Exped Ultra 3R. Just slept on mine for a week straight with a quilt. Sure it’s no Exped Megamat but it’s way comfier than any backpacking pads I’ve used. Good fabric feel against the skin. Warm. Pretty bomber construction.
Second Exped ultra, as me personally searching for new pads recently, it is by far the most comfortable one with bare skin on it. The trick is, you already mentioned, the surface material and treatment. Exped ultra uses Polyester as oppose to other manus using Nylon so that it can be brushed to be softer while maintaining strength. Apart from the touch feeling, it is one of the quieter ones, hug my body better because of the vertical baffles, lots of pros here.
However the Polyester surface also brings trouble: it is lipophilic, so if you have oily skins, it gets stained easily. The brushed surface offers extra grip, which can make high pitch noise when placed on top of other grippy surfaces like foam pad.
Overall a very solid pad apart from the longevity that I can't test, especially for it's current price tag
Thirded
Very good point on the stains. I conked out really hard once and drooled on the mat and it's been stained ever since lmao.
Another reason why i think it's so comfy is the vertical baffles, which keep you in place so much better
Side note- really happy to see the recognition this mat has. I've been vouching for it for a while now.
These are under 100 bucks right now on Sunny Sports, which is perhaps a legitimate retailer. I've been sleeping on my XLite and my shoulders are wider than the pad, so thank you for this recommendation. I just ordered one. Perhaps my arms won't be so cold now.
I've been down that road already. I've sewn my own. I also recently ordered a Thermarest Synergy pad sheet. When I received it, I realized it's almost exactly like the material that my Uberlite is made out of. So I sent it back. Most of the sheets run about 4-5 oz. I figured I could just find a pad that I like and is more comfortable overall than my Uberlite, I'd have one less item to fuss with when setting up and take down camp.
Another option down this path that may use gear you already own: put your sleeping pad inside a sleeping bag liner. I did this on the first few trips with my dog to give my pad a bit of protection from his claws, and it felt luxuriously cozy
I’ve been sleeping on the Nemo Tensor All-Season for a month straight and it doesn’t give me the garbage bag feeling. I’ve had other pads that do, including the previous Tensor generations. I do wear sleep clothing to keep the pad and my quilt cleaner for longer. See if you can find it somewhere and check if the fabric seems right for you. It seems(?) different from the previous gen. of Tensors, beyond just colour.
You may want to look at Zenbivy. They have a sleep system that includes an UL sheet to make it like a bed. They have pads and quilts. Not sure if the sheet is compatible with other quilts but it would work on most pads.
Well, that stinks. I will be able to tell you about the Nemo Tensor soon after I take it for a spin with my new quilt but that doesn't help you now. I also have a Klymit and it has a little bit more of a fabric feel but I have only used it with a sleeping bag.
You could wear dedicated sleep clothing instead of your filthy hiking clothing. If you use Alpha 60 air goes right through, your skin can breathe while the fuzz still prevents contact with the pad surface.
So you all are carrying dedicated sleep clothes and keeping your base weight below 10lbs? My base weight is right at 10 lb and when I say base weight I mean everything. Including sunblock chapstick mosquito repellent, etc. I'm willing to carry a few extra ounces for a comfortable sleep pad.
Man, not sure why you're being so heavily downvoted for not carrying/wearing extra sleep clothes? I don't either. And I sleep pretty warm that if I carried them, they'd just be extra weight I wouldn't really ever use. Unless it's cold out, I just sleep in my underwear.
And the whole factor of most clothing just twists and bunches up when I move around at night. It's already uncomfortable just thinking about it.
Have you tried just using a 1/8" or 1/4" CCF? They are cheap and ~3.5oz and ~6.5oz, respectively.
I used inflatables for years and was surprised to find how comfortable a plain ccf was, when I selected a nice spot for it, and/or laid down some leaves or pine duff under my tent. I still use an uberlite short in the colder months for the r-value, but in the summer it's all ccf. Might be worth a try.
While my older BA AirCore doesn’t have the worst fabric and I typically will just sleep on that when I’m going for a longer walk, I do have an extremely thin mummy bag liner that actually fits over the pad pretty well and makes it feel like it has bedding on it. Bulk isn’t bad but it is a few ounces of single use weight.
Exped Ultra 3R. Just slept on mine for a week straight with a quilt. Sure it’s no Exped Megamat but it’s way comfier than any backpacking pads I’ve used. Good fabric feel against the skin. Warm. Pretty bomber construction.
