The Best Wide Sleeping Pads of 2024: Tested

Since 74% of the population sleeps on their sides, we're willing to bet at least 74% of our readers are stoked to find the Quasar 3D. But a number of smart details add up to utter comfiness for sleepers of all kinds.

To fix a common complaint for those who don't sleep stock-still on their backs, NEMO created a body-mapped depression in the center of the 25-inch-wide pad that prevents campers from rolling off in the middle of the night. The built-in pillow at the top of the pad helps sleepers rest easy as their limbs and hips relax just like at home. Add in the 3.5-inch thickness—by far the cushiest in test—and our testing crew found themselves in dreamland. "My hips never once hit the ground," reports one Wisconsin tester. "Honestly, the Quasar is so comfy that I've been using it for naps on my living room floor." Yes, you read that right: It's replacing her mattress at home.

The plush-and-lush 30-denier polyester stretches over the top, adding sheetlike coziness to this rectangular pad. Synthetic insulation up-levels the warmth, making the Quasar a toasty pick for the worst of three-season conditions. Even with all these features, the pad still rolls up (stuff sack included) to the height of 1.5 Nalgene bottles. "I try to keep my pack weight at 12 to 18 pounds, but I'll still make this pad a priority," one tester reports after a trip to Wisconsin's Northern Highland American Legion State Forest. Bonus: The entire backpacking pad is made from 100% postconsumer recycled materials.

It takes a lot to impress us, but the Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated pad checks all the boxes for backpackers who want to lighten their load while taking long walks through nature. For starters, it’s about as warm as a sleeping pad can get without being categorized as a winter product. Thanks to two layers of heat-reflective film inside the pad, the Rapide has an R-value of 4.8 (cold-weather pads start around 4 and extreme-cold-weather pads start at 5.5) and it sleeps that way. One tester ventured to Southern Utah to explore canyon country in mid November, and she was pleasantly surprised to wake up warm after overnight lows of roughly 40°F.

Comfort is still a priority, thanks to the whopping 3.5 inches of padding and 4.25-inch-thick side chambers. The center is cushy enough that you can roll around without your joints digging into the ground, and the plush side chambers cradle you like a pseudo-bassinet. (Note: The Rapide doesn’t have specific side rails like the REI Co-op AirRail does, but the substantial side chambers do helpcenter your body on the pad). 

The best part: All this warmth and coziness comes with only a small weight penalty. The regular wide version clocks in at 1 pound, 7 ounces and rolls up to be smaller than your water bottle.

It's rarer than a unicorn: extended sizing (25-inch width and 77-inch length) with a negligible weight penalty. The NeoAir UberLite pulls off this sorcery by using lighter materials, like the 15-denier nylon that covers the top and bottom of the pad. For some testers, this was nail-bitingly thin (most pads use a 20-denier or higher), but they were willing to make the tradeoff for a lighter backpack. "I agonized over every twig and pine needle, but it sure felt good throwing that pack over my shoulder!" proclaims one Colorado tester after spending a weekend near Kenosha Pass. Pro tip: Use a ground cloth or tent footprint to relieve your stress.

Therm-a-Rest continued the slim-down by using a mummy shape that tapers toward the bottom, cutting excess material and grams. As a result, the NeoAir is the most packable pad in test—it's barely larger than a 16-ounce soda bottle—but the sleek profile received mixed reviews. "I have wider hips, so my body is shaped like an 'H' and not a 'V,'" explains one Kentucky-based tester. "My feet always dangled off the sides, which is fine when it's warm out, but less so when it's chilly." Still, the 2.3 R-value is surprisingly high for such a featherweight, and the pad still boasts 2.5-inch thickness. Assuming you stick to warm summer camping with this one, you'll likely be comfortable enough.

Setup is also a cinch. The NeoAir UberLite comes with its own pump sack, but it adds weight and still took one tester nearly 30 pumps. Our recommendation: Ditch the sack at home, save the weight and use your lungs. Three cheers for ultralight!

Fossil fuels are hard to quit, but seeking out recycled materials are a good start. Many sleeping bags' outer fabric is polyester—a petroleum-derived material. In an effort to reduce their reliance on the fossil fuel industry and cut back on waste and greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing, the team at NEMO uses 100% recycled polyester for this pad's shell and stuff sack, reducing the need to tap into new polyester manufacturing. And the Flyer is the first bluesign®-certified NEMO product, which means the pad has been crafted with strict safety and environmental guidelines.

It performs well too. NEMO slashed 60% of the foam (compared with traditional self-inflating foam pad manufacturing) to cut weight, using air and horizontal foam chambers to create a cozy pad with 2-inch of thickness. “I could even sleep on my side without my hips hitting the ground,” reports one Utah-based tester. It’s reasonably light—though certainly not ultralight—and packs down to roughly the size of two Nalgene bottles.

Be prepared for slow inflation time, according to some member-testers. Others report that the Flyer never seems to fully inflate on its own, so you may need to top it off with a few breaths.

Extra space? Check. Ample insulation? Check. Packability? Check. Therm-a-Rest didn't skimp on the details, which means the ProLite Apex delivers up similar features as pads that cost a lot more money. The added dimensions (25-inch width and 77-inch length) are similar to other pads, but the brand combines those with alternating internal chambers of foam and air to uptick the warmth while keeping the weight backpacker-friendly. In general, self-inflating pads are less bouncy than air pads, but our testers felt the ProLite Apex hit the sweet spot: "It almost sleeps like memory foam," says one California tester. "It's firm but cushioned where you need it to be." Ding: Larger testers (2XL or bigger) grumbled over the mummy cut.

The value continues for the four-season crowd. The ProLite Apex isn't the warmest pad in this group, but it's a close second with an R-value that still makes it appropriate for winter weather. Bonus: Durability is top-shelf. Thanks to the 50-denier polyester on the top and bottom, the ProLite is practically a fortress. But the benefits come with a penalty: comfort. At 2 inches thick, this pad is one of the thinnest on the list—and our testers noticed.

For campers with large bodies (as well as those who wiggle around a lot), simply staying on the pad all night can be a challenge. Luckily, it’s a problem easily remedied by the REI Co-op AirRail Plus. Inflatable rails along the side and top of the pad add a little buffer that gently keeps you on the pad while creating a cozy, nestled environment. “[The rails were] almost like having a little cuddle pillow,” says our New Hampshire tester after a weekend trip in the White Mountains. Tradeoff: The side rails don’t inflate separately from the 1.5-inch-thick pad, so a firmer pad means firmer side rails and a softer pad means floppier rails.

The pad's top and bottom are made from 75-denier polyester, which is quite rugged for a sleeping pad. Testers didn’t have any durability issues in testing, and they never used a groundcover beneath the tent. You can use the AirRail any time outside of winter thanks to its R-value of 4.2, and it makes a great pick for high-country camping when summer nights still get a bit breezy. As an added bonus, the AirRail is one of the more affordable picks on this list—and the price doesn’t increase if you need the long version.

Caveat: Like the NEMO Flyer, the self-inflation time is very slow. Testers never could get the AirRail to fully inflate on its own, so plan on using your own hot air to fill ’er up.