Camping Pads for Winter

The best sleeping bag in the world alone will not be sufficient in keeping you warm in winter. A warm pad is even more critical than a warm sleeping bag. You need a good camping pad because heat is lost to the ground through conduction much more quickly than anything else.

When the ground is colder, conduction occurs much more rapidly due to a larger temperature difference. A sleeping bag keeps you warm by retaining body heat between your body and a layer of air which is trapped by the fill of the sleeping bag, whether synthetic or down.

When you're sleeping on the ground, the part of the sleeping bag underneath you is compressed by the weight of your body so it will not be able to trap air. As a result, there is minimal insulation between you and the cold ground.

The most important thing when choosing a camping pad for winter is insulation but to sleep well, most people also need a little bit of cushioning. Closed-cell pads provide good insulation for its weight but alone, it may not be enough to keep you warm and you may find it hard to sleep for the lack of cushioning.

Self-inflating pads and insulated air mattresses are popular choices for winter. Some like to use a combination of air mats and closed-cell foam pads because the foam pad also serves as a backup in case of punctures.

A 24 ounces for the regular size, the Prolite is quite light for a 4-season self-inflating pad. It has an R-value of 3.8 and the manufacturer claims that it's 20% warmer than Prolite 4 mattresses which has an R-value of 3.2.

Despite the increase, this value is still low compared the other pads reviewed here . You still get cold spots on pressure points like hips and shoulders so a foam pad to supplement the insulation is advisable.

The Prolite Plus is popular because it's lightweight and to most people, very comfortable. There are warmer pads out there but not many (if any) 4-season self-inflating pads lighter than this.

Some complain about the stuff sack not being included in the price but we recommend you get one that is bigger than the one supplied by ThermaRest so that it is easier to fit in the pad.

The Two Track Mummy has an R-value of 6.5 thanks to the pad's thickness and high-density foam core. In theory, it's good enough to be used directly on snow but the R-value may be significantly reduced on certain areas where the pad is compressed most due to weight. This results in cold spots on those areas.

To remedy this problem all you need is a thin patch of foam padding on affected areas. As an alternative, you can also use folded clothing.

The Two Track Mummy (regular, 2" mummy version) is heavier and bulkier than the Prolite Plus at 36 ounces.

ThermaRest still has something better in terms of warmth. Their warmest pads, DreamTime and LuxuryCamp have an R-value of 8 and 7 respectively.

Unfortunately the better insulation also comes with a lot of added weight. DreamTime only comes in size Large or XL. The Large version weighs in at 6 pounds and 13 ounces which is a lot heavier than the Two Track 2" Mummy from Big Agnes.

LuxuryCamp is a lot lighter than the DreamCamp. The Large version weighs 4 pounds and 3 ounces. The Regular version which has about the same sleeping area as the Two Track weighs 50 ounces. Still a lot heavier for just a small difference in R-value.

If you're going backpacking, there's a better option than these two high end pads from ThermaRest, Exped's DownMat 9, probably the best sleeping pad for winter camping.

The Exped DownMat is probably the best air mattress for winter. It has an R-value of 8, which is one the highest we've found for an insulated air mattress. It's not a self-inflating pad so inflation can be a pain in the neck.

The stuff sack doubles as a billow which you'll have to pump with about 12 times to get a full inflation (blowing into the valve may reduce the effectiveness of the insulation). You can even use the stuff sack as a pillow.

The DownMat 9 is about as heavy as the Two Track 2" pad at 36 ounces but much warmer. It features is a 700-fill down which contributes a lot to the insulating properties. The fill is separated by light foam barriers which make sure that it stays where it should be.

Not only is the DownMat 9 warm, it's also one tough pad. Exped claims that it can withstand the weight of a car, not that I know anyone who actually ran their car over it. The DLX version has a built-in pump which makes inflation much less of a fuss.

Closed-cell foam pads don't typically have a higher R-value compared to other types of sleeping pad but they have a high R-value-to-weight ratio and makes a great supplement for your air mattress or self-inflating pad.

DreamCamp and the DownMat 9 is good enough to be used directly on snow but for the others you'll need to have additional insulation if you want to sleep comfortably without any cold spots in temperatures below freezing . The insulation of a camping mat is reduced when the thickness is reduced due to pressure exerted by the user's body. The pad thickness can have such a significant effect on the R-value.

When you're using air mats, it's wise to take a closed-cell pad as a backup in case your air mattress punctures.