Zoom UL Insulated Air Chamber Sleeping Pad

Ive used the sts ether light xt and the ba zoom ul, and the zoom ul is more comfortable for a side sleeper imo. Not sure if the xr is much better than the xt

I’m 6”4 and a side sleeper I recently picked up the big Agnes zoom UL insulated pad, and used it for a three nighter in snowdonia and found it super comfortable and really warm, also packs up nice and small, couldn’t recommend it more

Check out the sleeping pad comparison chart I posted. It's a quick reference for pack size and weight across multiple brands. The best 2 light air pads that are still comfortable: Big Agnes Rapide SL NEMO Tensor (any version really) I personally prefer the Rapide SL but my wife really likes the Tensor. Both available in 20x72 up to 25x78, I always recommend at least a 25" wide. Both insulated and smaller packing that the other that may offer more comfort or insulation like the Big Agnes Campmeister Deluxe or Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft. Maybe not as small as some cheaper Amazon pads or the infamous Klymit static V but guaranteed more comfortable. They also have lifetime warranty which I know doesn't help you in the woods, but does protect your investment in the event there's a leak you can't find. The Big Agnes zoom is too crinkly like all the Thermarest air pads are. The Sea to summit etherlight packs too big for what it is and the external material is super squeaky on a tent floor.

I've been using a Big Agnes ultralight pad for a few years and love it. The one downside is that it is very crinkly. I'm conscious of the fact that when I roll over it makes a fair amount of noise. I don't sleep in the shelters but often sleep nearby. Because of the noise. I do try to camp on the edge of the group area.

Be wary of uninsulated air mattresses in mild temps.  I bought 2x Big Agnes insulated pads for my twins, along with the BA kid’s sleeping bags for our twins. This is more of a backpacking setup, but works great for car camping and living room camping.  The bags have a sleeve on the bottom so you can slide the pad inside. Helps keep them in the bag and on the pad - again - cause the cold ground can give them a chill. 

I’ve got 2 BA pads for my kids but haven’t had any issues with them at all, but they don’t seem anywhere as nice as my Nemo Tensors. A buddy has an BA pad and did get it replaced via warranty.  With that said, my Nemo Tensors have been amazing and one of them lasted over 7 years. Got it replaced very easily with Nemo, too!

The only pillow i've ever found comfortable was the REI Co-Op Trailmade pillow. It's a non-inflatable pillow stuffed with memory foam squares. So it's definitely heavier and takes up more span than inflatable pillows, but after trying several brands of inflatable I just needed something different. I don't see it for sale anymore, so not sure if they still make it. If you aren't hiking in, and size isn't an issue, I would just use your home pillow. For me the big thing for side sleeping/stomach sleeping is a good mattress. If space isn't an issue a foam mattress would be best, there are a bunch of \~$50 tri-fold 4" memory foam mattresses on amazon. But these take up a HUGE amount of space in a car to transport. For backpacking I use an inflatable Big Agnes insulated pad, but those are like $150. If you aren't backpacking, amazon has several options for cheap inflatable camping mattresses, but you will probably need to buy or borrow an air pump to fill them, as they don't come with them usually. For the sleeping bag I've found I can sleep in any style as a stomach sleeper. Mummy style bags just kind of stay with you, so when you curl your legs up, the bang stays mostly form fitted. If you are sleeping on your stomach, do you sleep in "tiger pose" where you have one leg bent up and the other straight? Mummy bags can make sleeping like that difficult. Big rectangle bags would let you sleep in "tiger pose" with one knee up and the other leg straight, which is how I sleep at home. If you are going with a non-down warm sleeping bag, you can always bring a secondary blanket too, so you don't have to splurge on a super expensive 20 degree bag or anything.

Big agnes for the win. I had two of their insulated inflatables, and they were the best 2 pads I ever had. But got holes I could not locate despite weeks of trying. I'm ready to get another, even if it only lasts a couple seasons