Top 5 compared
The best sleeping pads
A softer, warmer bed than the bare tent floor, so a night outdoors doesn’t mean a sore back.
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The top 5 at a glance
A sleeping pad goes between the sleeping bag and the tent floor, and it’s as much about warmth as comfort, since the ground draws heat out of you all night. Closed-cell foam is light and ready in seconds, but thin. Self-inflating pads fill themselves once the valve is open, an idea Therm-a-Rest’s founders, who had worked at Boeing, came up with in the early 1970s. Air pads are the thickest for their weight.
The air pads here fill from a foot pump built into the pad, so nobody has to blow them up by mouth, and closed-cell foam can’t puncture, which suits rocky ground. For car camping, a roll-up memory foam mattress is about as close to a bed as a tent gets, though it’s too heavy for a backpack.
What matters
- An R-value from the maker; the higher it is, the warmer.
- Weight and packed size, if it’s going on your back.
- Thickness and width, for side sleepers and couples.
#1Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Original Foam Sleeping Pad (Regular)
$30–$50
Closed-cell foam can’t puncture or go flat, and the Z Lite folds up like an accordion in seconds, ready to strap to the outside of a pack. Its dimples trap warm air, the foam is softer on top and denser underneath, and at 14 oz it adds little to the load.
What owners say: Backpackers say it keeps the cold ground at bay, one down to 10°F, and folds into a neat rectangle that’s quick to pack and store.
Heads up: It’s 0.75 in of firm foam rather than a cushion: side sleepers can lay it under an air pad for extra comfort and warmth.
A closer look: The folds mean a couple of panels can be opened out as a seat or kneeling pad around camp without unpacking the whole thing. Since foam can’t be squashed down, most backpackers strap it under the lid or to the outside of the pack, where a bit of rain or a scrape against a rock does it no harm.
- Folds up like an accordion
- R-value 1.7
- Can’t puncture or go flat
- Doubles as a camp seat
- Made in the USA
Best for: Hiking trips and rough ground
- Type
- Closed-cell foam
- Thickness
- 0.75 in
- Size (L × W)
- 72 × 20 in
- Weight
- 0.9 lb
- Packed size
- 20 × 5 × 5.5 in
- Built-in pillow
- No
#2Gear Doctors Oxylus Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad
$50–$75
Open the valve and the foam inside fills it while the tent goes up, then a few breaths set the firmness. Gear Doctors gives it an R-value of 4.3, warm enough for cold-weather camping, and it rolls down to about 12 × 8 in at 2.2 lb, light enough for backpacking as well as the car.
What owners say: Campers say it inflates and packs away quickly and kept them warm on 20°F nights of slush and snow, and use it for everything from car camping to backpacking.
A closer look: To pack it, open the valve and roll it from the far end toward the valve, squeezing the air out as you go, then slip the elastic band around the roll. A repair patch comes in the carry bag, worth tucking into the first-aid kit on longer trips.
- R-value 4.3
- A few breaths set firmness
- Repair patch in the bag
- Elastic band holds the roll
Best for: Colder trips, car or backpack
- Type
- Self-inflating foam
- Thickness
- 1.5 in
- Size (L × W)
- 72 × 20 in
- Weight
- 2.2 lb
- Packed size
- 12 × 8 in
- Built-in pillow
- No
#3CYMULA Memory Foam Camping Mattress (72 × 24 in)
$50–$75
For car camping, memory foam beats air for comfort: 3 in of foam that shapes itself to you, a soft brushed cover and a waterproof, non-slip base for the tent floor. It doubles as a spare bed when guests stay over.
What owners say: Owners find it far more comfortable than an air mattress and love the soft brushed surface, and say it rolls up easily for storage; a few find it bigger than they need.
A closer look: It arrives vacuum-packed, so unroll it one to three days before the first trip to let the foam rise to its full 3 in. At 7.5 lb, with no pump or valve, it belongs in the car rather than on a backpack, and the buckled straps hold it rolled tight for its bag.
- Waterproof non-slip base
- Soft brushed cover
- Doubles as a guest bed
- Allow 1–3 days to rise
- Fiberglass-free flame barrier
Best for: Car camping comfort
- Type
- Memory foam
- Thickness
- 3 in
- Size (L × W)
- 72 × 24 in
- Weight
- 7.5 lb
- Packed size
- –
- Built-in pillow
- No
#4Pretyw Double Sleeping Pad with Pillow and Foot Pump
$30–$50
One wide pad for two, 78 × 54 in and 4 in thick once it’s up, with a pillow along the top and a foot pump built in, so nobody spends the evening blowing it up. At 3 lb it folds into a 10 × 5.9 in bag.
What owners say: Couples find the foot pump fills it in a few minutes, it stays firm through the night and folds into a small sack, and the adjustable pillow end gets a mention too.
A closer look: Before pumping, find the two deflation valves on the back of the pillow and press them firmly shut, as Pretyw’s instructions say, or it won’t fill. Lay it inside the tent or on a ground cloth rather than bare rock, and wipe it with a damp cloth before it goes back in the bag.
- Pumps up in 1–3 minutes
- Close pillow valves before pumping
- Wipes clean with a cloth
Best for: Couples sharing a tent
- Type
- Air (foot pump)
- Thickness
- 4 in
- Size (L × W)
- 78 × 54 in
- Weight
- 3 lb
- Packed size
- 10 × 5.9 in
- Built-in pillow
- Yes
#5FUN PAC Inflatable Sleeping Pad with Pillow and Foot Pump
$20–$30
The pump built into the foot end fills it in under a minute, the egg-shaped air cells and pillow keep it comfortable on your back or side, and it packs to about the size of a water bottle at 1.5 lb. Snaps along the edges join a second one into a double.
What owners say: Campers find it quick to inflate, say it stays up all night and packs small for overnight hikes, and taller owners appreciate the length.
A closer look: Step on the pump at the foot end until the pad feels firm, and open the deflate valve when it’s time to pack: it empties in seconds, which makes rolling it up easy. After a damp night, a towel wipes it dry before it goes back in the bag.
- Fills in under a minute
- Snaps to a second pad
- Egg-shaped air cells
- Empties in seconds
- Different color each side
Best for: Overnight hikes for side sleepers
- Type
- Air (foot pump)
- Thickness
- 3 in
- Size (L × W)
- 78 × 27 in
- Weight
- 1.5 lb
- Packed size
- –
- Built-in pillow
- Yes
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Therm-a-Rest Z Lite | #2Gear Doctors Oxylus | #3CYMULA memory foam | #4Pretyw Double | #5FUN PAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for two | Best budget | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.3 |
| Price | $30–$50 | $50–$75 | $50–$75 | $30–$50 | $20–$30 |
| Type | Closed-cell foam | Self-inflating foam | Memory foam | Air (foot pump) | Air (foot pump) |
| Thickness | 0.75 in | 1.5 in | 3 in | 4 in | 3 in |
| Size (L × W) | 72 × 20 in | 72 × 20 in | 72 × 24 in | 78 × 54 in | 78 × 27 in |
| Weight | 0.9 lb | 2.2 lb | 7.5 lb | 3 lb | 1.5 lb |
| Packed size | 20 × 5 × 5.5 in | 12 × 8 in | – | 10 × 5.9 in | – |
| Built-in pillow | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Hiking trips and rough ground | Colder trips, car or backpack | Car camping comfort | Couples sharing a tent | Overnight hikes for side sleepers |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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