Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad: first impressions 

A while back, we asked Therm-a-Rest for its recommendations on the best pads for different types of camping, and when it came to one for car camping, they suggested we try out the new NeoLoft. We took them up on the offer and can't remember having a better night's sleep in the wild.

Pioneers of the closed-cell sleeping pad, Therm-a-Rest has always excelled at designing pads that deliver excellent weight-to-warmth ratio but not necessarily a whole lot of loft. Well, all that comes to an end with the NeoLoft, which has a giant 4.6in stack to keep you well off the ground.

Its rectangular shape means it’s a dream for side sleepers, and the vertical sidewalls increase the available real estate. The surface is made of a plush stretch knit fabric that’s far softer to the touch than most pads you’re probably used to. The underside is reinforced to protect it against rocks under your tent or any debris that might have found its way into your tent.

For all that, you’re probably assuming it’s huge and heavy, but amazingly, this cushy mattress is actually quite technical. For starters, with a 4.7 R-value, you could use this in three seasons and most conditions you're likely to want to camp with.

It's not ultralight, but at 2lb (910g), it’s not a whole lot heavier than the Therm-a-Rest Prolite Apex, and it packs down to a respectable 5.7 x 9.5 inches – so you could actually fit it in a backpack if you didn't mind a little extra weight. It’s got the TwinLock Valve system for inflation and deflation, which in layman's terms means you can blow it up without losing air between breaths (though it comes with an inflation sack, which does make life easier) and an Out valve for very fast deflation.

Of course, there is a catch, and that’s that it’s one of the brand’s pricier options, owing to its supreme comfort and versatility.

Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad: in the field 

I'm no stranger to uncomfortable, cold nights in the wild and have even spent a week in winter conditions in Yosemite Valley with only a foam pad between me and the ground without quitting. That said, I'm certainly not averse to comfort or a good night's sleep, and I'm a longtime fan of Therm-a-Rest, so I was excited to hear about its new, thick air mattress.

I've taken this car camping and on a one-night backpacking trip this summer to test out if it's as comfortable as they say.

Here’s how it performed:

Weight and packability

I own a couple of pretty light and very packable pads, and this one isn't exactly in the exact same ballpark, but it's definitely light and packable enough for backpackers on a short trip once it's inside its stuff sack.

At 2lb, it's about the same as chucking a couple of cans of soup in your backpack, which isn't nothing, but it's less than twice the weight of my lightest pad, and it packs down to a decent size that I can fit in my Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor pack along with my sleeping bag and tent without running out of room.

Size and comfort

Compared to my other pads, which are all mummy shape, this rectangular pad has acres of space for sprawling out. This, Therm-a-Rest explains, is all down to the vertical sidewalls, which it says eliminate the tapering edges of non-3D pads and increase the sleep surface by 20 percent. Whatever it is, I feel like I have tons of room on the regular-sized pad to sleep in any position, including starfish.

As for comfort, let me just say this is the comfiest pad I've ever slept on. I like it fully inflated for a nice, firm sleep surface, and it's super stable like that. It almost feels like a real mattress, and the fabric is really soft if my face ends up touching it.

Warmth and noisiness

I've been testing this pad in warmer (or at least mild-to-cool) conditions, and the fabric combined with the ridges allows for some air flow, which is welcome. That also means I haven't had the opportunity to put it through its paces once the temperatures drop, but I'm experienced enough with Therm-a-Rest pads to trust its R-value rating and will update this review if I'm wrong about that.

No one likes a crinkly mattress, not least your neighbor if you camp with a partner, but this one is about as quiet as a camping mat can be, totally devoid of squeaking, rustling or any other annoying noises in the night.

Ease of use and value

This pad has two valves: one marked In for inflation and another marked Out for deflation. I started out trying to inflate this one by mouth just to see how long it would take. With it being such a high volume pad, I expected it to take a bit longer than usual, and when I got to 50 breaths, I was feeling a bit lightheaded so I switched over to the inflation sack.

This is essentially just a nylon sack with a valve that inserts into the In valve, and an opening at the other end. You simply 'catch' air in it, then start rolling it up, and it squeezes the air into the sack. It's really easy and a great option for anyone with asthma.

Anyway, when this didn't work, I realized it was because the Out valve had somehow come open, so perhaps I could have done the whole thing by mouth, but once I realized how easy the inflation sack makes things, I've just stuck with that. Long story short, expect a couple of minutes to get this inflated. When it's time to pack up camp, you can just pull the Out valve and all the air comes out in a split second.

As for value, like a lot of really high-end outdoor gear, it all depends on, well, what you value. If you want a good night's sleep above all else, you're not going to find a better pad than this, and perhaps won't mind the high price. If you can compromise a bit on sleep, you'll find cheaper mats out there that aren't quite as thick but get the job done.

Also consider

Comparison table

• How Advnture tests products

Keen to get outdoors and enjoy a few cozy nights in the wilderness before the winter weather kicks in? You might need a new tent, and now is the perfect time to get one, as we've found a great deal on this model from Coleman.

Right now, you can get your hands on the trail-ready Coleman Peak1 2-person backpacking tent for just $191.99 at Backcountry, a whopping 40% off its list price.

With a packed weight of 6lb 1oz, this tent may not be the lighted - we'd recommend splitting it between two trekkers, but it's a great intro to wild camping and is designed to offer protection from strong winds and heavy rain, thanks to Coleman's Weathertec Plus system. It's kept up by 7000 series aluminium poles, capable of withstanding winds up to 45mph (72kmph), and features a 2,000mm hydrostatic head rainfly.

Once you've set up camp for the night, you can lie back and watch the stars, thanks to this tent's Star View window, which unzips from the inside.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Coleman tent deals where you are.

• The best camping tents: for superb backcountry adventures
• The best 4-person tents: spacious tents for camping with friends and family

Big Agnes Torchlight EXP 0°: first impressions 

Sleeping bags can be warm and technical, and they can be roomy, but they're not often both at the same time, so imagine our surprise when this bag came along touting both characteristics.

The Torchlight EXP 0° from Colorado brand Big Agnes boasts a patented expandable side panel design. This basically means that, in addition to the regular zip along the side that opens your bag up, there's a second, parallel zip, which adds up to 10in (25cm) of space for sleeping on your side or on your back with knees bent.

What's more, this space can be opened up wherever you want it, around your shoulders, hips, knees, feet or along your whole body.

Fully insulated with 650 Fill Downtek PFC-Free water-repellent down, this bag holds up against frigid temperatures, and has a cozy hood to seal out drafts. The shell fabric is silky, soft, and not noisy.

If you're using it with a sleeping pad, the integrated PadLok Sleep System attaches to your pad so you don't roll off. The Pillow Barn allows for natural head movement while keeping your pillow securely in place, and the cozy hood is just like the one on your favorite down jacket.

Though it comes with a carry sack, you need to buy the stuff sack separately, and we recommend that you do, because it's a bit bulkier than your average sleeping bag and, while not the heaviest we've tested, it's definitely not ultralight. It's feasible that you'd take this on a short backpacking trip, but where we think it truly excels is for longer, cold expeditions where you're transporting your gear in a duffel.

Big Agnes Torchlight EXP 0° sleeping bag: in the field 

For the past couple of years, I've eschewed restrictive sleeping bags and favored my Sea to Summit camping quilt, but for the trek to Everest Base Camp, I knew I'd need something really warm. Though we'd be sleeping in teahouses, those teahouses aren't heated, and at elevations of 16,942ft (5,164m), I was warned it could get well below freezing at night.

I also knew my gear would be carried by porters, so while I had a strict weight limit of 15kg to fly to Lukla, I wasn't quite as conservative as I usually am.

I slept with this bag for 11 nights on my trek to and from Base Camp, and have taken it on one ensuing car camping trip in Scotland this summer.

Here’s how it performed:

Comfort and design

This sleeping bag is easily one of the softest and coziest I've ever enjoyed, at least on par with the zipless Sierra Designs Night Cap. The shell fabric is super soft, and the down filling feels quite sumptuous. Even though the beds I was sleeping on during my trek in Nepal came with bedding, including a comforter, the cleanliness wasn't always pristine, and I was quite happy to just throw this over the top and sleep inside it every night.

Of course, the main reason it's so comfortable comes down to its innovative design, which allows it to be expandable, and I used this feature every night. It gives so much extra space that I was able to sleep inside it on my back with my legs crossed in a basket, which I understand is unusual, but hey, it works for me.

I'm a bit of a sprawler, and without the usual restrictions, I got better sleep and never ended up with achey hips like I sometimes get from lying like I'm inside a coffin.

Warmth and breathability

On the trek to Base Camp, I tested these measurables out in some pretty cold conditions, even though I was indoors and not on the ground. With just thin wooden walls, by early evening my room would be too cold to relax in, so I'd usually get inside my bag to recover from my hike before dinner, then get right back in it for bedtime.

Exactly why Big Agnes have called this bag the EXP 0° is something of a mystery, since that number doesn't seem to relate directly to any of the product's temperature ratings, which range from ISO 18°F/-7.8°C for comfort, to 6°F/-14.4°C for limit. It's possible that the bag has an unpublished extreme rating of 0°F/-17.8°C, but we'd never advise using an extreme rating as a guide, since that is a temperature at which you might well survive in a bag, but could be risking hypothermia - you can learn more about sleeping bag temperature ratings here.

However, all that said, the Big Agnes Torchlight EXP 0° sleeping bag is incredibly warm. Even in the challenging conditions described above, I was often able to unzip it a bit, so I wasn't anywhere near the edge of the comfort limit, which I had been a little concerned about.

On the other end of the spectrum, it has proven a bit warm for summer camping here in Scotland, but it does come in 20° and 30° ratings if you want something for milder weather, but like the sound of the expandable design. I'd also add here that it's really quite breathable and I've never suffered a sweaty night in it.

Weight and packability

Though this isn't heavy, like an old flannel sleeping bag, it does have considerably more heft and girth than my camping quilt, and I personally wouldn't bring it on a backpacking trip, no matter how much I love it.

That said, it's not super heavy, and I think with a proper stuff sack, it's an excellent choice for serious alpine expeditions where you're transporting your gear to a base camp. Or car camping, of course.

Also consider

Comparison table

• How Advnture tests products

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe sleep mat: first impressions

I first had the chance to try out the Thermarest Neo-Air Topo Luxe on a chilly March night in the Brecon Beacons. My usual set up often finds me opting for a weighty self-inflating mat due to my fear of ending up on the ground with a dreaded puncture.

This has always fostered a slight paranoia of mats that are as big and inflatable as the Topo Luxe. However, the apparent robustness of the Topo Luxe has left me feeling it is possible to have bed-like comfort in an inflating mat without sacrificing lightness, packability and durability.

Upon inflation the Topo Luxe immediately looked like a comfortable mat. The horizontal baffles and rectangular shape give an immediate impression of something more akin to a standard air mattress than a conventional hiking mat, and if you're looking to shave grams, do bear in mind it does not have a mummy-shape option.

The mat has a smooth finish with a contour pattern that errs on the slippery side, so in a sleeping bag you may find yourself sliding off. When weight is less important (yes, I have used this mat at festivals) I have gotten around this by adding a cotton top sheet. But if you're thru hiking with this mat and don't want the extra load just be prepared for a bit of erm, mobility in the night, especially if you're sleeping on a slope.

There's no doubting the comfort though, thanks to the plush 3.9in (10cm) thickness and generous size. Just make sure you check the length works if you're planning on sleeping on it in a backpacking tent. The Large and XL versions are both 77in (196cm) long, which left it touching the top and bottom ends of my backpacking tent. The Regular and Regular Wide options are 72in (183cm) long, and we think this is a much more manageable length for one or 2-person tents.

The mat has a simple twin lock valve set up - one for inflation and one for deflation. The large deflation valve works excellently at expelling the full mat of air for pack down, and can allow for releasing small amounts if you need to tweak the firmness in the middle of the night. Similarly, the inflation valve is one way and easily placed by the head to allow for top ups if needed. I did find the twisting of the inflate valve a little tricky with thicker gloves on, but not to an unusual extent.

There is a pump sack included within the bag for the mat. However, it took me over seven minutes to inflate with the sack versus two minutes by mouth. Having recently watched someone else blow up a similar mat with a pump sack in seconds, it's clear there is a knack to it that I have yet to master, but overall I found the process fiddly compared to just blowing straight into the valve or using a mini-pump.

It is worth learning how to do it properly though, as using the pump sack is designed to prevent moisture going into the mat, and in the long term moisture can cause mould. So if you’re serious about the longevity of your purchase, then it’s worth taking the extra time to use it.

The completely open valve means it deflates for pack down in seconds.

Warmth

This mat boasts an R value of 3.7, which is impressive given its thickness and amount of air used to inflate it. The first time I used it I could have benefitted from a slightly higher R rating as it was the start of spring, and it was a cold night. However, despite being set up on an exposed ridge, the thickness of the mat combined with the relatively high R value kept me warm and somewhat protected from the gusts of wind that were ripping under my porch and into the inner tent.

The flip side of the mat being this thick was with my tent being rather low profile, I did spend a lot of the night with my head claustrophobically close to the top of the inner sheet, something to consider if you are working with a smaller set-up.

Returning to use this mat later in the season, I had no issues with the insulation at all and I really appreciated the home-like comfort. Using a bigger tent also meant the claustrophobia was no longer an issue - if you’re using a coffin style tent you may find it’s just too much of a tight fit due to its height and the length of the two larger sizes.

Weight and packability

The mat has a total pack weight of 2lb 1oz (947g), or 1lb 13oz (850g) if you are stowing it away without the pump sack, repair kit etc.

For a mat of this thermal rating, surface area and pack size it has no right weighing this little, especially given this was the Large size. I was able to pack and roll this down to roughly around the size of a litre water bottle and my only gripe is that the included carry sack is much larger than the size of the rolled mat and could benefit with some form of compression system to make for easier bag storage.

Size and comfort

The Topo Luxe is a rectangular mat, and I am more used to mummy shape mats. Thanks to its generous size, I found the size Large to be palatial in comparison to what I would usually use (I’m 6ft 2in / 186cm tall).

Given the generous size I was able to position myself comfortably throughout the night and this was a positive given that the top side is fairly slippery. My camp spot was not entirely on flat ground but I found that with the increased surface area there was much less chance of ending up with limbs sliding off.

However, if you opt for a smaller size you may find this to be more of an issue.

• How Advnture tests products

Big Agnes Rapide SL Pillow: first impressions 

Inflatable camping pillows have a bit of a bad reputation for being, well, useless, but this game-changing cushion from Colorado's Big Agnes is here to help rewrite that unfortunate narrative.

It arrives packed away in a stuff sack and is so small you can easily pop it in a pocket or clip it to your backpack. Made using a soft, four-way stretch nylon (that's puncture and tear-resistant), this pillow inflates with just a couple of puffs to become a decent-seized support system that's not as big as your pillow at home, but still gives your head plenty of wiggle room. You can adjust it to make it softer or firmer depending on your needs.

It's designed with ergonomic thickness and shape for a comfortable sleep position, whether you're on your side or back, and it stays nice and stable while you sleep, thanks to what the brand calls a 'minimalist offset I-Beam construction'. Basically, it's quiet, soft and stable.

And if that's not all you need from a camping pillow, it has advanced heat reflective technology so it helps keep you warm and cozy after the temperatures drop, and an
antimicrobial treatment inside the pillow prevents micro-organism growth to keep your pillow fresh and stink-free.

When it's time to pack up and move on, this pillow easily deflates and rolls away. It's on the higher end of pricing for pillows we've tested, but easily worth every penny and turns a camping pillow from nice-to-have to must-have for backpackers who hate waking up with sore necks.

Big Agnes Rapide SL Pillow: in the field 

I've been using my old Klymit Cush pillow for camping for at least 15 years and I love it for its light weight packability, but I often have to fold it up to get the correct thickness, and it struggles to fully deflate these days, so when I heard that Big Agnes was breaking into the UK market, I was excited to try some of their ultralight gear on my adventures.

I actually got this pillow to use on my trek to Everest Base Camp, which turned out to be unnecessary as the pillows along the route were all sufficient, but I've spent the summer using it along with the Big Agnes Rapide SL Sleeping Pad on all my camping trips.

Here’s how it performed:

Weight and packability

When you can roll up a fleece jacket and stick it in the stuff sack of your sleeping bag to rest your head on, it's easy to rule out hauling the extra bulk and weight of a camping pillow, but this model eliminates any debate for me. I often like to give a comparison to help understand how much an item I'm reviewing weighs, but at just 50 grams with the stuff sack, it literally feels like nothing in my hand. Even if I were trying to fastpack my way along the Appalachian Trail, I wouldn't think twice about bringing it.

It packs down into a little stuff sack and fits in the palm of my hand, and it's squashable, so it's easy to fit inside any pocket or even my camping mug. If you really don't have room inside your pack, clip it to the outside via the loop on the stuff sack.

Size, comfort and noisiness

The problem, if there was one, with my old pillow is that it's designed to be versatile, so it's quite long and thin and can be used as a seat or doubled up for a pillow. It's a great design, but it made me think there was no way an inflatable pillow could feel like a regular one, and it turns out that's not true.

This inflates to about two-thirds the width of my pillow at home, which is a decent amount of real estate and means if I'm on my back and want to roll onto my side, I don't have to adjust my pillow.

I like it inflated all the way and find the thickness just right for my neck, even on my side, and it's soft against my skin and nice and stable and supportive.

The soft fabric means it's not crinkly or rustly which also helps me get a better night's sleep.

Ease of use and value

Some valves are really fiddly, but this is super easy to inflate and deflate. I'm not sure if this is what I'm supposed to be doing, but basically, I use one finger to press the middle of the valve then put my mouth over it to blow air in. It takes me precisely two big breaths to inflate it, and all the air doesn't come rushing back out when it's time to close the valve.

My old pillow has an annoying habit of holding onto a little air, and fortunately, this one doesn't share that trait. When I want to pack it away, I just press the center of the valve again while I squeeze the air out, and before I know it it's packed away and I'm back on the trail.

It's not the priciest pillow on the market, but at $50 I can see why lots of backpackers would want to give it a miss. I've always prided myself on a more minimalist approach, but now I know how comfortable this pillow is, I'd happily pay the price and won't go camping again without it.

Also consider

Comparison table

• How Advnture tests products

The end of summer is sadly in our sights, but if you have no intention of letting the weather get in the way of your camping plans, you're going to need a warmer sleeping pad.

Right now, you can pick up the top-rated Nemo Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad for just $149.89 at REI. That's a rare savings of 25% off this sleeping pad, which REI customers give a perfect 5 stars.

This deal is part of REI's massive Labor Day sale going on through September 1 with up to 30% off some of the best hiking and camping equipment.

The Tensor All-Season Ultralight has an impressive R-value of 5.4 and features the brand's proprietary Spaceframe baffle design, which utilizes low-stretch fabric trusses to create stable support and offer just the right amount of give for a great night's sleep.

This deal apples to both the regular and regular mummy sizing, while you can also makes savings on the wide and long versions if you want a bit more real estate.

If you're not in the US, scroll to the bottom of this article for the best Nemo Tensor sleeping pad deals where you live.

The regular mummy sizing weighs just 14oz but inflates to give you 3.5in of loft and keep you well off rough ground. The included Vortex pump sack provides easy and fast inflation, saves your breath at elevation and minimizes moisture entering the pad.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Nemo Tensor sleeping pad deals where you are.

