Walking Equipment and Accessories

Best Backpacking Sleeping Mats For 2026

Options from Therm-a-rest, Exped, NEMO Equipment and more, plus our advice on what to look for when buying

It is the sleeping mat that you should be looking to first if you’re after a good night’s sleep when camping. Sleeping mats define your comfort by providing protection from the ground below, whilst also working as the most crucial element for warmth.

The nuances of sleeping mats are almost as diverse as sleeping bags. You’ll find varying degrees of weight, durability, value, thickness and, most importantly, warmth. All sleeping mats (or pads, as they’re sometimes known) for backpacking will have temperature ratings similar to sleeping bags. We’ve tested a handful that roughly fall into the three-season range, and that are suited to a variety of activities.

Some of the main types of backpacking sleeping pad

The Best Sleeping Mats For Backpacking 2026

Here’s our pick of the best lightweight sleeping mats out there. We’ve picked a variety of different types and constructions here, but all of them are lightweight and packable enough for life on the trail. The majority of these, with only a couple of exceptions, made it into the current or previous editions of our Outdoor 100 product guide and all of them have been fully tested and reviewed by our team.

Rab Stratosphere 5.5 – Best Overall Sleeping Mat
Highlander Nap-Pak Arctic Air – The Runner Up
Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft – Most Comfortable Sleeping Mat
Alpkit Cloud Base – Best Value Sleeping Mat
Exped Ultra 5R – Best Ultralight Mat
Nemo Tensor All-Season – Best Sleeping Mat for Colder Weather
Big Agnes TwisterCane BioFoam – Best Foam Sleeping Mat:

1. Rab Stratosphere 5.5

Best overall sleeping mat: This came out top in our tests, being recognised by our reviewers as the best sleeping mat tested.

Where to Buy

Rab Stratosphere 5.5

Our editor’s verdict: “Light, warm and compact – this is impressively versatile. A lightweight and durable mat for all seasons.”

Check price at Rab
Check price at Go Outdoors

Price: £140
Weight: 785g
R-value: 5.5
What we liked: Excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, stable, recycled materials, durable, easy to pack away
What we didn’t like: A little on the bulky side

This sleeping mat ticks a lot of boxes, offering enough warmth for winter use while maintaining a compact packed size and low weight that make it suitable for use during the warmer months too. There aren’t many mats out there that are warm enough for mountaineering expeditions yet light enough for fast-and-light trips, but this one hits that sweet spot.

Pictured during Will’s tests in the Lake District.

Its vertical baffles, which are filled with recycled synthetic insulation, provide a stable sleeping platform, while its 3-inch depth keeps you well insulated from the ground. It comes with both a pump sack and a neat stuff sack, making it far easier to pack away than many other options.

“This is impressively light and packable given the warmth it provides,” said OM editor Will, who has used it on a number of trips, including a four-day winter backpacking trip on the Golden Valley Trail and a frosty night out in the Arenig Mountains of Wales. “One thing that’s really stood out to me is just how durable it feels, which is surprising given the low weight Rab have achieved with it. It doesn’t feel flimsy at all, which can’t often be said when it comes to lightweight sleeping mats.”

The fabric is a 75D recycled polyester outer with an internal TPU coating, and there’s also a smart print on the top that adds a touch of grip to help prevent you from sliding around too easily during the night.

“OK, it’s not the lightest or most packable mat out there, and it’s also a tad pricey, but I’d say these are all tolerable compromises given that it essentially serves as a mat for all seasons and a wide range of uses,” added Will.

2. Highlander Nap-Pak Arctic Air

The runner up from our tests

Where to Buy

Highlander Nap-Pak Arctic Air

Our editor’s verdict: “Incredible value for money. I’ve found this to be light, reliable, comfortable, easy to inflate and warm enough for cold weather camping. Another good mat for year-round use.”

Check price at Highlander
Check price at Nevisport

Price: £99.99
Weight: 900g
R-value: 11
What we liked: Excellent value for money, warm, reasonably light, comfortable.
What we didn’t like: Hard to inflate without a pump sack or electric device.

