Sleeping Pad R-Values of 2023

Sleeping Pad R-Values of 2023

A backpacking or camping sleeping pad’s R-value measures its resistance to heat loss to the ground when you lie on it at night. Pads with higher R-values do this more effectively than pads with lower R-values. R-value isn’t a measure of warmth per se, but of a pad’s ability to prevent the loss of the warmth that your body generates. It’s just like the R-value used to rate home insulation.

Sleeping Pad R-Values and Air Temperature in Degrees

What’s the correlation between air temperature and sleeping pad R-values? When do you need a pad with a higher R-value? This table is based on Exped’s recommendations in Fahrenheit and Celsius degrees.

Air Temperature (F):503025100-15-25-40
Minimum R-Value12345678
Air Temperature (C):10-1-4-12-18-26-32-40
Minimum R-Value12345678

In addition:

  • R-values are additive, so you can combine two pads to increase your warmth level. For example, it’s common to carry a foam sleeping pad (usually R=2) in winter to use as a sit pad when eating and melting snow that you can place under an inflatable pad to increase their combined R-value for sleeping.
  • Women need higher R-values pads because they have lower body mass than men. An additional R-value of 1 is usually a good hedge for women and other cold sleepers.
  • If a pad model has multiple sizes, they all have the same R-value unless specified otherwise
  • EN sleeping bag temperature ratings are predicated on using a sleeping pad with an R-value of 5 or higher. If you find yourself sleeping cold in temperatures where you’d expect your sleeping bag should keep you warm, it may be because your sleeping pad has an R-value less than 5.

Sleeping Pad R-Value Comparison

The following table provides a side-by-side comparison of the  ASTM F3340-18 rated sleeping pads available in the US market. The pad weights listed are sized for 72″ long x 20″ wide pads, though there are a few exceptions below. The R-Value of a pad remains the same if you select a longer, shorter, or wider variation of the pad.

Key: Air – Air Mattress, SI – Self Inflating, Foam – Closed Cell Foam

Make / ModelR-ValueWeight (Oz)ThicknessType
Sea-to-Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Air3.217.34"Air
Sea-to-Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Air Women's3.517.54"Air
Sea-to-Summit Ultralight Air 1.113.92"Air
Sea-to-Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Women's3.515.82"Air
Sea-to-Summit Ultralight Insulated Air3.116.92"Air
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Light Insulated Women's3.823.52"Air
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Light Insulated Air3.721.92"Air
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Plus Insulated Air429.82.5"Air
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Plus XT Insulated Air4.741.83"Air
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Deluxe SI6.5704"SI
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Plus SI4.1343.125"SI
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Plus Women's SI5.133.53.125"SI
Sea-to-Summit Ultralight SI2.6191"SI
Sea-to-Summit Ultralight Women's SI2.919.21"SI
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Light SI3.1232"SI
Sea-to-Summit Comfort Light Women's SI3.823.52"SI
Sea-to-Summit Camp SI4.2271.5"SI
Sea-to-Summit Ether Light XT Air1.213.84"Air
Sea-to-Summit Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated Air6.225.44"Air
Sea-to-Summit Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated Women's Air6.324.24"Air
Sea-to-Summit Camp Plus SI4.3313"SI
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT4.512.53"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite4.2122.5"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Women's5.4122.5"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm NXT7.3163"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm6.9152.5"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT Max7.3233"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm Max6.9192.5"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite2.38.82.5"Air
Therm-a-Rest Basecamp6402"Air
Therm-a-Rest LuxuryMap6523"Air
Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D7704.25"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture2.2192"Air
Therm-a-Rest Original Z Lite1.7140.75"Foam
Therm-a-Rest ProLite2.4181"SI
Therm-a-Rest ProLite Apex3.8222"SI
Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus3.2231.5"SI
Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus Women's3.9221.5"SI
Therm-a-Rest ProLite2.4181"SI
Therm-a-Rest ProLite Women's2.7181"SI
Therm-a-Rest Ridegrest Classic2140.625"Foam
Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest SOLite2.1140.625"Foam
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo2.3233"Air
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe3.7234"Air
Therm-a-Rest Trail Lite3.2261.5"SI
Therm-a-Rest Trail Lite Women's4.5251.5"SI
Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro4.4293"SI
Therm-a-Rest Trail Scout3.1241"SI
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol2140.75"Foam
NEMO Switchback UL214.50.9"Foam
NEMO Tensor Alpine UL4.8173"Air
NEMO Tensor UL Insulated4.2153"Air
NEMO Tensor UL Non-insulated2.5163"Air
NEMO Roamer6884"SI
NEMO Astro LW Insulated2.6243.5"Air
NEMO Astro LW Non-Insulated1.5193.5"Air
NEMO Flyer3.3222"Air
NEMO Quasar 3D Insulated3.3253.5"Air
NEMO Quasar 3D Non-Insulated1.8203.5"Air
NEMO Longbow Alpine4.8263"Air
Big Agnes Zoom UL Insulated4.3143.25"Air
Big Agnes Divide1.5193.25"Air
Big Agnes Divide Insulated4223.5"Air
Big Agnes Boundary Insulated Deluxe4.3253.5"Asir
Big Agnes Insulated Q Core Deluxe4.3253.5"Air
Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Ultra4.5223.25"Air
Big Agnes Rapide SL4.2193.5"Air
Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated Tent Floor4.2474.25"Air
Big Agnes Hinman5341.5"SI
Big Agnes Two Track3.3212"SI
Big Agnes Twistercane BioFoam Pad1.7140.5"Foam
REI Kindercamp4.5291.5"SI
REI Helix Insulated Air4.9213"Air
Exped Ultra 1R1.313.93"Air
Exped Ultra 1R Duo1.325.43"Air
Exped Ultra 3R2.9163"Air
Exped Ultra 3R Duo2.9293"Air
Exped Ultra 5R4.8203"Air
Exped Ultra 7R7.1223.5"Air
Exped Dura 3R2.9
253"Air
Exped Dura 5R4.8303"Air
Exped Dura 5R Duo4.8523"Air
Exped Dura 8R7.8333.5"Air
Exped Versa 1R2.4213"Air
Exped Versa 2R2.4213"Air
Exped Versa 4R3.725.23"Air
Exped FlexMat1.512.30.7"Foam
Exped FlexMat Plus2.217.61.5"Foam
Exped MegaMat Lite 125.239.94.7"Air
Exped MegaMat 108.1603.9"SI
Exped MegaMat Max Duo 1510.62086"SI
Exped MegaMat Max 1510.61226"SI
Exped MegaMat Max 15 Duo10.61226"SI
Exped MegaMat Duo 108.11203.9"SI
Exped MegaMat Auto8.11363.9"Air
Exped DeepSleep Mat 7.58.5583"Air
Exped DeepSleep Mat Duo 7.58.51163"Air
Klymit Static V Insulated1.9242.5"Air
Klymit Klymaloft2.3805"Air + Foam
Klymit Static V21.3162.5"Air
Klymit Insulated Static V Lite1.9202.5"Air
Klymit Static V Lux SL1.320.83.5"Air
Klymit Static V Short1.3142.5"Air
Klymit Insulated V Ultralight SL1.9162.5"Air
Insulated Static V Luxe1.9202.5"Air
Static V Luxe2.4322.5"Air
Kelty Mistral SI4.7441.5"SI