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips
• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

Side sleeping is the most common sleeping position for adults. Research shows that around 54% of us roll onto our sides when we want to get some kip, whether that's in a comfy bed at home or inside a toasty sleeping bag in the wilderness.

With so many people sleeping on their sides, it's a surprise that there aren't more sleeping bags like this one. The Big Agnes Sidewinder Camp 35 features a cocoon-style fit that hugs the contours of your body when you roll onto your side, and it's now available for just $100.73 in men's sizes and $118.73 in women's sizes at REI.

The side-sleeping design aims to increase comfort and keep insulation close to your body to stop irritating air pockets. Everything down to the thermally efficient footbox mimics the shape you make lying on your side.

Along with its unique design, the Sidewinder Camp 35 was built to be a reliable and insulating model that can keep you warm in temperatures down to 35°F (-2°C). It's made from dependable ripstop nylon and features a PFC-free water repellent finish to protect against the elements. It's filled with toasty FireLine Eco 100% post-consumer recycled polyester and stops heat from escaping with a no-draft anti-snag locking zipper.

If you're after something a little warmer, the Sidewinder Camp 20 model is rated down to 20°F (-7°C), and is also available in men's and women's sizes at REI.

Don't worry if you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best Big Agnes sleeping bag deals where you are.

• The best sleeping bags: camp in comfort
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

After months of anticipation, Amazon Prime Day is here and in full swing, offering great deals on all sorts of outdoor gear on Amazon. There are plenty of bargains to choose from, including big reductions on well-rated Garmin sports watches, trail running shoes, and more, but funnily enough, many of the best camping deals aren't on Amazon at all.

Several big-name outdoor retailers have also cut their prices in a bid to keep up with Amazon's Prime Day madness. As a result, there are loads of great outdoor deals to choose from at other retailers like REI, Backcountry and Dick's Sporting Goods.

To save you time and money, we've scrolled through all the major sales to find the top five camping deals currently available.

Among our picks, you'll find insulating sleeping bags like the Kelty Cosmic 20 and Patagonia Fitz Roy Down, which are both over $100 off. There are also great backpacking tent deals to take advantage of, including the waterproof Tadpole SL tent from The North Face, which can be stuffed into a small portable bag and is now available for just $300 at Dick's Sporting Goods.

Read on for our full list and a roundup of today's best tent, sleeping bag, and camping stove deals from across the web.

Our favorite camping deals

More epic deals

Stick with Advnture for handpicked deals from the Amazon Prime Day sale, which runs until July 11.

• The best camping tents: for superb backcountry adventures
• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp

Why put off till tomorrow what you can do today? Amazon Prime Day kicks off on July 8, but REI has decided to get on the action early with a massive July 4 sale and we've found super savings on camping sleep gear from top brands Therm-a-Rest and Kelty.

This sale runs through July 7, and among the thousands of items that the outdoor retailer has slashed prices on, you can save big bucks on top-quality camping gear like sleeping pads and bags from Therm-a-Rest and Kelty.

Therm-a-Rest is best known for being the innovator of the inflatable, open-cell foam mats that have revolutionized backpacking and camping, and we've found 40% off its classic Trail Pro Sleeping Pad as well as deals on cozy sleeping bags.

Colorado-based Kelty started out life as the pioneer of the external frame backpack and has been making trustworthy camping gear for over a century. Right now, you can grab the award-winning Kelty Cosmic 20 sleeping bag for up to 29% off.

We've outlined our favorite deals from Therm-a-Rest and Kelty below, and you can shop the entire sale here. Remember, the sale ends on July 7, so don't delay.

If you're not in the US, scroll to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on Therm-a-Rest and Kelty sleeping gear.

Therm-a-Rest deals

Kelty deals

Not in the US?

Still hunting for great deals? Look below for more of today's best deals on Therm-a-Rest and Kelty sleeping gear.

• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips

Amazon just announced the dates for this summer's Prime Day, but we've found some amazing deals on camping gear that you won't want to wait on.

Right now, you can pick up the lightweight Therm-a-Rest Prolite Plus Sleeping Pad for only $81.22 at Amazon. That's a massive savings of 35% off the regular asking price for this sleeping pad, which has an average 4.5-star rating from campers who have enjoyed a good night's sleep with it.

"The compact design is perfect," writes one reviewer.

"Plus, its amazingly light weight. I really enjoy how this sleeping pad provides with cushioning and helps keep me warm,"

With a 3.2 R-value, this pad provides ample protection for spring, summer and fall. It inflates to 1.5 inches thick to keep you comfortable without weighing you down, adding just 1lb to your backpack.

This deal applies to the regular sizing but if you're looking for a larger pad, you can save a healthy $50 and grab it for just $94.22.

If you're outside of the US, scroll to the bottom of this article to find the best deals on Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads near you.

Equipped with a dependable and rugged WingLock valve, the pad inflates three times faster than a standard valve and features lightning-fast deflation and packs down to just 11 x 6.8in for easy portability.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best deals on Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads where you are:

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips
• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

You can flick through the glossy pages of luxury travel brochures from the best holiday companies but we bet you'll never find an image of a room with as good a view as the one above.

This summer, Swiss outdoor brand Mammut is calling on photographers and nature lovers around the world to capture their unique view of the outdoors, and to submit it for a chance to win incredible photography and outdoor-gear prizes. First prize alone is worth over $13,500 (€12,000).

We reckon Advnture.com subscribers, with your love for scaling summits and vertiginous adventures, are in with a great chance of scooping outdoor goodies. However, this contest isn’t just for peak-baggers. It’s about storytelling, connection, and emotion – and Mammut is encouraging everyone to enter.

Whether you like to take great photographs on your smartphone or have learnt to photograph the outdoors like a pro, enter your snaps online.

How to enter

The contest is open to people of all experience levels. Mammut is looking for photos that showcase stunning places, moving encounters and the magic of being outdoors.

The categories are:

• Book a Room with a View – landscapes and base camps
• Don’t Miss the Sights – favorite locations
• Chill with the Locals – unforgettable encounters with people or animals
• Avoid Tourist Traps – hidden natural gems
• Dine Under the Open Sky – culinary outdoor moments
• Check-In Early – exclusive Instagram category

The overall winner will receive: premium SL2-S Kit with Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70 from the German camera manufacturer Leica; two Swiss air tickets and two one-day Swiss travel passes for unlimited travel within Switzerland. The overall winner will also receive the same prizes awarded to the category winners.

Each of the six category winners will receive Mammut summer gear, including the Comfort Fiber Sleeping Bag -5C, Ducan Guide Hardshell Hooded Jacket, Mountain Tough Pants, Ducan Spine 28-35 backpack, Core T-shirt, Aenergy Light Cap, Smart Wallet Ultralight, First Aid Kit Pro, pocket knife.

Additionally, the category winners will receive a one-day guided mountain experience with two nights’ accommodation in Zermatt, Switzerland (excluding travel and food costs, valid until December 13, 2026), and a one-year membership in the Mammut Collective Pro Deal Program.

The remaining 24 finalists will each receive a Mammut ultimate summer kit, including a Ducan Spine 28-35 backpack, Core T-shirt, Aenergy Light Cap, Smart Wallet Ultralight, First Aid Kid, Pocket Knife, as well as a one-year membership in the Mammut Collective Pro Deal Program.

Visit the Mammut website for more information and to share your best shots.

Take part in the global treasure hunt

As well as the photo contest, Mammut is organizing Finders/Keepers – a global treasure hunt to kick off the contest.

Along with international outdoor stars – including Adam Ondra, Jérémie Heitz, Brendan Carberry, Lena Drapella, and Katie Burrell – Mammut is hiding more than $67,500 (€60,000) worth of outdoor gear and Leica cameras at secret spots around the globe.

Anyone can take part: if you find a hidden box, you get to keep the gear – and use it for your photo contest entry. Clues will be posted on Mammut’s social media channels.

• The best hiking shoes: capable summit-baggers and fast-paced walkers
• The best gilets 2025: stay cozy to the core on all your backcountry adventures

When I trekked to Everest Base Camp, I was warned that temperatures plummet at night and the teahouses where we'd be sleeping aren't heated, so I armed myself with an awesome sleeping bag that wasn't just warm but let me sleep in different positions since I'd be spending 11 nights in it.

I took the Big Agnes Torchlight EXP 0 Sleeping Bag, which you can grab for just $337.46 right now in Backcountry's summer sale if you're in the market for a really good bag.

Designed and tested in the mountains of Colorado, this Big Agnes bag has a comfort rating of 0F (-18C) and is made with hydrophobic down, so it continues to keep you cozy in damp conditions.

But the most exciting part is that it features Big Agnes' patent-pending design that includes an extra zip so it can be expanded for side sleepers, and that made the difference between a good night's sleep and a night of tossing and turning for me, even when we reached almost 17,000ft.

This deal applies to the brilliant Tangelo/Chinois Green colorway in all sizes and the sale ends on July 6, unless sizes run out first, so I recommend you don't delay.

Not in the US? Read on to find the best deals on the Big Agnes Torchlight EXP 0 Sleeping Bag near you.

This isn't the lightest or most packable bag I own, but with a compression sack you can bring it along on backpacking trips and it's great for car camping. It's fully insulated top and bottom using baffled construction and a comfortable jacket-style hood opening contours to the shape of your face for a snug fit, plus it has straps to attach it to your sleeping pad so you don't roll off in the night.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best deals on the Big Agnes Torchlight EXP 0 Sleeping Bag where you are.

• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

How much fun you have while backpacking or thru-hiking all depends on how much quality rest you're getting at night to recover, and that's why a great sleep system is a must-have for anyone who's heading outdoors on foot.

For backpackers, a sleep system – that's your sleeping bag, pad and pillow – needs to be lightweight and packable of course, but it also needs to provide comfort. That means you need to be warm enough (but not too warm), have plenty of space between you and the ground, and room to sleep in different positions.

REI is holding a massive sale on camping gear and we've put together an awesome sleep system for you that checks all those boxes. The Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Sleeping Pad is down to just $153.73. That's a hefty 29% off this 4in thich pad that we called "the most comfortable camping mat we’ve ever slept on".

Pair that with the Big Agnes Torchlight UL 20 Sleeping Bag, which is going for only $314.73, down 30% from its usual price, and you'll be off to the land of nod in no time. This sleeping bag was the first from the Colorado brand to feature expandable sides for when you want more room to sleep on your side or with your knees bent.

Finally, for a little added luxury, you can scoop up the hugely popular Rumpl Stuffable Pillow Case for just $29.93. A pillow might seem unecessary when you're traveling light, but this one is design to be stuffed with your fleece or other soft gear, making it ultra packable.

That's a total savings of $212 off this complete sleep system, which adds less than 4lbs to your pack weight.

If these items aren't quite right for you, you can browse the whole sleep system sale here.

• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

Zenbivy Light Bed: first impressions

Last year, I was super lucky to get to give Zenbivy’s Ultralight Bed a whirl. And – up until recently – it provided an instant, easy answer to the commonly-asked question of which sleep system I like best. Ultralight, warm and ingeniously innovative, I found that it finally gave me a restful night’s sleep in the backcountry. And while I appreciate it’s not for everyone, I truly found that I slept a whole lot better in the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed than in any other sleep system I’d used before. Until now. You see, new and improved for 2025, Zenbivy has kicked comfort into a whole new universe with its relaunched Light Bed line – their ‘mid-range’ backcountry bed offering that strikes a near-perfect balance between weight and comfort.

Hailing from Spokane, Washington, Zenbivy are one of the new guys in backpacking town, leading the charge on how to sleep better outside. Much like Durston, Zpacks and the UK’s Atom Packs, Zenbivy have taken something that has long been left unchanged and flipped it on its head. And just like Durston are doing with tents and Atom Packs are doing with backpacks, Zenbivy are proving that the old ways aren’t necessarily the best – and that there are better ways to sleep outside than in a bag.

To find out more about the brand, I was also lucky enough to catch with Zenbivy’s founder, Michael Glavin, for a chat about backpacking, gear and all things Zenbivy last year. And when asked which product he would reach for in the event of a zombie apocalypse, he said without any hesitation that his sleep system of choice would be the Zenbivy Light Bed due to its ability to just “do it all”. Which, as far as endorsements go, is a pretty strong statement. So, is Michael right?

Zenbivy Light Bed: in the wild

When I talk about the Zenbivy Light Bed, it’s worth taking a step back first and unpacking precisely what that means. You see, unlike a sleeping bag, the Zenbivy Light Bed isn’t one standalone product. The Light Bed actually comprises several different components, like a modular sleep system that you can chop and change. You’ve got the Light Quilt, a luxuriously soft, light and delightfully packable down quilt that sits on top of the bed. Then you’ve got the sheet, which – just like on your bed at home – encases your sleeping pad and comes with risers along each side which clip to the quilt, as well as a headboard-like hood that works in a similar way to a sleeping bag hood. Finally, you’ve got the mattress, which in my case was the Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress, which (to my delight) now comes in a rectangular build, providing a final garnish of comfort over what’s already a smorgasbord of cosiness.

Fully modular, all of these products can be swapped out with different Zenbivy lines or, in the case of the sleeping pad, exchanged for a product you already have. The beauty of the Zenbivy system is in the sheet and the quilt after all, which clip together and to your pad to form a tight and cosy sleeping space, almost as if you were tucked into bed by Mother Nature herself.

Zenbivy Light Bed: components

Zenbivy Light Quilt

Before we jump in and talk about how the system works as one unified backcountry bed, then, let’s take a look at the individual components, especially considering that each item must be bought separately, starting with the Light Quilt. In my case, I tested the 25°F (-4°C) convertible version in regular. And in a nutshell, it’s excellent. Costing $299 on its own, it comes with a luxuriously soft 25D Pongee lining, 12 oz/343 grams of high-quality 800FP water-resistant and RDS-certified 90/10 duck down, and weighs an incredible 24oz/680 grams. When you compare this with similarly warm sleeping bags, the Light Quilt Convertible comes out lighter almost every time, with even something like the $400 Rab Neutrino Pro 300 down sleeping bag weighing 1.7oz/48 grams more at 25.7oz/728 grams.

For added utility, the ‘convertible’ version of the Light Quilt can also be completely unclipped and spread open wide like a regular duvet. To me, this gave it the added utility of being able to wear it like a poncho on chilly evenings and to use it as a comforter when car camping. And even though I haven’t had the chance to use it on proper warm evenings (yet!), I’m confident that sleeping under it in this configuration will allow me to continue to sleep comfortably in temperatures most 25°F(-4°C) sleep systems would have you melting in.

The Light Sheet

Next up in the sleep system was a full version of Zenbivy’s new and improved Light Sheet. Coming with the same super soft 25D Pongee liner you get on the quilt, as well as completely covering the mattress (the sheet I tested as part of the ultralight set up in 2024 only covered half the mattress), this thing delivers a level of comfort that is about as close as you’ll ever get to your bed at home. Once in, you're flanked on both sides by raised baffles that clip to the quilt to keep out drafts and hold everything down tight onto the bed. Then, above your head, a down-filled hood keeps your head warm and allows you to properly nestle in for the night.

As on the Ultralight system, there are also clips inside the hood to attach a compatible Zenbivy pillow that stop it from moving, no matter how much you roll around in the night (though you can stuff anything in here, from a down-jacket-in-a-dry-bag sort of pillow through to a pillow from your bed at home). Attaching the sheet to your mattress is also reassuringly easy after a long day on the trails. You just stretch it over all four corners and tighten up the central clip to keep it all together.

The Flex Air Mattress

As a part of this setup, I was also sent Zenbivy’s updated Flex Air Mattress, which now comes in a rectangular construction. If you already have a sleeping pad, such as a rectangular Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Xtreme or a Big Agnes Zoom UL, then there’s actually no need to shell out for the pad too. However, if you’re looking for a lightweight, warm and very comfortable sleeping pad, the Flex Air from Zenbivy might just be my new go-to recommendation.

Easy to pump up and small enough to carry as a part of a lightweight backpacking rig, it comes with a 4-way flex top that allows for better movement and alignment with the pad, hyper-supportive offset air cells that cradle you as you sleep, an all-season 4.8 R-value, and – unlike lines from Therm-a-Rest or Sea to Summit - is completely quiet when you roll around on it. And even though this is highly subjective and very personal to my own wonky spine, the Flex Air is the only pad I’ve slept on in years that didn’t result in back pain in the morning – which is a huge win for me.

Granted, at $219 the Flex Air doesn’t come cheap, but if you’re on the market for a comfortable pad, the Flex Air is up there with the likes of Therm-a-Rest and Sea to Summit in my opinion, and is not just something that should be seen as a Zenbivy bed add-on. The Flex Air is perfectly capable of standing out on its own – even if Zenbivy might wince at you pairing it with a sleeping bag.

How the Zenbivy Light Bed system performs together

To test the Zenbivy, I got out on a handful of adventures in mid-winter conditions towards the start of this year. As I was testing only 25°F (-4°C) version of the quilt, I waited until temperatures were appropriate to enjoy two camps in some local woodlands, as well as to get out on a more adventurous camp in Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons). And, honestly, I can’t see myself sleeping in anything else again. Which, to be fair, I’m pretty sure I said about the Zenbivy Ultralight Bed barely six months ago.

The first thing I particularly appreciated about this system is just how much sense it makes. Despite the various bits and bobs quickly making your tent look a mess when you get them out of the bag, everything just comes together perfectly after you’ve inflated your pad. The sheet feels tight and steady under your back, and the soft Pongee lining is a huge step up over lying directly onto a polyester or nylon pad.

To attach the quilt, it’s then just a matter of connecting the colour-coded clips to their corresponding partner. Though more laborious than a sleeping bag, this process is complete in a matter of seconds. For max warmth retention, you can do up all of the clips on both sides which tightens everything down. Alternatively, for more breathability, you can open as many as you like. Either way, the Zenbivy Light Bed has got a beautiful way of making you feel free, even when everything is done up tight. Due to not being cocooned in a bag, you’ve got more room to rotate, go from belly to back and roll to your side, all without coming off the pad or losing your pillow off to the side (which, following the Zenbivy philosophy, is way more representative of how you’d sleep at home).

When it comes to warmth, this is very subjective. What’s warm for me might be too cold for you. But I found the Light Bed to do pretty much what it says on the tin. On one night, the temperature dropped to just above freezing (about 37°F (-3°C) , and in some base layers and a thin fleece mid-layer, I felt perfectly cosy in the Zenbivy Light Bed. Would I take it down colder than that? Probably not (that’s when I’d opt for the 10°F (-12°C) Ultralight Quilt I’m also lucky to have on my gear shelf), but I’m a notoriously cold sleeper, the type of guy who sleeps in a 3-4 season sleeping system year-round, even at the height of summer.

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Weight and packability

Despite this system comprising various individual parts, I’m also pleased to note that it’s exceedingly packable. The Air Flex mattress packs down to about the size of a 500 ml Coke bottle and weighs a very respectable 26oz/730 grams in its largest rectangular form (the smallest tapered version comes in almost 7oz/200 grams lighter at 20oz/567 grams). The Light Quilt in regular can be compacted down to a ball about the size of a small football and weighs a delightfully lightweight 24oz/680 grams.

