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Sleeping on a leaky, halfway-deflated sleeping pad on a backpacking trip may leave you never wanting to go backpacking again.

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I’ve experienced this before and have learned the hard way that a quality sleeping pad is a crucial piece of gear.

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This story includes the 10 best sleeping pads for backpacking that my team and I recommend for beginner backpackers, thru-hikers, and everyone in between.

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Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus

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Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT

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Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air

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Sea To Summit Women’s Ether Light XT Insulated Air

[{"selector":"#anim-b43481ed-adde-4b55-8fe4-85822f62582c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-200.72993%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24a7d9c0-4df8-4060-bf00-ff1ca4719e4c","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(-180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba50229f-3064-4049-9d65-5e6076943f63","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-219.99999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-841f7230-0dbb-4056-bd66-ef171706c655","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(-180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Banner With Dots The ideal sleeping pad for anyone seeking maximum comfort and who doesn’t mind carrying a little extra weight and bulk. Yellow Round Banner Learn more

NEMO Tensor Trail Ultralight Insulated

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