Exped Dura. It has down. I have the 6R LW. You can get a slightly lighter version which is lighter due to thinner face fabrics.
Avoid StS Etherlight XT at all costs, as I have had two getting pinctures where the dividers attach. Constant flats from just lying on them. And I am not the only one. This is why I bought the Exped Dura.
R-value just tells you how much it will insulate you from the cold, nothing about thickness or comfort. I have a exped dura 6r and it’s thick enough that I never feel the ground through it, though fully inflated it can be a bit too hard. There are some pads with memory foam on top but that adds a lot of bulk.
I've had four Expeds. Still have two. Both have the built-in pump. One has synthetic fill. The other has some down insulation which makes it good for ~10F colder than without. The first two developed tiny leaks (could not find them even with submerging). They were a few years out of warranty. Exped still replaced both. I appreciate a company that stands behind their products. I also like side-sleeping. I have not used these as much as what you will. So durability...🤷
We have two Exped mats (Duras, I think) that we tether together. Then put a fitted twin sheet over them. Topped with the Enlightened Equipment Accomplice quilt. I have a Nemo Fillo pillow and my husband just uses a rolled up hoodie.
We've had this set up for quite a few years now and it's worked really well for us! Our 60lb dog even crawls down between us and it still works.
I don’t know what mats you’re talking about, as my appreciation comes for the Synmat Duo that only has baffles inside. I think the same of the Downmat. Agreed tho, they let me sleep like a little lamb in the backcountry. 😴
Dump the nemo Astro out of the running:
Its R value is listed at only 2.6 and it's 1lb 11 oz. The others are warmer and lighter. Plus it's a 20" wide pad. I don't know why, after all these years, we don't have a 23" option - more comfy than a 20", which tbh sucks but lighter than a 25". But I digress. We don't. It's either 20" or. 25". 25" is a way nicer nights sleep and Some of the pricier pads you've chosen here come in at this size for a very similar weight and significantly more warmth. And since all of these options are in your price range, according to you, then I'd say dump the nemo Astro. By comparison, the other Nemo pad, the extreme conditions, is an 8.5 r value and the Long and Wide size Is only 1 lb 10 oz. That's WAY warmer and more comfortable. It may suffer from a little less durability.
Rab is a REALLY solid brand. I would categorically buy anything they made, and I have a lot of Rab gear. So if you are ok with a 20" pad, then this might really hit a sweet spot for you if price is an issue. I would forever and always buy a 5.5 R rating pad over a 2.6.
The Thermarest has a very, very good 7+ R rating while also being very light for a long wide mat at 1lb 8 oz. Kinda seems like the winner to me. Again, the question is durability and how you will use it. If you expect to be at altitude or in cold weather or shoulder season, you'll want at least a 5 R value.
Fyi Exped pads are really super too. I rock an older down filled Exped mat that's been good to me for a very long time now. R rating of 7+ - Have taken that into 20 degree temps on Mt Rainier for winter camping etc.
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Exped
MegaMat Series
92% positive of 454 users
Car camping comfort champ, but some side sleepers find it thin.
Accomplished-Way1575