And the sheet? That packs down to the size of a grapefruit and weighs in at a barely noticeable 9oz/250 grams. All to give you a modular sleep system that, together, packs down to about the same size as your average 3-season sleeping bag and weighs a combined 3.5lbs/1.6 kg. To me, that makes the Zenbivy Light Bed system perfectly packable for practically any trip, save perhaps fastpacking overnighters or bikepacking trips when there’s limited space in your panniers.

All in, I absolutely love the Zenbivy Light Bed. It’s light and packable enough that you can take it on almost any adventure, and it delivers industry-leading comfort when you’re out in the great outdoors. After spending around half a dozen nights in it, I now fully agree with Michael: this is the sleep system I’d pick in the event of a zombie apocalypse, too. If nothing else, at least I’d be well-rested.

• How Advnture tests products

Therm-a-Rest are to sleeping pads as Leatherman are to multi-tools. They’re not the only brand that makes really good ones, but they played the biggest role in revolutionizing them.

If you were born in the last couple of decades, you may not know that camping used to be an exercise in extreme suffering. Everything was heavy and never dried once wet. No one could sit up inside a tent and we all slept on hard, closed cell foam mats that look like the ones you see at the gym today for doing your cool down stretches on.

In 1971, that last part started to change. Mountaineer John Burroughs was tired of not getting a good night’s sleep on his expeditions. He worked as an engineer at the Boeing aerospace corporation and along with two friends, Jim Lea and Neil Anderson, who had recently lost their jobs in a series of infamous Boeing layoffs, Burroughs came up with the idea of an open cell foam mat with a valve that could be inflated for sleeping and compressed for packing.

In 1972, after a year of testing, a patent application for the first Therm-a-Rest pad was filed, and Cascade Designs was formed to sell it.

Fast forward five decades and the name Therm-a-Rest has become synonymous with camping pads. These sleeping pads pack down small enough to fit in practically any backpack, but inflate to keep you well off the ground, which delivers both cushion and warmth. If you are planning on sleeping outdoors any time soon, it’s not so much a question of whether you need a Therm-a-Rest (unless you hate being cozy and comfortable) as which one you need.

Today, Therm-a-Rest make dozens of models of sleeping pads in their Reno production facility as well as in Ireland that range in price from under $50 to nearly $300, and it’s important you choose the right one for the type of camping you like doing. We got in touch with the legacy brand and asked for their top recommendations for each of the camping adventures we love. Their answers are below, and you might want to read our article on sleeping pad jargon if you have any questions on the technical details.

Fastpacking: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT

If camping for you is a means to an end while you charge across a wild landscape in a pair of trail running shoes, you need everything on your back – including your sleeping pad – to be as light and compact as possible.

True minimalism requires stripped-down gear, but to move fast, you also need to get enough sleep, and that’s where the Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xlite NXT comes into its own.

The first NeoAir pad was launched in 1985 and these pads reliably deliver warmth and stability. At a featherlight 13oz (369g), this model is Therm-a-Rest’s lightest open cell mattress. Ultralight construction with low-bulk materials means that when you’re on the go, it packs down to about the size of a conventional one-liter water bottle, so it’s super handy for loading up into a smaller running backpack.

That said, it still performs at a level that you’d be happy using it for more relaxed camping adventures. It inflates to three inches which is pretty impressive given the packed size, and with an R-value of 4.5, it’s actually warm enough for cold sleepers and winter camping. It’s also quiet even when you’re tossing and turning.

This mummy-shaped pad is one of the first to feature the brand’s WingLock valve, launched in 2020, which delivers fast one-way inflation, easy micro adjustments during the night and rapid deflation when you’re ready to break camp.

Backpacking Weekends: Therm-a-Rest ProLite Apex

If you’re carrying all of your camping gear in your backpack, but only spending a night or two on the trail at a time, you can probably afford a little extra weight or bulk in return for a little more comfort.

For the more casual backpacker, the ProLite Apex is ideal, and this is the pad I take on short adventures. Though at 1lb 6oz (623g) for the regular size, it’s heavier than the NeoAir XLite NXT, it’s not exactly heavy. It still packs down small enough to fit in your pack along with your sleeping bag, tent and Jetboil, and with two inches of thickness when inflated, you’ll still get a good night’s sleep.

This pad has an R-value of 3.8, so it’s on the warmer end of three-season pads and you’ll get a fair amount of use out of it throughout the year. It’s highly durable, so it should withstand multiple adventures and being packed away in storage, and it’s not as technical as the NeoAir XLite NXT, which makes it quite a bit cheaper.

Thru-hiking: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT MAX

Whether you’re going to be out on the trail for a week or six months, sleeping on the same pad for multiple nights in a row requires just a little extra touch of comfort. But when you’re carrying also carrying a week’s worth of food and extra clothing, you don’t want any unnecessary weight, and real estate inside your pack is limited.

If you read about the XLite NXT and thought the technical specs sounded good but were worried about the size and shape, there’s good news: the MAX version of the Therm-a-Rest Xlite NXT is only three ounces heavier than the original, but gives you much more versatility and comfort when sleeping.

Instead of a tapered mummy shape and minimalist 20 inches of width for your upper body, the rectangular MAX is a generous 25 inches (63.5cm) across from top to bottom. This means that, shy of starfishing, you can sleep in just about any position without waking to find a limb freezing on the cold ground.

Car camping: Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft

Driving directly to your campsite? Who cares about packed size and weight? You can take your plushest sleeping pad and chuck it in the trunk of your car along with your fluffiest sleeping bag, Yeti cooler and BBQ grill if you want to.

Though Therm-a-Rest have always excelled at building mattresses that deliver excellent weight-to-warmth ratio, one of its newest sleeping pads, the NeoLoft, fits the bill when it comes to car camping.

New for 2025, the sturdy NeoLoft has a giant 4.6in stack to keep you well off the ground. Its rectangular shape means it’s a dream for side sleepers and the surface is made of a plush stretch knit fabric that’s far softer to the touch than most pads you’re probably used to.

For all that, you’re probably assuming it’s huge and heavy, but amazingly, this cushy mattress is quite technical. At 1 lb 9 oz (708g), it’s barely heavier than the Prolite Apex for starters, and it packs down to a respectable 5.7 x 9.5 inches – so you could actually fit it in a backpack if you needed to. It’s got the WingLock valve for quick inflation and deflation, and with a 4.7 R-value, you could use this in all seasons.

Of course, there is a catch, and that’s that it’s one of the brand’s pricier options, owing to its supreme comfort and versatility.

Alpine expeditions: Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL

If you’re heading into high altitude zones, you need to think about warmth and you need something rugged. In extreme conditions, a single open cell foam pad may not be enough, no matter how technical. Enter the Z-lite Sol.

If this pad looks a little different from other ones from Therm-a-Rest’s lineup, that’s because it’s a closed-cell pad, but the brand recommends you use this as a base layer for your alpine sleep system. The shiny design is due to the brand’s reflective ThermaCapture coating, which operates like a space blanket to capture radiant heat and increase overall warmth by nearly 15 percent. Place this pad under your inflatable pad, and you’ll have extra protection from the cold and a little extra padding, too.

This 14oz (396g) pad folds up and you can strap it to the outside of your pack so it won’t take up any extra room whatsoever. Because it’s closed cell, it’s virtually indestructible and totally puncture-proof, and it’s easy on the wallet too.

Of course, if you’re tough and just looking for something light for summer backpacking, you could use this 2.0 R-value pad on its own, but we’re not sure John Burroughs would approve of that choice.

Still hunting for the perfect pad? Check out our guide to how to choose a sleeping pad.

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated sleeping pad: first impressions 

Big Agnes has been designing camping gear from its base in Steamboat Springs since 2001. The surrounding Colorado Rockies provide the perfect testing grounds for building high-performing gear, so it's no surprise that this sleeping pad is an absolute winner.

The Big Agnes Rapide SL sleeping pad is the brand's bestselling pad, and the folks there say they've updated it to make it warmer, more packable and more durable. It arrives packed in its stuff sack and, measuring about the same size as a one-liter water bottle, it holds a lot of promise for backpackers. You can easily pop this in your pack along with other gear and never have to worry about running out of space.

When it's time to set up camp, you've got two inflation choices. One is to simply blow into the valve, which we found took about 40 puffs and a little fiddling to make sure we didn't just lose all the air while trying to seal it. Another option is to use the provided Pumphouse High Volume inflation sack, which takes a few minutes but requires no huffing or puffing.

When it's fully inflated, this deep dish of a sleeping pad is 4.25in (11cm) high around the side walls, and 3.5in (9cm) in the middle, which keeps you well off the ground and prevents you from rolling off. In cool weather, its R-value of 4.8 keeps you toasty and we were most impressed by its warmth-to-weight ratio.

We found the Rapide SL to be one of the most comfortable pads we've ever tested, and that includes sleeping in all positions. Its rectangular shape means more real estate for side sleepers.

Deflating it is as easy as opening the valve, squishing and rolling it up and we even managed to get it back in its tiny stuff sack without too much effort. It comes in lots of sizes, and you will of course pay a bit more for the bigger sizes, but if you can fit on a standard-sized mat, it comes at a very reasonable price.

Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated sleeping pad: in the field 

I'm familiar with Big Agnes from my many years of living in a ski town not far from Steamboat Springs, but they've only recently arrived in the UK market. Now I'm back living in Scotland, I'm getting to rediscover their high-performing camping gear all over again.

Recently, I've been testing out this sleeping pad on short overnight backpacking trips in the Trossachs, which is one of my favorite wilderness spots when I need to get out into nature but don't want to travel too far.

Here’s how it performed:

Weight and packability

As someone who does a lot of solo adventuring and doesn't usually have someone to share my load with, I was ecstatic to see how small this pad is when it's packed down (smaller than my water bottle). It's significantly smaller than my Therm-a-Rest, and I had no issues fitting it in my backpack along with my sleeping pad, tent and Jetboil.

It's lightweight, but in terms of sleeping pads we've tested it falls more middle of the range. So for how tiny it is, it isn't as light as, say the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite, but it's not heavy by any means.

Size and comfort

I tested the regular version of this pad, which is a standard 20in x 72in. I'm 5' 4" and reasonably petite, so this size does me fine and the fact that it's a rectangle and not a mummy-shaped pad means I can sleep on my sides with my knees bent and nothing hangs off. Obviously, if you're tall or broad you'll need to order a bigger pad.

As for comfort, I'm just going to come out and say it – this is the most comfortable backpacking pad I've ever slept on. It's more like an air mattress than a backpacking pad, but without the weight and bulk. I'm a good sleeper, but as I age, I notice I'm not sleeping as well at camp as I used to and I'm also a side sleeper, so I tend to get achey hips, especially if I'm out for more than one night. Not with this plush pad.

It's cleverly designed with higher vertical baffles on the side walls that cradle me when I'm sleeping, which creates a really stable platform that doesn't move, and means I don't roll off it. That's nice, because at a chunky four inches at the edges, you'd feel it if you fell off. I stay comfortable in every position I've tried on this pad, and if I'm awake during the night, it's not due to any pain.

Warmth and noisiness

The warmth-to-weight ratio on paper for this pad is pretty impressive. It's only a few grams heavier than the Nemo Tensor and significantly lighter than my Therm-a-Rest ProLite Apex and it's much warmer than either of those pads with an R-value of 4.8. That said, I've been testing it milder spring weather, albeit on the top of a mountain, so I can't say how it truly holds up to the cold. Based on my experiences so far, where I've been very cozy even though I've only had my Sea to Summit camping quilt, I'd happily use it across three seasons.

No one wants a noisy pad and the folks at Big Agnes have definitely worked hard to eliminate any crinkling or rustling in this pad, so I can roll around without disturbing my neighbors, who lets face it are usually the birds.

Ease of use and value

The first time I used this pad, I applied my usual tactic, which is to not look at any instructions and just hope for the best. So I was surprised when I pulled it out to inflate it and found it came with a large white bag that looks a bit like a sturdy trash bag with a valve on one end and the other end open. Bewildered, I set it aside and blew this pad up the old fashioned way.

It took about 40 breaths, and then a little fiddling to not let all the air out as I tried to seal it (turns out the input valve has a halfway setting where you can blow air in but it doesn't release). To let the air out, you just open the valve marked for deflate and then it involves the usual amount of squeezing. To my surprise, it fits back in its tiny stuff sack with only a small amount of wrestling.

When I got home, I did my research and discovered that the white bag is the Pumphouse Inflation Sack. After watching a somewhat-useful video online, I realized that I can attach the valve of the Pumphouse to the valve on the pad, then sort of just gather the ends of the inflation sack together to trap air, and roll it up with my hands to squeeze air into the pad without blowing. This takes about five minutes, and it's a little tedious if you don't need to do it, but it's a genius invention for anyone with asthma or at extreme high altitude.

As for value, the regular size of this pad is reasonable, especially for what seems to be such a technical, comfortable and packable pad. You do pay more if you want more room, but it's still a decent price for an exceptionally comfortable pad. I don't feel that I've had it for long enough to stand up and say that it's super durable, but if it's as tough as they say (and it comes with a puncture repair kit), then you're definitely getting your money's worth.

Also consider

Comparison table

• How Advnture tests products

When it comes to comfortable nights in the wild, few brands are as trusted as Therm-a-Rest and we've spotted a great deal on one of its highly-rated synthetic sleeping bags this spring.

Right now, you can pick up the cozy Therm-a-Rest Saros 32F Sleeping Bag for just $113.89 at Backcountry. That's a massive savings of 40% off the regular asking price for this sleeping bag, which gets nearly perfect marks from campers who have enjoyed a good night's sleep with it.

Comfort is key in a sleeping bag, and this model is designed with what Therm-A-Rest calls a W.A.R.M fit, standing for With Additional Room for Multiple positions. That means you're free to toss, turn and roll around in comfort, making it great for side sleepers.

The Saros is equipped with straps to attach it to your sleeping pad, so you don't even have to worry about rolling off in the middle of the night if you're an active sleeper.

This bag is packed with 1lb 4oz of eraLoft Polyester Hollow Fiber insulation, which is a little heavier and bulkier than down, but has the benefit of keeping you warm if it gets wet. And at only 2lb 5oz, it's far from the heaviest bag we've tested.

This deal applies to the regular sizing in the Stargazer colorway, and the product looks to be trending on Backcountry so we recommend you act fast.

If you're outside of the US, scroll to the bottom of this article to find the best deals on Therm-a-Rest sleeping bags near you.

Tackle chilly nights at camp with zoned insulation in the places you need it most, and an oversized draft tube to prevent cold spots and trap heat, and the brand's "Toe-asis Foot Warmer Pocket" to keep your tootsies toasty.

If you're not in the US, you can look below for today's best deals on Therm-a-Rest sleeping bags where you are:

• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

When gearing up for a long-distance trek, shaving grams is always at the forefront of your mind, but few of us would ever willingly choose to sacrifice comfort at the expense of weight. With its newest sleeping pad launch, Sea to Summit claims to have built a true packable, ultralight mat that still provides plenty of plush comfort.

The Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Insulated Air Sleeping Pad is part of the Aussie brand's new spring line, released at the same time as its environmentally-conscious Revive range, and it's the lightest pad the brand has ever made.

The brand says the pad is ideal for winter camping mountaineering, so let's see what the specs say. With ThermalCore technology for insulation and an R-value of 4.1, it certainly looks cold-weather capable, and it keeps you just shy of four inches (10cm) off the cold, hard ground, so we have to admit it's looking promising for higher elevations and chilly summits.

All that and it weighs just 15.7oz (445g), making it lighter than most of the sleeping pads we've tested, except of course, the awesome Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT. Probably more important than its weight, it packs down small to just 8.1 x 4.3 x 4.3in (20.5 x 11 x 11cm), which is similar to a Nalgene bottle.

Compared to the brand's Ether Light XT Extreme, which had an R-value of 6.2, it's not built for quite such cold weather, but it's significantly lighter to the tune of almost 10oz (300g), packs down smaller, and amazingly gives you just as much loft.

The Ether Light XT Extreme is now sold out on Sea to Summit's website, though you can find it at REI and Backcountry, but if you need a pad for colder weather, don't worry – the new Ether Light XR also comes in a Pro version which has a phenomenal R-value of 7.2 for an extra three ounces of weight and the same packability.

Both pads feature an Airstream pump integrated into the stuff sack and a high-airflow XPRESS valve to make inflation and deflation quick and simple. The Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Insulated Air Sleeping Pad is available now in multiple sizes starting at $189 / £200 from Sea to Summit, and the Pro version starts at $219 / £240.

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

One of the biggest brands in camping blankets has stepped out with its first sleeping bag design, and it looks to be a game-changer for car campers seeking true customizable comfort.

The Rumple Wrap Sack 20° Sleeping Bag takes the best of the brand's luxurious offerings, like the Rumpl NanoLoft Puffy, which I've been happily camping with for years, and combines it with an innovative design that helps you control your temperature through the night and as the seasons change.

That means you get the Portland-based brand's trusted NanoLoft liner insulation to keep you cozy when the temperatures drop (it's got a 30ºF Comfort Rating), which mimics down, boasts high compression and rebound, and most importantly, keeps you warm even if it gets wet.

What's markedly different, however, is that this bag incorporates a first-of-its-kind blanketing layering system that lets you stay comfortable under variable conditions. Rather than a classic mummy or rectangular design with a zip around the perimeter, when you open up this bag, you'll see it has what looks like two wings.

These "wings, which the brand calls its WrapAdapt layering system, give you three ways to wrap yourself up, so you can be swaddled to the max on a cold night, or unzip and still have one, light layer for minimal warmth when it's mild.

This bag is clearly designed for car campers seeking a more luxurious experience, and while we haven't tested it out yet, we've been so impressed by the brand's blankets that we're eager to give it a go this spring.

Its design delivers what the brand terms "oversized comfort", spreading out into 35 x 82in (89 x 208cm) and Rumpl says it's suitable for campers up to 6'2" in height. It features a pillow pocket hood so you can keep your Rumpl Camp Pillow in place and has borrowed some thoughtful features from other Rumpl designs, like Cape Clip connections for a more secure (but zip-free) fit. It also has two-way zipper panels that secure your layers or open up for freedom of movement.

If you have trouble finding the right rempature at night, the brand says it's "the perfect balance between way too much and not nearly enough."

The Wrap Sack weighs 5 lbs (2.27 kg) and comes with a stuff sack for easy packing plus it's machine washable for easy maintenance when you come home smelling like a campfire. As far as specs go, it's probably the most comparable to the Sierra Designs Night Cap, but better suited to summer temperatures and a bit lighter.

As we've grown accustomed to with Rumpl, eco creds abound in this bag, with 100% post-consumer recycled polyester shell insulation and a PFAS-free water-repellent finish.

The Rumpl Wrap Sack is available now in fun Cascade Fade and Baja Fade colorways for $199 from REI.

• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• The best camping blankets: for coziness during cooler nights

Mountain Equipment has given its Extreme Light sleeping bag range a big update for spring, producing bags that push the boundaries of the warmth-to-weight ratio.

The Xenith Sleeping Bag collection, which already featured an astonishingly low weight and pack size, has been redesigned using the brand's secret weapon: Plasma 10D fabric. Now they're even lighter than they were before, while still keeping you warm in temperatures as low as -8°C/18°F.