Sleeping Pad R-Value Standard

In 2020, the outdoor industry rolled out an international and industry-standard R-value test procedure called ASTM F3340-18. This means you can compare the R-values of different sleeping pads made by different manufacturers and know that they’re all using the same test procedure to measure the R-values of their pads. That’s a huge benefit for consumers and will eventually have the same impact that the adoption of standardized sleeping pad temperature ratings had for comparing sleeping bags from different companies.

The companies that have adopted the new R-value sleeping pad standard (ASTM F3340-18) and retested all of their current sleeping pads include:

  • Therm-a-Rest
  • NEMO
  • REI
  • Exped
  • Sea-to-Summit
  • Big Agnes
  • Klymit

What’s New in Sleeping Pads in 2023?

  • Thermarest has come out with a new NeoAir NXT generation of pads that are quieter, thicker, and have a slightly higher R-value than the last generation NeoAir pads. I don’t think the changes really warrant replacing your existing NeoAir pad though, but the changes should be attractive to new purchasers.
  • Big Agnes has a handful of new lightweight pads that are 3+ season capable. They’re not widely available in retail yet, but they make good gear and might be an interesting alternative.
  • Klymit continues to have an impenetrable product naming scheme. I don’t get it.

Status of Industry Adoption

The adoption of the new R-Value standard was driven by REI, which requires that the sleeping pads listed for sale on its main website have an ASTM F3340-18 R-Value rating.

Many sleeping pad companies have still not adopted the new ASTM F3340-18 sleeping pad R-Value standard and it’s not clear that they ever will. In fact, many manufacturers don’t test their pads at all, but “estimate” the R-values of their sleeping mats and pads. In the absence of a standard definition and test procedure,  it’s hard to tell if their estimates are accurate or whether they’re comparable to those produced by the standard ASTM F3340-18 R-value testing protocol.

Updated January 17, 2023.

See also:

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8 comments

  1. Wondering if self-inflating foam pads suffer from the same loss of insulating value as a sleeping bag when compressed by your body weight?

  2. Do you know if the BA Zoom UL is compatible with the Schnozzle?

  3. I will be patiently waiting for your review on the BA Zoom pad!

  4. I don’t know if it is truly a different pad than the current generation, but my Klymit Static V Insulated pad is way warmer for me than one of my other air pads with a higher R-Value.
    I think it has something to do with the fact that it is 23 inches wide, not 20. It’s a bit thinner than the air core too, not as comfy to sit/kneel on, and a solid 6 oz heavier…. but I haven’t used the air core for a few years now. The Klymit is just warmer, a bit wider, and gives me a better night’s sleep.
    (and I’ve used it at 20F at 10,000 feet; a pretty decent test IMO)
    Very strange to me that Klymit is getting destroyed on this list every year since they went to the standard test. But you can’t argue numbers. ?

  5. When is the new Thermarest neoair with R-value of 7.3 gonna be available do you know? I tried to buy it on their website but says sold-out.

    thanks!

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