This post may contain affiliate links.

Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light Sleeping Pad Review

The Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light Sleeping Pad has an R value of 4.4.
The Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light Sleeping Pad has an R value of 4.4.

Klymit has introduced an ultralight variant to its Static V line of sleeping pads, co-designed and sold exclusively by Drop, called the Insulated Static V Ultra Light. With an R-value of 4.4 (pre-sleeping-bag-standard), it’s an excellent pad to use for sleeping on cold ground in spring and autumn, but you’ll still want to add an extra foam layer underneath it for snow camping in winter (See Sleeping Pad R-Values.)

If you’re not familiar with Drop, they’re an online community that sells products to its members by buying up large lots at wholesale prices and offering a portion of the savings back with discount prices. They host a number of purchasing communities, one of them Ultralight Backpacking, and have started working with manufacturers to create new products, unavailable through retail, that cater to their communities’ needs. The Insulated Static V Ultra Light sleeping pad is a good example of a product that MassDrop contracted Klymit to build so it could offer it exclusively to its Ultralight Backpacking customers. It’s a cool business model. Visit MassDrop.com to sign up.

Comparable Sleeping Pads

Priced at just $60, the Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light Pad is an incredibly good buy and an affordable option if you’re looking for an insulated inflatable sleeping pad to extend your backpacking season into the shoulder season months.

Weighing 17.4 ounces on the SectionHiker.com digital scale, with an R-value of 4.4, the Insulated Static V Ultra Light is comparable to the following inflatable sleeping pads in terms of R-Value and gear weight:

However, each of these pads cost 2X to 3X times what MassDrop is selling the Insulated Static V Ultra Light for, something to consider if you’re looking for a low price, high-quality alternative product.

Click for SectionHiker’s larger list of sleeping pad R-values and corresponding pad weights. 

Both sides of the sleeping pad are covered with a 20d nylon fabric and are mirror images of one another
Both sides of the sleeping pad are covered with a 20 denier nylon fabric and are mirror images of one another.

Let’s take a closer look at the Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light sleeping pad and see what makes it unique.

Lightweight Fabric Covering

Like Klymit’s other Static V sleeping pads, the Insulated Static V Ultra Light Pad has the same V-shaped air chambers to limit air movement and heat loss, together with raised side rails to keep you centered on the pad.

The top of the pad is colored forest green and the bottom is colored black. Both sides are made using a 20 denier nylon fabric, less durable, but also lighter weight than the 75 denier bottom fabric used by Klymit on its other Static V pads. When using the Ultra Light version, take a bit more care in your campsite selection and remove sharp stones and sticks from your sleeping area before you inflate and lie on the pad. (Note: the “top” and “bottom: of the pad are identical and interchangeable, which also helps reduce manufacturing costs.)

Weight of Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light Sleeping Pad in it stuff sack and without - in ounces
Weight of Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light Sleeping Pad in it stuff sack and without – in ounces.

Klymit and MassDrop spec the Insulated Static V Ultralight Pad at 16.9 ounces, but my scale shows it at 18 ounces with its stuff sack and 17.4 ounces without, for a half ounce discrepancy. Why the mismatch? It’s pretty typical for companies that outsource their manufacturing overseas because they lose some control over fabric sourcing and quality assurance. Unfortunately, you see it more and more these days, even amongst the smaller cottage manufacturers who offshore their products. While a half ounce discrepancy is relatively small, if you’re obsessed about that sort of thing, be forewarned and weigh your pad when you receive it. You might get lucky and get a pad that’s lighter than what was expected! It happens.

Fold the pad along pre-defined creases before rolling it up and storing it in its stuff sack
Fold the pad along the pre-defined creases before rolling it up and storing it in its stuff sack.

Inflation and Deflation

The Insulated Static V Ultra Light sleeping pad has a single twist valve for inflation and deflation. Inflation takes me 15-16 breaths versus the 8-12 breaths that Klymit and Massdrop claim. Being inflatable, you can fine tune how hard or soft you want the pad to be by blowing in more air or venting it.

