SynMat 7

I carry this type of pad for added cushion and as a backup for a possible failure of my main Exped Synmat 7. I would not use something like this alone because I would feel the hard ground and not sleep. Add the few pounds and get an inflatable and sleep like a baby.

I’m not your size, but I do have a really hard time sleeping on the really small pads that people seem to love. Exped sleeping pads are the only thing I’ve found that I can sleep well on, and I happily carry them knowing there are lighter pads out there. For reference, I’m an athletic 5’9” 190 and my Exped SynMat is a Regular length, but “Wide” version. It takes up most of the floor space in my Nemo Dragonfly 2p.

I have an Exped as well as the bestway one often mentioned here and the zen bivvy one, and the exped is the comfiest and warmest hands down. However I can’t remember which one it is exactly (it’s an old model, now deprecated, but 7 cm deep). Also has by far the best inflation system.

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.

If you get a Big Agnes it will squeak against the tent floor all night when you move. I use Exped. Not completely noiseless, but built differently than the Neo pads and not a Big Agnes. I have a discontinued Hyperlite, will replace it with an Ultra when it develops too many leaks just as I did the Synmat. I wish they still made the Hyperlite.