A sleeping pad is a critical part of your outdoor sleep system, even if it may be something we often forget. Sure, everyone knows to pack a cozy sleeping bag when you're going camping, but without a sleeping pad to protect from the ground, your sleeping bag can lose a lot of its warmth—forget the misery of feeling rocks and roots digging into your back. These days, sleeping pads can be warm enough for cold nights, but still pack down to about the size of a water bottle , and many inflate with just a few breaths. I'm a seasoned camper, and I sleep better on some of my backpacking sleeping pads than I do at home. We tested the top options on real camping trips across the country to find the best sleeping pads guaranteed to elevate your camping experience. What is the difference between a sleeping pad and camping air mattress? While the two terms are often used interchangeably, a sleeping pad is lightweight (sometimes less than one pound), packable, and is made for carrying into the backcountry on long trips.…