Our testing team included a whole host of hardcore ladies (and a few helpful gentlemen) who put these sleeping pads to the test all over the country while on expeditions in Alaska's Gates of the Arctic, thru-hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail, hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim, and backpacking portions of the Colorado Trail. This gave us ample opportunity to test these pads in all kinds of conditions, from snowy ridges to glacially-polished granite slabs to prickly desert landscapes. After hundreds of hours of snoozing, relaxing, snuggling, and socializing, we assessed each product based on five carefully chosen metrics.
Comfort
We did a lot of sleeping, lounging, cuddling, and reading on these pads. Ultimately, the ones that we reached for to quickly set up on forest moss, over sandy desert terrain, and on most of our mountainous trips were those that offered loads of cushioning and felt the most comfortable. We took note of baffle shape and overall mattress shape and consulted with our side and stomach sleeper testers to see which pads worked best for a wide variety of snoozing campers. We also noted if each made a weird or crinkly noise with nighttime tosses and turns and which felt the closest to our mattresses at home, paying special attention to the face fabric of each.
Weight
Simple! We weighed each pad to see how many extra ounces it would add to your backpack. We also considered included accessories like pumps and stuff sacks, though we based our final scores on just the weight of the pad alone.
Warmth
We spent most of our time testing during the spring, fall, and summer months, but we also did the not-so-enviable work of sleeping on each pad during the cold winter season. After camping out, we were able to determine in which areas we felt cold or warm, plus where each pad had more or less insulation. We also looked at the construction of each product to see where each had been reinforced with more (or less) material.
Packed Size
After rolling up each pad and putting it into its requisite stuff sack, we determined how much room it will take up inside a backpack. This information is critical for those who appreciate a super packable and ultralight set-up and those who like to go on long-haul backpacking trips with a smaller ultralight pack. We also noted which pads were the bulkiest and might be most ideal for car camping.
Construction Quality
We set each slepeing pad up in tents and on a variety of different ground surfaces, from rocky slabs to bumpy sand and spongy alpine tundra. We rolled each pad up, tossed them around, and even let our dogs stand on them when fully inflated. We also assessed the materials of each, including the face and bottom fabrics' denier, the seams, valves, and the sturdiness of the inflation mechanism, to paint a picture of the longevity of each. We also took note if a pad came with a repair kit or a stick-on patch for easy in the field fixes.