Based in Scotland, Highlander has grabbed our attention over the last couple of years with the excellent value for money their products offer. This is a case in point: a winter-rated sleeping mat that’s reasonably light at just 900g and comes in at under £100. In fact, we’d go so far as to say it’s the best-value winter sleeping mat we’ve tested.

Pictured during Will’s tests on Mynydd Llangynidr

“I’ve been using this out in the Welsh mountains on some colder nights this autumn, and it’s a mat that’s really impressed me,” said OM editor Will. “It’s definitely warm enough for UK winters, and I’ve found it makes for a well-balanced and comfortable sleep — its 10cm thickness makes it pretty plush. If you don’t have a pump sack or electric pump already, I’d recommend picking one up from Highlander, as it’s a big mat to inflate with breath alone.”

At 900g, it’s in the lightweight category, but it does fall at the heavier end of the scale. “There are lighter winter sleeping mats out there,” said Will, “but they all come with much higher price tags. It’s a big saving for only a couple of hundred extra grams.”

Read our full Highlander Nap-Pak Arctic Air review.

3. Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft

Most comfortable sleeping mat: After some thorough tests out wild camping in Wales and beyond, this gets our pick for the comfiest mat on the list.

Where to Buy

Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft

Our editor’s verdict: Just about the comfiest sleeping out there that can realistically be carried in your backpack. The mat I turn to when I want plush comfort and I’m not too bothered about carry weight.

Check price at Ellis Brigham
Check price at Wildbounds

Price: £250
Weight: 580g
R-value: 4.7
What we liked: Just about everything
What we didn’t like: Quite pricey

“This, the Therm-a-rest NeoLoft, ticks just about every box I’d look for in a sleeping mat”, said OM editor and gear tester Will. “In fact, from my experience testing this out over the course of a number of backpacking trips, I’d go so far as saying it’s one of the best sleeping mats that I’ve ever tried.”

This sleeping mat crosses categories, offering enough comfort for car camping while also being light and packable enough for backpacking. It’s 4.6 inches thick and offers supreme levels of cushioning but it also weighs just 884g and packs down to about the size of a 1-litre bottle.

OM tester Jazz assessing the Therm-a-rest-NeoLoft out in North Wales. Photo: Dave MacFarlane.

We’ve also found it to be warm enough for shoulder season camping. The R-value is 4.7 so it could even be used for winter camping where temps drop below freezing (down to around 0°F / -18°C) but that depends on other gear you are using with it.

“There are lighter and more packable sleeping mats out there but none of them are as comfortable as this”, said Will. “Equally, there are more cushioned and plush sleeping mats out there but none of them will be as light and packable as this. As I said earlier in this review, I can think of many mats that are heavier and thicker but also far less comfortable. So this hits an amazing sweet spot.”

Selected for our Outdoor 100 – read our full Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping mat review.

4. Alpkit Cloud Base

Best value sleeping mat: On a budget? This was our top pick for value.

Where to Buy

Alpkit Cloud Base

Our editor’s verdict: This is light and very packable, making it excellent for backpacking and bikepacking. There’s not that much cushioning or insulation, however.

Check price at Alpkit

Price: £55
Weight: 420g
R-value: 1.4
What we liked: Good eco credentials, fairly priced, light and packable
What we didn’t like: not the comfiest or warmest on this list

This is made up of a matrix of air pockets in two different sizes, with indents between them that create air pockets when you life on them. From what we gather, the mat relies purely on air as the insulating medium. Alpkit deserve credit for using recycled materials here, with 95% of the fabric deriving from post-consumer plastics.

The Cloud Base is pictured here on test in North Wales. Photo: Dave MacFarlane.

“I found this to be more comfortable than it looks” said our tester. “I didn’t have any issues with my hipbone or knees touching the ground, nor did I have any issues with lumps and bumps under the mat. I didn’t find myself sliding off it much and it’s so low to the ground that you won’t be woken up when one of your limbs slips off it. Its tapered shape makes it best suited to front and back sleepers, but I found it was fine for side sleeping too. ”

All in all, this is a lightweight backpacking mat that, quite simply, gets the basics right. It offers a comfortable night’s sleep on the trail and comes at a pretty decent price too. It’s a great option for those who want a reliable and functional mat but without breaking the bank

Featured in our Outdoor 100 – read our full Alpkit Cloud Base sleeping mat review.

