Camping Sleeping Pad - Ultralight Inflatable Camping Mattress Sleeping Mat for Backpacking, Hiking, Compact Lightweight Sleeping Pad for Camping, Inflation Bag/Repair Kit Included

[Updated: 13th October 2021. I have since had the opportunity to spend nights on this mat, with a 1/4in yoga-mat underneath for insulation + traction, & am pleased to announce that it consistently sleeps me through the night, without pain in the morning. You can definitely feel how hard the ground is through it when sitting down on it, + getting into position, but once in a laying position your weight is supported evenly by the cells so that discomfort goes away & it feels good under you. Side-sleeping is a firm experience, but not painfully hard, & there's no sense of your bones being bruised by the ground.It's lasting well, too - no punctures, leaks or fraying, yet.I'm delighted to be able to confirm my original sentiments; this is a top-quality pick for outdoorsfolk seeking minimal weight for minimal outlay. /update]For what it is, this is a 10/10 item. It's feather-light, inflatable without reading any instructions (the only skill required is a vague awareness of what a pump-bag is when you see it) and quickly (I was at it for maybe two minutes total, and that includes unrolling the pad and shaking air into the bag), and far comfier than it has any real right to be.And it costs -peanuts-, compared to other similarly technical gear with better known names. I'm not a hard-core hiker - I'm personally a site camper*, in fact - but I recently fell down a quarantine-spurred internet hole where I spent 6+ hours a day for about 17 days total devouring everything that blogs, articles, forums, YouTube and Pinterest had to teach about ultralight backpacking, because I was bored and have ADHD and sometimes hyperfocus is a Hell of a drug.So, while I've never gone on an actual hike in my life (I use a wheelchair, which would make it rather awkward, to say the least), I do know what ideal item weights are, and what the expectations are of each item, for a good one.And this? Is a -great- pad for the price. I'm actually tempted to buy a second one, just in case this one somehow gets damaged someday and they're no longer in production, I like it that much.This is a lightweight hiking pad. It's all air, and all cells, at that. It's not going to give you the experience of a domestic airbed, or a cushy self-inflating foam mat. But it's a Hell of a lot comfier than I expected it to be.Realistically, you can sleep on just about anything out in the wild, when it's at dark and quiet and you're tired from the day, which is why my personal pre-field comfort test for new sleeping gear is to set it up within temptation's reach of my actual bed and then try to nap on it, in the middle of the afternoon.I must caveat this by mentioning that I am a US size 4 - 6, but I am also a shape that's all hips and shoulders; so, I am naturally sensitive to hard sleeping surfaces, as they give my widest parts nowhere to go - however, I must acknowledge that my conclusions may not be applicable to people who are significantly wider and heavier than myself. It's wider than most mats of its kind, but it's still not as wide as a single-size airbed, or anything like that.(Also, if you're a particularly -active- sleeper, I'd suggest slipping this one down the back of your sleeping bag, rather than just under it, or you -will- roll off it [or, if you're site camping, it'd be a great cot-topper].)So, how did I sleep? Quite deeply, for a couple of hours, until my husband came to find me because it was suppertime. It was perfectly supportive on my back - I actually let out a soft sigh of contentment, as I lay down - and though rolling over to my second preferred posture of sort of half on my side, half on my stomach, I won't deny that my hip did dip enough to be uncomfortable, simply shifting myself to be completely on my side removed that issue. It's definitely a better pad for back and front sleepers than it is for side ones, but it was much less -uncomfortable- on my side than I had expected it to be. I did get back to sleep, and later didn't wake up sore or anything like that.It was pleasant enough that not only did I get a decent nap on it of a couple hours, but that when later in the evening, I subjected it to my second usual test, of reading a book on it for an hour or so to see if it remains comfortable while in a static posture for an extended period of time, it came through with winning colours.Again, this is -not- a cushy foam mat, nor is it a mattress-thick airbed, nor is it even a 3 - 4inch deep, multi-hundred dollar Big Agnes or Sea To Summit prestige hiking mat; this is a 1.5inch thick, shallow cell hiking mat that cost less than US$40. It is not going to make you as comfortable as any of those will, nor will it keep you as warm as any of its insulated contemporaries (though the thermometer segment of my test did show that adding a simple foil-topped foam roll underneath, or even just a folded emergency blanket, extends its use easily from 2 seasons to 3), nor will it last you as long as any of its more expensive competitors.This is the reality, and it would be unreasonable to expect those things of it - but what it does do is punch well above its *own* actual weight.If you're new to hiking and don't want to invest too deeply until you're sure it's for you, or if you're simply strapped for cash, and you don't have any major pre-existing back problems to complicate your ground-sleeping needs (or if you do, but just need something cushy to put on your cot or in your hammock), then this is probably just about the best technical pad under US$90 that you can buy.I am extremely happy with my purchase, and I have already recommended it to a couple of friends who are looking at streamlining their camping kit.10/10, ideal in its niche.*Why did I even -want- an ultralight sleeping pad if I'm a site camper, when weight and portability aren't especially an issue and I could easily carry in a thicker, plusher sleeping mat?Well, the fact is that I do exactly that, however I have a major spinal condition which means that I don't endure well on long car journeys - such as the ones generally involved in traveling out to location on camping trips - and the last time I had to weather one, we found ourselves stopping every other hour or so to dig my companion's x-leg cot out of the boot so that I could lie down for a bit.The cot was pretty hard by itself, and I found myself wishing that I had something softer and more supportive to top it with, to help my discomfort settle faster and better. It wasn't exactly practical to retrieve and inflate my Outwell Dreamboat 31inch-wide, 78inch-long and 6inch-thick self-inflating mat every time we stopped, only to have to roll the monster thing up again half an hour later when I was ready to get back into the car - to say nothing of the fact that it wouldn't have -fit- on the cot, anyway.A month or so later I fell down my backpacking clickhole, discovered ultralight hiking pads - which are narrower, shorter, more portable and quicker to inflate and deflate - and the rest is history. And with the cot 24inches wide and 75inches long, I chose this one because from the best-reviewed among the cheapest options, that -also- came in black (I'm a goth, so sue me), this was the one that would most perfectly fit atop it.Why did I care whether or not it's comfy enough to sleep on, if I won't actually -be- sleeping on it? Because if it is, then it's also comfy enough to cradle my body in gentle relief when I'm in a true pain crisis and waiting for my prescription analgesics to kick in before I can be moved. Which is a very -specific- set of factors, all told.

