Comparative review: Thinking about sleeping in the mountains. I tried sleeping on a sleeping pad (mat) that I'm interested in

There is no doubt that the quality of sleep in the field is determined by three things: tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad (mat). I have recently been spending more time on family camping than hiking

Under the starry sky, you can chat with your family and friends around a campfire before settling into your tent and going to bed. However, if the quality of your bed is poor, it can be difficult to get a good night's sleep. The next day, you may end up with pain somewhere in your body, which can affect your enjoyment of the activities you're enjoying

There was a time when I thought that as long as I had a high-spec sleeping bag, I could get by with a silver mat sold at a home improvement store as my sleeping pad. However, I learned that the padding on the back side of a sleeping bag collapses under its own weight, making it almost useless as an insulator, and since then I've become more conscious of the insulating properties of my sleeping pad

Of course, the quality of a sleeping pad cannot be measured by its insulation (heat retention) alone. That's why it's important to thoroughly research the various models offered by each manufacturer, each with its own unique features, and choose wisely the model that best suits your needs and purposes. So, for those of you struggling to choose a pad, we've compared and evaluated a variety of unique sleeping pads, including this season's latest models, so please take a look now

About the sleeping pads we compared this time

The sleeping pads compared this time are the following eight models

• Klymit Insulated Static V Light
• NEMO TENSOR™ 20 (tested in size M)
• NEMO ZOR™ 20 (tested in size M)
• Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Mat
• Sea To Summit Ultralight SI Mat
• Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm
• Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL
• Evernew FPmat 125

I am amazed at how high-spec modern sleeping pads have become, but there is still no mat that is perfect in every respect. No matter how expensive a sleeping pad is, it will always have its pros and cons. Also, the way you choose and the points you prioritize will vary depending on the field and environment in which you will be using it, and your preferences for comfort will also differ

For this reason, in this comparative review, rather than the usual rough ranking, I used each mat and evaluated them from various angles in six categories: insulation, storage, weight, comfort, ease of use, and durability. The overall rating is merely a recommendation index based on the author's own experience

1. Comfort: Not just good cushioning, but also the overall comfort of sleeping, including the ability for the body to stay in place
2. Insulation: How well it blocks the cold air from the ground
3. Weight and storage... People tend to focus on tents and sleeping bags, but the pad can also be a burden.
4. Usability: How stress-free it is to use, such as how easy it is to set up and fold
5. Durability: How little risk there is of it becoming unusable (particularly with inflatable types)

Test results and spec comparison table

comprehensive evaluation	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★	★★	★★	★
item	NEMO TENSOR™ 20	ThermaRest NeoAirXTherm	Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Mat	Evernew Fpmat 125	Klymit Insulated Static V Light	Sea To Summit Ultralight SI Mat	Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol	NEMO ZOR™ 20
Reference price	16,200 yen	34,560 yen	15,660 yen	3,240 yen	17,280 yen	10,260 yen	7,776 yen	12,420 yen
This is ◎	Comfort, storage, and weight	Insulation, storage, comfort, air pump	Comfort, storage, weight, air pump, ease of inflation and deflation	Weight, storage, ease of use, price	Comfortable sleeping that stabilizes the body, and thermal insulation	Comfort and ease of setup	Ease of use, durability, weight	Weight, comfort
This is △	Durability	The body tends to slip off a little, the price	Slightly thin	Comfort and insulation	Weight, storage, difficulty in degassing	Weight, storage capacity	Storage and insulation	Durability, insulation
Comfort	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆
Thermal insulation	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	★☆☆☆☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆
weight	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	★★★★★	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★
Storageability	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★☆☆☆☆	★★★☆☆
Easy to use	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆
Durability	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	★★☆☆☆
Specs
item	NEMO TENSOR™ 20	Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm	Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Mat	Evernew Fpmat 125	Klymit Insulated Static V Light	Sea To Summit Ultralight SI Mat	Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL	Nemo ZOR™ 20
type	Air injection type	Air injection type	Air injection type	Closed Cell	Air injection type	Self-inflating	Closed Cell	Self-inflating
Insulation material	―	4 Thermal Capture Layers	Thermolite	Polyethylene foam	Klymalite™	urethane foam	Lightweight EVA foam	urethane foam
weight	360g	430g	480g	200g	556g	550g	410g	380g
Weight per unit	2.0	2.3	2.6	1.6	3.0	3.0	2.2	2.1
material	20D polyester	Surface: 30D high-strength nylon Back: 70D nylon	40D ripstop nylon	Polyethylene foam	30D polyester	30D polyester	Lightweight EVA foam	20D polyester
R value	―	5.7	3.3	―	4.4	2.6	2.6	―
Storage size	φ8×20cm	φ10×23cm	φ10×23cm	―	φ12.7×20.3cm	φ13.5×26cm	51×13×14cm	φ11×23cm
Thickness	7.5	6.3	5.0	5.0	6.5	2.5	2.0	2.5

Overall Review - Recommended Models by Type -

First of all, the one I fell most in love with overall in this comparison was the NEMO TENSOR 20 (the medium size was used for the test) . It had very high specs in terms of insulation, comfort, and storage. There was nothing particularly impressive about the comfort. There were some concerns about its durability, so I wouldn't recommend using it too hard, but even with that in mind, it was a sleeping pad I'd recommend. This series also includes an insulated type with PrimaLoft® laminated inside for dramatically improved warmth, so you can choose the model that's best suited to your situation.

NEMO TENSOR 20R

16,200 yen

360g

The Evernew FPmat 125 also boasts excellent storage, weight, ease of use, and durability, making it a great value for the price. If you have the storage space in your backpack, this is one item you should definitely bring along. It can be used for short breaks on day hikes, as a pad under your main sleeping pad, when spreading out your gear inside your backpack, or, of course, as your main pad. Its versatility makes it a great choice for activities other than mountain climbing, too.

EVERNEW FPmat 125

3,240 yen

200g

For the cold seasons from fall to winter, I recommend the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm . It not only insulates against cold air, but also provides a unique warmth that gradually builds up from your back. It might even be more accurate to say that it's more about heat retention than insulation. While it's the most expensive of the eight sleeping pads, I think you'll get a performance that's worth the price.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm

34,560 yen

430g

If comfort is a priority, we recommend an air-inflatable pad. The NEMO TENSOR 20M , as mentioned above. The klymit Insulated Static V Lite and Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Mattresses have separate air chambers, so the entire mattress won't move when you turn over, providing stability. These two models also come in summer and winter versions, each with a different level of insulation, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

klymit insulated static V light

17,280 yen

556g

Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Mat

15,660 yen

480g

If you want to travel with as compact equipment as possible, we recommend the NEMO TENSOR 20(M) and the EVERNEW FPmat125 . Both are lightweight and highly packable. The NEMO TENSOR 20M is compact enough to fit in a large pocket such as a hard shell.

By the way, regarding the vertical size of the pad, if you are going to use it in the cold winter months, it is safer to have it exactly the same size as your height. The cold coming from the lower body can be quite a big deal. On the other hand, in other seasons, even if it is not the same size as your height, you can use spare gear for the lower body and still get by to some extent, which is what I found after comparing them this time. Another major benefit is that it can be made lighter and more compact. It is also a good idea to choose a short size mat with high specifications to keep the price down

Next page: Go to detailed reviews of each item