Where we Test
We think that the only way to test any product is in the environment it was intended to be used in. That means we’ve taken the sleeping pads in our round up outdoors to get to know them better and really put them through their paces before we make any recommendations to you.
Our testers have put the products in our round up through their paces in locations including the Lake District in the North of the UK; the Fjords of Norway; New Mexico; Southern California and the Californian High Sierras. This means we’ve been assessing the sleeping pads in a whole range of different conditions ranging from warm and dry to damp and humid, in both warm and cold night and also at altitude – this last one is important, as inflating a sleeping pad in thin air can be much more tiring and laborious than at sea level.
Our wide range of testing locations lets us build a more complete picture of how the pads we’ve assessed perform. This allows us to confidently make realistic and trust worthy recommendations to you so you know you’re buying the right product for your needs.
This article is part of our series on the best sleeping pads for camping, view all articles below:
- Best Sleeping Pads for Camping
- How to Choose the Right Sleeping Pad for Camping
- Compare Sleeping Pads
Related content:
Testing Metrics
Whilst you can learn a lot about a product and indeed make a reasonably informed purchasing decision just by looking at and comparing the specifications, we believe that this will only get you so far and there comes a point where hands-on experience is the only way to get a complete picture of how a product performs. We value hands-on time with the products in our reviews because it lets us see past the specifications and into the real-world performance of the products we review.
A lightweight sleeping pad might look good on paper, but if its material is fragile, slips and crunches a lot as you move around in your sleep, then it might not be the optimum choice for you after all! Our test metrics don’t just consider raw specifications, but also our direct experience of using the product. Every one of our testers has significant experience in the outdoors, whether that be hiking and or backpacking.
Comfort
Comfort is a vital quality to quantify when assessing any sleeping pad. Whilst sleeping pads serve the very practical purpose of helping you keep warm at night, they can also greatly improve the comfort of your night’s sleep – and that’s especially the case with inflatable pads which are essentially inflatable mattresses.
As with many factors, the specifications of a product alone will only get you so far here and we’ve considered the thickness of the pad, how firmly it can be inflated (if relevant) and also the properties of the materials used.
How you sleep – if it’s on your side, back or front, as well as how much you move around in your sleep all factor into this category and your height, weight and body shape will also play a part in your perceived comfort. Comfort is a very subjective quality to judge, but our reviewers vary in terms of age, height, weight, body shape, fitness and sleeping habits, so by presenting you with a variety of usage scenarios in different weather conditions, our reviews can help you form a complete picture of the comfort of a product.
Warmth
Warmth is a key factor in many people’s purchasing decision when it comes to sleeping pads and the type of camping you do should dictate how warm the pad you buy needs to be: So, if you sometimes camp out in very cold weather, it’s fair to say that you’ll need a warmer sleeping pad than someone who only camps out on warm Summer nights. Sleeping pads have an ‘R-Value’ and a higher value equals better warmth.
The R-Value indicates how well the pad insulates and therefore how warm they can potentially keep you at night. ‘Potentially’ is the key word here because a well-insulated sleeping pad won’t keep you warm on its own – it needs to be paired with an appropriate sleeping bag.
That also means that a well-insulated pad also won’t make you overheat on a warm night provided the rest of your sleeping system is appropriate. So, if you camp out in mixed weather and just want to buy one pad, then getting a warmed one makes sense.
The great news here is that since 2020, following an initiative lead by the outdoor retailer REI, manufacturers have standardized the way they test and measure R-Values (the standard is called ASTM FF3340). This means you can reliably compare products from different manufacturers. Only a few of the very cheapest pads in our round-up do not have this standardized R-Value and we’ve indicated this where relevant in our reviews.
That said, whilst industry standards are important, warmth is a personal thing too. In terms of our tests, each of our reviewers takes into careful consideration how the heat transfer actually feels for a particular pad when sleeping outdoors. This is a metric that we treat holistically, and we have made every effort we can to test each sleeping pad to push it to the limits of the kind of environment it’s R-Value makes it suitable for.
Ease of Use
You’ll likely be setting up your sleeping pad after a long day on the trail. It might be getting dark, you will probably be tired and you could be cold or at high altitude too – where the thin air just makes everything seem like more effort. When it comes time to break camp, you’ll want to be able to get things packed down and ready to go as quickly and efficiently as possible. So, ease of use is a key factor as far as we are concerned!
Folding foam pads will always be the easiest sleeping pads to set up: they can be deployed and folded away in seconds, but we think that most hikers will favor inflatable pads as they pack down smaller, are more comfortable and almost always offer better insulation too.
We’ve tested how easy it is to unpack, setup and also repack the pads in our round up (including inflating and deflating where necessary) and also assessed the inflation tools (typically a ‘pump sack’) that many manufacturers supply with their inflatable pads. We test our products in the field, so our reviews reflect the real-world usage scenarios that you might encounter if you take any of these products on the trail. With this, we include videos where possible in each pad’s individual review to show a real time set up and a real time pack down.
