.

It additionally has a comparatively excessive R-value of three.1, which makes it a superb three-season pad. Nonetheless, since it’s heavier than pads with comparable R-values, it’s difficult to decide on this pad over its rivals when particularly contemplating warmth-to-weight ratios. However the quilted baffles justified the additional weight for a minimum of one in every of our testers. When inflated, it appears impossibly skinny and incapable of offering both consolation or heat, nevertheless it does an admirable job at each.

We examined this pad each throughout in a single day journeys within the Wasatch Mountains, the place temperatures dipped to 22 levels Fahrenheit, and on a number of journeys within the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, the place temperatures hovered round freezing at night time. We discovered that we stayed loads heat, even with a lighter sleeping bag. In the event you’re seeking to assemble an reasonably priced fastpacking equipment or need a barely extra snug sleeping expertise, it is a nice alternative.

Kind: Inflatable | Marketed Weight: 16.9 ounces (479 grams) | Precise Weight: 17.9 ounces (506 grams) | R-value: 3.1 | Form: Mummy | Thickness: 2 inches (5.1 centimeters) | Packed Measurement: 9 x 4 inches (23 x 10 centimeters)

Store the Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat

Professionals:

Cons:

• Not distinctive in anyone facet, however strikes an excellent steadiness with every thing

The NEMO Tensor Path Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad isn’t the lightest, neither is it the warmest or the least costly, nevertheless it’s an ideal worth in that it strikes a steadiness in all its options. At $179, with a weight of 16 ounces and an R-value of two.8, it’s a superb choice for individuals who don’t need to spend greater than $200 on a pad however nonetheless need a first rate quantity of heat at an inexpensive weight. Sleeping pads are all about compromise, and this one is barely costlier than the Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat, however it’s not fairly as heat. Nonetheless, it’s lighter.

What stood out to us about this pad was its sturdiness. Fabricated from 40-denier material beneath and 20-denier material on high, it’s sturdy and may stand up to extra put on and tear than among the lighter pads on this information. The quilted baffle design makes this a really snug pad, and the fabric is quiet once you roll round in the course of the night time. A metalized Thermal Mirror movie within the baffles successfully displays warmth again towards the physique, and whereas the two.8 R-value limits this pad to hotter climate journeys, it stays sufficiently heat for many purposes.

This sleeping pad is offered in quite a lot of lengths and widths, permitting you to pick the one which most closely fits your physique measurement and desires. It additionally is available in an oblong minimize, offering just a little further area to stretch out. NEMO additionally affords a lifetime assure on its merchandise.

Kind: Inflatable | Marketed Weight: 16.0 ounces (451 grams) | Precise Weight: 16.1 ounces (456 grams) | R-value: 2.8 | Form: Mummy | Thickness: 3.5 inches (8.9 centimeters) | Packed Measurement: 10 x 4 inches (25 x 9 centimeters)

Professionals:

• Gentle and spacious
• Baffles are snug

Cons:

In the event you’re a bigger particular person or favor an oblong sleeping pad over a mummy-shaped one, the Huge Agnes Zoom UL Insulated sleeping pad is a light-weight choice with an oblong minimize. The form does add further materials, and thus further weight, however for some folks, particularly these with broader shoulders, the additional sleeping area may be well worth the weight and quantity penalty.

We examined the 72 x 25-inch model of this pad throughout a week-long fastpacking journey within the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming and have been impressed by many features. Attempting to go as gentle as potential, we didn’t deliver alongside the inflation bag, which decreased the burden to solely 400 grams —a determine that’s fairly aggressive in comparison with equally sized mummy-shaped luggage.

Since we have been utilizing our breath to inflate the pad as an alternative of the inflation bag, we appreciated the antimicrobial therapy contained in the pad that helps stop the expansion of yuckies on the insulation. Whereas we typically advocate utilizing the inflation bag to inflate sleeping pads and protect the insulation’s integrity, stopping microbial development, we perceive that saving weight is usually the next precedence.

