Good to know: this sleeping pad is unisex
Pros / Reasons to Buy
- Good price
- Comfortable
Cons / Reasons to Avoid
- No inflation tool provided
- Low R value
The Klymit Static V is an attractive, budget-friendly inflatable sleeping pad. The pad appears to be very well made, and the material feels thick and premium – more so than you might expect from its price point. In testing, I found it to be quite comfortable.
What’s more, it packs down small and comes in at what I think is a very reasonably weight – especially given the point. However, I can’t ignore the pad’s negative points: there’s no inflation tool provided and low R-Value of 1.3 will limit the appeal of this pad to warmer-weather camping.
Compare to similar products:
Nemo Switchback | Nemo Tensor All-Season | Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT | Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT | Rab Stratosphere 4 | Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated | Big Agnes Divide Insulated | Nemo Quasar 3D | Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated | Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated | Exped Ultra 7R | Klymit Static V | Sleepingo Large | Tame Lands | Therm-A-Rest Z Lite Sol | |
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Buying Options | |||||||||||||||
Our Rating | Best Foam Sleeping Pad | Best Air Sleeping Pad | Best for Comfort and Ultralight | Best for Winter and Best Mummy Shaped Sleeping Pad | Best for Summer | Best for Side Sleepers | Best for Back Sleepers | Best Budget Air Pad | Best Rectangular Sleeping Pad | ||||||
Type and Shape | Folding, closed-cell foam | Rectangular or Mummy Inflatable | Mummy Inflatable | Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Rectangular or Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Rectangular or Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Folding, closed-cell foam |
Comfort | Low | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Average | Average | Low |
Warmth/R-Value | Average (R-Value = 2) | Excellent (R-Value = 5.4) | Very Good (R-Value = 4.5) | Excellent (R-Value = 7.3) | Very Good (R-Value = 3.8) | Very Good (R-Value = 4) | Very Good (R-Value = 4) | Low (R-Value = 1.8) | Very Good (R-Value = 3.2) | Very Good (R-Value = 4.8) | Excellent (R-Value = 7) | Low (R-Value = 1.3) | Low - Average (No ASTM FF3340 rated R-Value, but likely around 2) | Low - Average (No ASTM FF3340 rated R-Value, but likely around 2) | Average (R-Value = 2) |
Weight | Regular Version - 415g/14.5oz | Regular Version - 522g/1lb 2oz | Regular Version - 368g/13 oz | Regular Version - 453g/1lb | Regular Version - 695g/1lb 9oz | Regular Version - 845g/29.8oz | Regular Version - 652g/23oz | Non-Insulated Regular Version - 650g/1lb 7oz | Mummy Regular - 490g/17.3oz | Regular Version - 510g/18oz | Rectangular Medium Version - 650g/23oz | Regular Version - 530g/18.7oz | 408g/14oz | 600g/21oz | Regular Version - 410g/14oz |
Packed Size | Regular Version - 51x13x14cm/20x5x5.5in | Regular Version - 25.5x10cm/10x4in | Regular Version - 10.4x22.86cm/4.1x9in | Regular Version - 11.3x22.86cm/4.5x9in | Regular Version - 24cmx12cm/9.4inx4.7in | Regular Version - 12x23cm/5x9in | Regular Version - 20x13cm/8x5in | Non-Insulated Regular Version - 20x10cm/8x4in | Mummy Regular - 24x11cm/9.5x4.5in | Regular Version - 18x10cm/7x4in | Rectangular Medium Version - 23x14cm/9x5.5in | Regular Version - 20x8cm/8x3in | 27x8cm/10.5x3in | 23x10cm/9x4in | Regular Version - 51x13x14cm/20x5x5.5in |
Open Size | Regular Version - 183x51x2.3cm/72x20x0.9in | Regular Version - 183x51x9cm/72x20x3.5in | Regular Version - 182x50.8x7.62cm/72x20x3in | Regular Version - 177.8x50.8x7.62cm/72x20x3in | Regular Version - 183x51x8cm/72x20x3in | Regular Version - 184x55cm/72x21.5in | Regular Version - 183x51x8.25cm/72x20x3.25in | Non-Insulated Regular Version - 183x51x9cm/72x20x3.5in | Mummy Regular - 183x55-42x10cm/72x21.5-16.5x4in | Regular Version - 51x183x11cm/20x72x4.25in | Rectangular Medium Version - 183x52x9cm/72x20.4x3.5in | Regular Version - 183x58x6cm/72x23x2.5in | 187x54.6x5cm/73.5x21x2in | 188x56x5cm/74x22x2in | Regular Version - 183x51x2cm/72x20x0.75in |
