The Klymit V has been my sleeping pad of choice for about the past 5 years. I picked it up on sale on Amazon and after the first use I have left every other pad packed away as loners to people who want to go out camping or backpacking with me.
The basic run down is as follows –
Price – $59.95
Weight – 18.1 oz / 514 g
Dimensions – 72″ x 23″ x 2.5″ / 183 cm x 59 cm x 6.5 cm
Pack Size – 3″ x 8″ / 7.62 cm x 20.3 cm
Fabric – 75D Polyester
The weight is not to bad especially since it fits inside the side pocked of almost all of my packs where a Nalgene would normally fit. I use bladders for water so this is perfect – saves room inside the pack. I would caution against carrying it without some kind of bag though. It is an inflatable and is susceptible to punctures. I have a custom bag for it thats made out of 300D fabric that has protected it just fine.
Here is its size against a Nalgene.
I have abused the pad more than I should. I have floated on a lake with it before but I was carful not to scrape any rocks. I have also pulled it out of the tent and popped the valve to release the air and tossed it on the ground in the desert where everything is spiky to finish deflateing. The pad does come with a patch kit with the normal liquid glue and a piece of patch material. I have gear patches that I have with me when ever I am out that I believe would work just as well without needing to wait for the glue to dry. I would have no issue sleeping straight on the ground with this pad and wouldn’t be afraid of it popping.
The way the pad is designed it semi cradles you. When you lay down on it the air in the center pushes out to channels along the side, not so much that you touch the ground in the middle though. This is a very nice feature for when you can’t find a decent level spot for your tent and your sleeping bag would slowly slide you to the low spot in the tent over the course of the night. The side rails keep you where you started. You can see the channels and side rails below.
The channels that run throughout the pad do a great job of transferring the air around to support your body. I have had two operations on my back and one on my shoulder and I wake up feeling great with this pad. Some days I feel that it has more support than my bed mattress at home. If your a side sleeper your shoulder may push through to the ground but on my back and stomach I have never had a contact point through the pad.
The pad only has an R-VALUE of 1.3 so it is best for warm weather. However if you are a hot sleeper like I am you can get away with using it in colder areas. I have used it in 40-50 degree weather with a down bag and been very happy with the warmth. Any colder and I would switch to an insulated pad. Your millage will vary on the temp range that works for you though.
The Klymit website claims that the pad Inflates in just 10-15 breaths. I know my lungs are not marathon running ready but it took me between 20 and 25. To be fair the last few were to pack in as much air as possible. I try and pack in as much as possible to alleviate the issue with all inflatable pads – as the pad cools the air becomes less dense so if you don’t pack the air in before you sleep you may wake up to a pad that feels a bit saggy.
The pad has a easy to use valve that also lets the pad deflate quickly for when your packing up. It is located in a corner on the foot end of the pad so it is not jamming you in the back.
As a warm weather pad this is a great option, as it cools down some people like myself who run hot when they sleep will be able to continue using it, some won’t. With my bad back I have been more than happy with this pad. It also doubles as a floating raft so when your near water its great. It is durable and although it is nosier than the foam pads out there the trade offs are well worth it. Plus after a long day backpacking a little noise won’t keep me awake. The weight and pack down size are both good, and when its rolled out I have extra space at both my feet and head. All in all a great buy.