Certainly one of our testers discovered the quilted baffles to be considerably extra snug than the horizontal or vertical baffles of different pads. As a result of the outer baffles are thicker than the center ones, she discovered that she stayed centered in the course of the pad extra simply. The pad has a 4.3 R-value with two layers of heat-reflective movie, and we have been impressed with how heat we stayed when temperatures dropped.

If minimizing weight is your high precedence, lighter choices can be found. Nonetheless, if you would like just a little further room to roll round at night time, the oblong form of this pad can improve consolation and enhance your sleep.

Kind: Inflatable | Marketed Weight: 17 ounces (482 grams) | Precise Weight: 17.6 ounces (500 grams) | R-value: 4.3 | Form: Rectangular | Thickness: 3.25 inches (8.3 centimeters) | Packed Measurement: 8 x 4.25 inches (20 x 10 centimeters)

Store the Huge Agnes Zoom UL Insulated Sleeping Pad

Professionals:

• Very gentle
• Won’t ever deflate
• Packs down smaller than different foam pads we examined
• Cheap
• You possibly can trim it to save lots of weight

Cons:

• Foam pads may be uncomfortable for some
• Cumbersome
• Doesn’t match inside most packs

For a number of causes, the NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad is our best choice for foam sleeping pads for fastpacking. Priced at $60, it prices considerably lower than the inflatable pads on this record and is our best choice for a budget-friendly fastpacking pad. Whereas we will argue {that a} foam pad won’t ever be as snug or heat as an inflatable one, there’s a motive most thru-hikers go for them for his or her lengthy treks: they by no means go flat.

At 14.5 ounces, the Switchback is roughly the identical weight as our high choose, the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad. Because it options foam, you possibly can place it on any floor with out worrying about damaging it. This characteristic has the potential to scale back the general weight of your pack by eliminating the necessity for a groundsheet or tent, that are important when utilizing inflatables. The peace of thoughts {that a} foam pad can present over an inflatable can also be value contemplating when selecting between choices. Plus, you possibly can pull it out to take a seat on throughout a lunch cease.

There’s no query that foam pads aren’t for everybody. Certainly one of our testers swore off foam years in the past after a number of nights of bruised hips however gave it a attempt within the curiosity of this check. He’s a finicky sleeper, although, and nonetheless can’t get used to it, whereas different testers have fewer points with the firmness and sleep effectively on it.

Certainly one of our testers famous that she has no issues with the firmness of this pad, partially as a result of she is a abdomen sleeper. One other tester identified that any form of pad is best than no pad in any respect.

We additionally like that we may use this pad as a body sheet in some packs, making the pack extra inflexible and stopping sharp gadgets from poking us within the again. For many who are particularly weight-conscious, you possibly can minimize this pad to shorter lengths and spherical out the shoulders to suit your particular physique define.

One draw back to this pad — and all foam pads — is its bulkiness. With most fastpacking packs, you need to connect the pad to the again of the pack underneath an online of shock cords, the place its bulkiness will make your pack look much less modern. The truth is that this solely issues if aesthetics are essential to you or in case you spend a number of time bushwhacking off-trail.

These points turn into much less essential, nonetheless, for fastpackers who prioritize reliability. This pad is gentle, snug for many of our testers, and cheap, making it the perfect foam sleeping pad for fastpacking that we’ve discovered.

Kind: Foam | Marketed Weight: 14.5 ounces (411 grams) | Precise Weight: 14.8 ounces (418 grams) | R-value: 2 | Form: Rectangular | Thickness: 0.9 inches (2.3 centimeters) | Packed Measurement: 20 x 5 x 5.5 inches (51 x 13 x 14 centimeters)

Store the NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad

Professionals:

• Extraordinarily gentle
• Cheap
• Received’t spring leaks

Cons:

• Not very snug
• Not very heat

There’s a particular kind of journey the place the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″ makes extra sense than another pad on this record. Whereas most individuals would draw back from attempting to sleep on a bit of froth that’s not a lot thicker than 1 / 4, if saving weight is a high precedence, this pad offers an inexpensive quantity of insulation for being extremely gentle. It’s not essentially the most snug pad to lie on, but when you could go as gentle as potential with out sleeping straight on a floor sheet, this pad is likely to be what you’re on the lookout for. It’s extra snug than a sheet of Reflectix, which is another choice that the actually weight-conscious are inclined to favor.

