MegaMat Ultra

No the sleeping bag won’t help much. To get a significant bump in comfort you’ll have to jump into some heavier pads that are still compressible enough to bring backpacking. Pads like the Thermarest Neoloft or Exped Megamat Ultra. I have a Tensor All Season and find it comfortable, however my Exped Synmat 3D (older version of the Megamat Ultra) is definitely more comfortable. My brother has the Rapide SL which is similar to the Tensor in comfort.

Second for the Megamat Ultra. It’s a big jump in comfort over any ultralight pad. Depending upon how far I’m hiking I’ll bring it over my Tensor All Season which is a decently comfortable pad in its own right.

I have the predecessor to the Megamat Ultra and it’s amazing, so I’d check out the Ultra. The other mat to consider is the Neoloft, which should be close in comfort but packs smaller. There will be a noticeable jump in comfort between either of these and ultralight pads like the Tensor All Season which I use for backpacking. My Exped is what I take on rafting/kayaking trips where weight doesn’t matter but volume still does. The foam pads like the regular Megamat are more comfortable but they pack down huge and will take up too much room in the raft, avoid foam if pack size matters. Those are car camping pads.

The Megamat *Ultra* is *chef’s kiss* comfy for backpacking, although definitely on the heavier side. 

Get something with a super high R rating - higher than you think you need. Look for a baffling system that is either dimpled or vertical. For whatever reason, horizontal baffles don’t have a lot of “give” to them so they are less comfortable for side sleepers in general.  Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xtherm is probably the warmest pad out there (not the highest R rating per se but the most effective insulation system means it is still warmer than other pads with higher R values). It may not the most comfortable for a side sleeper because of the horizontal baffles, however. But this is the pad you want if you want to prioritize warmth. If you want to prioritize comfort, Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Pro will probably not sleep as warm but will be more comfortable for a side sleeper because of the dimpled baffling system. Nemo Tensor Extreme Conditions is also very warm and only slightly less comfy than the Ether Light.  Exped Ultra 7R is a bit heavier and bulkier but is very comfy for a side sleeper. It uses down rather than reflective film for insulation. So it won’t be quite as crinkly as a lot of warm pads, but I’m not sure if the down insulation is more or less effective in this application.  Big Agnes Campmeister Deluxe is quite bulky and heavy for a backpacking pad but is super, super comfortable and has a very respectable R value of 7.  The other big, bulky “luxury” comfort backpacking pads - Exped Megamat Ultra and Therm-a-Rest Neoloft - are great options for comfort but with lower R values so they may be less warm than you might want.  Other things to consider - even a well-insulated sleeping pad will only stay as warm as your body is able to heat it. The bigger the pad, the more of your body’s heat it will draw away from you. So don’t buy a massively oversized sleeping pad thinking it will automatically be more comfortable. For insulating purposes, something that is only as big as you need it to be will be more efficient for your body to keep warm.  Make sure you take advantage of all the usual strategies for staying warm in the backcountry: Use your Nalgene as a hot water bottle and keep it in your sleeping bag/quilt with at night. Do some jumping jacks or other activity to get your heartrate and body temperature up before going to bed. Make sure you are properly hydrated and getting enough food to keep warm. Etc. 

Megamat Ultra and the Thermarest Neoloft are comparables. Def not ultralight but I use the Thermarest on backpacking trips, not thru-hikes, and love it. I'm a big guy and the Thermarest is comparable to my MondoKing and Exped MegaMat Duo. The Ultra will work well for you.

Guy on ytube who reviews western mountaineering sleeping bags sleeps or slept on his exped megamat for yrs. He discusses it there. I occasionally break out one of my mats and sleep on it; I miss camping that much.

I've been sleeping on a Megamat for at least 20 years - when car camping. And I do have to say - it is a really comfortable pad to sleep on.

Expeds version of neoloft. It's perfect for a hard tosser

[https://www.exped.com/en/products/sleeping-mats/megamat-ultra](https://www.exped.com/en/products/sleeping-mats/megamat-ultra) its not UL in anyway.

MegaMat 15 is amazingly comfortable for car camping. I am not entirely sold on the MegaMat Ultra, though it is definitely more comfortable than the already comfortable Ultra 7 LW I have.

Consider that if they don't astm test their R value ratings will be straight up bullshit. With that being said if you are looking for a cheaper clone of the Exped MegaMat than the Acacia could be decent. The Store Cloud Lux of the Featurestone are trustworthy clones of the Exped MegaMat. Semi I floating is way more comfortable than air pads, but has a much larger pack size and weight.

The MegaMat 10 is green and the 15 is more like a maroon red. Some alternatives to the MegaMat include: Nemo Roamer 3D Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe ALPS Mountaineering Outback Mat Big Agnes Captain Comfort Thermarest Mondoking 3D Stoic Cloud and Cloud Lux Heat Foamy REI Camp Dreamer (warning; only a 1 year warranty) UST Outdoors Filmatic

Exped Megamat or one of it's clones. You will never sleep better in a tent than with that thing.

MegaMat is the way

Cot + MegaMat for the win

Exped MegaMat or one of its clones (Big Agnes Captain Comfort, ALPS Outback Mat, Thermarest Mondoking 3D etc) Exped MegaMat Pillow or Nemo Filo Better quality tents from Marmot, Naturehike, Nemo etc. skip the Coleman and core stuff. Tent fan Lighting Flextail gear air pump

Exped MegaMat. You will never buy another garbage Coleman or Intex evera again after sleeping on a MegaMat.

I second this… tried the Neoloft at an REI and the Exped MegaMat Ultra in MW and bought that instead. I’m a 99% side sleeper and the Neoloft cleft like it was going to catapult me off every time I switched sides. I feel guilty to the UL gods but the Exped is awesome. Excuses the pun but I’m tired of poor sleep!