According to the brand, Plasma 10D is "perhaps the strongest superlight nylon fabric available" but has exceptional tear resistance, where durability is often sacrificed when grams are shaved. It's also exceptionally breathable, which is crucial for getting a good night's sleep, and that's why alpinists, thru-hikers and other mountain athletes reportedly love these sleeping bags.

This isn't the first time the brand has used Plasma 10D – it tested it out in the Oreus Hooded Jacket which won an IPSO award in 2023 for its excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, so it's no surprise they're now using it in sleeping bags which need to be light, warm and tough.

The Xenith sleeping bag line comprises three different temperature ratings and harnesses the power of 900 fill power goose down for lightweight and compressible insulation that's easier to pack, plus a PFAS-free DWR.

The Xenith III is the warmest of the bags with a comfort limit rating of -8°C/18°F and it weighs 690g (24oz). That places it as among the very lightest sleeping bags we've tested, with only the Therm-A-Rest Hyperion 20F weighing less. But the other two are even lighter.

The Xenith II is intended for summer expeditions with a comfort limit rating of 3°C/37°F and a weight of only 470g (17oz), while at just 360g (13oz) the Xenith I is cheaper than a lot of waterproof jackets and is brilliant for fastpacking and mountain running expeditions with a comfort limit rating of 5°C/41°F.

If you're still shopping for lightweight bags, we're also big fans of the Rab Neutrino Pro 400 and Alpkit Pipedream 400.

• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• The best camping pillows: tested for comfort in the backcountry

Coziness is king for Voited, an eco-conscious brand specializing in blankets, wearable robes, hammocks, slippers and storage solutions for travellers. The featured hashtag on its website is Step Into Comfort and its associated imagery is all life on the road and golden sands. However, it’s clear that mountain-loving nations are digging its toasty offerings, with Austria, Switzerland and Germany its best performing markets in Europe, where the company was founded, along with the UK.

The Slumber Jacket is an intriguing part of the brand’s Camping Companions collection. Coined a Convertible Sleep Walker, in effect it’s a wearable sleeping bag with arms and a convertible bottom that can be opened for strolling around or closed for drinking mulled wine in your camping chair or for a bit of shut eye. It’s not the kind of puffer jacket you’d pack for a hiking adventure – though I can imagine various use cases beyond camping, such as for warming up after a wild swim or surf, watching your kids play soccer on a blustery January morning, a winter stroll along the beach or even just getting very cozy for a Ben & Jerry’s (other non-UPF snacks are available) fuelled Netflix binge (other streaming services are also available).

First impressions

To look at, the design is serious rather than playful. This is a jacket that suggests outdoor elegance and premium quality rather than multi-colored, music festival headiness – though I can well imagine the Slumber Jacket being a worthy companion at Glastonbury or Coachella. It’s lovely to wear and perhaps not quite as warm as I was anticipating. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – with a long jacket like this I’d prefer a subtle toastiness to something that gets stuffy once you start walking. And then I put my hands in the fleece-lined handwarmer pockets and I was in heaven. Sold!

It didn’t take long to figure out how to convert the jacket into a sleeping bag and back again. Its simple, zippered design makes for a quick and straightforward transformation. Fit wise, it was pretty much spot on as a jacket, though I feel it could have been a little longer as a sleeping bag. I found that my toes were right up against the end of the foot compartment when lying flat and it felt a little restrictive. However, I was a little comfier lying on my side with a bend at my knees, though there was still a little tension.

Sustainable materials

Voited makes use of a few external providers to create the Slumber Jacket: PrimaLoft, REPREVE, Rudolf Group and YKK have all brought something to the party, and usually with an eye on sustainability.

The Slumber Jacket uses PrimaLoft polyester microfibers to achieve its insulating qualities. Synthetic fill has the benefit that no geese or ducks were exploited in the creation of the jacket, as well as the fact that it maintains its insulating ability when wet. In this case, it’s PrimaLoft’s RISE that provides the warmth. Features that set RISE apart from some of the competition are its ability to recover from compression, as well as its high levels of durability. The former is important here, as the Slumber Jacket arrives in a stuff sack and, when unfurled, it’s a bit of a beast to store and transport. So, I can well imagine it spending a good portion of its life packed into its sack – though hanging is always preferable for this kind of product.

RISE is created from post-consumer recycled materials, so gets something of a tick in the sustainability stakes. However, we’re still talking about polyester microfibers here, so there’s still the issue that these kinds of non-biodegradable microplastics can and do end up in our oceans. The only answer here is to try not to wash the jacket too often, as the microplastics will leach out. Nevertheless, some will see the fact that it is indeed machine washable as a strength – not all wearable robe-style jackets are.

The insulation leads to a comfort rating of 11°C (52°F), a limit rating of 7°C (45°F) and an extreme rating of -5°C (23°F). If used as a sleeping bag, this puts it in the 2-season category – one for camping during the warmer summer nights. As a jacket for beach strolls and the like, it’ll form a great team with your radiated body heat throughout the year.

The outer shell features 50-denier REPREVE polyester. REPREEVE is a sustainable manufacturer of performance fibers and resin, crafted from recycled materials such as plastic bottles and fabric and yarn waste. The interior polyester lining is also woven from recycled materials. Meanwhile, the shell’s polyester is treated with a fluorine-free water repellent, BIONIC-FINISH ECO, to provide a protective layer against wet weather. This treatment, created by Rudolf Group, is made from up to 90% bio-based, raw materials. Voited states a 13,000mm hydrostatic head rating, which adds up to a decent level of protection from precipitation but not enough to keep you dry for extended periods in heavy rain.

Features

The obvious USP of the Slumber Jacket is the way it converts between a puffer and a sleeping bag. A zippered compartment tidily houses the retractable feet section, which pulls out and is closed up using another zipper – a clever design. The zipper leaves two gaps at either end of the teeth, which does allow a certain amount of heat to escape, though this is covered loosely by the fabric hem at the bottom of the jacket.

As you’d expect for such a premium product, there are a few nice touches. The hood is 3-way adjustable, allowing you to tailor the fit to the conditions. The sleeve boasts a hand gaiter with a thumb loop for a nice bit of additional warmth, while the cuffs can be tightened via Velcro tabs. Gloved hands have been considered with the ring pull on the main YKK zipper and in the button openings on the handwarmer pockets. Speaking of which…

I’m a big fan of lovely handwarmer pockets and these are some of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of dipping my digits into. The backhand side of the pocket is lined with a heavenly fleece panel that’s luxurious to the touch and nicely warming. Voited has opted for a button closure rather than a zipper, which I think is a good choice – running your hand across a zipper’s teeth when you go to nest it in the pocket doesn’t quite convey comfort. These aren’t pockets for a phone or keys – these are very much designed for your hands.

The large stuff sack features a drawcord closure and there are no compression straps – clearly Voited isn’t too concerned about compact packability. There's also a handy length of fabric on the bottom of the sack that you can grab when pulling the jacket out through the other side.

There are four colorways on offer and, in the States, you can currently get a better price of $159.20 on the Dessert / Black / Navy and Cardinal / Navy / Black options.

In the field

I tested the Slumber Jacket over the winter season, where it saw plenty of use as a jacket on wintry strolls but not a great deal of use as a sleeping bag, given that it’s rated for summer camping use. I'm looking forward to seeing how it fares on summer camping trips, but we've got a couple of months before this becomes a possibility. However, I did use the Slumber Jacket as a sleeping bag for a stay in my mountaineering club's hut and, for the purposes of testing, in my own bed!

Let's start with it as a jacket, which I imagine is how the majority of folk will get the most use out of it. First things first, I found the Slumber Jacket to be wonderfully comfortable and a great option for everything from winter beach days and casual dog walks to touring the neighborhood checking out everyone's Christmas lights.

When folded away, the extra material of the sleeping bag's foot compartment is held at the bottom of the jacket, in the back. This extra weight and bulk is admittedly noticeable when walking but not to the point where it becomes much of an issue. As a bonus, the additional material acts as a sort of cushion when sitting down.

Of course, as with all of these kinds of jackets, freedom of movement is a little restricted around the knees, making it one for strolls and ambles rather than determined power walking. I wouldn't want to be late for a meeting while wearing the Slumber Jacket! Its plush insulation makes it less suited to swim hikes than something like Finisterre's relatively light and packable Tego changing robe.

The stuff sack isn't designed to be particularly compact. There are no compression straps and the sack is generous when it comes to the amount of space for stuffing the jacketed inside. Packed down, I measured it at 37 x 25 x 20cm, which is relatively big were you wanting to put it in a backpack. This all points to a a jacket at home on car camping adventures and beach days, rather than for more dynamic pursuits. It's a luxurious product to relax in, rather than a functional piece to take with you on active adventures.

And so to its use as a sleeping bag. As mentioned earlier, I feel that the sizing isn't quite right. I'm 5 foot 8 inches tall and always a small when it comes to jackets. Indeed, as a jacket, the Slumber fits me very well. However, when transformed into a sleeping bag it all feels a bit tight. Its lack of length meant my toes were right up against the fabric of the footbed, which created a claustrophobic feeling tension throughout. This was exacerbated if I put the hood on too.

I'd say go a size up, but then you might end up with a sleeping bag that's more comfortable but a jacket that's too big. This is my main gripe with this otherwise great piece of kit as, all in all, it's a great, premium feeling jacket for relaxed time in the great outdoors. It's just a shame that it's restrictive as a sleeping bag.

Also consider

Comparison table

Feeling a little restricted in your sleeping bag? Californian camping brand Selk'bag claims to have the answer with its latest range of wearable sleeping bags.

Inspired by the Chilean Andes, Selk'bag aims to combine warmth and comfort with versatility and freedom of movement that's not possible in traditional sleeping bags.

The new Swytch range features a mid-body zip, so you can separate the top and bottom halves of the bag, creating a toasty jacket or pair of bottoms. Crafted with practicality in mind, this feature is designed to makes trips to the bathroom a doddle, as there's no need to take off the entire suit when nature calls.

The Swytch range will be available in three different versions to suit adventurers in all manner of temperatures and conditions.

The top-of-the-range Pro version is built for harsh winter nights in the backcountry, with an insulating hood, balaclava, and removable booties. It's stuffed with warm, water-resistant Primaloft insulation, to keep you toasty when the temperatures drop.

The Original version keeps many of the same features but places a greater emphasis on flexibility, while the lightweight Lite version is designed for warm summer camping trips.

All three models in the Swytch range are made from 100% recycled materials, with SBS recycled zippers.

In the past, we've been impressed by Selk'bag's unique repertoire of wearable sleeping bags.

In their review for Advnture, camping experts Jen and Sim Benson gave the Lite 6G model a four-star rating, praising its insulating materials and snug fit.

"These ingeniously designed suits are perfectly suited to those for whom a relaxed and cosy evening is an essential part of camping," they said.

The Swytch range will be available from April on the Selk'bag website.

For more on camping gear, check out our guide to the best sleeping bags.

• The best 4-season sleeping bags: cozy bags for year round camping
• The best 3-season sleeping bags: for great camping adventures throughout spring, summer and fall

Back in 2022, when we took the Nemo Tensor Ultralight sleeping pad out into the backcountry, we thought it was "super lightweight" for fast adventures – we had no idea how much lighter this model was going to get. Nemo has just released the lightest Tensor ever made, and what the New Hampshire brand says is currently the lightest insulated inflatable sleeping pad on the market.

At an ethereal 240 grams, the Nemo Tensor Elite is clearly built for thru-hikers and backpackers who want to shed weight wherever possible – those of you who cut your toothbrush in half and use trekking pole tents.

How have they done it? According to Luke Scotton, Product Developer at Nemo Equipment, who calls the pad the "pinnacle" of the brand's evolution, weight was considered at every step along the way, from the custom Cordura fabric to the proprietary baffle construction and the shape of the Thermal Mirror insulation.

The only sleeping pad we've tested that comes close to this weight is the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite, which weighs an impressive 250 grams but also has a slightly lower R-value.

In comparison, the Tensor Elite manages to boast a 2.4 R-value despite its feathery disposition, making it functional across spring, summer and fall, with a plush three inches of loft to keep you off the ground.

A good night's sleep at camp relies on quiet as well as comfort and warmth, and to achieve what it calls "silent operation," the brand has used its proprietary Apex baffle system which is also said to be exceptionally stable. Perhaps needless to say, the pad comes only in weight-saving mummy shape and is a slender 20 inches wide.

Featherlight gear such as this is often more fragile, and low weight has been achieved by a lower denier fabric, but Nemo says it's confident the ripstop nylon used to construct the Tensor Elite is enough to protect it from punctures. We're looking forward to getting it out on the trail to see how it holds up to our adventures.

The Nemo Tensor Elite comes with a lightweight Vortex pump sack and is available now in regular and short sizes starting at $199 from REI where it's already earned a perfect five-star rating with one customer saying "Nemo just keeps getting better." In the UK, it's available exclusively from Ultralight Outdoor Gear for £229.99.

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips
• The best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp

Can't wait for spring to get out camping? You're going to need an all-seasons sleeping pad. Right now, you can pick up the brilliant Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT Ultralight Sleeping Pad for just $157 at Amazon. That's an ultra-rare discount of 25% off the regular asking price for this sleeping pad, which we gave a perfect five stars in our field tests.

For four-season outdoor explorers going on multi-day missions – trekkers, backpackers, hikers and bikers – the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT sleeping pad is simply the best mat on the market, offering excellent warmth and superb comfort for a very low weight and space penalty.

"As soon as I got the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT out of the box I was impressed by the small pack size and low weight of this mat; it’s about the same size as a classic widemouth Nalgene water bottle," says Advnture contributing editor Pat Kinsella, who notes that whil there are smaller and lighter mats out there, nonw has with an R-value as good as 4.5.

This insulated inflatable mummy-shaped pad provides three inches of loft to keep you warm and comfortable on the cold, had ground and it's recommended as a four-season pad meaning it's the only one you'll need for backpacking. The most significant improvement made to the new generation NeoAir XLite NXT is its solemn promise to be a whole lot quieter at night than its forebears. The

This deal applies to the Lemon Curry colorway in the Regular sizing, but it's a limited time offer so we suggest you jump if you've had this item on your tick list for a while.

Not in the US? Scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT Ultralight Sleeping Pad where you are.

Besides a pump and stuff sack (two separate but very lightweight bags), the NeoAir XLite NXT also comes with a small repair kit, because when using inflatable mats you always run the risk that they could puncture (always check the ground beneath very carefully before pitching your tent for sharp stones, prickly plants and other hazards).

If you're not in the US, here are today's best offers on the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT Ultralight Sleeping Pad near you:

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips

It’s time to take sustainability seriously in the outdoors industry, which has a markedly bigger carbon footprint as compared to other sports, and Australian brand Sea to Summit has unveiled a new line of what it calls “high performance, low impact” camping gear to help reduce its impact.

The Sea to Summit Revive Range features two new sleeping bags and two sleeping pads that the brand says have the smallest environmental footprint of any sleep system product it has ever made.

Every product in the line is Bluesign-approved and made using recycled materials, PFC-free DWR and utilizes dope dyeing techniques instead of traditional piece dyeing methods, which uses far fewer resources in production. The brand says its two new sleeping pads are the first ever to utilize all of these techniques.

If you're seeking to upgrade your sleep system and want to go easier on the planet, there’s the lighter two-inch Pursuit great for fast and light adventures and the plusher Pursuit Plus which has an extra inch of loft if you don’t mind a few extra ounces for a better night’s sleep. Both are listed as four-season pads with a 4.1 R-value so you should be able to rely on them year-round.

If it's a new sleeping bag you seek, both are made using recycled synthetic insulation which does add a few extra ounces compared to down, but will keep you warm even in damp conditions.

The Hamelin is billed as backpacking-ready with a relaxed mummy fit that leaves you room to move around making it a better choice for side sleepers. A full-length side zipper extends throughout the foot box and there’s a half-length zipper on the opposite side for ventilation in summer.

For car camping where and space and weight aren’t an issue, the Boab sleeping bag has a roomy, gender-neutral cut that eliminates cold spots and when it’s warm out, the double zipper means you can air out when it's warm or unzip entirely and use the bag as a quilt.

Sea to Summit says the new line is a sign of what’s coming next from the brand, which was born in 1991: “These products are not simply a revision to the way outdoor products have been made in the past; they are a blueprint for how gear will be made in the future.”

The Revive sleeping pads are available now in the UK priced at £150 for regular sizing and £180 for large at Sea to Summit. The line is pending in the US, but you can sign up to be first in line when the new products drop stateside.

Shopping sustainably made gear is a great first step for reducing your carbon footprint as an outdoor adventurer, but how you treat your kit ultimately matters more than anything.

Learn to take good care of your gear so that it lasts longer with our guides on how to store camping gear, how to repair a sleeping pad and how to wash a sleeping bag.

• Best sleeping bags: for comfort in camp
• Best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips

Cold weather might be keeping you from camping right now, but it won't be long till you dust off your sleeping bag for your next adventure and you might realize your kit needs a revamp. The best savings on camping gear are made in winter and right now, you can pick up the ultralight Therm-a-Rest Vesper Down Quilt 20 for just $342.73 at REI. That's a massive discount of 30% off the list price for this soft, cozy camping quilt that packs down to not much bigger than your water bottle.

The Vesper was the first camping quilt I ever tried, and since then I've never gone back to a traditional sleeping bag when I'm not camping in winter. This zipless quilt attaches to your sleeping pad via a foot box and two stretchy straps.

For milder nights, I leave it loose or if it’s chilly, I tuck the edges of the quilt under my pad and sometimes even fasten the popper around the neck for an extra snug fit. No matter which arrangement you choose, there’s enough room to move your limbs and sleep in most positions comfortably.

My only complaint with this quilt is that the foot box can be a little snug when I'm on my back, but that also helps keep my feet warm if it's nippy out. For thru-hikes and fastpacking adventures, it saves loads of weight and space, gives me a more comfortable night's sleep and the fabric is heavenly soft against my skin.

This deal applies to the Long size in the Vapor colorway, and the model has been discontinued so we suggest you act fast.

Not in the US? Scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on the Therm-a-Rest Vesper Down Quilt where you are.

Constructed using a DWR-treated nylon shell and hydrophobic down, this quilt doesn’t just become deadweight in damp conditions, instead continuing to keep you warm and drying quickly.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best deals on the Therm-a-Rest Vesper Down Quilt where you are:

• The best sleeping bags: camp in comfort

Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900: first impressions

If you ask me, Decathlon has long been behind some of the best bang for your buck outdoor kit there is. Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to test a ton of their sleeping bags, various tents, trousers, jackets, poles and more. And, honestly, even when their gear has underwhelmed me, the price has always remained impressive. Somehow, Decathlon consistently puts out kit that is well designed and performs well at prices substantially below what you’d pay at more ‘premium’ retailers and brands.

Therefore, when Decathlon announced that Forclaz, their dedicated in-house outdoor brand, was about to launch a new 4-season sleeping pad that came with a high R-value at a low price, I was excited. And after a visit to their manufacturing facility in the French Alps in March, I was pumped to come home with a brand-new one under my arm. Ready to put it up against a gambit of UK camping conditions very few people get excited to camp in.