The best way to deflate and store the pad requires an easy, three-step process:

  1. Open the valve and roll up the pad gently forcing the air out.
  2. Lie the pad on the ground and fold it in quarters, long ways, using the pre-existing creases in the fabric, as shown above. This is cool feature if you’ve ever struggled to pack inflatable pads as small as possible.
  3. Roll up the pad and stuff it into its stuff sack – it’s actually an easy fit.

The size of the rolled up pad is roughly equivalent to the size of a 1 liter, hard-sided Nalgene bottle. This makes packing for colder weather trips easy, since you’ll want to conserve as much pack space as possible to carry more sleep insulation.

The Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light sleeping pad is about the size of a Nalgene Bottle when stowed away in its stuff sack.
The Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light sleeping pad is about the size of a Nalgene Bottle when stowed away in its stuff sack.

Comfort and Insulation

The Insulated Static V Ultra Light sleeping pad contains 60 grams/m2 of synthetic insulation to capture and retain your body heat. I’ve slept on cold ground using the pad and it is significantly warmer than the less insulated, lower R-value inflatable sleeping pads I own.

As a side sleeper, my hips float on top of the pad without bottoming out in the gaps between the V-shaped air compartments. However, if I prop myself up on an elbow or get up on my knees, they hit hard ground if positioned in the voids between the pad’s air chambers. It’s not a huge issue for me, because I only use my pad for sleeping and not lounging around and socializing, but if you’re more of a social camper and less of a eat-and-sleep backpacker, then this might not be the pad for you.

Otherwise, the surface of the pad is comfortable to sleep against with bare skin, although for cold weather use you’ll probably want to wear long johns anyway to improve the efficiency of your sleep system. The pad is also quite quiet without the crinkly sound you find on some of Therm-a-Rest’s NeoAir sleeping pads.

The Klymt Insulated Static V. Ultra Light Sleeping Pad is 72%22 long when inflated
The Klymit Insulated Static V. Ultra Light Sleeping Pad is 72″ long when inflated.

When measured in it’s inflated state, the Insulated Static V Ultra Light is 20 inches wide at the head, tapering to 17 inches at the feet, and 72″ long. The pad is 2 to 2.5 inches thick, depending on where you measure it, with the center of the pad being higher than the sides. This jibes well with the pad’s published specs.

Recommendation

Priced at just $60, the Klymit Insulated Static V Ultra Light Sleeping Pad is a great deal and a very competitively featured inflatable sleeping pad. Sold exclusively by MassDrop, it’s only available periodically when the company has a batch (called a Drop) in stock that they can offer members. The sleeping pad is available this week for example, and with the cooler autumn weather on the horizon, you’ll kick yourself if you miss this opportunity to snatch one up. Of course, given this pad’s popularity, I expect you’ll get another opportunity in the future. This is the second time MassDrop has offered a Drop of this sleeping pad due to high member demand.

Likes

  • Inexpensive. Tremendous value
  • Rolls up small, very packable
  • Use of lightweight fabrics to slash weight
  • Symmetric design to reduce manufacturing and retail cost

Dislikes

  • R-value is not high enough for full 4 season use
  • Elbows and knees can feel hard ground under pad when poked between air chambers

Click for complete product specifications

Disclosure: the author received a pad for this review.

SectionHiker is reader-supported. We only make money if you purchase a product through our affiliate links. Help us continue to test and write unsponsored and independent gear reviews, beginner FAQs, and free hiking guides.

37 comments

  1. I tried Massdrop last winter when you first said something about it. It is an interesting idea but I don’t think they have enough pull. The Items tended to be specific clothing – such as underwear or very high end items you don’t buy often. After a scout campout where my son had trouble keeping a match lit I ordered stormproof matches. I figured I would add them to his easter basket. We the estimated ship date was missed and then there was a supply issue so they didn’t arrive until mid May. All this for about two dollars less than Amazon.

    I just relogged in and many of the drops I started are still near the top. When they have more clout then I’ll give them a third look.

    • I agree with you. I don’t think MassDrops discounts on items you can buy anywhere are all that interesting or compelling. I do hope that this Klymit product represents a change in direction, where they contract with cottage manufacturers to make unique products that are specifically tailored for a cost conscious ultralight backpacking user. It’s an underserved segment of the market in my opinion ( a very big one), that I’ve tried to be an advocate for, since I’m thrifty too.

