Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic Sleeping Pad

After nearly buying all the backpacking gear I needed, I was hesitant to splurge more money on a pad. That is where the RidgeRest comes in with its low price and functionality. I've used other blown up pads before and the RidgeRest doesn't really come close comfort wise if you're sleeping on the ground. On the other hand if you throw the RidgeRest into a hammock there is no real difference between a $100 pad and this one. It's really lightweight, straps easily on my pack, pretty durable, and decent at keeping you insulated from the ground/air. If your budget is low I recommend this pad.

I got a large pad that I used as a sitting/standing pad - placed at the bottom of my Grand Trunk bug net. I could see how this could also be a good-enough sleeping pad on the ground, too. Much too large for my hammock. I used a small size in my hammock which worked great! I'm 5'6" 125lb female, sleeping in a single nest ENO hammock. The first night I slept without the pad and my hips and shoulders ached all night (granted, this was also probably due to hanging my hammock too tight); second night, I put the small Ridgerest in my hammock and I had no aches and pains - I slept so well, I did not wake up once all night! I didn't really need it for warmth since the temps didn't get lower than the 50s overnight, so I can't comment on the warmth factor. I'll update once I get a chance to use it in colder weather.

This pad is great for the price! It packs well and is comfortable while in the mountains.

I needed a light weight, inexpensive pad for the pup so he would have a comfortable sleep on our backpacking trips. This fits nicely on the outside of my pack without a lot of extra weight. He slept well on it & I didn't have to worry about his claws ripping or popping an air mattress. Great fit for us!

This is not the most comfortable pad. But for the price you seriously can't go wrong.

We were looking for affordable pads for the kids and these worked out well. We like that they are foam and no need for inflation (we had cheap inflatable pads from Wal-Mart that we were repairing/patching on a too-regular basis). We do like that they are lightweight and can be strapped on the outside of a backpack. The kids both stated they were comfortable every night we used them on a 3-night trip.

Solid piece of gear for laid back camping trips. Pair it with an air pad on top for the ultimate insulation and padding from the earth's floor.

Great product. Durable, can used it anywhere, light and can literally fall asleep with just this. Not great for backpacking. I use it alone or underneath my air pad for added comfort and warmth. Buy it. My friend chose to sleep on this at my apartment over my new couch.

Gets the job done. It is durable and has multiple uses. It is bulky however.

Simple, durable, better than nothing.

I can speak to the insulating properties of this pad. While I'm not using it to keep me comfy and warm while sleeping outdoors it is serving an equally important purpose. It keeps my PBR cold! That's right I cut this pad up and used it as additional insulation in an old cheap cooler. It has served this function well I get 3x longer ice retention than before.

A tad bulky on the the handlebars, but worth it for it's weight and comfort. Have done multiple overnight bike trips.

It doesn't roll down very small but the extra bulk is for that extra comfort. I was stuck in my tent for several hours during a rain and snow storm and I stayed warm and comfortable. Great piece of gear

Will and always love the RidgeRest classic. Grew up sleeping on them during camping trips and can speak to their durability and versatility - my Dad reused our old ones and cut them up into rectangles to kneel on while gardening. I use this as an addendum to my sleeping set up, and layer it underneath my Prolite pad for added cush, protection, or insulation. Pretty light considering its density, though I can definitely see it being a little cumbersome to pack along if I were backpacking with it - but like Rusty Olds reviewed, I would just strap it to the outside of my pack. The dimensions are accurate per the tech specs above. I purchased a small, and it runs about a foot shorter than my height and I'm 5'3" , and I haven't experienced any problems with it. I'm a side and back sleeper with a propensity for rolling up like a roly-poly bug, so the shorter length doesn't bother me. All around great sleeping pad - super classic too.

If your looking at the specs trying to figure out which size to get: small is 4.25 feet long. Reg looks to be 6 feet, and large maybe 6.5. (This is based on me looking at the graphic on the packaging of my small mat... That I though was gonna be bigger based on back country's specifications listed). 3 stars because I haven't tried it camping yet but it does seem good so far.

Want lightweight? Want durable, approaching indestructible? Well look no further... This Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic Sleeping Pad has you covered. Well technically you're covering it, but you get the gist. Probably not the best option for side sleepers as it is fairly thin, but as a side sleeper myself, I pair it with a Therm-a-rest ProLite inflatable pad for a very warm and comfy setup for all 4 seasons. I'm very happy with the pad. Only drawback is size is a bit of an issue; its lightweight at less than a pound and you can roll it fairly tight but unless you're rocking an expedition pack this will go on the outside of your pack for sure. however on the flip-side given that its so durable it also lends itself to other opportunities such as a camp seat, log cushion, sun shade, raft topper or an insulating pad for your butane stove canister.
All this and more for a low low price! Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic Sleeping Pad for the win!

It was very comfortable. I had a tree root under me and the pad made that tolerable. Helped keep me warm and off the ground too.

I have an Eno double-nest hammock and I've had trouble in the past with keeping the inflatable pad's underneath me. The ridge rest has been great, no worries about puncturing, cut to your specifications. There is a considerable amount of bulk, to the point where if I wouldn't have cut mine down to 3/4's my body length, the straps on my pack simply were maxed out. But who's complaining for 20 bucks? I've slept in 30-40 degree weather, for several nights next to a damn in WV, and have not even been remotely cold.

The classic RidgeRest is a great pad to add extra warmth to your existing sleep system or even to use by itself. It is dirt cheap and durable, so you will never have to worry about puncturing it like an inflatable pad. It's not the softest thing to sleep on, but definitely smooths out the bumps under you and gives returns a noticeable amount of warmth back to you with the 2.6 R value.

I use it by itself for sleeping in my tent as well as my hammock, but it's also great to sit on while lounging around a campfire, or while cooking breakfast on an icy alpine morning.