Cheapest relatively comfortable sleeping pads?

[Matthew Stenger]

So I am thinking about getting my sister and her husband a used silnylon tent, some used backpacks, and some sleeping pads for Christmas, to get them started backpacking.

They already have decently warm sleeping bags they use for car camping, they are just bulky and heavy. I figure they will work for now.

I live in Portland, Oregon so I thought I’d go to Next Adventure to pick up some cheap packs and then buy a used silnylon tent from the gear swap forum.

The only other thing they really need is pads. Any recommendation for the cheapest pads that won’t make them hate backpacking?

[Iago Vazquez]

Klymit Insulated Static V Lite. On sale often for $65+/-, thick enough, reasonably light (19.6) and comfy. Massdrop has a lighter version at 16.6 oz for $60.

[Kattt]

I would go with the Zrest. I have come to like them quite a bit and I am into a comfortable night of sleep. I often pick  them up at the flea market for 1 to 5 dollars so I have quite the collection. At that price I am ok cutting one up into sections for different purposes.

[Paul Wagner]

For the money you can’t beat a Z-rest. And even though we now have some very expensive NEOair pads, we still use the Z-rest as an underlayer for luxurious comfort….

[Jay Wilkerson]

Do not go cheap if you want to have a good sleep. Trust me!

 

[Anonymous]

Of late I combine a Klymit Inertia X frame or X lite air pad with a EVA foam pad.  The former gives me some necessary cushion, and the EVA foam pad gives warmth and back up cushion which is better than nothing should something happen to the air pad. You can often get the Klymit pads for around 40 to 60 dollars.  The EVA foam is cheaper if you buy from a bulk foam seller rather than a backpacking type place.

The Klymit pad goes inside the pack (and these take up very little volume, especially the X Lite) and the EVA foam goes on the outside. We used these combo’s for our CT hike this past summer.

The nice thing is that Klymit air pads take very little breath and time to blow up, and of course the foam is instant. If it’s warmer, I put the air pad on top of the foam, and if it’s colder, I put the foam on top of the air pad.

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