So after our trip this year Misses Mycelia and I feel that we may need to upgrade our original thermarests which are from the 80s. We’re approaching our mid 50’s and would like more comfort. Don’t care about cost it’s comfort we’re looking for!!! Thoughts and suggestions appreciated.

I use Exped products. Wide range of weight, R factor, and thickness options.

have used expeds and they are comfortable and warm. any air mattress can leak, so take a repair kit.

myceliaman: "....
.... Don’t care about cost it’s comfort we’re looking for!!! Thoughts and suggestions appreciated."

Have ya not heard? We're all switching to hammocks.

A basic hammock can be found for $30-40 or made DIY for about $10. However, more sophisticated hammocks with intergrated bugnets, at least one set of quits for each of you and a single tarp each plus sundry accessories will set you back $1200 to 2500 for the both of you. If the cash outlay doesn't keep you up at night, a hammock is the most comfortable way to sleep in the back country.

Good Luck

We went from thermarests to Expeds about ten years ago and are very happy with them.
See the thread titled "Exped Question" in this forum. I still can't get over their outstanding customer service :))

Safe travels.......Mike

drnatus: "have used expeds and they are comfortable and warm. any air mattress can leak, so take a repair kit. "

The last Exped I got came with repair kit in an inner pouch of the stuff sack. Nice. Great product. I've got the DLX9 (renamed now) and one SynMat UL5. I sleep well on either of them.

THere are so many good options now you really can't go wrong.

Exped downmat is my favorite that blows up with the snozzle. Get the UL and with the added R value you can lighten the load. I use a 35 degree down bag that weighs right around a pound and with the exped I am good to go except mid winter.

With that said big agnes, THermarest, NEMO probably others are all great pads.

Campsaver has the EXPED downmat lite 5 on sale for 30% off right now. I'd go for the long/wide
Exped downmat lite5

This is a great pad...just a warning with the comfort and weight you do give up on durability. You aren't goign to get one of these to last as long as your old thermarest did.

T

Just bought a Nemo Cosmo 30X L . It is the most comfortable pad I’ve ever used. The built in foot pump worked awesome. The one I bought was a 2018 model and was on sale for $99 . Can’t remember where I ordered it from.

I have an Exped Synmat7 from quite some years ago and it is comfortable, but so is my Thermarest NeoAir XTherm. The NeoAir has a higher R-value, is lighter and more compact, and also comfortable so it sees more use now. The Exped is a loaner.

I have no experience with the one reviewed here, but am intrigued. You may want to consider it also.

I have a number of Epeds and like all of them. My favorite, however, is the same one Wallee mentioned-the Nemo Cosmo 30 X. It is wide and easier to pump than any of the Expeds I own.

Agree on the Exped comfort and excellent customer service.

One not mentioned that I have had good luck with is Klymit. Rather inexpensive (compared to Exped) and probably 3/4 the comfort but much lighter and nearly the same insulation value. ( R values of just under 5 to 6.5 in the Insulated Static V versions)

Also- if your an Ebay user- you can negotiate with Klymit on their pads and usually get them for 50% off. I have 3 of them and love them- but not as comfy as Exped. But the Klymits have been my choice in the BW for several years now and the exped is for car camping.

Klymits can also be found at Costco from time to time.

Exped downmat w/ schnozzle myself but finding that its too narrow for me these days. And, it's increasingly uncomfortable on the ground in my mid 50's. I'm in transition to a hammock and under/over quilt.

We also used thermarests for more than 30 years. When I reached my early 50s a few years ago, my hips had finally had enough. Switched to exped synmat 7, possibly the wide, and am very glad I did. No more hip issues. And my knees only have issues while kneeling to inflate it. Now we use the old kids thermarest (shorter version) for the dog to sleep on.

Last couple seasons I've used the Klymit V Luxe and it is by far the most comfortable pad I've used. The only downside is the model I have is uninsulated so its summer use only. The part I really like thought is its 30" wide but rolls up to about the size of a can of Coke, way smaller than some of the Thermarest pads I had in the past.