  2. Looks nice, and as you said a good deal. The comparable non-ultralight product Klymit has (R4.4, 75D nylon) costs more and weighs around 25oz (https://www.klymit.com/insulated-static-v.html), but is wider also (23″) rather than tapering from 20″ to 17″. The non-insulated one has the same dimensions but weighs 16oz and is R1.3.

  3. Philip great site, I look forward to it every day.What kind of bivy is that in the first picture?

  4. It really just depends. They have had some really stellar prices on some things that are absolutely a great buy, but they have a lot of lackluster drops as well. I like the momentum they are showing in the Ultralight community even if half of what they offer there isn’t really what you might consider an ultralight item or isn’t of interest to me. It’s a paradox with cottage vendors because many of those guys can’t afford to discount much even with quantity orders, but massdrop does try. On the flip side, when they got Enlightened Equipment to do a special quilt at a great price, everybody else suffered as they dropped a model and their lead times increased exponentially (probably timing of a new outdoor season along with the mass quantities of those dropped quilts to produce). They do need to get a handle on shipping times and costs if they can, especially for the items that do not have a compelling discount. Overall a great operation and worth the time to watch the drop lists, IMO. They are for sure “in our corner” and Danny Milks has so much experience and input to offer in choosing good products and now working to create new ones like this pad and the recent smaller Vargo bot pot.

  5. Danny – the guy who specs out new products and works with manufacturers is a great guy and straight shooter. Respect. :-) I’m rooting for them, though the model may still take a while to pan out.

  6. I have the first version of the uninsulated Static V. Last fall I did an overnight trip where the temps dropped more than expected and my pad was definitely not warm enough. However one thing I like about the Static V is that it is wider than the standard 20″ pads. It seems this version is narrower than the regular Static V. I suppose this is how they made it lighter. That is unfortunate as I have been looking for a lightweight wide pad. For some reason, most manufactures only make wide pads extra long (and thus heavier than necessary, at least for me). The different widths of this UL Insulated Static V and other Static V models should be made clear so people know what they are getting.

  7. In your experience, how does the insulation in this compare with a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core? I have the Air Core and a Thermarest Neo Air and to me, the Neo Air is way warmer in the same conditions. I tried the Air Core on a 17°F night in my back yard, froze my proverbial tush, then switched to the Neo Air and was quite comfy. That’s my only point of reference for inflatable pads featuring insulation compared with those containing reflective film.

  8. Been a couple of years since I had an insulated aircore. Memory has faded. I find the NeoAir Xtherm to be ideal for shoulder season and full on winter backpacking. A bit narrow, but still lightweight and durable.

  9. I bought one to have an extra sleeping pad on hand in case I need it.

  10. Disappointed to see they are still sticking with those twist valves instead of moving to the flat style valve, like Expeds and some other brands have.

    Their 3/4 “Kid’s” version of the Static V series has the flat style valve, unlike all the other ones in the Static series, and it worked great for me on a recent 150 mile section hike of the PCT – very easy to blow up (7 breaths) and it deflates very quickly and fully. It’s only a summer pad though with light insulation.

    I have used the Static V Luxe for car camping for several years, but the twist valve is a definite detriment to an otherwise comfortable pad.

    The twist valve is a pain to blow up with smaller opening, has few decent aids to blowing it up, is unreliable in staying closed, is not durable, sticks out and up in your face or shoulder, sticks out awkwardly into the fabric when rolled up, attracts dirt and is hard to clean. Flat style valves win in every category over twist valves in my experience.

    I find myself taking my Exped more and more. Can’t see myself buying another Klymit until that problem is fixed.

  11. Todd

    I agree with you completely on that. A definite benefit of the Klymit Static V series is they are wider than the standard 20″ pads but still have standard lengths.

    There’s plenty of quality 20″ pads out there already, but very few wider ones at standard lengths with low weight and decent insulation. Very, very few.