Weight
Weight is always a key consideration when it comes to hiking gear! We know plenty of hikers who’ll base their purchasing decisions on this factor alone. However, we think that a product’s weight needs to be considered alongside its other specifications and qualities and your needs on the trail also need to be factored in too! For example, the lightest sleeping pads are often the least insulating and this is a factor to consider if you are buying gear for winter camping.
Our reviewers don’t just champion low weight but see it as one piece of the bigger picture when forming their opinions of each product. Through filed testing, we can see if a product compromises on other key features just to present a headline low weight and we will never recommend a product that’s just light – it has to present a well thought-out balance of features to impress our team!
Many of the pads we’ve assessed are available in different size variants. Where appropriate, we’ve included comparison tables in our induvial reviews to help you see, at a glance, the weights of different options.
Dimensions
Alongside weight, open and packed dimensions are a vital factor in many hikers purchasing decisions: This is a very subjective area and your height, body shape and sleeping habits will all play into which size and shape of pad is right for you.
In terms of packed size, everyone will have different limits in terms of what they consider an acceptable weight to carry. If you are not counting every last gram or cubic centimeter of volume in your pack, then you may choose to buy a larger pad to give you better comfort.
Our review team comprises a range of different ages, levels of ability and body sizes. Combined with our wide range of testing locations and environments, were able to present you with the facts to help you make a more informed decision.
As many of the pads we’ve reviewed come in different sizes, we’ve included comparison tables in our individual reviews where it’s relevant. So you can quickly compare the opened and packed size of each product variant.
Features
Sleeping pads might seem like fairly basic products – at the end of the day, they are either a folding piece of foam or a small inflatable mattress – but outdoor manufacturers are an innovative lot, and they are constantly finding ways to improve or add convenience to their products. In our round up, we’ve seen space-saving designs in folding pads; A wide range of valve designs in inflatable pads; Ergonomic shaping plus a whole host of other convenience and comfort features.
Our reviewers have highlighted these where relevant for each product. Through extensive field testing, we’ve critically assessed if these features are genuinely useful on the trail or just marketing spiel.
Materials
So much innovation in the outdoors industry is driven by materials and modern, high-tech, lightweight materials are used in many of the pads we’ve assessed, allowing manufacturers to hit lower weight points and better insulation, whilst still promising great durability. But as with many factors in our reviews, this isn’t the complete picture, and some lightweight materials can be slippery or noisy in use.
Our reviewers have focused on real-word testing and we’ve been able to assess how the materials used on the various pads behave in the real world during typical use. Of course, not all pads are equal and our reviewers also balance material characteristics with other factors like price, weight and insulation. All of this allows us to cut through the marketing to get to the truth about how the materials used in these pads behave in the real world.
Durability
Some sleeping pads – especially inflatable ones – can come across as fragile items that need delicate handling. It’s absolutely true to say that you can destroy any piece of equipment if you handle it roughly or inappropriately. But most people are – or at least try to be – careful with their gear.
How do these pads stack up in terms of real life usage where you’re not setting out destroy them, but also where accidents can happen? Our hands-on testing methods examine just this and give a good picture of how a pad will last in the real world.
We’re also keen to review pads in context. We know that some are built for light weight and not durability, whilst others make compromises to hit a price point. All of these factors – along with an appraisal of the manufacturer’s warranty – are balanced by our testers and contribute towards our verdicts on each product.
Sustainability
It’s a sadly ironic fact that the outdoor industry does not have a great track record when it comes to sustainability. Brands that champion time in the environment have long used toxic, bio-accumulative and unrecyclable materials in their products.
But times are finally changing, and brands are taking sustainability seriously. Sustainability is difficult for us to directly measure – we must rely on the brands for much of the info here – and of course every brand is approaching things slightly differently. We compare brand’s efforts, not just in their inclusion of recycled material or reduction of harmful chemicals, but also in terms of their commitments to the welfare of their staff and to good causes.
We’ll also highlight when a brand is signed up to independently audited standards or trade bodies – meaning that their sustainability claims can be independently verified. We’re sure that like us, many of you reading this care deeply about protecting the environment, so it makes sense to spend your money with companies that share and support this vision!
Price
Price is a critical buying consideration for the vast majority of our readers – and for us too! You can certainly get incredible gear if you have a big budget, but it’s also true that you don’t need to use bad gear if you don’t have unlimited funds and through our hands-on testing we aim to level this playing field.
As reviewers, we see and use products that come in at every price point and it can be too easy to just recommend the premium products where clearly no expense has been spared to deliver a phenomenal product. We know well that many of our readers can’t justify – or simply don’t want to – spend top dollar on their outdoors gear.
With that in mind our reviewers look at the balances products strike. If we can see that a product has cut a few corners to come in at a price point, but still delivers in all the key areas and keeps compromises to a minimum, then we’ll praise it accordingly!
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