It can fill with lots of air so you're off the ground quite a bit. Seems sturdy enough but I'll find out next week when I put it to the test. Using the inflating waterproof bag to inflate it takes some getting use to. It is also very VERY long, so you need to have room in your tent for it.

Not as easy as advertised to blow up. Takes longer than a few minutes. Noisy, but was comfortable to sleep on.

UPDATE: Have to give it a five, for three reasons.1. Super easy to wipe the detritus from the black side.2. Got it back into both bags, easily, **the very first time**.3. Noticed that patch kits are sewn into the seam at the top of the carry bag, with clear instructions.Really thoughtful details. Clearly designed by people who camp. Or, maybe, love people who camp. Or, maybe, loathe people who camp and make good stuff so that the people will stay away, camping, for as long as possible. Pick your favorite reason. The outcome is the same: a great pad that does what it says, and does it really well._________________________________________If I could give 4.5, I would. The filling process and time knock it down a bit. Not comfortable giving a five, but am just on the edge!When the box arrived and the app said it was the ground pads, I thought it was an error. How could a box that small hold two of them?It did, with room to spare! The next thing I noticed was how lightweight these ground pads are! Holy wow!Also? There is an outer carry bag, and then the inner bag, with the pad inside. The inner bag is the filling tool. Neat and sweet.FILLING:Wellll…. The good news, you do not have to blow it up from your lungs!The better news, the pad side has a filter, so that even if you get weird stuff in the air bag, it won’t go into your pad.The somewhat less good, but maybe it will become faster in time, is how long it takes to fill. 12 minutes in, I am about half way there. It will give your neck and arms something to do, so there’s that. (Don’t you hate it when you are camping, and you’re just standing there, not knowing what to do with your arms?)On the other hand, I thought I had to take the air bag off after each emptying. Shortcut for the curious: you do not have to do that.At 25 minutes, I could no longer force air into it, and I am a strong sister. So, I grabbed my XPOWER air duster, which had a tip just the right size, and finished it with that. I think I will do it that way, more often than not.COMFORTSolid win, those little honeycomb air pockets gave me so much support! Even lying on my side. Truly comfortable. As in, going to place with more people than beds, I would happily whip this little gem out!Also, the length is no joke. It is long enough for me to lie straight out, and still have room for my 65-pound, tall and gangly dog to be off of the ground, as well.EMPTYINGNot as difficult as filling. Not as difficult as other pads I have used.In fact. Pro tip: offer to break them down if your camping buddy will fill them. Your camping buddy will be all about the snappy filling tool. Everybody wins!