Reflective foil is the general term used to describe this type of insulation that prevents radiation and convective heat loss. It will line the entire inside of the air chamber and adds very little bulk or weight. The Nemo Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad, like the previous models mentioned above, does have a non-insulated version with a 1.6 R-value, which again, doesn’t make the cut for a good 3-season sleeping pad in my opinion, so the insulated version wins again. Why this sleeping pad is great for side sleepers

Some people think that it is sleeping bags that keep you warm in a tent, but without a sleeping pad, your sleeping bag will only keep you warm from the top. Sleeping pads are what keep your underside warm, and they serve a very important role in resisting heat loss through the ground. If you can’t prevent losing heat through the frosty ground, you won’t last very long in winter. Is R-Value 2.5 Good for A Sleeping Pad? The Comfort Plus XT Insulated Air Mat has two types of insulation including Exkin Platinum which is a reflective foil lining the inside of the chambers but doesn’t make any crinkly noises like emergency blankets. Then it also has Thermolite high loft synthetic insulation that prevents convective heat loss. This extra insulation does add a fair bit of weight but it is also what makes this a 4 season winter sleeping pad. The advertized size for the Insulated Air Core Ultra I am reviewing is 20 inches wide by 78 inches long for an inflated mattress. Just for completeness I thought I would include the dimensions of the un-inflated mattress, which are 25.75 inches wide and 79.25 inches long. Another plus is that the Insulated Q-Core SLX Sleeping Pad comes in wide sizes, which can be advantageous to side sleepers who tend to turn from one side to the other during the night, helping you stay on your pad without the fear of rolling off onto the cold ground. Because this sleeping pad is so warm and well insulated, it is the perfect mat to combine with a quilt or wool blanket because you don’t need any extra warmth beneath you. One problem with down sleeping bags is that when you lay on them the down compresses and loses some of its performance – a sleeping pad like this solves that problem. With it having down feathers inside, we highly recommend using a pump instead of your breath to inflate it and avoid any condensation spoiling the down.Here is a detailed view of the repair kit that is included. It contains a single larger 2 x 2 inch patch, two 1-1/4 x 1-1/4 inch patches, a set of instructions for applying the patches and a spare diaphragm for the inflation valve. It’s nice to see that BA used quality materials from 3M for their patches. The Insulated Air Core Ultra overall design is a basic tube style of construction that is comprised of six tubes total and where the two outer most tubes are larger in diameter then the four inner tubes. I measured the outer tubes and found them to be approximately 3.5 inches in diameter and the inner tubes I found to be about 3.00 inches in diameter. In use, I did find that the larger diameter outer tubes were effective in helping me stay on the mattress through the night.

If you’re new to camping, it’s reasonable to invest in one mid-range R-Value pad for every outing. As you start camping through the seasons, you’ll appreciate the function of a cold weather pad with a higher R-Value rating, and the importance of a warm weather pad when you’re out camping in a hot desert valley. You can get it in an uninsulated version as well as an insulated one, however, the insulated version only has an R-value of 4.4 which is the lowest in this guide and not entirely suitable for freezing temperatures. Still, we included it in this list because it copes well in most cold weather and is by far the cheapest option in this guide.One of the big fears most people have with using an inflatable sleeping pad in winter is the fact that a puncture can make it unusable (if you don’t have a repair kit). I had this fear for many years, too, but after spending hundreds of nights camping on all kinds of rough ground, I have become way more trusting. I have never had a puncture (touch wood), but I have seen two other people struggle with it. In both cases, a simple adhesive puncture patch solved the problem in less than five minutes once we found the hole. The Sea to Summit Comfort Plus XT Insulated Air is another winter sleeping bag that feels warmer than its 4.8 R-value rating. It has air-sprung baffles created by spot welds instead of seams so that you get a very even platform to sleep on. These air-sprung baffles seem to conform to your body better than other directional baffles. To alleviate discomfort at your knees, it is a good idea to place a pad between them when sleeping on your side. You can bring a second pillow for this, but a sit pad can also do the job. Unlike the Q-Core SLX, this pad has a higher R-value of 4.5 so it will help keep you warmer on colder nights. The Insulated Air Core Ultra Sleeping pad weighs 22oz, which isn’t very light, but not too heavy either. For such a great price, the extra warmth is worth a few more ounces.