A backpacking or tenting sleeping pad’s R-value measures its resistance to warmth loss to the bottom once you lie on it at night time. Pads with increased R-values do that extra successfully than pads with decrease R-values. R-value isn’t a measure of heat per se, however of a pad’s means to forestall the lack of the heat that your physique generates. It’s similar to the R-value used to charge house insulation.
Sleeping Pad R-Values and Air Temperature in Levels
What’s the correlation between air temperature and sleeping pad R-values? When do you want a pad with a better R-value? This desk relies on Exped’s suggestions in Fahrenheit and Celsius levels.
| Air Temperature (F): | 50 | 30 | 25 | 10 | 0 | -15 | -25 | -40 |
| Minimal R-Worth | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Air Temperature (C): | 10 | -1 | -4 | -12 | -18 | -26 | -32 | -40 |
| Minimal R-Worth | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
As well as:
- R-values are additive, so you possibly can mix two pads to extend your heat degree. For instance, it’s frequent to hold a foam sleeping pad (often R=2) in winter to make use of as a sit pad when consuming and melting snow which you could place underneath an inflatable pad to extend their mixed R-value for sleeping.
- Girls want increased R-values pads as a result of they’ve decrease physique mass than males. An extra R-value of 1 is often a great hedge for girls and different chilly sleepers.
- If a pad mannequin has a number of sizes, all of them have the identical R-value except specified in any other case
- EN sleeping bag temperature rankings are predicated on utilizing a sleeping pad with an R-value of 5 or increased. If you end up sleeping chilly in temperatures the place you’d count on your sleeping bag ought to maintain you heat, it could be as a result of your sleeping pad has an R-value lower than 5.
Sleeping Pad R-Worth Comparability
The next desk gives a side-by-side comparability of the ASTM F3340-18 rated sleeping pads accessible within the US market. The pad weights listed are sized for 72″ lengthy x 20″ large pads, although there are a number of exceptions beneath. The R-Worth of a pad stays the identical if you choose an extended, shorter, or wider variation of the pad.
Key: Air – Air Mattress, SI – Self Inflating, Foam – Closed Cell Foam
Sleeping Pad R-Worth Commonplace
In 2020, the out of doors {industry} rolled out a world and industry-standard R-value take a look at process referred to as ASTM F3340-18. This implies you possibly can examine the R-values of various sleeping pads made by completely different producers and know that they’re all utilizing the identical take a look at process to measure the R-values of their pads. That’s an enormous profit for customers and can ultimately have the identical affect that the adoption of standardized sleeping pad temperature rankings had for evaluating sleeping luggage from completely different firms.
The businesses which have adopted the brand new R-value sleeping pad commonplace (ASTM F3340-18) and retested all of their present sleeping pads embrace:
- Therm-a-Relaxation
- NEMO
- REI
- Exped
- Sea-to-Summit
- Massive Agnes
- Klymit
- ZenBivy
What’s New in Sleeping Pads in 2025?
- Thermarest killed off a number of sleeping pads together with the venerable Prolite and Girls’s Prolite. These pads have been reborn within the new pad referred to as the Path Prolite.
- NEMO has actually simplified their product line so mere mortals can perceive what to purchase. That’s a breadth of recent air.
- Exped has simplied their product naming scheme for his or her excessive R-value, heavy tenting pads.
- Massive Agnes has a handful of recent pads. They’re not extensively accessible in retail but, however they make good gear and is likely to be an fascinating different.
- Zenbivy has gone massive with a lot of their very own mattresses.
- Klymit continues to have an impenetrable product naming scheme. I don’t get it.
- Sea-to-summit doesn’t have something new.
Standing of Trade Adoption
The adoption of the brand new R-Worth commonplace was pushed by REI, which requires that the sleeping pads listed on the market on its predominant web site have an ASTM F3340-18 R-Worth score.
Many sleeping pad firms have nonetheless not adopted the brand new ASTM F3340-18 sleeping pad R-Worth commonplace and it’s not clear that they ever will. Actually, many producers don’t take a look at their pads in any respect, however “estimate” the R-values of their sleeping mats and pads. Within the absence of a typical definition and take a look at process, it’s onerous to inform if their estimates are correct or whether or not they’re corresponding to these produced by the usual ASTM F3340-18 R-value testing protocol.
Up to date Jan 6, 2025
See additionally:
SectionHiker is reader-supported. We solely generate profits if you buy a product via our affiliate hyperlinks. Assist us proceed to check and write unsponsored and impartial gear critiques, newbie FAQs, and free mountain climbing guides.