Published March 7, 2024

Sleep is sacred, and getting those sweet, sweet Zs can feel elusive when you’re laying your head in unfamiliar places. So when you’re out camping in the wilderness, can you ever expect a solid night’s sleep? That’s where choosing the right sleeping pad comes in. Our Gearhead® Experts have collectively spent innumerable nights (just last summer we logged 438) sleeping under the stars, and they put their heads together to bring you this top 8 list. Read on for the best types of sleeping pads for backpacking, car camping, and more.

When you’re rolling right up to your campsite, you can pack along a little extra luxury compared to backpacking. We believe the best sleeping pad for car camping need not sacrifice a smidgen of comfort for a lower weight. That's why our favorites all have comfort in common.

Cold snaps aren’t out of the question during shoulder season. That’s why we looked to four-season pads when choosing our favorite for spring. For the BaseCamp, Therm-a-Rest repackaged their time-tested mattress in a comparatively compact, self-inflating package (win!). Even if its 5.8 R-value is overkill on warmer weekends, we’re grateful for the extra heat when the temp drops.

Sleeping outdoors shouldn’t mean sleeping worse. The Soto pad makes the dream of best-night-ever a reality. Four inches of polyurethane open-cell foam self-inflates up to 70% fullness, and the included pillow doubles as a pump to reach desired firmness. We love that this pad comes with a cotton sheet that feels like your bed at home, so a perfect fit is guaranteed. And with three widths available, you can lock in a just-right fit for your specific tent.

When you’re planning an alpine start or have a 20-mile day ahead of you, a good night’s sleep can make the difference between finishing your objective and calling it quits. That’s why, when it comes to backpacking pads, comfort matters just as much as weight. After all, we don’t mind packing a few more ounces if they get us a few more minutes of sleep.

This sleeping pad not only saves you space in your pack (it packs down to the size of 16oz water bottle) but also saves you some coin. Clocking in around a pound for the standard size, Sea To Summit’s insulated ultralight pad gets you the desired low-weight bang for about half a hundy less than other pads in its weight class. With an R-value of 3.1, it’s a solid insulator, especially when temps aren’t too close to freezing. And with 2 inches of loft, it lifts us perfectly from rocky or twiggy camp sites if we’re too tired to clear them.

Our top pad pick for backpacking acknowledges the fact that cold nights in the forecast won’t make us change our plans. The Tensor Extreme Conditions pad packs a burly 8.5 R-value punch in a lightweight 1lb 5oz package. Although it isn’t the lightest on our list, this pad’s crinkle-free compression, high loft (hooray, no hips discovering dirt!), and unparalleled heat trapping put it in the number one spot, especially if we're sleeping at high altitude, expect fully frozen trails, or just don’t want to worry about cold feet overnight.

It’s hard to have a conversation about lightweight backpacking without Big Agnes getting name dropped. Lo and behold! Big Agnes is on this list for good reason. Their Rapide SL sleeping pad is a versatile 3-season option that holds up for season after season. Its narrow profile (and availability in tons of lengths) shaves every unnecessary gram from your pack weight. If you’re a frequent toss and turner, you may want to look for a wider or mummy-shaped pad, but for those that sleep on their backs, the Rapide’s internal I-beam structure will keep you centered in the snooze-zone.

Rest assured: this is not the crunchy pad you may remember from a few seasons back. Therm-a-Rest's redesigned and reimagined signature pad offers the same lightweight packability the original was known for without the keep-you-up crinkling every time you scratch an itch in the night. In addition to being 6x quieter than its predecessor, the updated edition is easier to inflate, deflate, and adjust thanks to a WingLock valve system. Plus, the standard length weighs under a pound.

Many rooftop tents come prepackaged with a mattress, but not all built-in beds are created equal. If your tent’s sleep surface leaves some room for improvement—of if your shelter of choice is a standard tent—these sleeping pad picks are sure to keep you warm and comfortable wherever you park for the night.

Don’t be fooled: this folding mattress is not a crash pad (though we’ll bring it with us on climbing trips when we’re sleeping in the truck bed). When unfolded, the Dually Wide gives you and your bedmate queen-size comfort side to side. The two-layer memory foam offers enhanced alignment, pressure point relief, and temperature regulation. Meanwhile, it's hardwearing, machine washable cover means you don’t have to worry about your adventure pup’s dusty paws.

The Roamer is NEMO’s plushest four-season sleeping pad, which means you can bring home-like comfort to your campsite year-round. This pad’s R-value of 6 means it insulates into the sub-zero range, and its extra width is perfect for sprawling out on your own or sharing body heat with a tentmate. We love that it self-inflates, so we can save our huffing and puffing for our trip’s tough day hikes and trail rides.

