Exped - Ultra 5R

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.

Exped Ultra is comfortable and ultralight. Pretty affordable, too. Give it a try. 

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.

I second this. Love my exped 3R and 5R. The UL 5R is ~$160 and sleeps better than thicker pads I've used

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.

I am an Exped Ultra 3R and 5R fan. I feel like they are highly underrated in the hiking community. My opinion is they sleep warmer than rated, are super comfortable, quite and cost less than a lot of pads. Just an FYI if you want another possibility/option. Edit: Sorry, I forgot this was Ultralight. I was thinking it was the Appalachian Trail sub.

Exped pads are highly underrated!

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.

Same. OP, given that you have the space, I would recommend memory foam or something similar. I use a 6” trifold mattress, but in your case, given that you have the space and have trouble sleeping, I would recommend a normal one-piece mattress for you. If you do use the Exped, the secret is to adjust the air pressure. Everyone is different, but for me, if I let out air until my butt just barely touched the floor while sitting on it, that would be ideally comfortable (though not as comfortable as memory foam) when I laid down on it.

The 3R is a pretty incredibly value for an 18oz pad at around $150. The 5R is probably better for being in Maine outside of summer.

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

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 (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.

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 (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

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

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 5R is awesome. May be a little out of the price range but worth it.

Agree 100%. I actually got the 5r because I was waking up every 20 min with pain in my arm from my thermarest. Figured out the side baffles were killing me. The exped is so nice I sleep so much better now.

I have the 5r and love it. Exped rules.

+1 on this, I tried several pads (foam and inflatable) as a side sleeper and the Expeds are AMAZING. I actually get good nights sleep on trail with them and they’re pretty good in terms of weight. I’ve got the 3R, 5R, and 7R versions now. The inflating part takes some getting used to (“schnozzle bag”) but is kinda fun. At least they don’t advertise themselves as “self-inflating” like some other pads that don’t actually self inflate.

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

If you want something for 3 seasons, go with the exped ultra 5r. They also have a 3r version if you want something in-between.

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

I like my Exped 5R. 2 valves. a really nice inflation bag. Not very expensive. Comfortable. Just finished a trip in Alaska with it. Temps were 1C to 10C. Mine is the Long and Wide model and it comes in at 785 grams. Insulation rating of 5R. I'm an all over the place sleeper. I use an Enlighted Equipment quilt (with a foot box) instead of a bag.

I've got an Exped 5R in a long/wide size. It's listed as 77.6" x 25.6" x 3". I had a 7R a couple of years ago in the same size. It was a 3.5" thick mattress though. Honestly they've been some of the comfiest sleeping pads I've owned. I'm pretty much the same size as you are as well. I'm 6'2" and 215. I've never found the size of the pad to be too short or narrow. And I toss and turn like I'm clothes in a dryer. There's plenty of thickness to keep you from sinking in even if you're a side sleeper. The only downside to the pad is it's packed size. Which is bulkier than the traditional suggested sleeping pads, but it's really not that bad for what you get. Also I just looked at the Megamat. The 5R has a higher r-value, is still 3" vs 4", but that megamat packed size isn't worth the extra space at all in my opinion. I think the bulk of the megamat will cause more problems than it solves in the long run.

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

Quieter than the tensor. I use the 5R, wife has the Nemo

Exped pads are highly underrated!

Only downside is that the mummy versions are very tapered at the head and foot. Pillow straps don't keep the pillow from sliding off, and it feels shorter than it is due to this aggressive taper.

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.

If you liked the Dura why not get the 5r? I just got one, the mummy version which saves a few ounces, to replace my thermarest and I love it.

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.

Exped! I’ll never sleep on anything else.

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.

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.

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.

Exped 3R or 5R might be worth a try. They both come in mummy wide and have vertical baffles, which some people find more comfortable. I’ve never used an xlite, but I find the 5R comfortable for side sleeping. 

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.

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.

My Rapide SL insulated is very comfortable but nowhere close 4r. It might be 2r. Maybe. I just replaced it with the REI helix. 1oz heavier, but even more comfortable and a “true” 4.9r. They retail for $160. Exped 5r is also comfortable, warm, and has a great pump sack - although I suspect they’re getting ready to revamp them in the spring and they’ll be a decent amount more compact and lighter then. But you’ll probably find good Black Friday deals on the current one.

Thanks! It's really surprising because it feels much more tapered. I am coming from a long wide x lite as well.

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.

I currently use an Exped Ultra 7R which packs smaller, is lighter, and has an additional 2 R value than the S2S pad. They also have a 5R pad that’s even lighter. I have yet to find any down side to Exped other than they’re a bit on the costly side. I’m not sure about the S2S pad, but many 4 season pads have a crinkling sound from the reflective insulation layer, but my pad is much more muffled than most others with that layer. The noise alone is a winner for me since I tend to move a lot while sleeping.

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 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’ve only slept on the neoair and the exped from that list. I find the exped a little more comfortable to sleep on, but still always take the neoair because of the lighter weight, which is more comfortable in my pack. I am more of a rotisserie sleeper, but 1/3 of the time I’m on my back. I always opt for the 25” width because, well, I was born with arms and elbows! I cut my neoair down to 50” and use my backpack and sit pad under my feet. I don’t experience any discomfort from that setup and save 3-4 ounces thereby. I’m not sure I could cut my exped because of the baffle orientation. I keep it only to loan to friends.

I have three; Exped Ultra 5R, Exped Flex, and Exped Deep Sleep. Ultra & Flex are my backpacking pads and the Deep Sleep is for car camping. Side and back sleeper that runs hot. Spring/summer/fall in the PNW. Go wide/long since you like to roll around.

The Rapide SL is easily the most comfortable pad I have used. I have an older version though where the insulation doesn’t work properly, so I can’t use it in cold or even cool weather. I believe they fixed this issue, if so I would 100% go with that one. I tried the Tensor all-season and absolutely hated it, which was surprising because I have heard rave reviews about it. It made my arm go numb, jammed into my ribs/side, I could only inflate it ~halfway to be comfortable, and it sounded like I was sleeping on a Doritos bag. However it is incredibly packable and lightweight. Unfamiliar with the Etherlite personally. I ended up with the Exped 5R, not as comfortable as the Rapide SL but miles ahead of the Tensor. EDIT: Mainly a side and occasional back sleeper.