Review: Exped Synmat UL 7 Sleeping Pad

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Over the past few years, the backpacking community has seen an influx of lightweight and comfortable inflatable pads that broke new ground by also being quite warm. Previously, if you needed lightweight warmth, you’d probably be after a closed-cell foam pad, at the expense of the greater comfort that inflatable pads offered. Inflatable pads were still out there of course, but if you needed both comfort as well as warmth, you’d pay in the weight department and a heavy pack would result. Now however, companies are offering what seems to be the best of both worlds - Thick & comfortable inflatable pads offering quite a bit of protection against the cold while still competing with the light weight of closed-cell foam pads, and of course packing up much smaller. The focus of this review will be the Exped Synmat UL 7, an inflatable pad utilizing synthetic insulation to achieve warmth while still being light enough to qualify for the world of lightweight backpacking.

We take a look at the Exped solution for lightweight warmth and comfort. Read the full review below in Issue #4:

Review: Exped Synmat UL 7 Sleeping Pad

Issue #4 Page 1