Anyone have any recommendations on thick sleeping pads that don't cost a ton? I have a 2.5 inch thermarest but am a side sleeper and my shoulders and hips kill me at night. Wondering if a 3-4 inch pad would help my old bones sleep better.

billconner: "

drnatus: "have used expeds and they are comfortable and warm. any air mattress can leak, so take a repair kit. "

The last Exped I got came with repair kit in an inner pouch of the stuff sack. Nice. Great product. I've got the DLX9 (renamed now) and one SynMat UL5. I sleep well on either of them."

totally agree... but this past campout one of my 5+ years (maybe 10???) old downmats had a leak.... I busted out the included repair kit but the glue was very old, more paste like than liquid..... however it still worked, but now I have this thick gel like area of glue around the valve... again, it still worked, but I wish I would have had a fresh tube of glue.

edited for clarity.

mat
if i ever need-want another, this is it.

I sleep on my Exped Down synmat almost as well as I do at home on Sealy Posturepedic. No kidding. You have to buy what works best for you, but any decision you make, at least in my opinion, should include checking out the Exped. (And don’t forget the schnozzle bag for inflating. Slicker than slick.)

My wife and I bought Thermarest Neoairs when they first came out. We have used them many hundreds of nights.I know they are noisy when shifting positions and you have to blow them up, but we have yet to have a leak or hole in them. We were shopping for a couple of new pads this spring to take on our June trip for our adult kids to use. I found the new Neoair Xlites Max SV's on sale, 2 for $150 I think on Steepandcheap or it might have been REI's spring sale. I couldn't pass them up. They take 8 breathes to blow up instead of 20 of the old style.

I looked at Expeds and even though they have awesome customer service, I noticed a lot of people experiencing failure. I would rather pay for a great product than great customer service. I'm not implying all Exped's fail and I'm sure they are a great product but I've read enough threads on here about baffle failures to stay with a product that has given me no reason to go elsewhere.

Exped for me.

walllee: "Just bought a Nemo Cosmo 30X L . It is the most comfortable pad I’ve ever used. The built in foot pump worked awesome. The one I bought was a 2018 model and was on sale for $99 . Can’t remember where I ordered it from."

+1 Used one this last year, and it was great. Packs down very small as well. Definitely worth looking into. They are frequently on sale.

I have an old Exped and love it. Due to bad back I had to go beyond thermarests (which I used and loved for many years). It got to where I was putting a closed cell thermarest under my Exped - so now I've upgraded to the Nemo Cosmo and it is the best ! Have used it on a few trips, including a full week in Grand Canyon, and no complaints.

I just got the Klymit Static v luxe insulated and love it. It blows up easy, really comfy and rolls up really small.

boonie: "I have an Exped Synmat7 from quite some years ago and it is comfortable, but so is my Thermarest NeoAir XTherm. The NeoAir has a higher R-value, is lighter and more compact, and also comfortable so it sees more use now. The Exped is a loaner.


I have no experience with the one reviewed here, but am intrigued. You may want to consider it also."

Same here, have the Syn matt 7, but love my Thermarest NeoAir XTherm. Very warm(5.7R value) and light 15 oz regular and 20 oz large(25 inch wide). Just as comfortable as my Exped, lighter, warmer, more compact when packed,but a bit spendy. Highly recommended for those who pack light and small.

I also have a Klymit Insulated Static V. It is the least comfortable of the three and the least warm. It is light and compact, but no more so than the Thermarest. It is the least expensive.

twistertail: "I just got the Klymit Static v luxe insulated and love it. It blows up easy, really comfy and rolls up really small. "

Yup. +1

I have old exped synmat basics. Very comfy and warm. They have held up about 13 years now and have seen many states and car trips in addition to canoe camping. I am following the thread though because I would love to find something slightly less weight if it exists and is just as comfortable and warm.

Two honest hammock questions (I’ve been looking at them):
What do you do if you get to the camp site and can’t find suitable trees? Don’t your arms lose circulation?