This pad weighs solely 2.7 ounces, making it the lightest on our record. It additionally packs down surprisingly small and capabilities as a again pad in lots of fastpacking packs. It’s cheap too, at solely $22.

The principle draw back is that nobody will ever describe this sleeping pad as snug. But it surely’s not meant to be. It’s supposed to offer only a bit of additional padding and heat to get you thru the night time. However with comfortable web site choice, it may be a full step up from not carrying a pad in any respect. Two of our testers use trimmed-down variations of this for journeys when they need low bulk and minimal weight, however they need some further consolation whereas placing shifting quick as the very best precedence.

That is additionally a superb alternative for bold adventures once you’ll be drained sufficient to sleep wherever you occur to cease for the night time and for self-supported stage races the place you carry your equipment as you race. Regardless, it’s nonetheless removed from snug and heat. We don’t advocate this pad for colder excursions when thermal safety from the bottom is critical. However in case you’re the kind of one who actually likes to place in these lengthy days and is content material to sleep wherever your toes will deposit you, check out this pad.

Kind: Foam | Marketed Weight: 2.2 ounces (62 grams) | Precise Weight: 2.7 ounces (79 grams) | R-value: n/a | Form: Rectangular | Thickness: 0.13 inches (0.3 centimeters) | Packed Measurement: 19 x 3 inches (48.3 x 7.6 centimeters)

Store the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8 Inch

Professionals:

• Warmest pad we examined
• Sturdy
• Very snug

Cons:

Typically, heat whereas fastpacking or backpacking is the highest precedence, and the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad has an R-value that can defend you from the chilly floor. We select this pad for early-season fastpacking journeys via the mountains, the place we might need to sleep on snow or when nighttime lows may dip into the kids. It’s additionally our favourite pad for frigid winter fastpacking journeys via the canyon nation of the Colorado Plateau. Sadly, with this further heat comes further weight.

At 22.3 ounces, that is the heaviest pad on this record in measurement common, nevertheless it isn’t all that giant to pack and even all that heavy, contemplating how heat it’s. This pad has a ridiculous R-value of seven.3. The underside is made from 70-denier materials, enhancing its sturdiness, whereas the highest is constructed from 30-denier materials to scale back weight and improve packability.

Certainly one of our feminine testers who sleeps chilly prefers this pad over the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad as a result of she’s prepared to hold a bit of additional weight to remain heat at night time. She and a few of our different testers have additionally discovered rectangular pads resembling this one to be extra secure and, subsequently, extra snug than most mummy-shaped pads. If you’re a chilly sleeper and don’t need to really feel the chilly floor once more, take into account including this to your fastpacking equipment.

Kind: Inflatable | Marketed Weight: 23 ounces (652 grams) | Precise Weight: 22.3 ounces (633 grams) | R-value: 7.3 | Form: Rectangular | Thickness: 3 inches (7.2 centimeters) | Packed Measurement: 11 x 5 inches (28 x 13 centimeters)

Store the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad

Evaluating the Finest Ultralight Sleeping Pads

Purchaser’s Information: Select the Finest Ultralight Sleeping Pad for Fastpacking

When choosing the best ultralight sleeping pad on your particular wants, take into account a number of key components. For some folks, weight is the highest precedence, permitting for quick and environment friendly motion on the expense of some consolation and heat. For others, sleeping in addition to potential is positioned above saving just a few ounces in a pack. Sturdiness can also be a key issue when evaluating sleeping pads, particularly for lengthy journeys.