Decathlon’s new-for-2024 Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900 is a 4-season inflatable sleeping pad that comes with an impressive 5.4 R-value. Compare this to the likes of Sea to Summit’s Ether Light XT Extreme which comes with an R-value of 6.2, or the frankly excellent Therm-a-Rest Neoair XTherm NXT which comes with an R-value of 7.2. Whereas these other big-name brand pads cost well over £200, however, Forclaz’s humble little MT900 comes in at £129.99 when you buy from Decathlon, or not much more than half the price. Is it the world’s biggest bargain, then? Or is it only half as good?

Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900: in the wild

I tested the Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900 on numerous outdoor adventures through spring, summer and autumn of 2024. In total, I had it on a multi-day trip through Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) when the temperature hovered at around 4°C / 39.2°F at night, a handful of Dartmoor overnighters in a variety of conditions, and two early-spring wild camps in a local woodland where the temperature got down to freezing. Therefore, despite not being able to use this thing in snow (yet!), I’ve still been able to give it a proper test in 4-season British conditions. So here’s what I think after all that time.

Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900: packability

The first thing I particularly appreciate about this pad is its size and weight. Coming in at 615g / 1.6lb, it’s impressively light for the level of comfort and warmth it delivers, and it packs down small to boot. Granted, it easily loses out in both size and weight when compared with some of the bigger brands out there, namely Therm-a-Rest and Sea to Summit, but it strikes an excellent balance between warmth, pack size and, most interestingly, price.

Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900: comfort

Price and packed size aside, the one thing a sleeping pad is there to do is help you get a good night’s rest outdoors. And to my surprise, the Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900 does this better than most pads I’ve tried. Seriously, this thing is super comfortable. With horizontal baffles all the way along, as well as being wider and more rectangular than most pads in this space, I felt incredibly supported and very comfortable all night. What’s more, due to the included stuff sack and the easy-to-use valves, I was always able to inflate and deflate the Forclaz MT900 quickly and easily. To me as someone who wriggles around in their sleep, the level of comfort afforded by the MT900 was on par with the likes of the bigger brands out there – though this is deeply personal and will, of course, change from person to person.

When it comes to warmth, the Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900 also punches well above its weight. With an R-value of 5.4, it’s capable of keeping you warm in temperatures well below freezing and is about as warm as a pad needs to be for 4-season camping in the UK, in my humble opinion. Naturally, were I to camp in temperatures below -5°C / 23°F, I’d probably pair this with a hard foam sleeping pad to add some extra warmth. But I’m an exceptionally cold sleeper who uses a -5°C / 23°F sleeping bag even on the warmest summer nights. Therefore, I think the MT900 is one of the warmest pads out there at its £124.99 price point, and if you want something warmer that you can still carry out into the backcountry with you, you’re going to need to spend a lot more money.

Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900: durability

Made from a 50% polyamide, 50% polyurethane blend, the Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900 feels pretty durable for a glorified balloon. In fact, I never paired this pad with a groundsheet and am thankful to report that it never leaked, popped or sustained any damage whatsoever. That being said, it’s always smart to be cautious where you lay down an inflatable sleeping pad, even though this one is certainly more robust than other ultralight pads, such as the Big Agnes Zoom UL.

Overall, I think the Forclaz Inflatable Trekking Mattress MT900 is a great choice for anybody looking for a reasonably priced sleeping pad that is easily capable of keeping you warm in all four seasons. Coming in at nearly half the price of pads from the big brands, the performance is incredible for £129.99, even though you will have to contend with slightly more weight and a markedly larger pack size for the privilege. For me, however, I consider this to be a very fair trade-off, and I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find a sleeping pad that delivers more bang for your buck.

Sometimes, it's not the early bird that gets the worm after all. If you've left your Christmas shopping till the last minute, the good news is that there are some great deals out there.

Right now, you can get your hands on the premium Yeti Lowlands Blanket for just $160 at Amazon. That's a generous savings of 20% off this warm, waterproof camping blanket that we gave a perfect five stars in our field tests.

This polyester blanket is large, heavy-duty and – unlike soft down camping blankets – ready to take on the elements, with a fully waterproofed bottom layer and a soft-to-touch outer material that’s designed specifically to repel dirt and pet hair.

This deal applies to the Smoke Blue colorway which won't show the dirt when you're away on outdoor adventures. Still shopping? Yeti is holding a secret sale on Amazon right now, with lots of great deals on other gear like coolers and cups.

Not in the US? Scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on the Yeti Lowlands blanket near you.

During the testing process, we were surprised by how well this blanket worked, and the product looked good as new after a quick wipe, even after a long, rainy weekend of camping on often rough and muddy ground.

This blanket also comes with a water-repellent carry bag for safe stowing and transport.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best deals on the Yeti Lowlands blanket where you are:

• The best camping blankets: tested in the wild

Forclaz Trekking Sleeping Bag MT900 5°C Down: first impressions

Decathlon has been behind some of the best bang-for-your-buck outdoor gear in recent years. Its line of hyper-considered and extensively tested trekking tents all offer exceptional value for money, and I’ve been nothing but impressed by everything I’ve tried. But does that apply to sleeping bags? Earlier this year, I visited Decathlon at its production facility in the French Alps to find out about how they design, test and validate products. And came away with a shiny new MT900 5°C sleeping bag from their trekking brand Forclaz to test.

Costing £149.99 when bought directly from Decathlon in the UK, the Forclaz MT900 5°C sleeping bag is a down-filled, 3-season sleeping bag that sits at the intersection between big-brand-feel and price. Unlike its line of backpacking tents, however – such as the Forclaz MT900 Trekking Tarp Tent which comes in at less than half the price of most big-brand competitors – Decathlon’s 3-season sleeping bag is only a little cheaper than big-brand alternatives. So, how does it perform in comparison?

Forclaz Trekking Sleeping Bag MT900 5°C Down: in the wild

I’ve had my hands on a Forclaz MT900 5°C sleeping bag for all three seasons now. That means I’ve been able to put it up against the full gambit of conditions it was built for, ranging from temperatures hovering around its 5°C / 41°F limit all the way up to balmy summer nights where the mercury remained well above 16°C / 61°F. I’ve used it in dry conditions, windy conditions and outright monsoon-style conditions during a snap summer storm in Dartmoor National Park in England. So it’s safe to say that I’ve given it a fair crack of the whip.

The first thing I appreciate about this bag is its size and weight. Coming in at just 830g / 1.8lbs, it weighs less than a liter of water and packs down to about the same size as a rugby ball. That means it lends itself well to ultralight trips and adventures where pack space is a premium, such as bikepacking, fastpacking or UL backpacking trips. In fact, the only bag I own that is lighter than the Forclaz is the Sea to Summit Spark 7°C which just happens to be half the weight. That being said, it also happens to cost twice the price and is considerably less warm, so I found that I’ve continued to use the Forclaz MT900 5°C sleeping bag on UL trips throughout 2024, despite having a much more ‘premium’ bag on my shelf.

Inside the large version of the bag, Decathlon has stuffed 370g / 13oz of 700 fill-power, RDS-certified and traceable insulation. This comprises 90% gray duck down and 10% gray duck feathers. This is wrapped together inside a cozy polyamide shell with vertical baffles that feels great against your skin, reduces cold spots and ensures an even spread of down throughout the bag.

Another thing worth noting about the Forclaz MT900 5°C sleeping bag is the quality of the zipper. In all my many nights, it barely snagged and was easy to loosen whenever it did. This never cut into the material or caused any damage whatsoever, which can often be a problem with lightweight sleeping bags like the Forclaz MT900 5°C. What’s more, featuring a soft polyamide internal baffle, the zipper is also fully protected against drafts and comes with a handy internal stuff pocket for keeping things like your phone safe and warm through the night.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning the stuff sack, which is easily the best of its kind I’ve come across. The sack provided with the Forclaz MT900 5°C is a dry bag that comes with two clips for extra compression. This means that you can safely carry your down bag through the worst conditions out of the box, and you don’t need to buy an additional dry bag for use in damp conditions (as is so often the case, even with premium lines).

Forclaz Trekking Sleeping Bag MT900 5°C Down: warmth

I’d say that the Forclaz MT900 5°C sleeping bag is mostly good down to 5°C / 41°F. When combined with a warm pad, such as the Thermarest Neoair Xlite NXT, I didn’t have any issues down to 7°C / 45°F, so I’d happily take it down a little further than that when combined with some base layers and maybe a thin jacket. But I do run cold! As ever, however, I find it incredibly difficult speaking about the warmth of a bag, as what’s warm for me might not be warm for you. In a welcome move, however, it’s nice to see that Decathlon has listed the comfort temperature as a part of this bag’s name and not the limit temperature, as is so often the case with sleeping bags. So top marks to Decathlon there.

One last thing of note is the cut of the bag. Unlike your usual mummy-style sleeping bag, the Forclaz MT900 5°C comes with an anatomical hood that is tight over your head. Unlike regular mummy bags, which gently taper from the widest point around the shoulders up a narrow rounded tip above the head, this bag is cut like a down jacket, meaning it’s cut inwards sharply around the shoulders and more naturally shaped around your head. I found this to do a great job at keeping in the warmth, though the more restrictive cut of the bag did take some getting used to. Over its use, however, I grew to love it, and it meant that I actually made use of the hood of the bag for a change, rather than just resting my head inside an open cavern, as is often the case with regular mummy bags. Additionally, due to the tighter cut around the shoulders, I also found that the bag moved more with me as I rolled around at night, which was a welcome revelation as a wriggler.

Overall, I really like the Forclaz MT900 5°C and find it to be an excellent option for a great price. Granted, at £150, it’s pricey for Decathlon, but I think you’ll have to spend considerably more to find a comparable 3-season down bag from any of the big-name brands out there.

• How Advnture tests products

Outdoor retailer REI held a massive pre-4th of July sale already this summer, but the goods just keep on coming. Right now, you can pick up the awesome Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Sleeping Pad for just $139.73 at REI if you hurry. That's an impressive savings of 29% off the regular price for this sleeping pad, which our reviewer said was the most comfortable pad he'd ever slept on.

Boasting an impressive 4in of plush, stable loft, weighing just over 1lb and with an R-value of 3.2, this pad is ideal for three-season use where you want to move fast and light but still sleep well. Keeping you four inches off the ground when inflated, the air sprung cell structure stays stable when you move around in the night.

Not in the US? Scroll to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on Sea to Summit sleeping pads where you are.

Best of all, this sleeping pad is built to be ultra quiet if you're a restless sleeper and like all Sea to Summit pads, you can attach your camping pillow to the pad to keep your sleep system organized. This deal applies to both the regular and large sizes and is an excellent opportunity to upgrade your camping kit with high-quality gear at a low price.

The 30D/40D face fabric is quiet and durable, and the lamination technology continues Sea to Summit’s class-leading reliability.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best deals on Sea to Summit sleeping pads near you:

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips

Sea to Summit Ascent: first impressions

I’ve been a fan of the Australian brand Sea to Summit for quite some time now. Each time I’ve tried some of their gear over the years, it’s always felt unique, adding their own spin to tried and tested designs to create camping gear that many love (and a few people loathe!).

Take their epic Ether Light XT Extreme sleeping pad, for example. This stands out as one of the best four-season pads in my eyes, being luxuriously comfortable yet lightweight and packable for real four-season adventuring. Their incredible Ember range of lightweight quilts also took me by surprise, as the brand managed to turn something as plain and simple as a quilt into a versatile bit of backpacking gear that does way more than just cover you up in the night. But how revolutionary can you make a sleeping bag?

Enter the Sea to Summit Ascent, the brand’s attempt to add layers of versatility to your sleep system. Comprising 100% Ultra-Dry Down 750+ Loft goose down, the bag comes with some of the highest quality compressible insulation on the market, packs down small and weighs a super-lightweight 1,020g. Promising to keep you warm in temperatures below freezing, these stats are already impressive enough, but it’s the bag’s extra features – namely a series of additional zips – that really make it stand out in the market.

So when I was given the chance to test one earlier this year, I couldn’t wait to see whether Sea to Summit really have improved on a design that has long felt unimprovable.

Sea to Summit Ascent: in the wild

I’ve had my hands on the Sea to Summit Ascent sleeping bag since the start of 2024 and have been able to put it up against the full gamut of British weather in that time. I’ve used it out on Dartmoor in temperatures below freezing, in Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) in balmy summer conditions we don’t get treated to all that often, and on several short overnighters paired with a lightweight running setup. I’ve used it in the wind, rain and sun – with the only condition I’ve not tested it in (yet!) being snow. Although I’d argue that’s not really what this bag was built for anyway, at least out of the box (more on that later).

The first thing I really like about the Ascent is the quality of the insulation. To call this lofty is an understatement: no matter how long it sits in the loft bag, it always pops to life immediately. The result is a super cozy, plush sleeping bag that adds a little bit of luxury to your outdoor escapades. With a thin nylon inner shell, the material is also very soft on your skin and doesn’t result in any clamminess, as is often the case with ultralight sleeping bags.

For me, however, the standout part of this whole bag has to be the zips. Seriously, when I first played around with this, I wondered if Sea to Summit had ordered too many and needed to use them up, as there are more zips on this sleeping bag than any other I’ve tried. But to my surprise, this seemingly excessive amount of zips proved to be a great addition: they add an additional layer of versatility to a 3.5-season bag and make it super comfortable in a huge range of conditions.

You see, the three-season moniker has long been a gripe of mine, as bags that are suitable for three-season conditions are normally too warm for high summer and too cold for deep winter. This makes them more of a shoulder-season bag suitable for two seasons, not three.

But thanks to the volume of zips on the Ascent you can open up both sides of the bag and the foot box. This allows you to poke a foot out when you're warm or batten down the hatches tight when you’re cold. You can wear it like a jacket with both your arms hanging out, and you can even zip it to an adjoining bag to make a luxury sleeping space for two. This makes this Ascent sleeping bag the first true 3-season+ bag I’ve ever come across, as it’s suitable for both very cold and very warm conditions.

Sea to Summit Ascent: extra features

As well as extra zips, the Ascent also comes with a bunch of additional features that I really enjoy. Firstly, there’s the storage sack: this is more of a cube than a saggy net bag, which makes this bag easier to store on your gear shelf. Granted, this is a minor consideration for people who don’t have a whole shelf of sleeping bags but, for me, I appreciate the thought that’s gone into this part of the user experience.

My favorite extra feature, though, is easily the ability to pair this bag with a quilt. In a move that turns the first true three-season+ bag I’ve ever come across into the first true four-season+ modular sleep system I’ve ever come across, the Ascent features some simple hooks on the side and the foot box to secure a quilt. Known as Sea to Summit’s ‘QuiltLock System’, it lets you reliably mount a compatible quilt (such as the Sea to Summit Ember or many third-party brands) to boost the thermal performance of the bag, giving you a system that you can use in practically any conditions.

This is excellent, and it means that you no longer need a summer bag, a shoulder-season bag and a deep winter bag. Instead, all you need is a Sea to Summit Ascent for anything above freezing and an additional lightweight quilt for anything below around 25°F (-4°C), and you’re set!

To protect that lofty down, the Spark II comes wrapped in a 10D nylon shell. Despite being super soft and comfortable on your skin, I also found that this does a decent job of keeping water out as long as you shake it off quickly and don’t give it a chance to soak in.

The Sea to Summit Ascent: warmth

Which leads us on to warmth. In my experience, this is always the hardest (and most meaningless) aspect of a sleeping bag to critique, as my comfort levels will always differ from yours.

In any case, this Sea to Summit Ascent comes with a limit temperature of 15°F (-9°C), which means you’ll be uncomfortably cold in any temperatures below that (in laboratory conditions). For fairness and transparency, however, you should view this as nothing more than fancy marketing. The comfort temperature is all you should pay attention to, which I’d put at about freezing (or slightly below).

When paired with a Big Agnes Zoom UL mat and wearing nothing but base layers, for example, I felt warm enough in the Ascent down to 32°F (0°C). And when paired with a Sea to Summit Ether XT Extreme pad, the same base layers, socks and a Patagonia Nano Puff jacket, I slept through in temperatures of around 25°F (-4°C). But I wouldn’t push it further than that without doubling it up with a quilt.

Meet the reviewer

The Sea to Summit Ascent: fit

The fit of this bag is another thing I particularly liked. It’s tight enough to keep you warm, but wide enough that you don’t feel restricted. At 5ft 10in (1.78m), I had more than enough space in here to comfortably spend long fall and winter nights, and never felt as constrained or restricted as I have in other bags. Is it as free and as comfortable as something like a Zenbivy? Absolutely not. But it’s very comfortable for a mummy bag, and definitely up there as one of the coziest I’ve tried.

Overall, I think the Sea to Summit Ascent -9 is an exceptional bag. It’s super versatile and a joy to use, and is one of the only bags I’ve ever come across that can actually keep you comfortable in four different seasons. At $469 (US) / £450 (UK), it is frighteningly expensive for a bag of feathers, sure, but thanks to its versatility and the ease with which you can pair it with a quilt (if you’re happy to buy a quilt as well, that is), I think this bag serves as the basis for one of the most versatile four-season sleep systems out there. Which makes that initial high price easier to stomach.

• How Advnture tests products

Sea to Summit Spark SPII: first impressions

Sea to Summit’s Spark sleeping bags are the lightest and most packable in the brand’s entire range. Designed to deliver versatile warmth on adventures where weight and pack size are at a premium, they feature a stripped-back and minimal design that’s been created to deliver on that brief. The Spark SPII is the second lightest in the line, promising to keep you warm down to temperatures of around 38°F / 4°C.

To maximize weight and packability, Sea to Summit have filled this bag with super-lofty 850+ fill power down. The result is a bag that barely weighs 500g and packs down to the size of a one-liter Nalgene bottle.

To me, this makes it one of the lightest and most packable bags I've ever tested – if not the lightest and most packable bag I’ve ever tested. That status has come at the expense of quite a few sacrifices, however; the Spark SPII offers fewer features than many equivalent bags, while still costing a hefty $409 / £400 when bought directly from Sea to Summit.

Naturally, then, this bag isn’t one for the weekend warriors. It’s for multi-day fast packers and ultralight backpackers for whom grams are more important than pounds (or dollars). Is it worth this initial high investment, then? Or is it too minimal to keep you comfortable outdoors?

Sea to Summit Spark SPII: features

To make the bag so small and light, Sea to Summit have had to make a few sacrifices. Firstly, there’s no neck baffle, which is something I certainly missed on colder nights. Instead, a singular drawcord pulls everything in, which still does a great job of keeping in the heat.

Additionally, Sea to Summit have also done away with an internal storage pocket to bring the weight down further. To be honest, I was happy to see this omitted from this iteration as I never use them anyway, but it might be something worth bearing in mind if you’re a fan of keeping things close to your chest overnight.

Sea to Summit Spark SPII: insulation

In order to make the bag ultra-light and packable, Sea to Summit have used around 300g of 850+ fill power-down insulation in the Spark II. This is the second highest-lofting down used by Sea to Summit, and the result is a bag that’s super lofty, warm and impressively packable – noticeably more so than bags with a similar temperature rating that comprise lesser-quality down. As it’s treated with a PFC-free hydrophobic treatment, the insulation is also more water-resistant and faster drying than untreated down.

To protect that lofty down, the Spark II comes wrapped in a 10D nylon shell. Despite being super soft and comfortable on your skin, I also found that this does a decent job of keeping water out as long as you shake it off quickly and don’t give it a chance to soak in.

