Exped - Ultra 3R Duo

Like u/skisnbikes , I also recommend an EXPED pad. We have had the Exped Synmat Duo UL, which is no longer offered but is essentially replaced by the Exped Ultra Duo pads. The Ultra 1R Duo is a summer pad, but Exped also offers the Ultra 3R Duo which is their warmer 3 season pad. I would be tempted with the 1R personally but the 3R is lighter than the Nemo Quasar Insulated, as far as I can tell, and has a similar R value (at R value of 2.9 it's a little lower than the NEMO) so it seems like great value. The older synmat Duo that we used had an R value of 3.3 and we find that more than warm enough in the Canadian Rockies and have used the older Synmat on two GDT thru hikes, the last of which with quite a bit of snow and colder temperatures in the last couple sections of the hike. If the R value is a concern, you can get a Dura 5R Duo which is a warmer pad, and the same weight as the NEMO for a medium pad. I think that's a great option for a colder sleeper. I like the orientation of the baffles on the EXPED pad. They are length wise and the edges of the pad are nice wide, gentle humps that help prevent you from rolling off the pad. In my opinion this is a far better and more relaxed for sleeping as you naturally stay on and don't have to worry about rolling off. This might be a benefit for someone fairly new to backpacking. Also it's been pretty bombproof for us. We did have a pad failure some point after our first GDT thru (after a bunch of other hikes) but we replaced with the same pad. And we will continue to replace again. I mentioned I'd be tempted with the 1R, but a more direct replacement that we'd pursue is the 3R. For sleeping quilts, there are a lot of options. The budget option my wife and I went with originally was a RayWay MYOG quilt kit. It's synthetic, can zip into two (it's bulky, but you can each take half, which is nice for redundancy). We went this way originally partially due to budget, but also because I have a down allergy and didn't want to risk me having trouble breathing in the back country. I've since convinced myself that I can use a decent down quilt without issues, so like u/skisnbikes we have gone with a UGQ quilt. We haven't used it much yet (first season with it, haven't really gone out due to my wife being far along in a pregnancy) but we like it. Our 3.5 year old has one as well and it's been awesome. It's well made, and it's proven to be quite toasty. The cost is entirely reasonable.

For car camping, my wife and I (and usually our chocolate lab) share this combo, and we all sleep super well: 1. CCF pad 2. Exped Duo Ultra 3R pad on top 3. Kelty Double-wide 20F The dog has her own pad and sleeping bag, but ours is much better I suppose. I could never sleep well on cots, and our entire sleep system can fit in a duffel bag.

I sleep cold and have found Ultra Exped pads to be very warm. R ratings don’t always transfer well to the real world with some brands/insulation types. Are they the lightest, no, but sleeping well is more important. I also have a down sleep hood and booties I wear. Look on AliExpress, super cheap and light. In very cold weather I use a down bag with a synthetic quilt on top. Very warm and the best of both worlds. I like the heavy fleece base layer from the company 32 degrees. Cheap, light and warm. It’s much warmer than wool.

Exped utra pads are great and highly underrated. Zen bivy light half sheet and light quilt is amazing with it. Game changer for me.

Exped Ulrta 3R or 5R. It's my favorite. I only use the 3R and pair it with a CCF pad in cold weather.

After most of a thru with a 3R it's the only sleeping pad I would ever want on the AT. Comes with great pump sack. Get in a bag on top of it for winter.

Hell yeah for the exped. Super comfy and I haven’t had problems with them leaking like I did with the tensor.

Expand 3R ultra, awesome sleep. Pair with a zenbivy sleeping system trekology pillow and your golden

I've been sleeping on a exped 3R every night at home for a couple of years. I roll it up to take hiking when I get the chance too. For me, it's the bees knees. I've got the 5r for colder hikes. The sides being bigger help me stay on it if I'm on uneven ground, a plus at times. I no longer shop for pads!

If the Prolite works great for you, why not keep it and cut weight elsewhere? Pads are quite subjective, like recommending shoes. I agree it's a grail hunt, I've went through a bunch too! The Neoair is my go-to, the Exped Ultra is my favorite, and I can get by on a z-lite in warmer weather.

I’m a sidesleeper that also uses an Exped pad (3R). I find it very comfortable and it’s light and warm enough for my purposes. I have the standard mummy shape.

+1 on this, I tried several pads (foam and inflatable) as a side sleeper and the Expeds are AMAZING. I actually get good nights sleep on trail with them and they’re pretty good in terms of weight. I’ve got the 3R, 5R, and 7R versions now. The inflating part takes some getting used to (“schnozzle bag”) but is kinda fun. At least they don’t advertise themselves as “self-inflating” like some other pads that don’t actually self inflate.

I like my Exped 3R. Doesn’t sound like a potato chip bag when you move around.