Weight

As a result of we’re on the lookout for the perfect ultralight sleeping pad particularly for fastpacking, we wished to make sure that any pad we selected would maintain your pack gentle and runnable. Whereas acquiring sleeping pads at considerably decrease prices is feasible, the extra weight provides up rapidly as the worth decreases.

The lightest pads are typically the least snug and have decrease R-values. The Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″, which actually is only a very skinny piece of insulating foam, is a primary instance of a pad that isn’t all that snug or heat, nevertheless it’s gentle and truly affords so much for what it’s. Relying on the journey, that is likely to be precisely what you need. A few of our testers additionally like to chop foldable foam pads right into a mummy form to shave just a few grams. Others even like to chop foam pads, just like the NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad, right down to torso size after which place their pack underneath their legs for sleeping. Shopping for a shorter inflatable pad additionally accomplishes this.

In the event you’re seeking to save weight however need an inflatable pad, the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad is the lightest pad we’ve got included on our record. Whereas lighter inflatable pads exist, we discovered that they didn’t meet our sturdiness requirements.

Nonetheless, even in case you plan to make use of the heaviest pad on this record, the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad, you must nonetheless be capable to run comfortably in case you strategically plan the remainder of your equipment with no redundancy and particular person gadgets which have a number of makes use of for effectivity. So, in case you prioritize consolation however nonetheless need a light-weight pack, you’ll have to spend just a little extra time fine-tuning different features of your equipment.

R-value

R-value is a measure of a fabric’s resistance to thermal conductivity. In different phrases, it’s a measure of a sleeping pad’s capability to stop the lack of physique warmth to the chilly floor, or, in less complicated phrases, its capability to maintain you heat. The upper the R-value, the hotter the pad shall be, and most three-season pads have an R-value within the three to 4 vary.

Winter sleeping pads can have R-values of seven and up, together with the very heat Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad. Moreover, R-values are additive, permitting you to mix sleeping pads for elevated insulation. Some folks select to make use of each a foam and an inflatable pad for max heat in icy situations.

In case your journeys happen primarily within the hotter months, the perfect ultralight sleeping pad for you’ll have a decrease R-value, as you received’t want a lot insulation. Decrease R-value pads, particularly uninsulated ones, are typically considerably lighter than these meant for three-season situations. The NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad, with its R-value of two, might carry out wonderful for you in case you sleep on comfortable floor in heat temperatures.

In the event you plan fastpacking journeys in colder temperatures or the place you’ll have to sleep on the snow, select a pad with the next R-value, such because the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad, which has an R-value of 4.5.

Inflatable Sleeping Pads

Inflatable sleeping pads are nearly all the time extra snug than foam pads, so we advocate them for fastpackers and ultralight backpackers who prioritize nighttime consolation. Additionally they pack down a lot smaller than foam pads, conserving your pack streamlined and small. A pad just like the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad is a superb choice for these looking for consolation whereas conserving their pack weight low.

The most important draw back to inflatable pads is that they’ll spring leaks. We advocate that inflatable pad customers sleep in a bivy, a tent with a flooring, or on a floor tarp, such because the window insulation plastic discovered at your native ironmongery shop, to guard an inflatable pad from punctures. We additionally advocate disregarding the highest of a pad earlier than mendacity down for the night time, as a stunning variety of punctures come from the aspect you’re sleeping on. A leaking pad may be uncomfortable and harmful if you’re sleeping in chilly temperatures.

Foam Sleeping Pads

Foam sleeping pads have the inherent good thing about being 100% puncture-proof, a helpful characteristic when selecting the perfect ultralight sleeping pad for journeys in rocky or desert environments, the place a lot of the flowers appears weaponized and particularly designed to poke holes in skinny inflatable sleeping pads. Certainly one of our testers misplaced her pad to a gust of wind and watched it land in a useless juniper tree, ripping open to the purpose that it was irreparable. The reliability of froth pads is one motive fastpackers and ultralight backpackers typically select them over inflatable choices.