Need some pointers on picking a pad? Let's go over some key criteria to help you choose the right one. Sleeping pads come in different shapes, sizes, and materials, all of which can make the difference between a good night’s sleep and a restless one.

When sleeping outdoors, there a couple of factors that can lead to you shivering in your sleeping bag. One is the air temperature, which your sleeping bag helps address (read about our favorite sleeping bags here), and the other is the dirt or stone beneath your tent. Even in the summer months, the ground is colder than your body, so it will effectively sap the heat away from you. That’s where your sleeping pad comes in.

In addition to giving you some squishy comfort reminiscent of your mattress at home, a sleeping pad creates an insulative barrier between you and the ground, keeping your body heat in your sleeping bag longer.

R-value is a measurement of thermal resistance, which in simple terms means how well a sleeping pad slows down heat loss. Pads with lower R-values will insulate less, and pads with higher R-values will insulate more. So if you’re looking for a winter sleeping pad—or if you sleep cold and want some extra insulation—you’ll want a pad with a higher R-value.

Choosing a pad shape depends on how you’ll use it. A rectangular sleeping pad offers maximum comfort, especially if you move around a lot in your sleep. A mummy pad effectively trims off the corners of a rectangular one, concentrating insulative power and squishy comfort beneath your head, shoulders, and hips. Reducing the overall size of the pad also decreases its trail weight.

• If you’re car camping and aren’t worried about weight, a rectangular pad should work well for you.

• If you’ll be carrying your pad over long distances while backpacking, a lighter pad is preferable to keep your pack weight low.

Planning to share some body heat but don’t want to roll onto the sliver of ground between your sleeping pads? Then the two of you will love a double pad. These extra-wide sleeping pads accommodate two sleepers (and perhaps pups) with ease. Just like single pads, doubles can come in different materials, R-values, and weights, so you’ll want to check that your future double pad makes sense for your preferred comfort level, season, and activity.

There are three types of sleeping pad constructions: air, foam, and self-inflating. Each type has benefits and downsides, depending on your budget and planned activity.

• Air pads (either self-inflating or manually inflated) create a small layer of air between you and the ground. Your body heat gets trapped in this layer of air, which in turn keeps you warm through the night. These pads will feel stiffer than their foam counterparts, but you can adjust the amount of air in your pad to customize your firmness levels. Air pads are typically very lightweight and packable, but they can spring surprise leaks in the night. If you choose this kind of pad, be sure to pack a patch kit whenever you camp.

• Foam pads (also known as closed-cell pads) are like extra thin, portable mattresses. These pads are extremely lightweight (and typically less expensive), but they are bulkier than air pads. They also have lower average R-values than air or self-inflating pads, so they aren’t the best option for cold camping excursions.

• Self-Inflating pads (aka open-cell foam pads) combine these two types of construction. The resulting pads will feel cushy like a foam pad and insulate like an air pad. They can have extremely high R-values (great for winter!) and will also have a higher weight and pack size than air pads alone. Because of their enhanced comfort, our top picks for car camping fall under this category.

Q: What’s the best sleeping pad for backpacking?

A: The best sleeping pad for backpacking will be a balance of low weight in your backpack and comfort, like the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT Sleeping Pad. Many backpackers choose ultralight (around a pound or less) inflatable air pads. Others choose bulkier yet lighter closed foam pads.

Q: What’s the best sleeping pad for car camping?

A: When car camping, you can afford to pack a pad that maximizes comfort. Car camping sleeping pads are loftier, wider, and heavier than backpacking pads. Many are self-inflating for fast and convenient setup, like the Exped Megamat Auto.

Q: What’s the best sleeping pad for winter camping?

A: When camping in winter, the frozen ground can sap heat away from your body. The best sleeping pad for winter will have an R-value, or insulation rating, of 6 or higher, like the NEMO Tensor Extreme Conditions Sleeping Pad. You can find a pad’s R-value listed under the tech specs section.

Q: What R-Value pad do I need?

A: The R-value you need depends on the ground temperature for the area you’ll be camping in. For extremely cold conditions (air temperatures below 20° F), choose a pad with an R-value of 6 or more. For cold conditions (air temperatures below 32° F), pick a pad with an R-value between 4 and 6. For cool conditions (air temperatures below 50° F), anything between 2 to 4 should do. For warm weather, a pad with an R-value below 2 will suffice.