I've used sleeping pads from Exped, Sea to Summit, Thermarest, Klymit, and a bunch of random off brands like outdoorsman lab and ampex. In my experience all brands will hold air all night and are roughly equally reliable out of the box, the difference is the higher end brands have better support if you get a defective product.
That being said, Exped makes my personal favorite inflatable sleeping pads and if you mostly camp in warm weather you can currently get their 1R from their website for $50
https://www.expedusa.com/products/ultra-1r-mummy
If you go out in colder weather, add a 1/8" EVA foam pad like this one:
https://www.gossamergear.com/products/thinlight-foam-pad
Combine those and you get a sleeping pad that can get you down to just about freezing (in my experience) for a total weight of ~1lb and a cost of ~$80
I've used sleeping pads from Exped, Sea to Summit, Thermarest, Klymit, and a bunch of random off brands like outdoorsman lab and ampex. In my experience all brands will hold air all night and are roughly equally reliable out of the box, the difference is the higher end brands have better support if you get a defective product.
That being said, Exped makes my personal favorite inflatable sleeping pads and if you mostly camp in warm weather you can currently get their 1R from their website for $50
https://www.expedusa.com/products/ultra-1r-mummy
If you go out in colder weather, add a 1/8" EVA foam pad like this one:
https://www.gossamergear.com/products/thinlight-foam-pad
Combine those and you get a sleeping pad that can get you down to just about freezing (in my experience) for a total weight of ~1lb and a cost of ~$80
I have an older 20" wide Exped Mummy AirMat that weighs 300 g at 72" length, so I suppose it could be cut shorter and heat-sealed closed. There is no insulation inside this pad and it is about 2.5" tall. It is older than any ThermARest Uberlite which reported weighs 255 g.
Also an older Exped Ultra 1R mummy has a listed weight of 309 g could also be cut shorter and heat sealed if you can find one. A quick search suggests that both Kaviso and GarageGrownGear might have ones to ship.
Those older inflatable pads are probably the lightest one might still be able to find.
I have an older 20" wide Exped Mummy AirMat that weighs 300 g at 72" length, so I suppose it could be cut shorter and heat-sealed closed. There is no insulation inside this pad and it is about 2.5" tall. It is older than any ThermARest Uberlite which reported weighs 255 g.
Also an older Exped Ultra 1R mummy has a listed weight of 309 g could also be cut shorter and heat sealed if you can find one. A quick search suggests that both Kaviso and GarageGrownGear might have ones to ship.
Those older inflatable pads are probably the lightest one might still be able to find.
Ahh ok then yea low or no R-value would be fine in those cases.
Klymit also makes a good lightweight low R-value pad, it's what I used in Texas and worked quite well in warmer weather. Not as heavy or thick as the one you linked, but much lighter and packs down smaller. Great if you're backpacking but there are better options if car camping imo.
Exped Ultra 1R is also a good pad, the more insulated 3 and 5 are also popular for colder temps. I've used the Dura versions which are a heavier/more insulated version and it was comfortable.
I've also heard good things about Nemo Tensor but have no experience with it.
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.
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.
I actively dislike my summer pad (Exped UL) and sleep terribly even when exhausted so now I carry my winter mat (Exped DownMat UL) year round. It’s insulated and just enough cushier that I can sleep decently and wake up ready to roll.
Hammock doesn’t work well above timberline, for those folks suggesting that option!
Since you mentioned below that you have issues with your arms falling asleep, I'd experiment with some different sleeping pads. Lots of folks complain that horizontal baffles are less supportive at the edges and lead to falling off the pad or their arms going numb.
I'd try out some lightweight pads with different baffle styles (dimpled and longitudinal). Maybe the Exped 1R/3R and the S2S Ultralight XR/Ultralight Air. If you have an REI nearby, it would be easy to experiment and return whatever doesn't work out.
Are the inflatable pillows uncomfortable due to height issues, or just the feel? Maybe a hybrid approach like this:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-QGaNQHMZY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-QGaNQHMZY)
I love mine. It's soft, supportive, light, and stays put on the S2S pillow lock patches.
Best of luck.
flobbley