I went through all the major pads (Thermarent, Nemo, S2S) and was unhappy with all of them, but I LOVE my ExPed mats. I bought the 7R for the winter and then got a 3R. They don't charge extra for long or wide - - - and I realized I sleep way better on a rectangular mat than a mummy shape. Highly recommend. Not noisy, not slick and plasticky, just great.

I have slept my Exped 3r to bits and have bought another one. It is comfortable but most of all: it is quiet. 5R should be the same

I have a tensor, xlite, and exped 3r -- I think they're all reasonably comfortable, although tensor probably at least 10% more comfy than both. Expeds can be bought cheap (sometimes $100), but if that's not the main concern it's between the tensor and xlite: tensor has 40d bottom and 20d top, xlite is 30d/30d; tensor is 5.5r / xlite is 4.5r; tensor (r/w) is 18oz, xlite max is 19oz. Historically the xlite has been considered more durable + repairable, but with the new fabric changeup recently, not sure that'll still be the case. Tensor is probably what I'd recommend to you. Also, trial version exists that is lighter but less warm (~3r) which could be warm enough for you.

And I would snag that 5R in a heartbeat. I bought a 3R that I haven't even taken out yet (need a ground setup for skyline this year) and I've already got buyers remorse. Out this way, the extra grams are def worth the extra insultation.

Exped 3r is very comfortable. I have like 10 sleeping pads, and the 3R has been the best I've tried. I'd say the uberlight is also up there, but it has been discontinued. It was more comfthan the regular neo air, which I alao have.

Not on your list, but the Exped 3R is a solid option if you find it comfortable. I find it quite comfortable. Otherwise, I'd consider the ZoomUL for the temps you're going out in instead of the rapide.

What is noisy for you with the All-Season? Generally, pads are noisy from internal insulation or from the shell material. It's hard to get away from shell material noise and mylar film is the best warmth to weight ratio insulation. For a lot of people, weight, warmth, and comfort are higher priorities than noise, which is why some of the noisier pads are the most popular. That being said, the Exped Ultra pads are pretty light, warm, and some of the least noisy. I also find them more comfortable than the Xlite or All-Season. I can confirm that companies pay millions of dollars so reviewers will lie and break the trust of their audience. /s

I’d recommend the 3R for summer, it’ll feel exactly the same as the 7R.

A big driver behind that unstable feeling are the horizontal baffles of the xlite.  Vertical baffles (my favorite) or dimples will feel much more steady at any height, and to with those baffles I think you’d be able to get away with a normal short without feeling that instability.   Tensor is well-recommended but IIRC they have some durability issues.  Exped ultras appear to be getting increasingly popular, that’s what I use for the most part.

I have a Nemo Tensor, Thermarest NeoAir X-Lite, and an Exped Ultra. My favorite of the 3 is the Exped. I haven't used the Rapide, but I'd put it in the same class as the ones I have. At that point, they are all so similar, buy the one that is the most comfortable for you. $20-30 less or more at that price point isn't huge, and is 100% worth it for more comfort.

I second exbed ultra, i also really like the sea to summit aeros deluxe backpacking pillow. They're a little annoying to set up and not the lightest or smallest, but it's very comfortable. I haven't done a thru, so I can't attest to long distance carries but I'm a very light sleepier with difficulty falling asleep and also absolutely need sleep, I'm not one of those people who can do well with minimal rest. I can only imagine on a thru I'd want maximum comfort for quality sleep. Some other commentor noted to inflate and slightly deflate and this is necessary although with practice you'll probably learn exactly how much to inflate and not have to tinker too much each night.

Unless you are only ever going to use it at +10c or warmer, go 5R Edit: if mostly used inside a tent and on relatively "gentle" ground, ultra is fine, if you are like me and like to use it as a chair/couch in far from ideal conditions to, get dura or versa. Edit2: and unless you are really narrow, get MW or LW

+1 on Exped ultra. This was way more comfy for me than the XTherm or the S2S

Second Exped ultra, as me personally searching for new pads recently, it is by far the most comfortable one with bare skin on it. The trick is, you already mentioned, the surface material and treatment. Exped ultra uses Polyester as oppose to other manus using Nylon so that it can be brushed to be softer while maintaining strength. Apart from the touch feeling, it is one of the quieter ones, hug my body better because of the vertical baffles, lots of pros here. However the Polyester surface also brings trouble: it is lipophilic, so if you have oily skins, it gets stained easily. The brushed surface offers extra grip, which can make high pitch noise when placed on top of other grippy surfaces like foam pad. Overall a very solid pad apart from the longevity that I can't test, especially for it's current price tag

Exped dura/ultra. Good european quality, not comparable to all the US trash

Exped Ultra or if you will be in a bit rougher terrain the exped dura. I use a dura5r and its mor comfortable than my bed at home

Self-inflating mats are basically 1990’s technology. Heavy and less comfortable than fully inflatable mats. Get yourselves decent comfortable inflatable mats like. Sea to Summit Etherlight XT insulated or Exped Ultra.