Foam pads are additionally comparatively cheap. For instance, the NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad is $150 lower than our high inflatable pad choose, the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad.

One large draw back to a foam pad is its abysmal packability. Most fastpackers and ultralight backpackers should strap folding foam pads to the again of the pack, the place they’ll get hung up on branches when bushwhacking. They’re additionally typically considerably much less snug however much better than nothing — and much better than a deflated inflatable pad.

Mummy Versus Rectangular Form Sleeping Pads

Like many sleeping luggage, many inflatable pads are rounded on the head and foot, making a mummy form. Rounding the corners saves a good quantity of weight, nevertheless it additionally considerably reduces the general floor space of the pad. Despite the fact that a 72-inch lengthy mummy-shaped pad and a 72-inch lengthy rectangular pad are the identical size in case you measure proper down the center, the oblong pad will really feel for much longer as a result of you possibly can sleep diagonally, using the corners. Rectangular pads are additionally extra snug for these with broader shoulders.

A few of our testers additionally discover rectangular pads, such because the Huge Agnes Zoom UL Insulated or the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad, to be extra secure than mummy-shaped pads, just like the Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat.

Sturdiness

Foam pads are inherently extra sturdy than inflatable pads as a result of they received’t spring leaks. Nonetheless, they’ll get shredded when bushwhacking. Moreover, foam will ultimately compress, changing into much less snug and fewer insulating over time.

Whereas inflatable pads can get holes, you too can patch them nearly indefinitely, so in case you care for them, they’ll outlast foam pads. Examine the thickness of an inflatable sleeping pad’s material to estimate its possible puncture resistance. Greater denier materials, resembling these discovered on the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad, are extra puncture-resistant than decrease denier ones.

The extra vital longevity problem of inflatables is the sturdiness of the insulation. Artificial insulation, like that used within the Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat, can compress over time and turn into much less efficient. We advocate that you simply stop moisture from getting into the within of your sleeping pad by inflating it with an inflation bag as an alternative of your breath after which storing it uncompressed with the valve open. Utilizing an inflation bag may scale back the probabilities of microbes rising inside your sleeping pad.

Baffles are one other level of failure for inflatable pads. Over time, inside welds can start to fail, and the pad might bubble, however we’ve discovered that corporations are typically completely happy to guarantee pads in such circumstances.

Consolation

When selecting the perfect ultralight sleeping pad, consolation is subjective, and a few fastpackers are shifting too rapidly to prioritize it anyway. However for many people, sleeping pad consolation is vital as a result of we want an excellent night time’s relaxation to really feel good cranking out miles the next day.

If that’s you, go for an inflatable pad as an alternative of a foam pad. Our testers all agree that inflatable pads are extra snug. A few of us even have discovered rectangular pads to be extra secure and comfy than mummy-shaped pads. Quilted pads, just like the Huge Agnes Zoom UL Insulated or the Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Mat, are typically cozier than pads with vertical or horizontal baffles, together with the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad.

Packed Measurement

Fastpacking packs are normally low quantity — typically between 20 and 30 liters — so we advocate selecting a pad that compresses down small, such because the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad at 9 x 4.1 inches. The very best ultralight sleeping pads will take up minimal area in your pack. If you wish to discover your choices for a fastpacking pack, check out our Finest Fastpacking Packs information.

The remainder of the inflatable pads included on this information pack to about the identical measurement, whereas the pad with the most important packed measurement on our record is the considerably unwieldy NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad, which measures 20 x 5 x 5.5 inches. Most customers should strap this pad to the skin of their pack, both on high or on the again.

Why You Ought to Belief Us

The iRunFar staff has been fastpacking for over a decade, and we’ve got watched this journey area of interest develop. What began as two separate endeavors — ultralight backpacking and journey working — have now merged into one: fastpacking. One vital piece of fastpacking tools is your sleeping pad, so we’ve really useful six that can maintain you heat — and typically even snug — on nearly any fastpacking journey.

