Good pad, but a little heavy.

By Chad Poindexter Ranked #7 - Midweight Sleep Pads May 3, 2011

I bought this pad last year because I found it on clearance for $39, and I must say that it was definitely worth it! However, just a few short weeks later I bought myself a NeoAir, so I personally haven't gotten a whole lot of use out of it.

Comfort will vary from person to person. Saying that, for me I found that I much preferred the horizontal baffles (such as on the NeoAir) as opposed to the vertical baffles such as the ones on this pad. Don't get me wrong, it is not terribly uncomfortable, just not as comfortable.

The integrated pump is nice, and considering it has a bonded synthetic insulation, it is actually a must. No sense in blowing the pad up full of the hot moist air straight from my lungs, the moisture would eventually break the insulation down. When rolling the pad up though, it does cause a little extra bulk. But if I take my time and remove all of the air from the pad, I can still roll it down pretty durn small.

The material is durable. I let one of my buddies use it on a trip and when we made camp there was no good place to set up my tarp. So, we just found as flat a spot as possible and cowboy camped. Of course the flattest spot had a bunch of huge rocks which slightly jutted up out of the ground. He didn't have a ground sheet so he simply piled a bunch of leaves over the rocks and laid the pad right down on top of that. All night long I cringed each time he shuffled around trying to get comfy, but come morning time, it was still inflated. So, definitely a nice durable pad.

My biggest problem with it is the weight. I can make a NeoAir and a 1/8" ccf pad work for me down to temps the same as the Exped, but at half the weight. I understand that this is not a problem with the pad, but more of a personal preference. At the price I paid though, I have no regrets and would do it again though. And I can keep it as a loaner!

My only complaint is that there is a leak in the bottom of the pump chamber (not the end with the inner valve). I can hear the air leaking back into the pump chamber whenever the pad is fully inflated. And again, it is not through the inner valve. I can put pressure on the bottom of the chamber and it will stop. The problem with this is that if the outer valve cover is not closed the air will leak out.

I sent the pad in to be checked. And I must admit that Expeds customer service was top notch. They kept me informed throughout the entire process. And it only took about 2 1/2 weeks from the time I sent it out my door until it came back to my door. However, they did not feel that it needed to be fixed and sent it back to me. I am fine with that since I don't really use it. But if it ever does worsen, I will not hesitate to send it back again.

I guess I would recommend this pad though, but there are other options now that are lighter weight with the same R-Value. I think a lot depends on comfort, and which type of baffles are more comfortable for you.

Also, if you like these, check out Kookabay.com. Bender makes pads similar to these at a lighter weight and you can actually pick what width, length, shape, thickness, cut, insulation type and R-Value. Of course being a cottage shop, be prepared to have a few weeks wait...

View Details: Exped SynMat Sleeping Pad

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes