I have a therm a rest prolite large. It is 25 inches wide for my old body and it is full length. It folds in half and rolls into a very small stuff sack - 13" x 4.5" inches and it is quite light. It is one inch thick. I use it for all seasons and weather except the dead of winter. I have used it a lot in the Maine northwoods in the shoulder seasons and in summer. Also used it in Canada on the shield and in the far north on the tundra as well. It has never failed me except one time when we were pinned down over night in an emergency campsite in cold terrible weather on Chesuncook Lake one time and stupidly we were making dinner in the tent (something I never do) and my partner sliced it with a knife. That was an uncomfortable night. I repaired it and it has been fine since. Yes, it has kept me warm and comfortable all over Canada, including on the tundra, including on rocky ground, etc. Guess god was helping me! Highly recommended.
I use Thermarest & Big Agnes I bought two thermarest “Trail Comfort” off eBay for around $40 each. They work great for what I do here in the southeastern US; never been camping in Canada so I can’t speak to that. I also have a Big Agnes mat, I think it advertises R5 insulation. It’s not self-inflating, but it’s smaller than the Thermarest – about the size of a 1-liter Nalgene bottle.
Never used any of the others that have been mentioned, therefore I’m not suggesting that these are better…
Another thing I like about therm a rest pads is the ability to quickly and easily convert them into a chair for camp when the chores are done. Perhaps other pads do this as well - I don’t know.
I second the Exped I second the Exped. It’s fairly light, has high R value and is comfortable. Although it’s not easy to fork over the cash, buying quality gear can make a huge difference in your experience.
ThermaRest gets my vote ! I have had the same ThermaRest mattress for 25+ years, still works great ! Light weight, easy to clean, and rolling them up is good exercise to keep you from getting carpal tunnel syndrome…really !!
Get a thick 'un After a long day of portaging and paddling, a crappy night’s sleep is the last thing you need to enjoy yourself. I’ve had thermorests for a long time, but I now use the thicker variety. It is worlds better on rocky, uneven ground. My bones used to be more rubbery, and I slept like a hound on rocks. These days, I like the exta cushion, and the weight is minimal. I’d spend more on a pad and a little less on other things if it was a choice.
No need to spend alot I see a lot of suggestions on here for some rather pricey items.
I used to be a paratrooper, Infantry, in Alaska with the 6th ID. We were issued standard, Army issue, closed cell sleeping pads. You can get them at most surplus stores. I know the “gear snobs” are going to get greatly offended by this but, I have litterally used these things, on a mountain top, in Alaska, during the works blizzard ever recorded in North America. My feet were freezing but my butt was warm. I still carry and use my original issue mat today.
I am sure there are a lot of EXPENSIVE options out there that you can spend tons of money on. Why? These things work just fine. They insulate you from the ground, provide padding and keep you somewhat dry. The last time I looked, you could get them for less than $20.
Like the old Army saying goes, “If it is stupid and it works, it ain’t stupid.”
LIke many I used closed cell foam pads for years and years. The reasons I switched to a therm a rest pad are these - I’m old and my hips hurt when I sleep on a foam pad, I’m old and I like having a chair on trips and a therm a rest doubles as a chair, I’m old and I’m lucky enough to have few spare dollars now and then to spend on comfort. But I agree, a closed cell foam pad works just fine. We do tend to get sucked in by the marketing folks don’t we? Keeps the unsustainable western economy cooking along.
Sleep IS important I used a closed cell foam pad. It insulated me from the ground chill/ But then I turned 30 and my hips got sore from the hard ground below.
So I got an early Thermarest. It was warm and comfey. But then I turned 40 and my hips and shoulders got sore from the hard ground below. Eo I got a thicker Thermarest. It as warm and comfey.
But then I turned 50 and my hips and shoulders got sore from the hard ground and my back got sore on the portage trail. So I got an Exped Synmatt 7 UL. It is warm, comfey, and light.
SynMat UL 9 - they got one for you ! More insulated than the popular SynMat UL 7, the Exped SynMat UL 9 Sleeping Pad provides greater warmth for year-round adventures, yet it still packs down small to fit in your backpack.
REI has them now! These look great. I got to get me one and try it out.
Say what Kayakmedic??? I used a Thermarest Camp Rest for years in Canada. 2" of padding and I usually slept better than @ home. And, I was usually sleeping on rock. Even @ 25" x 6" rolled, I had no problem packing or portaging. I mean c'mon... a canoe has plenty of room, why suffer with a small pad?
+1 on th Exped I second, third, and fourth the recommendation for the Exped. My wife bought me an exped 9 down mattress. I would have never spent $200 on an air mattress for myself, but now that she bought it for me, I don’t know how or why I lived without it.
It provides an excellent warmth barrier from the cold ground. It is more comfortable than my bed at home. It packs small and lite.
+1. on the progression Ha ha ha. Ya I followed the same pattern. In my teens, bare ground. In my twenties, closed cell foam. In my thirties, Thermarest. in my forties, air mattress. In my fifties, Expo down mattress. According to my friends, most of them switch to Motels in their sixties.