Collection: Equipment - Sleeping bags & sleeping pads - Sleeping pads

Sleeping pad: perfect protection against the cold when you're on the go

A sleeping bag offers you optimal protection for spending the night outdoors or in a tent. To avoid lying on the bare ground, we recommend a sleeping pad, which is available in stores as either an inflatable sleeping pad or a solid foam sleeping pad. Thanks to the sleeping pad, the cold ground has no chance of penetrating through to you at night, and the thermal performance of the sleeping bag is optimally supported.

Sleeping pads are available in a wide variety of sizes, materials, and designs, so you can choose the model that is best suited for an overnight stay depending on the time of year. Self-inflating sleeping pads, also known as air mattresses or camping mats, are particularly quick to set up. The thicker the mat, the less cold from the ground will penetrate your sleeping bag, but the more space you will need in your luggage.

Sleeping pad: lightweight, robust, and well insulated

A good insulating mat is lightweight, hardly lets any cold through, can be stowed away in your luggage to save space, and is therefore the ideal companion for any outdoor activity.

You can recognize a sleeping pad that is comfortable to sleep on by the following features:

• It has an insulating effect; the thicker it is, the higher the so-called insulation value (R-value). The R-value also indicates the maximum outside temperature at which the sleeping pad still provides good insulation.
• The sleeping pad is very light and can be quickly rolled up after use and stowed away in your luggage to save space.
• The underside is covered with a non-slip material so that the mat cannot slide around in the tent.
• Depending on the model, it is filled with synthetic fibers, foam, down, or simply air (e.g., inflatable sleeping pad).
• The sleeping pad is robust, tear-resistant, and water-repellent, so moisture has no chance of penetrating the material. It can also be easily wiped clean with a damp cloth if it gets dirty.
• Sleeping pads greatly increase your sleeping comfort, as they prevent the cold from the ground rising up, but also provide additional padding on hard ground. The rockier and more uneven the ground, the thicker and softer the sleeping pad should be.
• The thicker models are also suitable for compensating for small unevenness in the ground.
• Some models have a corrugated surface, which provides additional insulation.
• For easy transport, a sleeping pad can be stored in a stuff sack or simply held together with a packing strap.
• Many models are self-inflating, so the camping mat is ready to use in no time without an extra air pump and provides you with good ground padding. After use, the air can be released extremely quickly via a special valve.
• Some models have a summer and winter side, so you can use them depending on the temperature.

Which mat for which use?

Foam mats and self-inflating mats (air mats) are the most commonly used mats. They are also relatively inexpensive. However, inflatable sleeping pads run the risk of getting punctured on rocky ground. Foam mats are much more robust and also winter-proof to a certain extent. However, they are not quite as comfortable to lie on as an inflatable mat and also take up more space in your luggage. Some air mattresses have air chambers that are additionally filled with down. This makes them particularly suitable for use in winter. They also have a high R-value, so you can sleep comfortably outdoors even in freezing temperatures.

Simple and High-quality sleeping pads at Transa

At Transa, you will find a wide variety of sleeping pads, such as ultra-lightweight, comfortable inflatable sleeping pads, lightweight sleeping pads with very high insulation properties, self-inflating sleeping pads with a very small pack size and low weight, as well as extra-long and extra-wide self-inflating sleeping pads for greater sleeping comfort. Transa also offers an ultralight air chamber mat, an aluminum-coated sleeping mat, and a double-sided insulated sleeping mat with summer and winter sides.