Australian Hiker

Rating

Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad Review

I’ve had the Klymit Sleeping Pad range on my ‘to test’ list for a number of years as they are certainly one of the mainstream brands on the market. Over the past month I had the opportunity to test out a number of the more commonly available models. In all honesty, I wish I had tested them earlier because they have a number of features I really appreciate. This was the second of the sleeping pads we tested and spoiler alert, it’s my favourite out of the models that I’ve tried so far.

Appearance wise this model along with the others from the Klymit brand is very recognisable having a very unique air baffle system which is ‘V’ shaped down the middle with separate side rails. Sometime you can be forgiven for thinking that this appearance is more gimmicky just to differentiate it from its competitors but after testing I discovered this was not the case. The design of the baffle system matches the contours your body and as someone who moves throughout the night sleeping on both sides and my back, I always felt very supported by this pad.

A criticism of a number of air filled pads on the market is that they have ‘soft edges’ and you can feel like you’re about to fall off the mat but not in this case. The separate side rail baffles prevent you from leaving the mat unless you are planning to. Something else I found with the Klymit pads was the way the ‘V’ shaped central baffle finished at the bottom of the pad – if I hooked my feet in the gap between the baffle when I was sleeping on my side I felt ‘locked’ in place. This is now a habit I have developed with this brand of pad.

Size wise this sleeping pad is 183 cm x 51 cm x 6.4 cm (72 x 20 x 2.5 inches) which is narrower than other Klymit pads and one of the reasons for the very light weight. The pad comes in a bright, but muted orange colour with the bottom of the pad also being orange which made me think twice about which side was the top and which the bottom. Apart from the colour the fabric used and the overall weight of this pad is a lighter weight that the Klymit Static V2 version which used a combination of of 75 Denier and 30 Denier fabric whereas this model uses 20 Denier fabric all over. This means that if you are rough with your gear then this sleeping pad isn’t going to last as long as other more robust models in this range. I found the sizing of this pad to be suitable for my 100+ kg frame. I also tend to be someone who ‘flips’ rather than turns over when sleeping, and at no stage did I bottom out when turning.

For a comfortable sleeping pad this packs down to a very small compact size which means that it won’t take up much space in your pack or your car if space is at a premium. One drawback that larger bulkier air filled mats have is that sometimes you can almost pass out from the amount of breaths you need to inflate them but not in this case. Klymit quote around 7-1o breaths which was pretty close on to what we found and which, pun intended, is a breath of fresh air.

Speaking of inflation, the versions I’ve tested have the newer two-part flat inflation valve which means you don’t lose air between breaths and that allows you to take breaks when inflating. Opening the second part dumps the air relatively quickly when it comes time to pack up at the end of the trip. Another issue that some sleeping pads can have is that they can be noisy however this mat is reasonably quiet so no complaints on that front.

This particular pad is designed for a wide range of weather conditions having an R-Value of 4.4 which is going to cover you for all but the coldest of outdoor adventures and certainly under testing I stayed warm.

Price wise the Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad is actually one of the cheaper pads of this warmth level selling for AUD $299.99 RRP although it is not unusual to find this pad at a cheaper price.

So what’s the verdict? In my case this sleeping pad hits the sweet spot for a sleeping pad. Warm, comfortable and reasonably small and lightweight, all at a reasonable price. I can see me using this sleeping pad on a regular  basis and if I’m honest, I wish I’d had the opportunity to test this earlier than I did.

We Like

• A good option for those colder nights
• Lightweight for a sleeping pad of this warmth
• Very, very comfortable even for side sleepers with a 6.4 cm thickness – you have to really try to bottom out
• Relatively easy to inflate (7-10 breaths). You won’t feel like you’re about to pass out
• Compact size when packed so it won’t take up much room in your car or pack
• Good size. As a 185cm 100+ kg male I didn’t feel like this pad was too small
• The V shaped baffle system and side rales keep you fully supported along the entire length of your body and you never feel like you are going to fall off the mat even when you are sleeping on the edge

We Don't Like

• Given the thinness of this mat’s fabric, handle with care

Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad

Best Uses

• A great year round sleeping pad for all weather conditions where the user wants to keep size and weight down

Buy One

You can purchase the Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad online from Amazon Australia or from Wildfire Sports

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $299.99 RRP (often on special)

Other Versions

Klymit makes large range of sleeping pads to suit campers and hikers including single and double pads and also one aimed at hammock campers

Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad in storage sack

Image showing size comparisons of some Klymit Sleeping Pads. From the left of the image:

• Klymit Static V2 Sleeping Pad
• Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad
• Klymit Static V lite Sleeping Pad
• 1 litre water bottle

Image showing key features of the Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad

Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad showing V baffles and rail edge

Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad showing inflation valve closed. This valve is one of the most low profile and streamlined on the market

Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Sleeping Pad showing quick deflation part of valve

Disclaimer

This review was done with product provided by the Australian distributor of Klymit

Last updated

18 October 2024

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