A backpacking or tenting sleeping pad’s R-value measures its resistance to warmth loss to the bottom if you lie on it at evening. Pads with greater 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 skill to stop the lack of the heat that your physique generates. It’s identical to the R-value used to fee house insulation.
Correlation Between R-Values and Air Temperature
What’s the correlation between air temperature and sleeping pad R-values? When do you want a pad with the next 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’ll be able to mix two pads to extend your heat degree. For instance, it’s frequent to hold a foam sleeping pad (normally R=2) in winter to make use of as a sit pad when consuming and melting snow you can place below an inflatable pad to extend its mixed R-value for sleeping.
- Ladies want greater R-value pads as a result of they’ve decrease physique mass than males. A further R-value of 1 is normally hedge for ladies and different chilly sleepers.
- If a pad mannequin has a number of sizes, all of them have the identical R-value until specified in any other case
- Sleeping bag temperature rankings are predicated on utilizing a sleeping pad with an R-value of 5 or greater. If you end up sleeping chilly in temperatures the place you’d count on your sleeping bag ought to hold 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 out there within the US market. The pad weights listed are for 72″ x 20″ pads, although there are just a few 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} adopted a global, industry-standard R-value take a look at process, ASTM F3340-18. This implies you’ll be able to evaluate the R-values of sleeping pads made by completely different producers and know they’re all utilizing the identical take a look at process. That’s an enormous profit for customers and can finally have the identical affect that the adoption of standardized sleeping pad temperature rankings had for evaluating sleeping luggage from completely different corporations.
The businesses which have adopted the brand new R-value sleeping pad customary (ASTM F3340-18) and retested all of their present sleeping pads embrace:
- Therm-a-Relaxation
- NEMO
- REI
- Exped
- Sea-to-Summit
- Large Agnes
- Klymit
- ZenBivy
What’s New in Tenting Sleep Insulation in 2026?
- Producers are making much more self-inflating pads, presumably for the overland and automobile tenting segments, as a result of they’re means too heavy to hold in a backpack.
- Klymit continues to churn out low-R-value pads, however they’re now ASTM F3340-18 rated, in order that they’re corresponding to different premium sleeping pads and may be offered by REI, which requires that they be examined in an impartial take a look at lab.
Standing of Trade Adoption
The adoption of the brand new R-Worth customary was pushed by REI, which requires that the sleeping pads listed on the market on its principal web site have an ASTM F3340-18 R-Worth ranking.
Many sleeping pad corporations have nonetheless not adopted the brand new ASTM F3340-18 sleeping pad R-Worth customary, and it’s not clear that they ever will. In reality, 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 an ordinary definition and take a look at process, it’s laborious to inform whether or not their estimates are correct or corresponding to these produced by the ASTM F3340-18 R-value testing protocol. Purchaser beware.
Up to date Jan 19, 2026
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