5. Nemo Tensor All-Season

Best backpacking mat for colder nights: This was recognised as the best lightweight backpacking option that can also be used in sub zero conditions.

Where to Buy

Nemo Tensor All-Season

Our editor’s verdict: This is a high quality mat that makes for a comfortable night out – even in sub zero conditions. I’ve always found Nemo’s products to be excellent quality.

Check price at Ellis Brigham
Check price at Wildbounds

Price: £200
Weight: 445g
R-value: 5.4
What we liked: Excellent warmth-to-weight, very comfortable
What we didn’t like: Does collapse a bit at the very edges

Following our testing period with this mat, we decided it’s not only worthy of earning a place in this round up of the best sleeping mats, but it also packs enough of a punch to knock Therm-a-rest off the podium in our category for the best mat for colder nights.

This mat’s R-value of 5.4 makes it a solid winter performer but it’s also remarkably light and packable, so it’s ideal for any ultralight adventures either side of the warmer seasons.

An image taken from our editor’s camp-out with the Tensor All-season.

The insulation comes in the form of two layers of metalised film that radiates your body heat back to you while reflecting away any coldness from the ground. The good news is that these layers are also carefully designed so that they don’t make any crinkling or rustling when you move about in your sleep.

It comes with a pump sack which makes inflation very quick and easy. We found it takes about 6 or so squeezes to have the thing ready to go – and less than two minutes. The durability impressed us too. It comes across as a sleeping mat that is built to withstand a bit of abrasion and the normal kinds of demands of the trail.

As well as the regular size, which we tested, you can also find this in long and tapered shapes.

6. Exped Ultra 5R

Best ultralight sleeping mat in our tests

Where to Buy

Exped Ultra 5R

Our editor’s verdict: Packed up, it’s reasonably small. There are lighter and more compact mats out there, but not many (if any) we can think of with the winter warmth this one has. I love that the pump sack doubles as a stuff sack too.

Check price at Alpinetrek

Price: £137
Weight: 585g (regular)
R-value: 4.8
What we liked: Comfortable and stable, very warm, air pump doubles as waterproof stuff sack
What we didn’t like: Quite expensive

This is a winter-rated sleeping mat that provides an impressive amount of insulation and without the burden of a heavy weight or packed size. In fact, we found that it boasts one of the best warmth-to-weight ratios out there.

It’s a comfortable sleep too, keeping you a good few inches from the ground and providing a nice bit of stability thanks to its longitudinal baffles.

It’s inflated via airflow through a one-way valve. You can either blow into it, which takes some time and effort, or you can use the pump sack that comes with it. Handily, the pump sack is waterproof and is designed to double as the sleeping mat’s stuff sack. To deflate it, you simply open up the ‘out’ valve and it’ll quickly be ready to be rolled up.

This, by the way, comes in numerous different sizes, styles and lengths. We tested the rectangular M size and really liked what we saw.

Featured in our Outdoor 100 – read our full Exped Ultra 5R review.

7. Therm-a-rest Prolite Apex

Where to Buy

Therm-a-rest Prolite Apex

Our editor’s verdict: “Very comfortable with lots of cushioning and elevation off the ground. Warmth enough for three-season camps. I love the fact it self-inflates too.”

Check price at Ellis Brigham

Price: £170
Weight: 790g
R-value: 3.8
What we liked: Self inflating, very comfortable and durable
What we didn’t like: On the heavier and bulky side of its category

This sleeping mat differs slightly from many of the other options in this list, first of all because it uses an internal expanding foam and secondly because it’s self inflating. This means you don’t need to expend effort blowing it up and you don’t need to carry a pump or pump sack with you. It does require just a couple of quick breaths to finish off the inflation, but not really enough that you run the risk of getting loads of mildew build up inside it, which can happen all too easily with some mats.

