Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Pad

I invested in this pad after using a closed cell foam pad for years and finally deciding that I wanted to have a bit more padding between myself and the ground.

Things that I like: I find this pad to be comfortable to sleep on. When lying down I don’t feel the ground beneath me, even if there are roots or small rocks. I find it to be very stable and supportive. I appreciate its small packed size (similar to a small loaf of bread) when compared to the bulky foam pads I’ve used in the past. It is quick to blow up with the accompanying stuff sack. The insulating quality has helped me sleep warmer than with previous pads. I’ve only used it for about 25 nights on trail, but so far it seems to be holding up well.

Things I don’t like: I find it to be quite noisy, though I don’t have a ton of experience with blow up pads (closed cell foam pads are silent). I tend to be a bit of a restless sleeper, so the added sound makes me self conscious and more restless in group camping settings, especially when others agree that they could hear me moving around at night. In general I find there to be sufficient distance between myself and the ground, but in the process of repositioning and sitting up I’ll sometimes bottom out until I’m settled again. However, it is more comfortable than my foam pads of the past, so this does help me sleep better overall.

I plan to keep this pad because of its comfort, weight, packed size, and warmth, but I do prefer to use it on solo trips where my movement won’t disturb other folks’ rest.