Sea to Summit Spark SP II: fit

In a move to further reduce the bag’s pack size and weight, the fit of the Sea to Summit Spark SP II is decidedly tight. To me, I found that this was a trade-off I was always more than happy to make thanks to the bag’s benefits in other departments. But if you like to move around in your sleep, you may find this too restrictive, especially if camping in colder weather and you need to zip it all the way up.

Meet the reviewer

Sea to Summit Spark SP II: in the wild

I first got my hands on this iteration of the Sea to Summit Spark SP II -2° way back in the summer of 2023. As I write this, I’ve used it around a dozen times on trips in various conditions, including two fastpacking trips, a handful of backpacking overnighters, some casual camps in local woodland and an early winter backpacking trip in sub-zero temperatures where I combined it with Sea to Summit’s Ember quilt. Over the last 12 months, it’s become my go-to bag when I need something light and packable for trips with a 25-45 liter pack.

The first thing worth noting about the Sea to Summit Spark SP II -2° is the very thing you’d buy this bag in the first place for: it’s tiny. Seriously, when packed up, it takes up about as much room as a down jacket or a water bottle, and weighs about the same as a loaf of bread. Despite that, it’s still perfectly capable of keeping you warm in some chilly conditions. During my months of testing, I’ve slept in this bag in just my running kit in temps hovering around 41-45°F (5-7°C), and have comfortably spent the night in when layered up in base layers down and a thin down jacket to around 37°F (3°C).

To make it extra versatile, however, the bag also comes with four toggles on the outside that allow you to fasten a quilt, known as Sea to Summit’s QuiltLock system. To test this, I paired the Spark with a -1°C Ember quilt on a chilly winter backpacking trip in Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) where the temperature outside hit 19°F (-7°C). To my surprise, I stayed toasty warm all night in this combination, convincing me that this might be one of the most versatile four-season sleeping setups out there.

Granted, you’d need to punt for the additional quilt to make this work (which would make it one of the most expensive four-season sleeping setups, too!), but you end up with a versatile system that can keep you comfortable in everything from balmy summer evenings through to freezing winter nights – all for an amazing 900g.

Sea to Summit Spark SP II: the bottom line

Overall, I love the Sea to Summit Spark SP II -2°. To me, it’s the ideal bag for trips when I’m willing to sacrifice bells and whistles in favor of weight and pack size. That being said, it’s still super comfortable and a joy to use, and the added benefit of being able to pair it with a quilt makes it one of the most versatile ultralight sleeping setups for real four-season adventuring. Granted, at $409 / £400, all of that does come at a cost. But if you can afford it, I think the Spark II is hard to beat.

• How Advnture tests products

Tuck yourself in for warm winter nights in the backcountry with up to 40% off a wide range of snug winter sleeping bags this Black Friday.

Although this year's Black Friday doesn't officially get started until November 29, plenty of retailers are getting in on the action early with mega sales on all their best gear. Outdoor specialists Sea to Summit are no different, offering big reductions on a wide range of backcountry gear.

Amongst the deals, you can find 40% off Sea to Summit's cozy backcountry sleeping bags. Ranging in insulation, these bags cover all seasons. The Traverse Synthetic Sleeping Bag, for example, can withstand temperatures down to 15°F / -9.4°C, keeping you snug on chilly winter camps.

At the other end of the spectrum, the far lighter Quest Synthetic Sleeping Bag is better suited to warmer climates, providing a much-needed layer of insulation for breezy summer camps in the backcountry.

Both bags are 40% off. That means the Traverse Synthetic Sleeping Bag has been reduced from $259 to just $155.40 while the Quest Synthetic Sleeping Bag is down from $179 to only $107.40.

All Sea to Summit Sleeping Bags come in both Long and Regular sizes and can be simply rolled up for quick and easy travel.

Snug sleeping bag savings

Black Friday Sea to Summit deals

More big Black Friday bargains

With Black Friday right around the corner, big savings are coming thick and fast on a wide range of outdoor kit. Look here for our expert guide to all the best Black Friday camping deals on tents, sleeping bags and more.

After more epic deals? Check out the full sale here, or look below for the best savings on some of our favorite sleeping bags from a wide range of retailers.

• The best four-season sleeping bags 2024 cozy bags for all year round camping
• The best two-season sleeping bags 2024 for warm weather camping adventures

Rab Mythic 400: first impressions

The Rab Mythic 400 is part of the British brand’s premium sleeping bag range aimed at alpinists and backpackers who desire low weight and impeccable quality. It weighs in at less than 25oz, yet is packed with 900 fill power (FP) goose down that has been treated with Nikwax Fluorocarbon-Free Hydrophobic Finish in a bid to improve durability in harsh conditions. The range-topping materials do come at a cost; with a list price of $650 (US) / £560 (UK), the Mythic 400 firmly in the high-end category.

The bag is made with a recycled Atmos fabric shell, which is lightweight, windproof and highly water-resistant. The fabric is made from a 10D recycled nylon, and is waterproofed with a fluorocarbon-free DWR (Durable Water Repellent) treatment. This commitment to sustainability is becoming a key focus for Rab, with the manufacturer claiming that 38% of the bag’s materials come from recycled sources. The move away from traditional PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in favor of more eco-friendly alternatives is something to be applauded.

The Mythic 400 has a trapezoidal baffle construction which is chevroned in shape, which Rab say is all in aid of keeping the down more lofted during use. This results in a usable temperature rating of 21°F (-6°C), putting the Mythic 400 firmly in the three-season category. On the left side of the bag, you’ll find a half-length YKK zipper, which, while saving weight, can feel restrictive in terms of ventilation and accessibility. Similarly, the tapered design is intended to maximize warmth, but it may feel constricting for larger users or side sleepers. It’s worth noting, too, that the Mythic 400 is still only available in one size and one color.

Expectations were very high for such a pricey sleeping bag from a prestigious brand such as Rab, and it’s fair to say that they were all met or exceeded. Rab has put together a fantastic blend of warmth and comfort, all in an incredibly packable product.

Meet the reviewer

Rab Mythic 400: in the mountains

What better way to test a sleeping bag marketed at alpinists, than by taking it to the home of alpinism? I deployed the Mythic 400 in multiple wild camps in Switzerland this summer – mostly in a tent – and several were at fairly high altitudes by European standards.

Sleeping temperatures ranged from just above freezing to around 50°F (10°C), and I never once felt the chill. The lofty 900FP down provided exceptional insulation, so much so that on a number of occasions I ended up using the Mythic more as a duvet than a sleeping bag despite wearing only thin pajamas to bed! An occasion where things did get slightly more chilly was a bivy camp at around 7,500 feet. It was dry enough that I didn’t have to worry about rain, but I appreciated the windproof Atmos fabric as it shielded me from the fairly brisk alpine air.

A note on size too – I was completely cocooned in my sleeping bag. I’m 6’0”, and fairly broad, and I was pretty comfortable in the bag. The one size is fairly roomy, but this could make it tight for those much larger than me, and potentially not as warm for those a little smaller. That said, I think Rab have done a good job at servicing as many people as possible for a specialist product where production numbers will be lower.

However, as temperatures climbed into the 40°F (4°C) range, the Mythic 400’s half-length zipper did become an issue. The short zipper prevents efficient venting, which could make the bag feel stuffy in warmer conditions. This must be caveated by the fact that this is a sleeping bag for extreme conditions. The only real snag, quite literally, was that the smaller YKK zipper did have a tendency to catch on the baffle that runs lengthways on the sleeping bag. It never caused the material any harm, but certainly something to be careful of.

Put the Mythic 400 in your pack, and you can pretty much forget about it. It compresses down to a modest 13.8in x 9.1 (35cm x 23cm) in the included compression sack. It’s a premium stuff sack too – a dry bag-style sack that’s totally waterproof to protect your pride and joy should the rain really start to come down, or you have a dreaded backpack spill.

As for durability, the Rab Mythic 400 held up well despite being subjected to rocky terrain during wild camps. While I did take care not to abuse the bag, the thin 10-denier shell fabric showed no significant wear after weeks of use. The DWR treatment kept moisture at bay, but like all ultralight gear, this bag is best used with a bit of caution to avoid snags or tears.

• How Advnture tests products

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture sleeping pad: first impressions

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture is a middle-of-the-road offering from a manufacturer responsible for some of the best sleeping pads available right now. It’s versatile, aimed at campers and backpackers looking for a balance between comfort, durability and affordability – which I think it does so admirably. While it’s not the lightest or warmest option out there, it’s an all-around solid choice for those who need a reliable sleeping pad that won’t break the bank.

Therm-a-Rest have used their WaveCore construction on the NeoAir Venture, which they claim provides a reasonable R-value of 2.2, creating air cells that trap warmth without requiring additional insulation layers. The baffles are far less deep than some of the brand’s higher-end pads, though, which means they don’t trap as much insulation. This design lends itself much more towards summer camping or milder temperatures than true winter conditions or cold weather extremes. The two-inch thickness offers ample cushioning to keep you off the ground and comfortable, though it doesn’t quite match the plush feel of higher-end pads with thicker inflation.

The NeoAir Venture also receives Therm-a-Rest’s WingLock valve system, which I am a huge fan of – it’s simple to use, reliable and feels pretty well built, too. The valve allows for quicker inflation by letting air flow in one direction, while deflation is almost effortless. There’s a pump sack included too, which is great. Even though this is a slightly thinner pad than Therm-a-Rest’s range toppers, it’s still a very welcome touch. It takes a few rounds to fully inflate the pad, but it’s far from tedious. For those who have experienced older, slower inflation systems, it’s a huge step up in usability.

The pad itself is made from 50D polyester, which strikes me as a good balance between toughness and weight. It’s not as featherlight as the ultralight pads out there, but the material feels more durable and is less prone to the annoying rustling noise that I’ve noticed with more expensive, lightweight pads from the likes of Exped. This might seem like a niche feature, but truly a useful one when dealing with uneven wild camp locations where you tend to move around a little!

Meet the reviewer

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture sleeping pad: in the field

I tested the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture on a summer camping trip in the Swiss and French Alps, where nighttime temperatures ranged from 40°F to 68°F (4°C to 20°C). The varying altitude, and therefore temperatures, allowed me to get a good feel for the sleeping pad in a range of temperatures. Never knowing quite what to expect in the mountains, I took a belt and braces approach for this trip, pairing the lower R-value of 2.2, with my 21°F (-6°C) rated sleeping bag.

Unsurprisingly, I never felt cold during the trip. But I do feel that there was an awful lot of headroom in terms of conditions here. Isolating the pad’s performance, it’s worth noting that I never felt that I had a particularly cold back in the night, often a tell-tale sign of poor insulation. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture was fantastic for these conditions, but if things tipped too far below freezing (32°F/-0°C), I would likely consider something with deeper baffles.

Comfort-wise, I found the pad more than adequate. The two-inch thickness provided plenty of cushioning to keep me off the ground at all times. This is high praise considering some of my dubious camp locations, as truly flat ground is often hard to come by in the mountains.

One thing I appreciated was that the pad didn’t feel at all flimsy. Ultralight pads can have a tendency to feel rather delicate, and can move around a little more if you’re a restless sleeper. The NeoAir Venture stays put, and takes away any puncture anxiety.

I even took it outside my tent for some early morning sunrise viewing, lying on mulchy, thistly grassland, with the odd rocky protrusion. The pad held up without any punctures or issues, and I’m pretty confident in the reliability of the 50D polyester construction. I also wouldn’t hesitate to take it bivy camping, where durability is key.

• How Advnture tests products

You’ll soon be able to get cozy for winter and contribute to the preservation of National Parks at the same time, with the upcoming National Parks blanket collection from outdoor specialists Hitch and Roam.

Promising to keep campers cozy on brisk winter nights, each of these ten new Hitch and Roam blankets is made using solely British wool in Yorkshire. Each blanket's design is inspired by a separate national UK park, featuring distinctive stripes and small design features to pay homage to the British backcountry. Among the parks featured are icons of the British landscape, including the Cairngorms and Snowdonia.

As well as representing the British wilderness in their designs, Hitch and Roam wants to support the parks financially, with 5% of all sales going directly to the National Parks Foundation. Established in 2019, this charity oversees the preservation and maintenance of the UK's National Parks, improving and protecting all 15 of them, and encouraging people to experience them for themselves.

Each National Parks Collection blanket is 45.3 x 69.3in / 115 x 176cm and is perfect for the winter weather according to the brand.

The National Parks Collection is currently a Kickstarter project, raising money through crowdfunding before the full collection becomes available next March. At that point, blankets will be available for $292.61 / £225 on the WildBounds website. However early backers can save $65.02 / £50 with a $227.55 / £175 donation to their campaign.

Although Hitch and Roam is based in the UK, customers based in the US can get a hold of a National Parks Collection blanket with a $25.93 delivery fee.

Millions of people have visited the UK’s 15 National Parks in the 75 years since their official creation. The Lake District, the UKs most visited National Park welcomes upwards of 19 million a year alone, with more than 10,000 of those being wild swimmers.

Alongside the National Parks Collection, Hitch and Roam have debuted two new products designed for the backcountry. The ‘Roamers Roll’ ($71.45 / £54.95) is an individually sized camping mat that allows users to keep their backsides dry when perched around the campfire.

In addition, the lightweight Linen Camping Towel claims to be an excellent choice for travellers, taking up a minimal amount of space. Available in a number of sizes, Hitch and Roam’s debut camping towels are available from $7.74 / £5.95.

Both products can be found on the WildBounds website.

• The best emergency blankets, bags and shelters 2024 lightweight lifesaving gear
• The best camping tents for superb backcountry adventures

Lifeventure Ultimate Silk Liner: first impressions

They look and feel very thin, and are cool to the touch, yet when it comes to choosing sleeping bag liners, the silk ones always seem to be positioned – and certainly priced – as the premium products on market. But are they worth the extra expense?

I’ve been testing a Lifeventure cotton sleeping bag liner over the summer, so I was looking forward to finding out the answer to the question above, when I stared testing the British brand’s Ultimate Silk Liner.

There are more advantages to using decent sleeping bag liner than simply adding an extra layer of warmth to your sleeping bag when the weather’s really cold; using a liner also means you don’t need to launder your expensive and difficult-to-wash best sleeping bag as often; liners can also be used as lightweight, stand-alone covers in warm weather; they’re great when you’re staying in hostels or hut hiking (when bed bugs are a concern); and can prove useful in numerous other ways.

But not all sleeping bag liners are born equal – liners are made from a range of materials. The best fabric for you is part personal choice, but it will also depend on where you are, and what the conditions are like.

Lifeventure Ultimate Silk Liner: design and materials

Like its cotton cousin, this silk liner from Lifeventure comes in both mummy and rectangle shapes, so it can be used with virtually all sleeping bags. And again, although you can choose between those two shapes, there are no small-, medium- or extra-large sized liners on offer here, they’re all just large (this will suit most, but not all people – tall campers will struggle to use the integrated pillow).

Since it’s made from 100% silk, this liner is extremely light and packs down very small, into a neat little stuff sack with a fold-over top and an excellent clip (plus a hang loop). As mentioned, the design of the liner includes an integrated pillowcase, so you can keep your camping pillow in place if that’s how you roll, or stuff the space with puffer jackets or fleeces if you prefer to travel light and improvise while on the trail. This pillow envelope acts as a germ guard when you’re staying in hotels, hostels and mountain huts too, using pillows that have seen lots of heads before yours…

Silk isn’t as easy to wash as cotton, but this liner has been treated with Polygiene odor control, so you don’t have to launder it too often (and when you do, use a low temperature). 

The Lifeventure Ultimate Silk Liner comes in just the one color (or non-color, to be more accurate): black. Personally, I don’t care about this, since it’s probably the least-on-show piece of kit in your entire pack, but other people might prefer a choice. The design includes a secret passport pouch, so you can stash your valuables close while sleeping when you’re traveling and staying in shared dorms.

Meet the reviewer

Lifeventure Ultimate Silk Liner: in the field

I’ve been employing the Silk Ultimate Liner over the last few weeks while bikepacking, backpacking and camping in that weird period when summer segues suddenly into fall, and you go from experiencing sweaty sleepless hot nights in a tent, to waking up at 5am feeling absolutely freezing. This is the time when a good sleeping bag liner is worth its weight in gold.

Silk feels fairly cool to the touch, so if you’re not wearing thermal underwear or a set of base layers when you hit the hay, then climbing into the sack can be a shivery experience at first. However, things soon warm up, and in my experience, despite being a very thin layer, the silk liner does trap warm air in and works well to increase the comfort level of a two-season or three-season sleeping bag during cold nights. The technical properties of silk actually make it an excellent extra layer – it wicks moisture away from your body brilliantly and its fiber density makes it a highly effective insulator, which works even when damp (but do try and keep it dry, obviously).

Like all silk liners, it is extremely light to carry, and it takes up very little room (factors that convinced me it was worth taking on escapades when I was traveling with as little gear as possible, especially when choosing what to take bikepacking). Silk is a tough material too, and unlike the cotton liner, I didn’t think it was going to tear. 

The main benefit of silk, though, is its lovely, luxurious feel (silk boasts the lowest levels of friction and irritation of all fibers). It’s super soft and smooth, doesn’t cling or make any noise when you toss and turn and it breathes beautifully. 

As good as it is at providing thermal protection during fall, winter and spring camping adventures, I’m actually looking forward most to using it as a standalone sheet for summer sleepouts.

• How Advnture tests products

Right now, you can pick up the ultra-plush Big Agnes Boundary Insulated Sleeping Pad for as little as $107.93 at REI. That's a generous discount of 40% off the regular asking price for this highly-rated sleeping pad, which side sleepers love.

"THE most comfortable backpacking pad I've ever owned," says one happy customer, who reports they can sleep on their side without touching the ground thanks to 3.5 inches of foam and a quilted, stretchy top.

The Steamboat Springs, CO company built this pad for backcountry adventures, with PrimaLoft Silver Insulation that works with a heat-reflective barrier to trap body heat and reflect it back, so you stay comfortable as the temperatures drop overnight.

The quilted top and a provides a soft-touch, cushioned pillowy sleeping surface and an antimicrobial treatment inside the pad prevents microorganism growth so your pad doesn't get stinky on long adventures.

This sleeping pad is top-rated among customers, with campers giving it an average rating of 4.2 stars. This deal applies to the Blue colorway in regular and long sizes, while you can pick up the wide size for $149.93 if you want a little extra sleeping surface.

Not in the US? Scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on Big Agnes sleeping pads where you are.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best offers on Big Agnes sleeping pads near you:

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips

Right now, you can pick up the ultra-plush Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe sleeping pad for just $148 at Amazon. That's a generous discount of 22% off the regular asking price for this top-rated sleeping pad.

Four inches of stable loft make the Topo Luxe the thickest NeoAir ever, which is excellent news for side sleepers and with a pack weight of just 1.75 lbs you can take this on multi-day backpacking trips as well as easy car camping excursions.

Two one-way valves – one for inflation and one for deflation – make setting up and breaking camp a breeze, and the pad comes complete with a stuff sack and repair kit.