Pictured during Will’s tests on Dartmoor.

“The self inflation does actually work really nicely,” said OM editor Will who’s been testing the Therm-a-rest Prolite Apex out through spring in the UK, most recently on a campout on Dartmoor. “It’s not instant, but it’s quick enough. I tend to allow it to start inflating while I’m finishing off pitching my tent or blowing up my camping pillow and then it’s ready after just a couple of breaths.”

It has an r-value of 3.8 making it ideal for three-season trips in temperatures down to freezing and below and there’s plenty of comfort. “I’ve found the 2 inch thickness keeps me well off the ground and I can sleep on my side without my hip digging in or getting cold. And you definitely can feel the difference that the foam makes – it makes for a more spongy feel that’s different to the lilo-like feel you can get from standard inflatable mats.”

While there are plenty of mats that have better-warmth-to-weight ratios, they don’t come with the same ease of inflation or the same levels of padding either. So, if you hate the faff of blowing up a mat, you want something that feels a bit more like a proper foam mattress, and you don’t mind that weight trade-off, this will be a mat you’ll like.

8. Big Agnes TwisterCane BioFoam

Best foam sleeping mat: If you prefer an open cell mat, this is the option we rate highest

Where to Buy

Big Agnes Twistercane Bio

Our editor’s verdict: This is a basic mat, but sometimes that’s a good thing! It won’t puncture, will last a long time, and doesn’t take any effort to get ready or to stash away. Some excellent eco innovation behind it too.

Check price at Tiso

Price: £45
Weight: 397g
R-value: 1.7
What we liked: Durable, eco-friendly
What we didn’t like: bulky

Big Agnes’ TwisterCane BioFoam Sleeping Pad is a great bit of simple and relatively inexpensive kit that will do the job for climbers, backpackers and Cub Scouts alike. Unlike most other foam mats, however, these mats are made from sustainably-sourced sugarcane biomass (over 60%), in a process that is not just carbon-neutral, but actually removes carbon from the atmosphere.

Admittedly, this isn’t the thickest or the warmest sleeping pad around, nor the most packable. Unrolled, it has a depth of about half an inch, or 13mm, with an R-value of 1.7.

The roll mat design means it is reasonably compact and still straps to the outside of a pack, but isn’t quite as space efficient as a concertina or Z-folding closed-cell foam mat. We’d love to see Big Agnes come out with a BioFoam mat of that design, with thicker dimensions and a higher R-value.

Still, in its current form, the TwisterCane would work well for warmer-weather adventures, especially if you’re a hardy wild camper or seasoned trail hiker accustomed to relatively spartan levels of comfort. And as the brand suggests, it could also be combined with an insulated air mat for additional warmth and comfort, creating a robust four-season system for year-round use, even on frozen ground or snow.

Selected for our Greener Gear Guide – read our full Big Agnes TwisterCane BioFoam sleeping mat review.

9. Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite NXT

Where to Buy

Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite NXT

Our editor’s verdict: This mat is a popular option for backpackers for a reason. It has a high amount of padding and the right kind of insulation levels for UK four-season use. Packable, easy to inflate (especially with the pump sack it comes with), it is a little on the delicate side though.

Check price of regular size at Ellis Brigham
Check price of large size at Ellis Brigham

Price: £225
Weight: 350g
R-value: 4.5
What we liked: excellent warmth-to-weight ratio
What we didn’t like: tapered shape makes it quite narrow, expensive.

This has an r-value thermal rating of 4.5 which makes it suitable for four season use in conditions down to 0°F or -18°C. It also weighs just 350g, so the warmth-to-weight ratio this offers is impressive. The secret is in its dual layer of chambers and an internal lining that radiates your body heat back to you.

In our tests, we found it very quick and easy to assemble, mainly thanks to the convenient pump sack that it comes with, and we also found it comfortable to sleep on.

As you can see, it has a tapered shape, which suits back sleepers best, but we still found that side and front sleeping was also comfortable on this. If you do move around a lot at night, you might find this a little on the narrow side.