Members of the iRunFar staff have been utilizing a number of of the sleeping pads on this record for years, and we’ve added others to this record of favorites via a analysis and testing course of that began in 2022.

For the preliminary model of this information, we appeared far and huge to seek out all of the sleeping pads available on the market that have been gentle and sufficiently small to qualify as fastpacking pads in order that we may compile a listing of the perfect ultralight sleeping pads for you. Then we examined 14 of them on adventures in locations just like the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah, the Tavaputs Plateau of jap Utah, Capitol Reef Nationwide Park in Utah, Silverton, Colorado, and a number of other wilderness areas across the American West. The pads have been utilized by a number of folks in a number of completely different environments and evaluated on their sturdiness, consolation, heat, and packability.

We maintain this information up to date by frequently testing new sleeping pads as they turn into out there available on the market. Our staff additionally continues to make use of the pads included on this information as a result of, ultimately, they’re our present favorites, and ongoing testing permits us to talk about any sturdiness points that we encounter with merchandise.

Regularly Requested Questions Concerning the Finest Ultralight Sleeping Pads for Fastpacking

What’s fastpacking?

Fastpacking combines two sports activities — ultralight backpacking and journey working — to create a single exercise. Wish to discover that cool backcountry basin you’ve been eyeing however solely have just a few days free in your schedule? Fastpacking. Have back-to-back lengthy runs in your schedule and don’t need to return to your automobile or home in between? Fastpacking.

Fastpacking isn’t simply working; it isn’t simply mountaineering. Within the supreme world, you’re taking the minimal tools to securely spend the night time someplace after which go. Run a bit, hike a bit, cease to make espresso or fly fish, after which run and hike once more. Whereas calling your motion working is usually a little bit of a misnomer once you’ve received 10 to fifteen kilos in your shoulders on tough terrain, hopefully, you pack gentle sufficient to cowl miles rapidly and comparatively unencumbered, and you’ll jog flats and downhills. A light-weight inflatable pad just like the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad could make an enormous distinction in your capability to run throughout a fastpacking journey.

In the event you’re on the lookout for different items of fastpacking gear, you possibly can try our finest ultralight backpacking gear information.

Do I want to make use of a sleeping pad in any respect?

This may rely on the anticipated temperatures throughout your journey and your capability or lack of ability to sleep effectively on arduous, chilly surfaces. Whether it is heat out — temperatures better than 50 levels Fahrenheit at night time — you could possibly skip a pad altogether. A number of on our testing staff just do that, sleeping on their pack and rain jacket as a result of they received’t want a lot insulation to go to sleep after an enormous day trip.

This works finest if you could find dry and comfortable surfaces, resembling meadows, pine needles, or sand, to sleep on. It additionally helps in case you’re fully exhausted on the finish of the day. Nonetheless, even on the warmest nights, you would possibly admire just a little insulation from a minimalist pad just like the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″.

How essential is my sleeping pad within the context of fastpacking?

If temperatures are beneath 50 levels Fahrenheit at night time, we advocate carrying a sleeping pad to insulate your physique from the chilly floor. We perceive how annoying it’s to hold a pad once you’re attempting to maneuver quick, however at a minimal, we advocate one thing such because the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″. It’s not terribly snug, however it’ll present sufficient insulation to get you thru the night time.

In the event you sleep chilly or prioritize sleeping consolation over carrying just a few further ounces, it’s possible you’ll need to step as much as an inflatable pad resembling our high choose, the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad. This pad has the good thing about being very small when packed, however some fastpackers and ultralight backpackers nonetheless take into account it, at almost a pound, to be heavy.

Nonetheless, most of us prioritize enjoyable and pleasure (and sleep) over pure velocity throughout a visit and are prepared to hold an precise sleeping pad. Most of our testers favor inflatable pads for many journeys and discover the burden value an excellent night time’s relaxation.