This sleeping pad is top-rated among customers, with campers giving it an average rating of 4.1 stars with one user describing it as "shockingly comfortable." This deal applies to the Balsam colorway in the Regular Wide sizing.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on the NeoAir line where you are. We'll be rounding up all this year's best Amazon Prime Day camping deals, so stick with us to make sure you don't miss out.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best offers on the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir sleeping pad line near you:

• The best sleeping pads: comfy mats for all camping trips

Right now, you can pick up the super cozy, lightweight Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket for $72.49 at Amazon. That's a massive savings of $52 off this usually pricey camping blanket, which users says is "totally worth it" at regular price for its outstanding performance.

Rumpl uses the same technology in this blanket that you’ll find in sleeping bags and down jackets for superior warmth all wrapped up in this soft blanket. Using 100% recycled materials, this down alternative camping blanket is extraordinarily lightweight but provides instant heat and all with a smaller carbon footprint.

I own several Rumpl blankets and I never go camping without them. They come with a stuff sack and are so packable I can fit them into the side pocket of my backpack. On warm summer nights, they provide plenty of insulation and mean I can leave the weight and bulk of my sleeping bag behind, while during the cooler months they deliver extra insulation.

This deal applies to the Pyro Fade colorway of the Rumpl Original Pufy Blanket V1, which is 52 in wide and 75 in long.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on the Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket where you are.

I also love taking mine to the park for a BBQ or picnic, and they come in loads of cool colorways like Olympic Fog and Sunset Veil. Because they're stain and water-resistant and machine-washable, I don't mind getting a little campfire smoke and BBQ sauce on them, and best of all, they're constructed using 100% post-consumer recycled polyester shell and insulation.

Not in the US? Here are today's best deals on Rumpl camping blankets where you are:

• Best camping blankets: tested in the wild

Meet the reviewer

Lifeventure Cotton Sleeping Bag Liner: first impressions

A good sleeping bag liner is far more than a mere adventure accessory or a little luxury. Used correctly these seemingly simple pieces of kit have myriad applications. They can vastly improve your levels of comfort while camping, by effectively upping the temperature rating of your 2-season or 3-season sleeping bag in the colder months (and reducing the amount of times you need to wash your down bags), or by working as a stand-alone cover in the height of summer. And when you’re staying in alpine huts or traveling internationally, they can be an absolutely essential (many huts and hostels insist you use them).

However, like everything you take camping with you, such a piece of kit has to earn its place in your hiking backpack by proving that it’s worth its weight and pack space. This cotton sleeping bag liner from British brand Lifeventure comes with its own stuff sack and, while it’s far from the lightest liner on the market, it’s very neat and easy to slide into any kind of bag, including a large daypack (which I often use for one-night escapades and hut-to-hut hikes).

When it first arrived I was impressed. With an inbuilt pillow sleeve and the fact that it’s been treated with Polygiene, it promised to be super useful in both camping and traveling situations. These features – coupled with a very accessible price tag – meant this liner looked like a piece of equipment well worth adding to my kit cupboard. But how would it perform in the field and on the road? I put it to the test while camping and traveling to find out how it compared to the best sleeping bag liners on the market.

Lifeventure Cotton Sleeping Bag Liner: design & materials

Made from cotton, this liner is available in both mummy and rectangle designs, so it can be used with pretty much any sleeping bag. But while there are two shapes to choose from, they each only come in one universal size, which people at the taller and smaller ends of the height spectrum may find inconvenient. 

The design includes a pillow cover, which helps with hygiene and also keeps your sleeping setup together (if you’re prone to tossing and turning). It comes with its own ripstop stuff sack, which rolls and clips shut like a dry bag, and although it doesn’t promise to be waterproof, this is handy for keeping the liner clean and compact, and it has a hanging loop, which can be useful too. 

The cotton used is standard (not organic) and it is dyed, so the liner does have a sizeable eco footprint. That said, the material has been treated with Polygiene, which means the liner has inbuilt antibacterial and odor-busting properties, so you won’t have to wash it too often (which is better for you and the environment). Being made from cotton, it’s easy to launder when you do decide it requires a refresh. It’s essential to make sure the liner stays dry on the trails because cotton has no thermal properties when damp.

Lifeventure Cotton Sleeping Bag Liner: in the field

I’ve been using this liner while camping and traveling over the last few months, as a stand-alone sheet on balmy nights (when it really excelled) and as an extra layer as summer segued into fall and the outdoor temperatures rapidly dived. It has also come in very useful on some travel trips too.

It has helped keep me nice and snug on some cold nights (especially in those chilly pre-dawn hours). I love the fact that I can climb into this liner straight from the trail – with muddy legs – and my sleeping bag will stay pretty clean. It’s really easy to launder the liner, but washing sleeping bags is much more of a pain. 

It isn’t the lightest liner on the market, but neither is it overly heavy, and the excellent, highly protective stuff sack makes it very easy to pack and carry. I find the integrated pillow case really useful, both for giving me peace of mind when traveling and using pillows that have had many heads on them before mine, and also for stuffing full of fleeces and puffer jackets when I’m lightweight camping and improvising a pillow. On occasions when I have taken a camping pillow with me, the integrated case is good for keeping the pillow in place in my sleeping bag. 

• How Advnture tests products

Nemo is a brand that doesn’t bring anything to market unless it’s an improvement on what’s already out there. In the case of its newest synthetic Forte sleeping bags, it took its original design and gave it a sustainable overhaul, crafting a cozy cocoon of recycled materials that's also 100% recyclable at the end of its life too. The launch officially kicked off the brand’s Endless Promise collection in 2023.

So, keeping in step with the likes of Patagonia and Rab, Nemo has got its eye on the full lifespan of its products. The Forte Endless Promise bags are constructed from a single type of material, which makes it much easier to recycle and goes a long way to keeping waste out of landfills.

I was stoked to test this environmentally friendly, 3-season sleeping bag in the backcountry to see if its performance is as strong as its green credentials.

First Impressions

When I first clocked the Forte in its compressible stuff sack, it was apparent that it wasn’t the most packable sleeping bag in town. If you’re looking for an ultralight, uber-packable sleeping bag, ideal for long, multi-day backcountry expeditions or summer thru hikes, this isn’t the bag for you. However, this is hardly surprising given its modest price point and the fact it features synthetic insulation, rather than down. It weighs 1.64kg / 3lb 10oz, which is on the heavier side of things, and it doesn’t pack down as small as the best in the business. If ultralight kit is your thing, you're set on a Nemo bag and you've got cash to spare, check out the more expensive Nemo Coda.

Nevertheless, once I unclipped the stuff sack and liberated the Forte, I quickly appreciated its quality. The soft polyester inner feels lovely against the skin and clever features, such as the Thermo Gills and pillow pocket, hint at the careful consideration that’s gone into the design.

Recycled, recyclable fabrics

There’s a lot to shout about when it comes to the recycled main fabrics, which are bluesign approved, as well as fully recyclable thanks to their mono-polymer construction. The shell is a 30D ripstop polyester, while the plush lining is a 20D polyester taffeta. Taffeta, usually made from either silk, polyester or nylon, is a shiny, crisply woven fabric often associated with high fashion. Here, it lends comfort to the Forte’s its luxurious inner sanctum, your soft cocoon for happy slumbers.

In between these layers is the post-consumer recycled synthetic fill, which maintains its loft beautifully and retains its thermal qualities when wet – an oft-stated advantage of synthetic insulation over down.

Thoughtful features

One of the Forte's most striking features is its profile. Rather than the traditional mummy form, it has what Nemo call a 'spoon' shape. I don’t know what Nemo’s marketing team have been eating, but it doesn’t look that much like a spoon to me. I’d have called it an hourglass shape: it’s widest at the shoulders, tapers a bit in the middle, widens again around the hips, before tapering significantly at the footbox. This shape provides an unrestricted sleep, allowing side sleepers to shuffle around in comfort, with more space at both the shoulders and knees.

There’s plenty going on around the head, with a cinchable hood, draft collar and a compartment for a camping pillow. When the temperatures plummet, the draft collar can be tucked in to provide a shield against the cold, while the hood can be brought in tight.

Speaking of cold, the bag is suited to 3-season use, with a Comfort rating of -1°C / 30°F. I camped in temperatures of around 5°C / 41°F and found the bag to be nicely warming. There's no doubt that it could have the potential to be overly warm in really hot conditions, which is why Nemo employs two Thermo Gills on the front towards the top. These are zippered openings that reveal a thin panel of the inner fabric that allows radiated body heat from inside and ambient air from outside to bypass the insulating layer, allowing the sleeping bag to breathe and cooling the wearer down.

Down the left side is the almost full-length zipper with anti-snag guard, which can be opened from both the interior and the exterior. The footbox has a couple of loops for easy hanging when storing, airing or when you need to wash your sleeping bag and dry it afterwards.

When it’s time to pack it away, there’s a stuff sack armed with compressions straps that can be tightened for transportation. However, don't forget that the best way to store a sleeping bag is to hang it up, if you have the space.

In the field

I used the Forte during summer car camping trips and for a backpacking expedition in the English Lake District, where I was able to fully test its 3-season credentials during a chilly summit camp. I’m still alive, so it must have done something right.

In fact, it did more than that. I found sleeping in the Forte a very pleasant experience throughout. Comfort is what this bag does best and its spoon shape means that it’s less restrictive than many other bags. I never got that awful, claustrophobic feeling you sometimes get when the sleeping bag says “no”, as you try to turn in the night and you have to wriggle a bit to free yourself back up from fabric that has coiled around your legs like a polyester anaconda.

During warm summer nights at sea level, the Thermo Gills allowed me to cool things down and I really appreciated their presence. They were then fully closed up during my mountain camps. Meanwhile the ability to cinch things in tight and utilize the draft collar allowed me to lock precious heat in during what would have otherwise been quite a brisk wild camp.

So, there’s nothing wrong with wild camping with the Forte, though it does take up quite a bit of space in a backpack and, as mentioned, there are lighter alternatives out there. It's definitely something to consider if you're intending to take on a load of elevation gain to access a hard-won, remote wild camping spot.

To begin with, I was unable to fit my Nemo Fillo pillow into the pillow pocket! However, any frustration was short lived, as I realised the answer was to insert the pillow pre-inflation and then blow it up once in situ. The tight gap that had stopped me inserting the inflated pillow to begin with was now the same one keeping it in place. Ideal! I approve of this feature, as it stops the pillow moving around or slipping out from under my head. This had been a qualm I’d had with the otherwise superb Nemo Tensor Extreme Conditions Ultralight Sleeping Pad, as the pillow would slide along its smooth surface like a greased eel.

The stuff sack is well designed. On the bottom is a large fabric loop for carrying or for pulling in the opposite direction liberating the bag from the sack. The compression straps are easy to pull tight or loosen, while getting the bag back in the sack isn’t a struggle.

Colder weather is on the way and right now, you can get your hands on The North Face Trail Lite Down 20 Sleeping Bag for just $137.73 at REI.

That's a whopping savings of 40% off the list price on this cozy mummy-style sleeping bag, which is billed as lightweight and packable yet surprisingly warm.

With 600-fill-power recycled down, this sleeping bag is warm enough for outdoor sleeping through the colder seasons and delivers a high level of compressibility for all-season backpackers.

A fully insulated hood with an insulated cinch collar seals out chilly drafts and helps keep your head warm while you snooze, and the addition of synthetic fill around your toes limits compression where you need extra warmth.

This deal applies to both the regular and extra-long sizing in the Blue Coral/Reef Waters colorway but if you're interested, you should act now as this model has been discontinued. 

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on some of our favorite 20-degree sleeping bags near you.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best deals on some of our favorite 20-degree sleeping bags near you:

• The best sleeping bags 2024: for comfort in camp

Sleeping bags are kind of an essential camping item, I’m sure you’ll agree. After a long day of hiking with a heavy backpack, there’s nothing better than crawling into a cozy sleeping bag, zipping it up and drifting off under the stars. 

As a frequent camper, I never thought I’d see the day when I’d forego my trusted GoLite sleeping bag that’s kept me warm all over the Rocky Mountains and some of America’s best National Parks – but over the last couple of years, that’s exactly what has happened.

Two summers ago, I got my hands on the Sea to Summit Ember II Down Sleeping Quilt to test out on my nocturnal adventures. If you don’t know, a camping quilt typically has no zip or hood, but it provides more protection than a simple camping blanket. It is made using the same fabric and insulation as a sleeping bag and has a foot box that encloses around the bottom of your sleeping pad, while some have straps that wrap around the pad too. 

After making sure I was happy with mine while camping near home on the banks of Loch Lomond, I took it on a thru-hike of the West Highland Way and I loved it. Since then, I’ve camped through all four seasons in several different countries and used it every time. I even lent it to a friend who was traveling to India for a month and wanted to keep her bag light but needed to feel confident she’d have enough insulation at altitude. 

Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to using a traditional sleeping bag, unless I’m heading to the Arctic where some serious protection is needed. I have the 35°F version, which you can still find using the link at the end of this article, while these days the Aussie company makes it in 30°F/45°F and regular and long.

Curious? Here are three reasons why I love my camping quilt more than my sleeping bag, and why you might want to try one too.

1. It saves on weight and valuable space

Because a camping quilt has less material than a traditional sleeping bag, no hood and no zip, it should come as no surprise that it’s way lighter. This may not matter to you if you’re a dedicated car camper (though I recently wrote about bringing mine car camping too, and I still prefer it), it’s a huge deal if you’re backpacking or traveling.

I’m not talking about saving an ounce or two either – my camping quilt is literally half the weight of my sleeping bag, which itself is quite light at only 2.3 lbs, and packs down to half the size as well. Whether I’m backpacking or traveling by plane or train for an active adventure, it means there’s plenty of room for all my gear and my bag is easy to wrestle into an overhead locker or haul up a mountain.

2. I can better regulate my temperature

When you think about camping, you might understandably be worried about staying warm enough at night and having lived at high altitude for many years, I appreciate that. For people like myself who camp in different seasons and climates, however, it’s just as common to wake up too hot as it is to feel cold, so what I really want is insulation that helps me regulate my temperature so I’m not spending half the night pulling on extra clothes and the other half unzipping my bag.

In researching camping quilts and sleeping bags, one of the important things I’ve learned is that since most insulation works by trapping air, when the weight of your body is pressing down on your sleeping bag, there isn’t much air to trap. In fact, most of the insulation is being provided by your sleeping pad anyway, so that layer of fabric that’s missing from a quilt usually isn’t essential. 

Furthermore, my quilt has both a foot box and optional straps to cinch it tightly around my pad, so even when I did some unusually cold early spring camping in Yosemite National Park a couple of years ago, I was able to stay quite snug, just pulling on a beanie hat and wool socks to stay warm. Meanwhile, when I was camping in warm weather this summer, the fact that I wasn’t cocooned meant my sleep system was much more breathable and I wasn’t overheating while my tentmate in a sleeping bag was.

3.  I’m actually comfortable in any position 

I might love camping, but like anyone else I can struggle to get comfortable at night, especially when I’m spending multiple nights in a row out in the wild. Sure, it’s partly to do with sleeping on the hard ground, but my Therm-A-Rest ProLite Apex sleeping pad is really pretty plush. 

It turns out that the biggest obstacle for me is that, as a somewhat dynamic sleeper, I have a hard time finding a comfortable position when I’m swaddled inside a bag. My legs are bound together and if I free my arms they get cold, and there always seems to be a cold, hard zip in my face.

Not with my camping quilt, however. Because it doesn’t restrict my limbs, I’m free to sleep in all of my favorite positions – starfish, freefall, on my side – without having to wake up and reorganize my entire sleep system. There’s no annoying zip and nothing to keep me from sleeping in whatever position I want. Well, except for my tentmate that is.

• The best camping pillows 2024: tested for comfort in the backcountry

In 2002, Nemo Equipment’s founder Cam Brensinger spent a fraught night in a poorly designed bivvy on the side of Mount Washington. After absolutely zero sleep, he had something of an epiphany and resolved to launch his own company to do things better. Thus Nemo (or New England Mountain Outfitters) was born. Fast forward a couple of decades and today the brand has a strong reputation for quality and innovation in the camping gear world. 

One of Nemo’s values that I really admire is that it doesn’t bring anything to market unless it’s doing something better than what’s already out there. For example, its Hornet Osmo Ultralight 3-Person Backpacking Tent, which I reviewed last summer, boasted cutting edge Osmo fabrics, representing a step forward in terms of sustainability.

Now then, let's talk pads! Our Vermont-based camping adventurer Berne Broudy tested the Nemo Tensor Ultralight back in summer 2022 and rated it as the perfect backpacking camping pad. In fact, it sits in the number one spot of our best sleeping pads buying guide, at the time of writing. So, I was intrigued to see how this more advanced – and more expensive – pad from Nemo would fare against the British backcountry.

Meet the reviewer

First impressions

Considering the Tensor EC’s stated R-value and suitability for winter, I was immediately impressed with its small pack size when it first arrived. Liberating it from the sack, I got a bit of surprise when the Pump Sack fell to the floor. This unexpected addition is a large sack designed to assist the inflation process and stops unwanted moisture getting into the pad. It took a bit of puff to get it fully inflated but after 3 or 4 rounds of the Pump Sack, the Tensor Extreme stretched out in all its insulated glory.

It’s a smart looking pad that feels premium and is wonderfully thick: 3.5 inches, to be precise. It feels luxurious when lined up against many sleeping pads I’ve tested down the years, which almost seem apologetic in comparison. It’s comfortable and nicely supportive, more so than many other backpacking pads.

Features

So, what are the features that create such a comfortable pad? The Tensor EC boasts horizontal, trapezoidal baffles, which support  4 layers of Thermal Mirror film insulation, which utilizes a metallized film. The layers reflect body heat back, while fending off cold from the earth below – similar to metalized surface of emergency blankets. The result is a magnificent warmth-to-weight ratio that’s difficult to top, while Nemo says that it’s “impressively quiet”. There’s a bit of a crinkly sound as I put my weight on it or roll around on it, so it’s perhaps not a sleeping pad my tent mates would thank me for, although I’ve admittedly heard much worse.

Weighing in at 710g, it’s 170g heavier than the Tensor Ultralight, but you’d expect this for a pad that you can whip out for a spot of not-so-casual winter camping. Whereas the Tensor Ultralight boasted an R-value of 3.5, fine for 3-season use, the Tensor EC sports an R-value of 8.5, making it well suited to the gnarliest winter camps – hence the ‘Extreme Conditions’ in the name. In fact, Nemo state that it’s the first air pad to achieve a value above 8, so we’re dealing with some pretty bleeding edge design here.

Yet, it still works perfectly for summer camps, where sleeping pads are concerned, there’s no such thing as too much insulation from the ground. So, whereas a 4-season sleeping bag you’d take up K2 would be a tad too toasty for July beach camps, the Tensor EC can be your main sleeping pad all year round.

Fabrics wise, Nemo have used a tough, puncture-resistant 40D nylon for the bottom and a softer 20D nylon for the sleep surface. Both are bluesign approved, which means the fabrics meet internationally recognized sustainability standards, while there’s recycled material in there too. Bravo!

The air valve has been redesigned to have a zero-profile and perform better at the kind of low temperatures you may find yourself using the Tensor EC in. It boasts micro adjustability, meaning that you can open up the inflate tab and press it in to let a little air out if needed. You can open the valve up entirely using the deflate tab, basically pulling the plug out and enabling super speedy deflation.

To sync with your sleeping system, as well as your own dimensions, the Tensor EC is available in four sizes: Regular Wide (tested here), Regular Mummy, Regular, Long Wide. It also comes with a lifetime warranty for that lovely peace of mind on the trail.