We liked the fact it has Therm-a-rest’s WingLock valve on it. It’s very convenient to use, allowing you to make minor adjustments to the air pressure in the middle of the night with ease and supporting fast inflation and deflation.

All packed up, this is a very compact mat, especially for one that’s made for cold weather use. It’s about the size of a Nalgene bottle.

Selected for our Outdoor 100 – read our full Therm-a-rest NeoAir Xlite NXT review.

10. Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated

Where To Buy

Big Agnes Rapide SL

Our editor’s verdict: This comes in a range of widths, but all of them have the same plush thickness. It’s luxuriously padded, but still light, so it hits that goldilocks spot. I love the fact it has PrimaLoft insulation in it too. This makes it a mat that can serve you right the year-round in somewhere like the UK.

Check price at Ellis Brigham
Check price at Wildbounds

Price: £127
Weight: 521g
R-value: 4.8
What we liked: Very thick and comfy, stable, excellent warmth-to-weight balance
What we didn’t like: Petite version we tested is very narrow

This is available in a number of different lengths and widths, so you can choose the right mat for your size and also your preferences when it comes to weight. If you’re an ultralighter, for instance, you might want to opt for its shortest and lightest version, which is the 20” by 66” version, or there’s a two-person option if you’re after a bit of luxury.

With a 9cm thickness and an extra 2cm at the sides, the Rapide is one of the thickest mats we’ve tested. But it’s still firmly in the lightweight category – the 20” x 72” model we trialled weighs just 521g. And it’s warm too, bringing an R-value of 4.8. That makes it suitable for most three-season conditions and even some milder winter camping conditions.

Our tester Nicola using the Big Agnes Rapide SL in the Highlands. Photo: Dave Macfarlane

We used it on a chilly camp in the Scottish Highlands where the temperature dipped below freezing and it kept us snug – paired with a winter sleeping bag too, of course. The secret is in its internal heat reflective layer that has insulating PrimaLoft fibres laminated to it.

We also liked that this has a clever mix of vertical and horizontal baffles. It’s a design that creates a kind of ‘goldilocks’ mix where you get the best of both worlds: stability, good heat distribution and a nice cradling effect. And it comes with a huge pump bag (huge but still very light) that makes inflation very quick and easy.

Selected for our Outdoor 100. Read our full Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated review.

11. Sea-To-Summit Comfort Light Insulated

Where to Buy

Sea to Summit Comfort Light

Our editor’s verdict: This has been in our list for well over a decade now – it’s a mainstay. Packable, easy and quick to inflate and with a good R-value, it’s a tried and tested mat. It’s a touch on the heavy side compared to recent competition, however – but it’s still in the lightweight category.

Check price at Decathlon
Check price at Alpinetrek

Price: £144
Weight: 620g
R-value: 3.7
What we liked: Comfortable, lightweight, quick and easy inflation
What we didn’t like: Quite heavy for an inflatable mat

The immediate thing that’s noticeable about this is the intriguing looking air cells. It’s what Sea-to-Summit call ‘Hybrid Layer Air Sprung Cell technology’. The idea is that small pockets of air are more stable than a few big ones, offering you much more comfort and support than large lilo-like tubes.

The Exkin Platinum fabric used here reflects radiant heat back to the camper, while Thermolite insulation prevents heat loss between the user and the ground, and this combination of tech makes the mat warm enough to be used in cold weather.

We tested this on a week long trek through Lapland where the temperature hovered around zero degrees celsius at night. It was perfectly comfortable to sleep on – both in terms of how warm it kept us and how it felt. In fact, after a while we stopped worrying about pitching our tent over smaller rocks because we knew we just wouldn’t feel them through the mat.

As for the inflation method, it comes with a lightweight bag that you scoop air into and then force it into the mat through the valve by pressure. It’s remarkably easy and quick and most importantly, it saves your breath!

Check out our full Sea-to-Summit Comfort Light Insulated review.

