Exped

Ultra Series

TL;DR: Lightweight side-sleeper comfort, but a bit pricey and bulky.

Overall

#2 in

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Sentiment score88% positive
118
8
8

Top Pros

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Last updated: Jul 2, 2026

Reddit Reviews

Reddit Icon3greezy
about 1 month ago

Have the same and love it. Most comfortable pad I’ve owned

Reddit IconAdeptNebula
5 months ago

I’d get the 3R and supplement with a CCF pad for the occasional sub freezing trips. That’s my personal setup.

9 months ago

Exped Ultra is comfortable and ultralight. Pretty affordable, too. Give it a try

Reddit IconAdPresent9414
10 months ago

I second this. Love my exped 3R and 5R. The UL 5R is ~$160 and sleeps better than thicker pads I've used

10 months ago

I second this. Love my exped 3R and 5R. The UL 5R is ~$160 and sleeps better than thicker pads I've used

Reddit IconAfter_Pitch5991
20 days ago

Exped ultra 3r and 5r. My lower back is bad, two blown out disc's in the same spot I have stenosis.

20 days ago

Exped ultra 3r and 5r. My lower back is bad, two blown out disc's in the same spot I have stenosis.

Reddit IconAgerak
10 months ago

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.

5 months ago

That bag will not hold up, it’s a rectangular and won’t seal well and temps are below what it’s rated for. Even with layers and extra blankets it’ll be an uncomfortable at best night. The pads are also borderline and I’d recommend a couple more Rs to get to a better insulation value. You can either upgrade one of the pads (maybe a 5R Exped) or add another pad to your setup. I don’t like stacking too many pads as they tend to slide and you lose insulation. Tie wrapping them together can help.

about 2 months ago

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.

6 months ago

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.

Reddit IconAhrithul
9 months ago

I've got an Exped 5R in a long/wide size. It's listed as 77.6" x 25.6" x 3". I had a 7R a couple of years ago in the same size. It was a 3.5" thick mattress though. Honestly they've been some of the comfiest sleeping pads I've owned. I'm pretty much the same size as you are as well. I'm 6'2" and 215. I've never found the size of the pad to be too short or narrow. And I toss and turn like I'm clothes in a dryer. There's plenty of thickness to keep you from sinking in even if you're a side sleeper. The only downside to the pad is it's packed size. Which is bulkier than the traditional suggested sleeping pads, but it's really not that bad for what you get. Also I just looked at the Megamat. The 5R has a higher r-value, is still 3" vs 4", but that megamat packed size isn't worth the extra space at all in my opinion. I think the bulk of the megamat will cause more problems than it solves in the long run.

9 months ago

I've got an Exped 5R in a long/wide size. It's listed as 77.6" x 25.6" x 3". I had a 7R a couple of years ago in the same size. It was a 3.5" thick mattress though. Honestly they've been some of the comfiest sleeping pads I've owned. I'm pretty much the same size as you are as well. I'm 6'2" and 215. I've never found the size of the pad to be too short or narrow. And I toss and turn like I'm clothes in a dryer. There's plenty of thickness to keep you from sinking in even if you're a side sleeper. The only downside to the pad is it's packed size. Which is bulkier than the traditional suggested sleeping pads, but it's really not that bad for what you get. Also I just looked at the Megamat. The 5R has a higher r-value, is still 3" vs 4", but that megamat packed size isn't worth the extra space at all in my opinion. I think the bulk of the megamat will cause more problems than it solves in the long run.

Top Sleeping Pads on Reddit

1
Exped MegaMat Series

Exped

MegaMat Series

92% positive of 454 users

Car camping comfort champ, but some side sleepers find it thin.

2
Exped Ultra Series

Exped

Ultra Series

88% positive of 134 users

Lightweight side-sleeper comfort, but a bit pricey and bulky.

3
NEMO Tensor Series

NEMO

Tensor Series

74% positive of 394 users

Ultralight side-sleeper comfort, but slippery and prone to leaks.

4
Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated Sleeping Pad

Big Agnes

Rapide SL Insulated Sleeping Pad

76% positive of 228 users

Comfortable with side rails, but heavy and warmth claims disputed.

5
Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft™ Sleeping Pad

Therm-a-Rest

NeoLoft™ Sleeping Pad

80% positive of 130 users

Very comfortable, good service, but heavy and bulky for backpacking.

Rankings by Use Case

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