Materials | Polyethylene foam backed with metalized foil | 20D and 40D Nylon with two layers of metalized film | 30D Ripstop Nylon | 30D and 70D Ripstop Nylon with Thermacapture Reflective Film | 75D Polyester with 100% recycled polyester 'Stratus R' insulation | 30D/40D Nylon withThermolite insulation and Exkin Platinum film | Ripstop nylon with Thermalite insulaiton and heat-reflecting film layer | 100% Recycled Polyester | 30D/40D Nylon withThermolite insulation and Exkin Platinum film | Ripstop nylon with two layers of metalized film | 20D Ripstop polyester with down insulation | 75D Polyester | Ripstop Nylon | 40D Ripstop Nylon | Polyethylene foam backed with Thermacapture Reflective Film |
Durability | Excellent - will still work even if torn or damaged | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Very Good - supplied with repair patches and spare valve parts | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - Supplied with repair patches | Very Good - supplied with repair patches and spare valve parts | Good - Supplied with repair patches | Good - Supplied with repair patches | Good - Supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Excellent - will still work even if torn or damaged |
This article is part of our series on the best sleeping pads for camping, view all articles below:
- Best Sleeping Pads for Camping
- How we Tested Sleeping Pads
- How to Choose the Right Sleeping Pad for Camping
- Compare Sleeping Pads
Related content:
Analysis and Test Results
On paper, there’s a lot to like about the Klymit Static V: It’s comfortable, packs down small and comes in at a reasonably weight. What’s more, the pad feels very well made, has a clever valve system and even comes with a lifetime warranty. All these factors stack up to make the Static V a very attractive choice – and not just for those who can’t or don’t want to spend the money on a more expensive pack from a big name brand.
However, there are also some negative points that I can’t ignore: chiefly, the low R-Value of 1.3. Whilst Klymit claim the bag is good for three-season camping, I think the low R Value limits this to warmer nights only. Put simply, whilst the Static V is likely going to be a great choice for many campers, if you tend to camp out in places or at times of the year when it can get very cold, then you would likely be better served by a more insulated sleeping pad.
Performance Comparison
See our video Klymit Static V sleeping pad which covers some of it’s key features:
Type and Shape
This is an inflatable sleeping pad and it is broadly rectangular (the corners and one end are more rounded than some competitors). Klymit offer a number of different variants of this pad: there’s size variants, insulation variants and material variants too (in terms of materials, you can select lightweight fabric and lightweight ‘Eco’ fabric – which is Bluesign approved).
For this review, I tested the regular size, which I’ll concentrate on. It is also the uninsulated version of the pad in the normal (non-lightweight) fabric: This is the least expensive version of the pad.
Comfort
At first, I didn’t have high hopes for the comfort of the Klymit Static V: The first few times it was inflated, it didn’t sit completely flat and the deeply ridged top surface didn’t seem as inviting as some of the other, plusher sleeping pads I’ve used. But my assumptions were happily proved wrong! First up, the thick 75D polyester that the pad is made from has a nice, premium feel to it: it has a slightly matte finish and doesn’t feel slippery and isn’t noisy – something that impacts more premium lightweight pads.
Look at this pad inflated, and you’ll notice immediately that it has a series of deep ridges in its surface, and the top and bottom surface are fused between these pockets – that’s quite different to most of the other inflatable pads in our roundup of best sleeping pads for camping.
Klymit claim these ridges allow your sleeping bag to fully loft beneath your whilst you sleep. It’s difficult to assess how much of an impact this has on comfort, but it didn’t seem to impact things negatively in my experience.
As I’ll touch on more later, this pad is not supplied with an inflation tool – so you have to use your breath to inflate it. In practice, this meant that I wasn’t able to inflate the Klymit pad to the same level of firmness I would with that pad that features an inflation tool. This negatively impacts the comfort in my opinion, though I’d add that this is also not a deal-breaker for me.