Ought to I go for an inflatable sleeping pad over a foam one?

Probably the most compelling causes to decide on foam pads are their low value, weight, and sturdiness. The Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″ is the most cost effective and lightest pad on this record at $22 and a pair of.7 ounces. Even the NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad is simply $55 and almost as gentle as our greatest all-around sleeping pad, the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad.

One of many essential causes not to decide on foam pads is that they’re uncomfortable at worst or an acquired style at finest. They’re additionally considerably colder than most insulated inflatable pads, and we don’t advocate them for fastpacking adventures in colder climate.

In case your journeys take you to excessive altitudes within the shoulder season when thermal safety is critical, you’ll need to deliver a heat, inflatable sleeping pad such because the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad. This pad is gentle, heat, snug, and packs down small. Probably the most vital downsides to inflatable pads are their excessive value and susceptibility to punctures. So, if you wish to be snug and heat, can afford the upper worth of an inflatable pad, and take care to keep away from holes by constantly inserting a groundsheet underneath your pad, don’t hesitate to decide on an inflatable for fastpacking.

My inflatable sleeping pad retains leaking. What do I do?

To discover a suspected leak in your sleeping pad, inflate the pad about midway, fold it in thirds, submerge it in a lake or bathtub, and look and pay attention for bubbles. It’s possible you’ll must kneel or press down on it with each fingers to make it bubble. If you discover the outlet, mark it instantly with a Sharpie or another device you’ll have. Spraying soapy water onto an inflated pad may reveal holes in case you don’t have a physique of water to submerge it in.

After letting the pad dry, apply the patch that got here with it. All inflatable sleeping pads included on this information include a restore equipment. You may also use a stick-on patch resembling Tear-Help Kind A or a glue resembling Aquaseal +FD or Aquaseal +UV.

We advocate Aquaseal +FD for house repairs as a result of it tends to be extra everlasting and sturdy than stick-on patches. Nonetheless, it takes eight to 12 hours to remedy. Aquaseal +UV is best for subject repairs as a result of it cures in solely 30 seconds. The excellent news is which you can nearly all the time efficiently repair holes, whether or not within the subject or at house, so taking the time to take action will maintain your pad working for years.

Whereas there are lighter pads out there available on the market than those listed on this information, we discovered that they didn’t meet our minimal sturdiness requirements and have been too vulnerable to punctures for consolation. The Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad is the lightest pad that we discovered that held as much as common use with out springing leaks.

Can I trim my foam sleeping pad to make it lighter and smaller?

A number of of our testers have trimmed the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″ right down to a bit giant sufficient for less than shoulders and hips to save lots of weight. The result’s a 1.2-ounce pad. The NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad can also be trimmable. Every of the 14 sections weighs one ounce, so in case you trim it right down to solely eight sections, it’ll weigh about eight ounces — about the correct measurement for most folk’ shoulders and hips. Rounding the corners on foam pads will save much more weight.

Do I sleep with my sleeping pad inside or exterior my sleeping bag?

As a result of corporations design sleeping pads to insulate you from the bottom and sleeping luggage have been made to encompass your physique snugly for environment friendly insulation, placing a cumbersome pad inside your sleeping bag can inhibit the supposed operate of each items of kit. Many of the pads on our record — particularly the thicker inflatables, just like the Huge Agnes Zoom UL Insulated — take up a number of area, scale back the consolation and insulating properties of your sleeping bag, and are higher suited to use exterior.

Foam pads — particularly these minimize right down to solely shoulders and hips — are the exception to the rule. Putting a small, trimmed foam pad inside your sleeping bag ensures it stays in the correct place underneath the hips and shoulders. And once you’re cowboy tenting, it’s possible you’ll need to place your trimmed foam pad inside your bag to maintain it from flying away within the wind once you roll over at night time.

I’m all the time chilly once I sleep. What’s the perfect sleeping pad for me?

