Nearly all of the gear we rent and sell - including mattress pads - at our retail store in Tempe and to our customers around the country has been tested on actual hiking or backpacking trips by the LowerGear owner and/or staff. For anything we haven't taken out ourselves, we consider user reviews and evaluations in outdoors magazines and relevant credible web sites before adding it to our offerings.

To help you make the best camping and backpacking gear choices for your next trip, feel free to give us a call for our recommendations. If you prefer to do your own research, read the product descriptions on each item, check out our selection of videos and informational pages, and read other user's reviews and descriptions of the backpacking and camping gear we carry.

Below are user reviews on some of the mattress pads we offer for sale or rent. If we didn't find a review on the exact item we carry, we include one on a similar product that will give you a close feel on what to expect. We scavenged these reviews from other sites out on the big world web, so we don't really know the folks that did the write-ups. But, it never hurts to hear a second or third point of view. If it just gets confusing, you can always give us a call for clarification.

Klymit X

I purchased this item for my first motorcycle camping trip. I looked at several other brands but was impressed by the small size of the Klymit brand. It packs up really, really small which was a big plus for me. It's a bit pricey, but the price on Amazon was about $30 cheaper than anywhere else I looked. I don't think I would have purchased it had it not been for this.

We camped for 8 days and it held up very well. It never lost any air at all. I'm 6'4" and weigh about 185 lbs. and the mattress seemed to provide ample enough support for my body. The only problem was that after sleeping on it for several hours, the small of my back would begin to hurt. I tried the mattress in different positions and with different levels of air in it, but nothing seemed to solve the problem. i wound up sleeping on my sides much more that I would like. I couldn't figure out why this happens. If it hadn't been for this problem I would have given it a 5 star rating.

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If you need to save weight on your back and space in your pack then this mattress is for you. This is great for ultralight backpacking. I can also fit the Klymit Cush pillow in the stuff sac and together they weigh about the same as a can of soda and are about the same size. A great combo for hiking. Now I only give this item 5 stars as an ultralight mattress. If you don't care about weight or size this one is not for you. It works best if you sleep on your back and is narrow. You can sleep on your side and it still feels ok. I have not used it in cold temps but it is not rated for winter. If you need a bigger mattress or plan to sleep on big rocks, get something else. This is great for ultralight use but for car camping it is a waste of money. And yes, I am buying more X Frames for my family to hike with and Therma rests to car camp or winter/short hikes with.

Klymit XL

I just finished a four-day kayaking trip with this mattress. I'm old enough to enjoy senior benefits, and a good night's sleep is something I look forward to. Every night with the Klymit mattress, I slept great! At 5'8" and 160 pounds, the pad gave excellent support, comparable to my old Therm-a-rest. It's firm enough to cushion, even while sleeping on my side. With temperatures at the freezing mark, I found having the pad under my sleeping bag did not offer as much insulation as I hoped, despite the added lofting from the pad's voids and ridges. The next night I put the pad inside my bag and was much more comfortable. Once nightly lows were up into the forties, the pad was again placed under the sleeping bag, and it did great. I think the mattress will really be in its element in warm weather. One really nice benefit is the fabric isn't slippery, and my sleeping bag didn't slide downhill during the night. It's a marvel that so much comfort can be so compact and lightweight. And, it really does roll small enough to put back in the carrying sack! The fabric and construction seem robust, but the design is so minimal, it makes me worry that it may be frail. As always with durability, time will tell.

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This is my absolute favorite mat. I've never found anything better for a combination of comfort, weight, and price. I've slept quite a few nights on the smaller X frame, and that model is really minimal - great for ultralight camping, but not for everyone. This model is focused entirely on comfort for average users - it's wider and longer and has a built in pillow bulge (I just cover it with a shirt - no extra pack pillow required). This model is still lighter and smaller than virtually anything else on the market, even with the included hand pump and patch kit, and it's also cheaper than even the bulkier competitors. The pad can be used below freezing, although the manual suggests adding a separate ground mat for insulation. For 3 season camping, it's hard to imagine a better designed pad at any price. This is the one for me - I'm a complete convert to Klymit, without reservation.