Warmth
All sleeping pads have a R-Value. This is a standardized measure of how well they insulate and thus, how well they will keep you warm. A high R Value equates to better insulation. It’s worth noting that sleeping pads need to be considered part of a sleeping system alongside your sleeping bag and what you wear whilst sleeping. So a high R Value pad on won’t keep you warm on a cold night if the rest of your ‘sleeping system’ isn’t up to the job.
However, by the same token, a high R Value pad won’t cause you to overheat on a warm night if the rest of the system is appropriate. So, if you camp out in mixed weather and only want to own one sleeping pad, then it makes sense to get one with a high R Value.
I was generally very impressed by the Klymit Static V, but its insulation is an area of concern for me: this pad has a relatively low R Value of 1.3. For context, even a basic closed cell foam pad like the Nemo Switchback has a higher R Value of 2 (and is also cheaper and lighter!). Klymit claim this pad is good for three season camping, but I’d disagree, and say that it’s best suited for warm weather camping. Now, depending on where you camp, this might not be an issue, but none the less, I think the lack of insulation is well worth bearing in mind.
It’s worth noting that Klymit also offer an insulated version of the Static V with an R-Value or 4.4. It’s roughly 50% more expensive and 20% heavier than the version I tested for this review.
Ease of Use
Most of the other inflatable pads we’ve reviewed – and certainly the more premium priced options – come with an inflation tool. I was disappointed to see that the Klymit Static V does not. That means you’ve basically got to blow it up using your breath alone. Now, this isn’t terribly time consuming, and I was actually able to inflate it in less time than some of the pads that come with inflation tools (though I seriously question Klymit’s marketing claim that the pad ‘…allows inflation in as few as 10 breaths’!)
I suffer from a chronic health condition that can, amongst other things, leave me short of breath, and I’ve got to say that my preference is to inflate sleeping pads with an inflation tool. Inflating the Static V with my breath alone left me feeling a little dizzy, and I also have bad memories of inflating another sleeping pad at high altitude using just my breath – not an experience I’d like to repeat. Klymit do sell an accessory powered pump, but my preference would be to use an inflation bag (they pack down smaller, are lighter and are not reliant on a battery), which Klymit also offer as an accessory, though we didn’t test either of their pumps.
Buying an inflation tool will add to the cost and as this is a pad that’s aimed at the budget end of the market, I see this as a negative point. I did note that the inflation bag supplied with the Rab Stratosphere 4, which we’ve also reviewed fitted the Static V, and the valves appear to be a standard size across most pads, so if you have another piece of gear that came with an inflation bag, you can likely use that.
Real time set up: Our video below shows a real time inflation of the Klymit Static V, which takes around 1 minute 23 seconds to put up.
Weight
The Klymit Static V I’ve tested weighs in at 530g/18.7oz. Whilst it’s not the absolute lightest pad in this round up, its weight is, I think, very impressive and on par with some options costing several times as much. Of course, if you want to add an inflation tool – which I’d say is definitely worthwhile – this will add to the weight. None the less, the pad does very well here, especially so given its low price.
Version | Weight |
Regular | 530g/18.7oz |
Short | 383g/13.5oz |
Long | 635g/22.4oz |
Double | 1134g/40oz |
Luxe | 590g/20.8oz |
Packed Size
The regular version of the Klymit Static V packs down to 20x8cm/8x3in, putting it in the same world as many of its substantially more expensive competitors. The pad folds down into a supplied stuff sack and I had no issues tucking it into my pack.
Version | Packed Size |
Regular | 20x8cm/8x3in |
Short | 20x8cm/8x3in |
Long | 20x8cm/8x3in |
Double | 23x13/9x5in |
Luxe | 20x11cm/8x4.5in |
Real time pack down: Our video below shows how long it takes to pack down the Klymit Static V sleeping pad (around 2 minutes 23 seconds) in normal conditions.
Open Size
I’ve assessed the ‘Regular’ version of the pad here, which comes in at 183x58x6cm/72x23x2.5in. Of note, that’s slightly wider than most other manufactuer’s ‘Regular’ pads – a real bonus in my book. Klymit offer this pad in a wide range of different sizes, including long, short, double and an oversized single ‘Luxe’ version.