Thirded Very good point on the stains. I conked out really hard once and drooled on the mat and it's been stained ever since lmao. Another reason why i think it's so comfy is the vertical baffles, which keep you in place so much better Side note- really happy to see the recognition this mat has. I've been vouching for it for a while now.

I know they are light but the neoair durability isn’t great. Also Cascade (thermarest) just moved from Seattle to Reno and I bet things are super disorganized still I opted for the Exped Ultra series. There’s a weight penalty but I find them much more comfortable, and Exped repairs pads for the cost of shipping to Tacoma.

I like the feel of the self-inflating mats (POE InsulMat and ProLite Plus) when testing at home, but I get much better sleep on the air mat (Exped Ultra LW) when camping - more hours and my shoulders aren’t so tight in the morning.

Fellow Edmontonian here! You can't go wrong with an exped for your sleeping mat. My wife and I are avid backpackers, and have used a double wide exped for numerous years with zero issue. We also share a double sleeping bag from big agnes, but upgraded to a quilt from Enlightened Equipment this year (haven't gotten out yet to test it however). Which trails are you hiking in Jasper and Banff? When during the season are you going? Altitude and time will also have an impact on the warmth rating you choose.

I have the green exped duo mat.

I do like to sleep comfortably when backpacking, and have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what works best for me. I've tried many pads over the past decades, including these two, along with similar Exped sleeping pads like the Ultra, Versa, and Dura. I am primarily a side sleeper, so that informs some of my sleeping experience on these, and am 190cm and 95kg. Personally I was not able to sleep comfortably on the Exped MegaMat Lite, or its siblings (Dura/Versa/Ultra). A through-line in my testing of these is the vertical baffling: I regularly wake up and find my arm is numb. I think these might work better for me if I was primarily a back or chest sleeper; lots of people like them and recommend them. But in my adulthood I've probably maximum only got about two hours of sleep at a time on a design like these. I have only had to contact Exped for warranty once, and they ended up shipping me a new unit before I even had to send the old one back: top marks here in support. I just picked up the Therm-a-rest NeoLoft before the holidays and took it on two trips in Mt Hood National Forest. Maybe the most comfortable backpacking pad I've personally used recently, even if the large (long wide, 78x26) weighs 2lbs! When fully inflated it is 4.6" thick. One of the few pads I've slept more than six straight hours on, which is kind of how I prioritize pads. Not only comfortable, but has a soft-touch stretchy fabric which feels good against the skin (I tend to sleep with quilts rather than bags). The first night I did wake up to find my arm was numb, so curious if that was a one-off with a weird sleeping position... R-value is 4.7, so I haven't used it at all in the past 45 days because of the cold where I am. It looks like the REI exclusivity is now over in early 2025, and this can be picked up lots of different places. Honestly the thing I dislike the most is the valves; I just don't care for the old-style Therm-a-rest valves. Realizing your question was specifically about those two, I also wanted to recommend what I have found to be my most comfortable pads in recent years: 1. Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated. This specific pad and its sibling, Ether Light XT Insulated, have been my primary pads the past four-ish years. They are 4" thick and the most comfortable pads I've used, probably tied with the NeoLoft. Never woken with my arm numb, and the only pad I've ever slept seven-plus hours straight-through. In the PNW I use the non-Extreme-variant in the warmer half of the year, and the Extreme-variant in the colder half. The stuff sack with the inflation aid built-in is the smartest I've seen. Extreme version has an r-value of 6.2, and the non-Extreme version r-value is 3.2. The Extreme has that spider-web looking Thermolite insulation, which in my mind is the most reliable winter/cold insulation; it doesn't crinkle and potentially fail like newer thin reflective films in other lighter pads (NEMO Tensor, Big Agnes Rapide, etc). On the flip side that makes the Extreme very heavy, more than 2lbs, and also packs down the biggest of any backpacking pad I've owned. 2. REI Helix. Been using this on-and-off for the past few seasons. One of the few pads that has me sleeping through the night. It is only 3" thick, but I have found the trick is to fully inflate: the dimples do a good jump of evening out my weight and not experiencing any arm numbness. The long wide is 1lb 13oz, and seems pretty sturdy compared to other REI-brand pads I've used in the past; no leaks yet... R-value of 4.9. I always wake up refreshed and feeling good on those mats, baring any environmental issues outside of the pad. I cannot recommend the NeoLoft in that way yet, but will continue to use and test it out in the near future with an additional foam pad underneath to make it safe for snow conditions (as the r-value stacks). And I don't think I will ever recommend an Exped pad for backpacking. Exped does make fantastic foam inflating car-camping pads though!