If you’re all the time chilly once you sleep, select a pad with a excessive R-value, resembling our high choose for heat, the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad, which has an R-value of seven.3. This pad is just a little heavy at 22.3 ounces, so it’s possible you’ll need to spend a bit further time lowering the burden of your pack in different methods if you wish to carry this pad however nonetheless need your pack to be runnable.

That mentioned, the second-warmest pad on our record is the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad. It has an R-value of 4.5 and weighs solely 13.2 ounces, making it the best choice if you would like heat and low weight.

My sleep pad’s inflation bag is heavy. Do I want to hold it?

No, and sure. Carrying an inflatable pad’s inflation bag is just not necessary as a result of you possibly can blow up any of the pads on our record together with your breath. It’s tempting to go away it behind as a result of it looks like pointless weight, weighing as a lot as three ounces in some circumstances.

That mentioned, blowing up your pad together with your mouth will introduce moisture into the pad, degrading the insulation and lowering its total heat over time. It will possibly additionally result in microbial development inside your pad, which isn’t a well being hazard however can look nasty. We’d advocate that you simply take the inflation bag alongside and discover an alternate use for it so it doesn’t really feel like an pointless weight, like stuffing further garments in it to make use of it as a pillow. The Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad inflation bag is giant sufficient for use as a pack liner in smaller fastpacking packs.

After all, in case you’re attempting to save lots of weight on a fastpacking journey, you would possibly need to robust it out with the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad 1/8″ and never even fear about whether or not you want an inflation bag.

How gentle should my pad be to run with it in my pack?

Fastpackers are infamous gram-counters who often go to nice lengths to scale back their pack weight, like not carrying a sleeping pad in any respect. Whereas we don’t advocate that plan of action, the lighter your pack, the higher. Most of our testers have discovered that pads within the 16-ounce vary are gentle sufficient for working in case you optimize every thing else in your equipment for low weight.

For example, the hotter a pad is, the lighter your sleeping bag may be. The truth is, a heat pad will pair effectively with a bottomless or quilt-style sleeping bag, which has little to no insulation underneath the physique. You possibly can be taught extra about various kinds of sleeping luggage in our finest ultralight sleeping luggage information. If you wish to carry the extraordinarily heat Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT Max Sleeping Pad, you’ll need to make sure that all different elements of your fastpacking equipment are as gentle as potential.

How sturdy are inflatable pads?

A few of our testers have had sleeping pads made from 70-denier materials final for 10 years, whereas others have gotten holes in those self same pads in a matter of days. If you might be arduous on gear or shall be tenting on tough and jagged surfaces, select a thicker, heavier inflatable pad as a result of it’ll seemingly final some time.

Additionally, make sure to use a bivy, a groundsheet, or a tent with a flooring to stop holes. You possibly can discover completely different choices for shelters in our finest ultralight tents information. It’s additionally a good suggestion to brush particles off your clothes and sleeping bag earlier than mendacity down as a result of, in our expertise, and fairly surprisingly, many pad holes occur on the highest of the pad. In the event you’re fearful a couple of pad springing a leak in the course of a visit, you would possibly simply need to go together with a foam pad just like the NEMO Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad.

How do I defend my inflatable sleeping pad throughout a fastpacking journey?

A leak in a sleeping pad throughout a visit could make for some depressing and doubtlessly harmful nights within the wilderness. To guard your inflatable pad throughout a visit, you’ll need to all the time use it both in a tent or on a floor fabric. Many shelter choices in our finest ultralight tents information characteristic a stable flooring that protects your sleeping pad from the bottom.

Taking the time to comb a sleeping space away from rocks and sticks may maintain your pad protected. The pads on this record, even the very gentle ones just like the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad, have confirmed to be sturdy and dependable so long as they’re correctly cared for.

Name for Feedback

• Do you sleep higher on foam or inflatable pads?
• How have you ever modified your foam sleeping pad to optimize for low weight?
• Have you ever ever gone with out a sleeping pad altogether?

Again to Our High Ultralight Sleeping Pads Picks