The best and most versatile supplemental foam pad for backpacking

While not comfortable or warm enough to be a standalone sleeping pad for backpacking under all but emergency circumstances, the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad is a full size 72×20” supplemental mat, ⅛” thick, that is highly versatile in the backcountry. And weighing just over three ounces, your legs will hardly notice the weight penalty.

• Price: $32
• Weight: 3.3 oz
• R-Value: 0.5 | R-Value/Weight: .15
• Thickness: .13”
• Material: Closed-cell Foam
• Sizes: Short (rolled), Regular (folded)
• Pros: Very ultralight. Very versatile.
• Cons: Lowest R-Value. Thinnest. Not a standalone sleeping pad.

Features

We love it for lounging at camp, especially on surfaces where it would be risky to use an inflatable outside the tent. It also makes for an ultralight backcountry yoga mat. It can also be used in lieu of a sit pad on a break. And it can be placed under your primary backpacking sleeping pad to add redundancy and an additional estimated 0.5 R-Value to the system.

There’s a lot to like about the Thinlight, especially now that there is a folding version. Perhaps one of our only complaints about it is that it’s so thin and light, that even the smallest gust of wind can lift up a corner and rearrange it when spread out on the ground. To alleviate this, we recommend placing shoes or rocks on all four corners whenever you’re not using it.

We’ll also note that it’s a luxury item, not a necessity, and while it’s very light, it does add extra bulk to your pack and likely will be strapped to the outside, which can be annoying to deal with.

Verdict

But all said and done, this is a versatile ultralight luxury product that supplements an inflatable pad very nicely.

Check out more great options in our guide to the best backpacking sleeping pads of year.

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