Exped - Ultra 1R

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

Exped, thank me later

I (64M) always used a cot when camping. REI had Expeds on sale and I have read such good things about them, so I bought one. They are the best mattress for camping I have ever used. Even weighing 230lbs, side sleeper, I would have a tough time touching the ground through the mattress. They are quick to fill up with the enclosed hand pump and quick to deflate. They are light and I now prefer it over the cot that I have used for many years.

I loved my Expeds before I got my camper. I now use a 6” memory foam mattress and wouldn’t be able to go back.

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

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

Exped! I’ll never sleep on anything else.

I really like my exped. I bought it on sale from REI and I still thought it was expensive but in retrospect it’s worth full price. I have [this](https://a.co/d/jbKmmg3) air pump and it works great. I have a double & single pad and have no issues getting them back in their storage bag. Not familiar with the other one you’re looking at fwiw.

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.

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 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….

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

I like the xped

I know they are light but the neoair durability isn’t great. Also Cascade (thermarest) just moved from Seattle to Reno and I bet things are super disorganized still I opted for the Exped Ultra series. There’s a weight penalty but I find them much more comfortable, and Exped repairs pads for the cost of shipping to Tacoma.

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.

I was using a backpacking style exped inflatable pad and recently replaced it with a self inflating one. Takes up a lot more space but far more comfortable (and quiet!).

Most 20D pads seems to be "too fragile". Only exception seems to be the exped ultra somehow. But it's really hard to have a good picture on pads reliability.

How much weight is too much for you, though? I’m a larger guy (230lbs) and find the tensor uncomfortable. It’s usable, but I don’t sleep great on it. My wife has the quasar and it’s way more comfy for me. Recently, I said screw it and tried an Exped Ultra mat. It’s quite large, and has some weight to it. BUT I sleep better than I ever have in the backcountry. So it’s my luxury item - and I’ll gladly carry the extra weight for the improved sleep I get.

Try the Nemo Tensor, the Exped pads, and the Big Agnes Rapide (heaviest, but thickest). You should be able to lay on all of these at an REI if you have one nearby. They should have all the most popular ones blown up and ready to try.

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.

Any Exped Med-Wide pads fit the bill. Incredibly comfy to boot. They are more expensive but a good nights sleep it worth it imo. Best investment I made for camping. I got my Deep Sleep for just over $100 on sale.

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).

I've had my exped for around 4 years now, and it's never let me down. Was concerned at how fragile it seems, but I've slept in some spikey places and never had an issue. [this ](https://www.expeduk.com/products/ultra-1r) is the current version of what I've got, and can't praise it enough.

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.

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.

I have a Nemo Tensor, Thermarest NeoAir X-Lite, and an Exped Ultra. My favorite of the 3 is the Exped. I haven't used the Rapide, but I'd put it in the same class as the ones I have. At that point, they are all so similar, buy the one that is the most comfortable for you. $20-30 less or more at that price point isn't huge, and is 100% worth it for more comfort.

We have expeds and they are awesome. At our heaviest using them I think one of us topped out about 215lbs and comfort wasn't compromised at all. We are both side sleepers. Hopefully someone closer in size to you will respond, but I hope that's slightly helpful! Add: I did just look and exped states their weight limit is 330. So maybe that might not be the best option.

I use an Exped, but then add a foam topper from Walmart cut to size for extra comfort. 

I've used my Exped for 500miles. I've never had a problem with it. Personally, I would only buy Exped or Big Agnes sleeping pads because they're the only ones I've never seen leak. Anything by thermarest is trash.

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.

Go EXPED. Best pads IMO. The vertical baffles make a huge difference and they are not crinkly at all.

i have several Expeds and I don't think they're that loud at all.

Ahh ok then yea low or no R-value would be fine in those cases. Klymit also makes a good lightweight low R-value pad, it's what I used in Texas and worked quite well in warmer weather. Not as heavy or thick as the one you linked, but much lighter and packs down smaller. Great if you're backpacking but there are better options if car camping imo. Exped Ultra 1R is also a good pad, the more insulated 3 and 5 are also popular for colder temps. I've used the Dura versions which are a heavier/more insulated version and it was comfortable. I've also heard good things about Nemo Tensor but have no experience with it.

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.

Megamat is a good choice. We have one and like it. Yes they can be punctured, but they’re expanding foam, not just air, and they’re easy to repair. They’re also warm when the weather is cold. We also have these for multi-day river trips, and I actually prefer them to the Exped. Sooooo comfy, and tough as nails. [Landing Pad](https://www.aire.com/product/30-landing-pads/) You can just strap them together with a cam strap. Either way, you’re right to abandon air mattresses.

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.

We put on exped on top of our air mattress.Gets us about 16 inches off the ground and it has a headboard so pillows don’t slide off. We’re car campers as well so we have room to pack some extras for comfort!

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

Exped 100%