Exped Dura 5R Duo LW and sleeping bags that zip together. We've tethered single mats together in the past but they were a pain.
We're also in a 6p tent which gives lots of room for the bigger pad, gear, elbow room, and general couples camp smoothing.
I have the Dura 5R Duo and I think it's darn quiet for a pad that still at least somewhat prioritizes packed size and lightness. It's certainly much quieter (and warmer) than my Big Agnes Q Core Deluxe single pad.
People recommending self inflating pads like the MegaMat are off their rocker. Incredibly comfortable, yes. Packs small? Absolutely not. Plus they should be stored unrolled.
I find my Exped Dura 5R to be comfortable and it packs very small for a double sized pad (it comes in a single that's even smaller). I have a Big Agnes Boundary Deluxe that's fairly comfortable but doesn't pack as small.
If you can go to REI or another camping store they usually have a whole bunch of pads out for you to try for comfort. Keep in mind re-packed size will be ~10% larger than boxed for air pads and ~25%+ larger for self inflating.
Curious - why does the colour matter so much? It's a mat you sleep on. Not an outfit you're going to wear to a wedding.
I think you're unnecessarily reducing your options significantly by being picky over colour.
My wife and I have the exped dura duo and absolutely love it. So much that we picked up a backup when it went on sale.
The Exped pads are far and away the best. Comfortable, quiet, reasonable weights, and has two separate air chambers so one person moving doesn't disturb the other too much. They are not rectangular though, so if that's a hard requirement, they might not work.
Pads I've tried
* Exped Dura 5r Duo Medium (current go to car camping/winter double pad, heavy though)
* Exped Ultra 3r Duo Medium (current go to backpacking double pad)
* Exped Synmat Hyperlite Duo Medium (borrowed to try out before getting other Exped pads)
* Big Agnes Rapide SL (returned, too thick and felt unstable with two people, especially with one air chamber)
* Kylmit Double V insulated (sold, not very comfortable, not as warm as it should be, heavy)
List of pads I haven't
* Nemo has the Quesar, but it's quite heavy for the warmth and durability.
* BA has the Divide, but it's really heavy
* Paria has the Recharge DW which is heavy but has an rvalue of 4.7 and is cheap
6'1.5" here at 250 pounds. I own an exped Ultra 5R LW, Ultra 3R Duo LW, Dura 5R Duo regular, and some Nemo roamers (like megamat). When solo I use the 5R LW. When I'm tent sharing with 1 of my kids, we share the 3R Duo. When I'm with 2 kids, Dura+ultra 5R.
They all feel similar to me, kinda airy feeling mattress but they don't compare to the roamers which feels like my bed at home. I inflate them pretty much to their max also, I guess I'm used to a firm mattress, which isn't the case for everyone. Still feels good to me on my side.
When I sleep on the Dura 5R regular my feet hang off and it's not bad but long term I would definitely prefer the longer pad, especially in cold or wet conditions. People here mention UL being ok with shorter pads but if you are considering this megamat ultra that's not the same realm haha. I used to use a short foam pad that just went under my shoulders and butt and it's definitely not comfortable, but was definitely ultralight.
Tbh I get the megamat ultra market. People who wanna go backpacking with a nice mattress a step above these other ones, but it's all about how important that is to you. I could carry that on a one or 2 nighter probably as a luxury but on 5+ nighter with a bear can, the bulk and weight would no longer be worth it for me. But if it's the only way someone could sleep, then I can see it being an option.
I've never tried 7R but can't tell the difference really on my mats, aside from the material. I got a dura 5R duo, ultra 5R single, ultra 3R duo. (Family of 5 in 2 tents)
I find them super comfortable but I inflate them pretty much to their max. Even sleeping on my side feels comfortable for me, but that will differ for everyone. I'm not sure if it's because prior to this, I was just sleeping on a z rest which I could never go back to.
Exped Dura is solid as a rock and makes some very warm options at 5R and 8R.
It is a bit heavier but also a much thicker denier of fabric.
The Ultra series is a lighter version with thinner, more standard denier of material.
That bag will not hold up, it’s a rectangular and won’t seal well and temps are below what it’s rated for. Even with layers and extra blankets it’ll be an uncomfortable at best night. The pads are also borderline and I’d recommend a couple more Rs to get to a better insulation value. You can either upgrade one of the pads (maybe a 5R Exped) or add another pad to your setup. I don’t like stacking too many pads as they tend to slide and you lose insulation. Tie wrapping them together can help.
Exped is good, several models depending on what kind of camping. For reference I’m 6’ 330lbs.
MegaMat/DeepSleep used for car camping.
Dura used for backpacking.
You may also be able to use furniture foam which would be cheaper and can be cut to different sizes.
AcingSpades
