Exped - Dura 8R

A sleeping pad is not the spot you sacrifice for the minuscule weight savings possible. I use an Exped mat that is like 4” thick, extra wide, XL, and insulated and I’m not even sure it’s heavier than the 1” Thermarest I used for 20 yrs prior.

After various attempts of finding the right set up: Exped on top of a cot. Watch for REI sales for the Exped, and watch the garage sale area for the cot.

My exped is a piece of magic.

My exped is really comfortable and warm

I've used it for about 80 days over several trips. It's a very robust build.

I had a Tensor and it was uncomfortable for me as well. I’ve found Exped inflatable pads comfortable. My favorite right now though is the Neoloft.

Exped pads are highly underrated!

Exped's Duras are super comfy, and they make an 8R one.

Exped 100%

I brought my exped and put it on top of the mat provided by the tour operator. I’m glad I did because the ground was rocky and on cold nights I was happy to have the extra insulated layer.

Exped! I’ll never sleep on anything else.

I (64M) swear by my Exped. Not cheap but comfort in a relatively small package. It comes in a bag that can be attached to anything. YMMV

The thing is built like a frikken tank, and I love it. Sure I could go lighter with the Ultra but I just love how strong the Dura line feels. I also have the DeepSleep for car camping and it's in the same vein. Very comfortable both, but I do love the added cushion in the foam mats.

I used to have a S2S pad and I really liked their baffle design. I replaced it with an exped but even though it’s thicker it doesn’t feel as good to me.

Exped dura r8 is a religion for me

As often as you camp, I'd recommend investing in an Exped. The two single mats together is a cool idea too...to give you both independent spaces for movement, but still retaining proximity.

Exped's Duras are super comfy, and they make an 8R one.

The rule I've always heard is 1R for every 10 degrees below 70 as a \*minimum\* for survival, similar to how a sleeping bag rated at 0 means you'll be comfortable-ish around 10-20. Following this you'd be looking at a R5-6 at 15-50 so you're right on the edge of that. Applying the same 'comfort' rule you'd want a 6-8 depending on if you like sleeping cooler (6-7) or warmer (7-8) Exped Dura 8 (or DeepSleep \[R9\] if car camping) would be a strong contender for me in those temps. My philosophy is you can always vent heat if you're too hot in the cold, but if you're cold in the cold, you're cold.

Exped, thank me later

A sleeping pad is not the spot you sacrifice for the minuscule weight savings possible. I use an Exped mat that is like 4” thick, extra wide, XL, and insulated and I’m not even sure it’s heavier than the 1” Thermarest I used for 20 yrs prior.

Expeds CAN leak, but they're expensive and built really well. They're different from regular air mattresses because they have foam inside them which insulates you from the ground really well. Nemo makes a similar product. Exped also has great customer service (from what I've heard) and can patch your mattress if it gets holes.

At 55 YOA I like to ease into it. A week-10 days before a camping trip, I'll start sleeping on my Exped. If I wake up at 2am sore, I will move to bed. By the end of the week, I sleep through the night (as well as any other night).

Hi all! After many years I'm finally replacing my heavy-ass (but comfy) Exped Dura. Versatility and some durability is very important for me, as I don't want to own several pads for several use-cases. I want to use my sleeping pad for three seasons, although living in Norway it can get -5 Celsius even in autumn, and having a buffer even then seems smart. I mostly want to use it in tents, but I do also hammock camp sometimes. I plan on eventually using it for a through hike, although in the next months it will be used for multi-day treks. I'm also a side sleeper. I've read a lot of reviews and figured out the three top contenders for me seem to be the **Nemo Tensor All-Season, Exped Ultra 5R and Big Agnes Rapide SL.** Here are the specs from the official websites, although I've heard that R-Values are often wrong and the weights are often without inflation-bags etc. If someone has corrections for the subjective warmth of the pads, the true packed size and the true weight that would be amazing! Of these the Exped seems to be the heaviest and largest, but I'm not sure as both weight and packed size are sometimes wrong. |Pad|Price|R-Value|Weight|Packed Size|Size| |:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-| |[Nemo Tensor AS](https://www.nemoequipment.com/products/tensor-all-season-insulated-sleeping-pad)|171€|5,4|522g|25,5 x 10 cm|183 x 51 x 9 cm| |[Exped Ultra 5R](https://www.exped.com/en/products/sleeping-mats/ultra-5r?sku)|156€|4,8|585g|23 x 12.5 cm|183 x 53 x 7 cm| |[Big Agnes Rapide SL](https://www.bigagnes.com/products/rapide-sl-insulated)|135€|4,8|510g|18 x 10 cm|183 x 51 x 11 cm| The prices are the cheapest I could find for each of them in Germany, but price isn't that important to me, I just want a **great sleeping pad under 600g that will pack down relatively small and keep me warm even in autumn**. What are your experiences with any of these? Would you highly recommend any other ones? Thanks and best regards!

I have that Wellax pad. It was actually pretty great in 20 degrees for the first two trips. Then it stopped inflating fully. I just bit the bullet and switched to Exped.

Yep. Exped is almost as comfortable as our home mattress.

Voordeel van exped is de opbaaszak. Die werkt echt beter dan die van andere merken

Get an exped airbed. I've tried a lot of selfinflating mats, but i always end up blowing them up by mouth and than have les comfort sleeping than with the exped mats and be sorry i bought them. The investment in an exped is worth it, especially the air bag to blow them up is genius.

I went with the Exped after feeling them out at REI…. I did have an issue with the Exped and was able to exchange it…. Remember that ultra light means it’s less durable, so tough terrain could damage an air pad while sleeping in it….

I've also been very pleased with my previous Expeds. Mind sharing why you'd always choose them over others? Just comfort? Thanks for your response!

Check REI Resupply for an Exped, they’re an excellent product but often returned because of user error

I have a couple exped mats and knock offs like Hikenture and Qomotop. They are not phony in the sense that the insulation ratings are way off. I camped in freezing temps for the last 5 years and am very toasty on every trip. I can't tell the difference in insulation properties between the brands. Only difference is the Exped breaks down much smaller than the knock offs.

I'm heavier and shorter than you and side sleep on Exped mats just fine.

If you have one nearby, REI has sleeping pads blown up you can lay on and test out. Everyones body and sleeping preferences are different. Once you figure out what kind of baffles you prefer, finding a sleeping pad will come easier as there are so many options. Especially if weight isn't an issue. I have a Nemo Tensor. It has quilted baffles. Everyone loves it, and it hurts my back and hips so bad. I also have an Exped pad and one from Zenbivy with vertical baffles. I love these. They cradle my body better. Thermarest is super popular. Most are horizontal baffles. They don't look comfy to me but it seems like people sleep well on them. Sea to Summit and Big Agnes are other popular sleeping pad brands. What kind of temps are you expecting? You'll want to choose a pad with an R value appropriate to your camping needs. Most choose a 3 season with an R value between 2-4. I would stick on the upper end if you're a cold sleeper.

I like the xped

I’m not sure there’s a best one per se, there are a lot of equality pads out there and the one that best fits you and your needs might be the right choice for you. My favorite is Exped but I love my Nemo’s as well. My personal opinion tho is that you have nowhere to go but up. After fifty plus years of buying and using outdoor gear I can say that I actively despise only one brand, Klymit. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Yeah I have an exped but the only reason I got it is space is tight and I wanted something that fit under my seat. I love it though.