In the backcountry

I took the Tensor EC on camping trips to England’s famous Lake District National Park in later summer, camping in the valley and – crucially given the pad’s credentials – enjoying summit wild camps too. The summit sleeps provided the colder conditions needed to see whether the pad delivered the goods when it came to insulation and, I can happily report, that it did.

Inflation is easy but it’s not without effort. There’s the option of the Pump Sack, which is filled around 3 or 4 times to achieve maximum inflation. I got this down to around 3-and-a-half minutes from flat to fully inflated. The other option is inflating directly at the pad’s valve but this means unwanted moisture will invariably get into the pad. Inflated this way, it took me around 2-and-a-half minutes.

I like the way the valve allows me to personalize just how inflated I want the pad to be. A simple press lets a little air out, meaning that if I wanted a little less air in the pad, it’s easy to achieve. Attaching the Pump Sack is also a doddle.

I tested the Regular Wide version and found it offered some of the most comfortable backcountry sleeps I’ve ever enjoyed. Insulation is truly top notch, I felt wonderfully removed from the cold of the mountain beneath my groundsheet, making for a pleasant slumber. 

A minor gripe was that its surface provided very little friction when paired with Nemo’s own Fillo Backpacking and Camping Pillow. The inflatable pillow had a habit of slipping off the surface of the pad if anything other than mostly downward pressure was applied. I’d guess this could be solved by a more textured surface, either at the head of the pad or on both sides of the pillow – currently only one side of the pillow has such a surface and it’s clearly the side intended for one’s bonce.

When it comes to packing down, I was able to deflate and roll up the Tensor EC in less than a minute. The valve’s deflate tab basically allows me to pull the plug on its air and then it’s just a case of rolling it back up and stuffing it away. It was impressively small and light in my pack, especially given its insulating qualities.

All in all, a super pad that will work all year round. It's very expensive though and gram counting campers mainly eying up warm weather trips will be fine with something less insulating and also less pricey.

REI's Labor Day sale is on now, and you can grab the brilliant Therm-A-Rest Prolite Apex sleeping pad for just $101.19 at REI for a limited time. This shaves $35 off this light and surprisingly plush pad that gets four stars among REI customers.

This is the sleeping pad I use myself, and I've taken it all around Colorado, the United Kingdom, the French countryside and the Alps. It's been thrown around on planes, made car camping trips easier and taken a beating on backpacking trips, and still gives me a great night's sleep. 

It's a great price for a top-quality pad and applies to the regular sizing, while you can also save 25% on the long and wide sizing. The sale ends on Monday, September 2 so you might want to act fast in case stocks run out.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on the Therm-A-Rest Prolite Apex sleeping pad where you are. 

Where I think this pad really excels is in its packability. Somehow it rolls up even smaller than either of my older pads, but inflates into a bigger cushion. This makes it really easy to slide into the stuff sack, which I’ve had to wrestle with in the past, and the stuff sack is designed to be a little larger and comes with compression straps, which means I can just cinch it tight. 

When it comes to comfort, this pad easily excels beyond any of the Therm-A-Rests I’ve loved before. I sleep on all sides, but primarily I’m a side sleeper and no part of me touches the ground on this pad when it’s inflated. At two inches, it’s super plush but really stable, so I'm never bouncing around and it also doesn’t make that annoying crinkly noise when I roll over. It’s not as comfy as my bed at home, but I took out a second mortgage to buy that bed so that would be unrealistic. But it’s the comfiest air mattress I’ve slept on and I can’t believe it can be that plush and packable.

Read more on my favorite features of this pad in my review of the Therm-A-Rest Prolite Apex sleeping pad.

If you're not in the US, here are the best deals on the Therm-A-Rest Prolite Apex sleeping pad where you are, with prices updated daily:

• The best sleeping pads 2024: comfy mats for all camping trips

What’s on your ‘good night’s sleep’ kit list? Hooded sleeping bag? Silicone ear plugs? Snuggles the Bear? (Just me?) A quality sleeping pad is going to be right up there at the top too, and for multi-day trips and backcountry adventures an inflatable type is a great choice.

If you've shopped around for one recently you'll notice that while they start at around $30 (£23), you can pay anything up to an eye-watering $400 (£300) for a top-end version.

These bits of gear need to be comfortable, portable, reliable and help keep you warm – but do they need to be the price of a queen-size mattress?

There are a couple of types of inflatable sleeping pads to choose from, and both can come with a hefty price tag.

Non-insulated air pads are extremely light and compact, good for ultralight enthusiasts and hardy warm-weather campers.

Insulated air pads are at the top end of the price range, with a good mix of insulation and cushioning, offering comfort and warmth for minimal weight.

We explore the different types of mats further in our guide to the best sleeping pads.

Some styles come in ‘female specific' versions, which you can find out more on in our reviews of the best women’s sleeping pads.

In reality, there are many reasons why sleeping pads cost what they do. A lot of it comes down to creating and manufacturing the technical designs and buying the specialized materials. And of course, there are the coveted brands that folk are happy to spend extra on.

In this article, we take a look at some of the main reasons why sleeping pads cost so much, and offer advice on investing in the right one, plus how to bag a bargain if you can.

Cost of materials

At a glance it may not look like a complex bit of kit, but there's a lot that goes into the construction of an inflatable sleeping pad. Firstly, it has to be airtight. The worst sleeping pad is the one that lets you down (literally) in the middle of the night. 

Over time mats can lose their airtightness, and cheaply made models are more likely to suffer a puncture, or lose air at the seams or valve. Investing in ultra-strong but ultra light materials comes with a price tag. The durable outer layer – usually polyester or nylon – must be hardy while still light and compressible.

Insulated air mats also include a layer of insulation, usually polyester, sometimes trademarked versions such as Thermolite or PrimaLoft. PrimaLoft is made from ultra-fine polyester fibres, which trap air but have a low mass and are also breathable. They help stop air warmed by the heat of your body from flowing away from it.

High-performance sleeping pads will also include a reflective barrier to stop heat radiating away from you. Cheap reflective films are more likely to rustle or crinkle when you move, but the more expensive versions are silent, helping you sleep in peace.

Some of these technical materials have patents, so brands are going to have to pay to incorporate them in their designs, which means a higher price tag for you.

Manufacturing

If your sleeping pad uses high-performing technical materials, then you’re on your way to a good night’s sleep. But how they’re put together makes a difference too.

Ideally, you want a thick, sumptuous, stable pad that still packs away small. Mats such as the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT offers 10cm thickness, whereas a cheaper model could be half that.

As well as providing stability, baffling and ridges in your pad create air chambers, trapping warmed air and preventing it from being squeezed to the edges and escaping.

In less expensive models these baffles are created by heat compressing. Areas of the top and bottom of the pad are welded together providing a dimpled or ridged finish. This process goes some way to giving comfort, creating air chambers, but it leaves very thin areas of the pad that heat can escape from. It means that insulation can’t be introduced either.

Sea to Summit prides itself on its RF (radio frequency) welding technique, which creates air cells in its air-sprung sleeping mats while keeping them completely 3D. In some models, a double layer of cells around the torso area give fine-tuned stability.

A big factor in the cost of making sleeping pads is the country they’re manufactured in. More expensive brands have a commitment to manufacturing transparency, and creating this transparency alone costs money.

Well-known brands may keep the design HQ in the US and Europe, and sometimes even a certain percentage of manufacturing, but many have moved manufacturing abroad, to keep end product costs more affordable.

Therm-a-Rest, for example, was founded in Seattle in 1972 and the creators had wanted to use only 'the best materials and expert workers'. It was essential they believed, to manufacture in the US.

When Cascade Designs took the Therm-a-Rest brand to Europe, a manufacturing center was opened in Ireland. And gear for the European market is still made there today.

It means that the company can make sure all employees, from the production team, to the engineers and the office staff, are committed to producing top-quality gear and service.

Research and innovation

Packability, comfort, weight and reliability – if you compare a mid-range sleeping pad to one 10 years ago, you’ll realize how much these bits of gear have moved on.

Brands producing the most high-performance gear invest a lot in research and development in the manufacturing process to help evolve it. Without this investment, we might still be hiking around in camel-hair coats and grass-stuffed shoes. There’s also the stringent lab and field testing before the product hits the shelves.

Have you heard of sleeping pads' R-value? When it comes to warmth, these products are given an R-value, which reveals how well your sleeping pad resists heat loss into the ground (most range from 1.0 to 5.5).

There’s now a national standard – the ASTM R-Value – so that you can be sure you're getting the insulating properties you pay for. Manufacturers have played their part in this standardization.

As well as sometimes using patented technologies in products, brands create their own. There’s Therm-a-Rest’s Triangular Core Matrix, for example. A trademarked 'two-tiered construction of triangular baffles', which the brand says ‘creates the most stable air pad available’.

It has also patented its TwinLock Valves, which it claims are ‘five times faster than traditional valves’.

Environmental and social impact

Many outdoors brands have been quick to commit to making more of an effort to look after Mother Nature.

The investment isn't to be sneezed at – they've had to rethink ways to create products that use fewer resources, produce less waste and last longer. They've used technology and employed more people to calculate and reduce emissions; made supply chains more transparent and improved sustainability in production. 

For a higher price tag, you're more likely to be offered pads made from recycled materials, have trees planted when you buy a product or get yours delivered in plastic-free packaging.

As well as committing to reducing carbon emissions, companies such as Nemo Equipment are looking at their social impact. They say they are working to source responsibly and are investing in advocacy, using the brand’s power to influence society and politics.

All of course, is reflected in the price of your pad.

If you want to be more environmentally friendly in your outdoor adventures, see our article on easy ways to make your hiking more sustainable.

Extras

If you pay more for your sleeping pad you're more likely to get a longer warranty periods – you can get a pad repaired or replaced, which should save you in the long run. Some brands even offer a lifetime guarantee. These companies will probably be more responsive if you contact them with a problem when your mat doesn’t meet expectations.

A higher-priced sleeping pad is more likely to come with extras and accessories, such as puncture repair patches, or stuff sacks that double up as a pump.

How to shop for a deal

1. Buy the right spec for you

If you buy right you won’t need to buy twice. If you think you’re going to enjoy ultra-marathons, is there someone who can lend you a sleeping mat for the first event, or can you hire one, until you know you’re definitely going to do more?

Inflatable sleeping pads can come in different widths and lengths, and some brands are cheaper for the smaller version. If you can get away with it, opt for the shorter length.

2. Read reviews

Verified customer reviews, as well as independent testing sites such as ours, are brilliant sources of information that confirm whether or not a sleeping pad stands up to the manufacturer’s claims. Perhaps it contains a stuff sack that doubles up a pump. But is this pump actually going to suffice – or is it a waste of time? You can find out before you buy.

3. Think of resale value

High-performing gear made by trusted brands has good resale value. Post on forums, share in outdoors groups if the admin permits, or local outdoor buying and selling groups, and you can always shift something when you're done with it. Keep the receipt so you can prove how long ago you bought it and that you’ve been the sole owner.

4. Buy second hand

Similarly, keep your eye out for steals in all the above places.

5. Shop around for a deal

It requires forward planning but usually the cheapest time to buy summer gear is at the end of the summer. Same for winter. As brands make room for the distribution of new seasonal stock, and new models of the previous product are launched, prices are more likely to be cut and you can find a pad 20% or 30% cheaper than it was mid-season.

• Can you rely on a budget sleeping pad?

Meet the reviewer

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT Sleeping Pad: first impressions

Inflatable sleeping pads have come on leaps and bounds since I started hiking 16 years or so ago. I’m a notorious cold sleeper and can be found using a hot water bottle for 11 out of 12 months of the year, even inside. I was therefore interested to learn that the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm was pitched at those sleeping in cold winter and alpine climates. Since the introduction of the R-value rating in sleeping mats to provide better information for consumers, it’s now much easier to understand which seasons a sleeping mat is effective in. I tested the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT while bikepacking in Fairbourne in mid-Wales and was pleasantly surprised by the brilliant warmth to weight ratio.

To work out how R-values are calculated, in simple terms it means giving a grade to the effectiveness of insulation products based on what they’re made of. This is done by dividing the thickness of a material (in meters) by its thermal conductivity. The NeoAir XTherm NXT is the best in class, with an R-value of 7.3. A mat with a high R-value is a no-brainer for those who are looking for a high-performance mat for sleeping out in the mountains, or just want the reassurance that they’ll get a comfortable night’s sleep without the worry of being woken up due to the temperature shift.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT Sleeping Pad: in the field

Weighing in at just 440g, the regular XTherm NXT mat is one of the most innovative and technologically advanced mats Therm-a-Rest has ever made. Combining a tough 70D nylon on the base of the mat and 30D rip HT nylon on the top, the sleeping mat takes the best of each fabric to make a mat that’s durable and reliable for multiple days’ usage, yet is not so heavy and bulky that it’s too heavy to carry. Use of the 70D makes it resistant to damage from packing down every day, whilst the 30D ripstop nylon on top keeps it lightweight.

There’s no other sleeping mat that comes close to the XTherm NXT – for cold sleepers, having a mat that uses the best tech to deliver a great weight to warmth ratio is a gamechanger. Therm-a-Rest has used its Triangular Core Matrix construction – which is effectively two layers of triangle baffles edge-to-edge – to slow convective heat loss. The cells then create a stable internal space to provide support. Meanwhile, the ThermaCapture technology involves a lightweight reflective material (like you’d see in a foil blanket) that’s placed inside to help redistribute heat back to the body and minimize cold spots. Both aspects of construction reduce overall convective heat loss without adding weight or bulk to the sleeping mat.

For a back sleeper, having a thick sleeping mat is important to provide cushioning and comfort from the ground. A chunky thickness gives cloud-like comfort at an impressive 3-inch (7.6-cm) thick profile, whilst a horizontal baffled structure allows weight to distribute evenly without the awkward sleeping mat sag.

To get the sleeping mat ready, it’s rolled up with all the air removed to create a compact package. Often the most common problem with pack down is trying to get the sleeping bag to fit back in its original packaging. Thankfully the WingLock Valve allows for rapid inflation, so air doesn’t accidentally escape, and it’s also straightforward to ‘dump’ air on deflation. The valve lock is also easier to operate than a popper style closure, meaning it’s easy to use in cold or wet weather when gloves are staying on. A pump sack (the kind where you waft air in) attaches onto the valve lock, so once you get into the rhythm of how much air to put in, it’s easy to fill the mattress up.

Sleeping mats (especially inflatable ones) often rustle, as sleepers move in the night due to shifting sleeping positions, temperature changes or discomfort. If you’re sharing a tent with someone, the sound of sleeping bags against the mat can be a major annoyance to your fellow campers. On the XTherm NXT, comfort and warmth can be easily adjusted by small tweaks on the inflation valve. Meanwhile, the material is comfortable enough to sleep on without being so shiny you slip off.

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X Therm NXT comes with the sleeping mat, pump bag, and repair kit, stowing away into a stuff sack pack that’s not much bigger than a 1L Nalgene bottle. It's a big win for those who look at challenging themselves in fast and light terrain, yet don’t want to have a night of suffering as a result.

• How Advnture tests products

The Amazon Prime Day camping deals are still coming thick and fast and one of the best deals we've seen is the addition of the plush Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe sleeping pad for just $133. That's a discount of 30% off the regular asking price, and applies to the Balsam colorway in the Regular Wide sizing.

At four inches thick but with a pack weight of just 1.75 lbs, this sleeping pad is excellent news for side sleepers and will keep you warm and comfortable through the night. You'll have to act fast, however, as this is a limited-time deal.

If you're not in the US, scroll down to the bottom of this article for today's best deals on the NeoAir line where you are. Looking for something else? We're rounding up all this year's best Amazon Prime Day Yeti deals, including offers on coolers and drinkware, so stick with us to make sure you don't miss out.

If you're not in the US, here are today's best offers on the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir sleeping pad line near you:

• The best Amazon Prime Day camping deals 2024

Meet the reviewer

Mountain Warehouse Wearable Blanket: first impressions

At first glance the Mountain Warehouse Wearable Blanket might resemble the surprise result of a late-night liaison between a puffer jacket and a sleeping bag. But this wearable blanket from budget-orientated outdoor-apparel and gear store Mountain Warehouse is actually a pretty useful piece of kit for using at the campsite when evenings get chilly.

It can also be very handy when you’re at the beach and the breeze kicks up, or while you’re enjoying any sort of alfresco experience, from garden gatherings and family picnics to festivals and outdoor cinema screenings. 

But how does it compare to the best camping blankets on the market? I parked my pride and took it on tour to test it and find out.

Mountain Warehouse Wearable Blanket: design and materials

Constructed from a polyester shell and synthetic fill (sadly, none of which appears to be recycled), the Mountain Warehouse Wearable Blanket is a padded blanket with horizontal baffles to keep the internal stuffing where it’s supposed to be. 

It comes in a stuff sack, which is quite bulky (it’s definitely not a garment suited for backpackers, but car campers will find room for it easily enough). Once unpacked and laid on the floor, it resembles a lightweight duvet or unzipped summer sleeping bag. 

It’s rectangular, and you can wrap it around yourself like a standard blanket, but the addition of a hood in the middle means you can also wear it like a cape – and this is clearly its primary purpose. 

There are cords with toggles on the hood, so you can pull it securely around your face. The blanket also features poppers on the lower section, for tightening the cape and preventing it flapping around in the wind (useful for preserving your dignity if you’re attempting to get changed while wearing the blanket).

On the front there are two snug hand pockets (which join in the middle), plus a large kangaroo pouch-style pocket with a Velcro fastener for storing anything from a phone to a headlamp, flashlight or wooly hat. 

Mountain Warehouse Wearable Blanket: in the field

My first question about this wearable blanket when I initially took it camping was, “Why on Earth would I use this, when I can just put on a good synthetic puffer jacket?”

As I found out over the course of several outings, however, this product does deliver several things a puffer doesn’t (and visa versa, of course). For starters, it offers more coverage than a standard-length jacket, extending down to your knees when you wear it like a cape. Obviously it doesn’t fit as snugly as a puffer jacket does, but it’s not intended for use on wind-whipped mountain tops, and when you’re sat on a camping chair in the site (or in a venue, park or garden), it does keep your bum and upper legs warm. 

In addition, this extra length means you can also get changed under it – like you can with a dryrobe or large towel – when you’re wild swimming or at the beach. It won’t dry you off, but it will protect your privacy and keep the wind out.

Perhaps most importantly, it is significantly cheaper than all puffer jackets and most swimming robes – which makes it much more accessible to more people. This also means you don’t need to be super precious about it (I hate exposing expensive down jackets in particular to scenarios where they can potentially get wet or filthy, but you can be a bit more relaxed with this blanket).

I found the pockets useful for keeping my hands warm, and the large pouch is good for stashing larger items (you can even get a book in there if you like). 

After some initial pangs of self-consciousness, I was more than happy to wear this blanket around the campsite in the evening when the sun had set and the temperatures dropped, and after retiring to my tent, I used it for extra warmth during the shivery predawn hours when my sleeping bag started to feel a little on the thin side.

You definitely need to be careful when wearing this around a campfire, though – it feels like it would catch light pretty easily. It’s also a shame no recycled material has been used in its construction. 

• How Advnture tests products