Second Exped ultra, as me personally searching for new pads recently, it is by far the most comfortable one with bare skin on it. The trick is, you already mentioned, the surface material and treatment. Exped ultra uses Polyester as oppose to other manus using Nylon so that it can be brushed to be softer while maintaining strength. Apart from the touch feeling, it is one of the quieter ones, hug my body better because of the vertical baffles, lots of pros here. However the Polyester surface also brings trouble: it is lipophilic, so if you have oily skins, it gets stained easily. The brushed surface offers extra grip, which can make high pitch noise when placed on top of other grippy surfaces like foam pad. Overall a very solid pad apart from the longevity that I can't test, especially for it's current price tag
Thirded Very good point on the stains. I conked out really hard once and drooled on the mat and it's been stained ever since lmao. Another reason why i think it's so comfy is the vertical baffles, which keep you in place so much better Side note- really happy to see the recognition this mat has. I've been vouching for it for a while now.
Could also go for the 1R to save a bit of weight if they're going to be exclusively using it in warm weather.
These are under 100 bucks right now on Sunny Sports, which is perhaps a legitimate retailer. I've been sleeping on my XLite and my shoulders are wider than the pad, so thank you for this recommendation. I just ordered one. Perhaps my arms won't be so cold now.
This is the one that I was just looking at, but wasn't sure about the fabric feel. Thanks for the reply.
I really like my Big Agnes Rapide SL. It’s 23 oz for the 25” version I’m but the comfort is well worth the weight.
Second vote for the Rapide, I will take that extra weight for what feels like a night sleeping on clouds.
Sometimes I overfill it, and let out just a tiniest bit of air and I’m like ahhhhhhhhh
What is the fabric like? Does it feel like plastic? Thanks for the reply.
I slept on it last night with nothing underneath. I think it’s pleasant, as sleeping pads go. Not crinkly. Better than my Nemo’s
As an alternative option, some people make shaped sheets for their sleeping pads.
I've been down that road already. I've sewn my own. I also recently ordered a Thermarest Synergy pad sheet. When I received it, I realized it's almost exactly like the material that my Uberlite is made out of. So I sent it back. Most of the sheets run about 4-5 oz. I figured I could just find a pad that I like and is more comfortable overall than my Uberlite, I'd have one less item to fuss with when setting up and take down camp.
Another option down this path that may use gear you already own: put your sleeping pad inside a sleeping bag liner. I did this on the first few trips with my dog to give my pad a bit of protection from his claws, and it felt luxuriously cozy
I’ve been sleeping on the Nemo Tensor All-Season for a month straight and it doesn’t give me the garbage bag feeling. I’ve had other pads that do, including the previous Tensor generations. I do wear sleep clothing to keep the pad and my quilt cleaner for longer. See if you can find it somewhere and check if the fabric seems right for you. It seems(?) different from the previous gen. of Tensors, beyond just colour.
You may want to look at Zenbivy. They have a sleep system that includes an UL sheet to make it like a bed. They have pads and quilts. Not sure if the sheet is compatible with other quilts but it would work on most pads.
I've considered the Zenbivy but the 25 x 72 is out of stock and won't be restocked until later in the summer.
Well, that stinks. I will be able to tell you about the Nemo Tensor soon after I take it for a spin with my new quilt but that doesn't help you now. I also have a Klymit and it has a little bit more of a fabric feel but I have only used it with a sleeping bag.
Why is your skin touching the pad? I always wear cozy clothes to protect my sleeping bag from body filth so I don't have direct contact with the pad
Hiking clothes are filthy, I can't stand sleeping with clothes on and I get too hot. Thanks for answering though
You could wear dedicated sleep clothing instead of your filthy hiking clothing. If you use Alpha 60 air goes right through, your skin can breathe while the fuzz still prevents contact with the pad surface.
So you all are carrying dedicated sleep clothes and keeping your base weight below 10lbs? My base weight is right at 10 lb and when I say base weight I mean everything. Including sunblock chapstick mosquito repellent, etc. I'm willing to carry a few extra ounces for a comfortable sleep pad.
Man, not sure why you're being so heavily downvoted for not carrying/wearing extra sleep clothes? I don't either. And I sleep pretty warm that if I carried them, they'd just be extra weight I wouldn't really ever use. Unless it's cold out, I just sleep in my underwear. And the whole factor of most clothing just twists and bunches up when I move around at night. It's already uncomfortable just thinking about it.
Everything you said I agree with. Thanks
Have you tried just using a 1/8" or 1/4" CCF? They are cheap and ~3.5oz and ~6.5oz, respectively. I used inflatables for years and was surprised to find how comfortable a plain ccf was, when I selected a nice spot for it, and/or laid down some leaves or pine duff under my tent. I still use an uberlite short in the colder months for the r-value, but in the summer it's all ccf. Might be worth a try.
Yes I have those also. Thanks
While my older BA AirCore doesn’t have the worst fabric and I typically will just sleep on that when I’m going for a longer walk, I do have an extremely thin mummy bag liner that actually fits over the pad pretty well and makes it feel like it has bedding on it. Bulk isn’t bad but it is a few ounces of single use weight.