    So, it is basically yet another pad in a crowded marked, whose only differentiator is low cost. It would be an good first time budget entry level pad for newbies or part timers (if any of those people are on Massdrop at all) who are skinny but not tall.

  12. True, but the flat style valve is in the Static V Jr pad and it is a also low price. It’s basically a standard model Static V cut to 3/4 length, the only other difference I can see is the valve.

    So, Klymit is at least experimenting with them. They work great. I really hope they start putting them in the other Static V series pads.

  13. What temp is too cold for this pad?

    • I tested this pad in my back yard on several cold nights last winter. I was fine at 32ºF, was uncomfortable at 20ºF, and gave up and went to my NeoAir at 17Fº. Based on that, my personal estimate is 25ºF to be the useable limit. I’m generally comfortable at cooler temperatures than many people so if you have problems sleeping in the cold, your mileage may vary.

      I was toasty on my NeoAir XLite at 13ºF on another cold night. Based on my experience on a 17ºF night, I didn’t try the Static V at that colder temperature.

      • I’ve noticed that I’m warmer on a Klymit pad when using a sleeping bag. My guess is that’s because there is not insulation between the Vs, so that when using a quilt, there’s nothing filling those gaps. When using a bag, there is insulation filling those gaps. Not tested, just a thought after multiple uses of various Klymit pads in various temperatures.

      • Sazerac, that’s part of the idea behind the sectioned/baffled construction of the Klymit pad. Part of their insulating ability is contingent on using a bag rather than a quilt, which is why I like my uninsulated Klymit pad in the summer-it’s nice and cool, especially with a quilt, but a NeoAir is definitely better in the winter unless I’m using a bag, which I rarely do. But I tend to sleep extremely warm, so, as always, YMMV.

  14. Yeah – but it wold probably undermine their main business.

  15. I wonder if this could be a shoulder season hammock-compatible pad? What do you think, Philip?

  16. I have the regular version of this pad and one of the valves broke after only using it a couple of times. But there were two valves, so I just sealed the broken closed with duct tape. Other than that, pleased with the product, a good value

  17. Hi Philip,
    Can you comment on the version currently offered on Massdrop? It has had a slight name change and small increase in weight. Does it appear to be the same mat, just in a different colour?
    Thanks!

    • The one currently on Massdrop is heavier. Suggest you ask there why the spec change.

      • Thanks, will do.

      • The orange one currently on Massdrop is not a new pad…it’s been around for quite awhile. It’s wider than the ultralight (although it’s the long time standard size for Klymit pads in general) and uses slightly heavier shell fabric. It also uses their usual stick-straight-up valve placement. The ultralight versions were a brand new effort between Massdrop and Klymit over the last many months. Klymit’s naming series is a little confusing and their website doesn’t make it easier to figure out since it looks like they have dozens of models, but only a handful in reality. If the orange one on Massdrop is appealing to you, you might check out Klymit’s E-Bay store first to see if they have it in their refurbs or “make an offer”, which they usually accept. Super cheap deals there.

  18. Phil,
    This pad is going to be on Massdrop again. It looks like they have gone to flat valves; one for inflating, and one for deflating. I like to blow up my pad all the way, and then, while lying on it, let out air until it is at a comfortable pressure. Would I be able to do that with the flat valves?

  19. What about the flat spots between the air chambers? They appear to be uninsulated. Don’t they create cold spots, especially if you use a quilt as I do?

  20. I bought one and used it in the summer in the Sierras where it didn’t get lower than 40 when I was there. The pad is actually very comfortable, light and easy to use. I like their system and found that the rails really helped keep me on the pad better than other pads I’ve tried. I didn’t find it that noisy. It didn’t fail on me and yeah, its a pad I can use. I’m pretty broad shouldered and a side sleeper and it worked quite well. Mine came in bright Orange. At $60 at Drop (formerly Massdrop) it seems a good deal if it holds up at all.

  21. Hello Phillip,

    Do you know if this pad works well with a quilt? I see on the picture a quilt above the pad, so I guess you used those two together. I am afraid that the big space between the chambers might channel the cold air directly to my back.

    Thank you for the great work!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Solve *