Version | Open Size |
Regular | 183x58x6cm/72x23x2.5in |
Short | 127x58x6cm/50x23x2.5in |
Long | 198x58x6cm/78x23x2.5in |
Double | 188x119x8cm/74x47x3in |
Luxe | 198x69x9cm/78x27x3.5in |
Features
As I mentioned at the top of this review, the Klymit Static V does not have a single air chamber like other sleeping pads. Instead, it features a V-shaped pattern of interconnected air chambers. Klymit claim that the gaps between these sections help your sleeping bag to loft fully beneath you – rather than just being compressed as they would be on a more conventionally shaped pad. Its difficult to assess just how much of a difference this makes outside of a lab setting, but in theory, at least, it’s a good idea.
The pad’s other key feature is its reversible valve. This is pivoted and you flip it to either inflate or deflate the pad. It also has a rapid deflate position which is handy for when it comes time to break camp.
Materials
The Klymit Static V is made from 75D polyester. Look at the fabric up close and you’ll see that it has a subtle ripstop pattern to help limit any damage the pad might receive.
This is subjective, but I’d say the fabric feels quite substantial and has a slightly matte finish that I think gives it an almost luxurious feel that’s missing from the thin, shiny nylon use din a lot of the Static V’s more costly lightweight rivals. I think it’s good to see that Klymit have hit the weight point they have with this pad whilst still using this more substantial-feeling material – though, of course, many of the competing products I’ve mentioned also feature better insulation.
Durability
Inflatable sleeping pads will never be as durable as folding foam pads and, at the end of the day, they are vulnerable to punctures and tears – as with all the other inflatable pad we’ve assessed for this round up, the Klymit comes with a set of repair patches. However, that’s not to say they are fragile or delicate things either.
The 75D polyester used in the Klymit Static V feels more substantial than the thin nylon you’ll find in some of this pad’s super lightweight competitors. I wouldn’t set this pad up directly on sharp stones, thorny foliage or walk over it with crampons on my boots, but I think all these things are commons sense and, provided you take reasonable precautions, there’s no reason why this pad shouldn’t last a very long time indeed.
One other noteworthy point here is that smaller, less well-known brands of outdoor gear often come with lesser guarantees. Klymit match the big names by offering a lifetime limited warranty on this pad.
Sustainability
The Static V made a good first impression in terms of sustainability in that it does not have any packaging: The product arrived in its stuff bag with the label printed directly onto it.
Klymit don’t publish any information about the company’s sustainability and there’s no information on whether or not the Static V contains any recycled material. The polyester the pad is made from is recyclable when the product reaches the end of its life.
Klymit do offer the Static V Lite Eco variant of this product. This version of the pad is not only lighter than the regular Static V (440g/15.5oz vs 530g/18.7oz), but is also made from Bluesign certified 30D Polyester – so it meets an independent standard for environmental impact. As you might expect, this version is more expensive.
Price
Price is one area where the Klymit Static V scores highly. It’s really good value and substantially less than the offerings from the more recognized names we’ve assessed elsewhere. Of course, meeting this price means the product makes some concessions: the low R Value is an obvious point worth noting, but you should also consider that no inflation tool is included.
Whilst this isn’t essential, I’d argue that it’s a convenience that’s well worth the small amount of extra weight it adds to your pack. If you want to add an inflation tool, like Klymit’s own, you can expect this to add to the cost. Regardless of this, I think this pad represents excellent value, provided you can live with the low R-Value.
Conclusion
On the face of it, this pad is an absolute winner: It’s got a small packed size, low weight, is comfortable and comes in at a great price. However, I can’t ignore its two big negative points: the first is the low R-Value. That’ll be a non-issue if you live and camp somewhere warm, but if, like me, you camp out in changeable weather, this pad won’t cut it when temperatures drop.
Also, there’s the lack of an inflation tool. Again, this will be no issue to many buyers, but if you feel like you’d benefit from one, it a bit of extra weight and some extra cost to add to the equation. All that said, and provided you’re aware of the limits, we think this pad will make an excellent choice for many hikers and the fact that it comes with a lifetime guarantee is just a bonus.
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