The comfiest closed-cell foam sleeping pad

If you’re in the market for a sleeping pad for backpacking that is highly affordable and/or unpuncturable, we recommend the NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad because it has the best blend of thickness, weight, and R-Value.

• Price: $55
• Weight: 14.5
• R-Value: 2 | R-Value/Weight: .14
• Thickness: 0.9”
• Material: Closed-cell Foam
• Sizes: Regular, Short.
• Pros: Very affordable. Ultralight. Puncture-proof. Versatile.
  Cons: Low R-value. Thin.

Features

With 0.9 inches of thickness, it beats out the more popular Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol in that regard by 20%, while only weighing 4% more. The Switchback achieves this by taking advantage of “more precise tooling” to create taller nodes for a more plush experience.

Thanks to its metallized thermal reflective film, the Switchback has an R-Value of 2, which is on the low end, but comparable to the average non-insulated sleeping pad for backpacking.

Foam mattresses are chunky and voluminous, and the Switchback is much larger than the typical inflatable pad, even when packed. However, the aforementioned, “precise tooling,” helps alleviate this somewhat by decreasing dead space in between nested nodes when it’s in accordion mode.

Furthermore, compared to budget inflatable mattresses in the under $100 category, closed cell foam tends to be warmer, lighter, longer lasting, more durable, and more versatile, though at the cost of a tad less comfort due to its thinness.

The best part of closed cell foam is that lightweight sleeping pads like the NEMO Switchback can fearlessly be used for lounging outside of the tent, even on abrasive, rocky surfaces that could puncture an inflatable. While they are almost objectively less warm and less comfortable for actual sleeping (especially for side sleepers), they are far superior for lounging.

While individuals scrapes and abrasions have little effect on foam pads, they start to add up over time and, in addition to repeated compressions from sleep use, results in a thinning effect on the foam that causes it to slowly lose thickness and R-value.

Verdict

We recommend the NEMO Switchback to the following people. Backpackers who are: (1) on a strict budget; (2) regularly camp with their dog; (3) are hard on their gear; (4) need a backpacking sleeping pad that is unpoppable; (5) ideally aren’t side sleepers.

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