12. Snugpak Air Mat

Where to Buy

Snugpak Airmat

Our editor’s verdict: A little on the heavy side (compared to some other mats here) and it also doesn’t offer much in terms of insulation. It does have a very nifty method of inflation however, which works surprisingly well, and the price is fair.

Check price at Amazon
Check price at Decathlon

Price: £74
Weight: 630g
R-value: Unknown
What we liked: Comfortable, great value, innovative design
What we didn’t like: Not much insulation

The clever thing about this sleeping mat by British brand Snugpak is that you don’t need to waste your breath on it or even carry some form of pump either. That’s because there’s a pump built into it.

To inflate it you open up a little valve in one of the corners and then you either stamp down on this repeatedly or pump it with the palm of your hand. Do this for about a minute, and maybe give a puff or two at the end for a little extra pressure, and then viola, you have a very comfortable mattress to sleep on – one that’s actually rather large as well.

There isn’t any insulation (as far as we can tell) in this, so it’s not one for winter use, but for spring through to autumn this will serve you well.

At 630g there are much lighter mats out there, but there are also heavier and much more expensive ones as well. £74 for a mat like this is a great deal in our books.

Check out our full Snugpak Air Mat review.

Choosing The Best Sleeping Mat For You

Most sleeping mats are very lightweight with backpacking in mind, while others are the ones you’d want if you were camping in the same place for a few days – the kind you wouldn’t want to lug across somewhere extremely wild.

Best Three Season Sleeping Bags

And that’s the first decision to make: What will you be using the mat for? Sleeping mats all sit on a scale between weight and comfort, but always bear in mind the temperature you’re expecting. If you’re going to be using it almost exclusively for long-distance backpacking, then you want to consider weight over comfort.

If you’re just going to be camping in a car or staying in one place for a few nights, then comfort wins, but it will be at the expense of weight. The old school roll away mats can still be bought (also known as closed-cell foam).

Take a look at our Sleeping Mats Buyer’s Guide for an in depth look into the different features of sleeping mats. Here’s a quick overview though,

Warmth

When buying a sleeping mat, be sure to check out the warmth rating. Mats are usually rated for warmth by using the R-Value. This is the same value you may recognise to measure the insulation efficiency at home. Unlike a sleeping bag which can be ventilated, you should always buy the sleeping mat with an R-Value that is the lowest temperature you’ll encounter. Plus if you’re a cold sleeper, always boost the R-Value. For winter, aim for 4-4.5 or greater, and for extreme cold look for higher than 5.7. For three-season use in the UK spring, summer and autumn, then 2.1-4.5 is fine. Less than 2 should suffice for ultra-lightweight summer camping.

There are various ways designers increase the warmth of a sleeping mat. Firstly, is thickness. You’ll be higher off the ground and with more air between you and the cold earth; that’s more air to heat up and keep you warm. Another way to increase warmth is through the materials that are used. A thicker material will generally keep the cold out a little bit more. And finally, a layer of down or synthetic insulation can be used to add warmth. Even a very thin layer can make a huge difference when you’re sleeping on top of snow.

Construction

Hybrid Layer Air Sprung Cell technology provides extra comfort and support. Photo: Chris Johnson.

Durability has always been an issue with sleeping mats. In the constant push to make these mats lighter, the materials used tend to get thinner and thinner and sometimes at the expense of durability. Over the years, we’ve noticed that mats tend to be the item of camping gear that fails the most with heavy use. Three main things can happen: the valve can go, which is a hard fix; and the interior baffle walls can disfigure and balloon.

Any punctures, however, can usually be fixed quickly on the go. Most mats come with a puncture repair kit and can be fixed pretty much like a bike inner tube.

Inflation

There have been a few changes in inflation systems over the last couple of years, in an attempt to eliminate getting dizzy blowing up the mattress. Some use a pump, perhaps fashioned out of a piece of fabric supplied. That said, for most of the lightweight mattresses, because they are quite small and thin, you should be able to fill them in 20-30 breaths or so. Thermarest makes a battery powered pump that works well, and Exped and Sea to Summit favour pump bags to fill them. Larger mats, such as the Quechua, are self-inflating, requiring only minimal topping up.