The Exped Extremely 3R Sleeping Mat is a light-weight inflatable sleeping pad that’s 3 inches thick and has an R-value of two.9, making it appropriate for out of doors temperatures right down to 25F. It incorporates artificial insulation which makes it very quiet to sleep on and is roofed with a sturdy 20d polyester that feels good towards the pores and skin. The pad has a pair of flat stemless valves for fast inflation and deflation that are extra sturdy and fewer accident-prone than old-school valves that stick out of a mattress.
The three″ thickness is ample to masks uneven floor, together with small rocks, roots, and bumps if it’s important to lie on high of them. It’s among the best causes to change to a thick inflatable sleeping pad since you should utilize it to make crappy tent websites (together with the one pictured above) snug with out bottoming out.
Specs at a Look
- Kind: Air mattress
- R-Worth: 2.9 (~25F/-5C)
- Dimension Examined: Rectangular, Medium-Large (72″ x 25.6″ x 3″)
- Weight: 18.3 oz (19.4 ouncesactual) plus an extra 0.5 ouncesfor stuff sack
- Baffles: Vertical
- Cowl material: 20d polyester made out of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic
- Valves: 2, flat
- Inflation sack: Sure, doubles as a water-resistant pack liner, weighs an additional 2.1 oz (precise)
- Accessible shapes: Mummy, Rectangular
- Accessible dimensions: Lengthy Large (77.6 x 25.6 x 3″), Medium: (72 x 20.5 x 3″), Medium Large: (72 x 25.6 x 3″)
- Packed dimension: 12.2 x 5.1″
- For full specs go to ExpedUSA.com
The Extremely 3R Sleeping Pad is accessible in three mummy and three rectangular sizes together with a daily width, a large width, and an extended and extensive pad. All six sizes are priced identically so you possibly can choose the scale you need with out having to decide on a smaller dimension based mostly on its worth. The Extremely 3R can be bundled with a big 45L inflation sack/dry bag referred to as a Schnozzel (a $36 worth, additionally out there individually), which can be utilized as a water-resistant pack liner.
I examined the wide-width dimension (72″ x 25.6″ x 3″) which is sweet as a result of your arms don’t fall off the perimeters of the pad whilst you sleep, in comparison with narrower mummy or rectangular pads. I’m not that picky in the case of sleeping pad width, however some individuals are. My desire is for air mattresses which are 3″ or thicker, for higher cushioning towards the bottom. A lot lower than that and also you begin to really feel rocks and roots pocking you within the again.
Extremely 3R Dimension Variants Accessible
| Type | Dimension | Dimensions | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rectangular | M | 72 x 20.5 x 3 in | 16.4 oz |
| Rectangular | MW | 72 x 25.6 x 3 in | 18.3 oz |
| Rectangular | LW | 77.6 x 25.6 x 3 in | 19.8 oz |
| Mummy | M | 72 x 20.5 x 3 in | 12.9 oz |
| Mummy | MW | 72 x 25.6 x 3 in | 15.5 oz |
| Mummy | LW | 77.6 x 25.6 x 3 in | 16.4 oz |
The one factor lacking from the Extremely 3R is a solution to join a pillow to the pad so it stays in place at night time, just like the velcro-based system provided with Sea-to-Summit air mattresses together with the S2S Etherlight XT pad. That will be a fantastic enhancement if was provided with the Exped pillow line. In the event you sleep with a pillow at house, you’ll profit by utilizing one on backpacking journeys. It’s definitely worth the few further ounces to hold one and actually makes a distinction in consolation and sleep high quality.
Insulation
Whereas the Extremely 3R is insulated with artificial insulation, it has a comparatively low R-value of two.9 making it extra of an air pad designed for consolation in late spring and summer season climate than a pad for shoulder season or winter use. Its largest profit over decrease R-value pads within the R=2 to R=3 vary is its thickness (3″). See our complete sortable record of sleeping pad R-values to get a way of the place the Extremely 3R air mattress falls by way of minimal weight, R-value, and thickness in comparison with its rivals.
What little insulation there’s within the Exped Extremely 3R, is laminated to each the highest and backside of every baffle to stop chilly spots. This makes it a quiet pad to sleep on, in contrast to Thermarest’s NeoAir Pads which use foil sheets inside, that may sound such as you’re sleeping on a bag of potato chips when you transfer round at night time.
The Extremely’s artificial insulation is laminated to the baffles in a method that makes it impervious to micro organism and moisture out of your breath must you decide to inflate the pad by blowing into it. However the pad will also be inflated with an included 2.1 ounces45L waterproof stuff sack, referred to as a Schnozzel which is bundled with the pad and may serve double responsibility as a water-resistant pack liner. I’ve used a Schnozzel as a pack liner/stuff sack fairly extensively (See Comparability of 5 Ultralight Backpack Liners) and it’s additionally suitable with the flat valves of different air mattress distributors, together with Sea-to-Summit.
The Extremely 3R has an R-value of two.9 which is sweet to be used right down to a minimal exterior air temperature of 25 levels Fahrenheit (-5C). Most foam sleeping pads have an R-value=2, whereas winter sleeping pads have an R-value=5 or larger, which positions the Extremely 3R on the decrease finish of the heat spectrum.
Prior to now, sleeping pad R-values weren’t comparable between completely different makes and fashions which made it practically inconceivable to check sleeping pads made by completely different manufacturers. That modified in 2020 with the rollout of a brand new R-value sleeping bag normal (ASTM F3340-18) spearheaded by REI and several other main sleeping pad producers together with Exped. The R-value of the Extremely 3R is measured utilizing this normal, so that is an R-value you possibly can truly belief. It’s at all times good to ask off-brand sleeping pad producers how they check their revealed R-values, since loads of them don’t check them in any respect, or don’t adhere to the brand new normal making it inconceivable to know their true heat as compared with different pads.
Inflation
Inflating the Extremely 3R with the Schnozzel may be very fast and solely requires three to 4 baggage of air. In the event you do resolve to blow it up by mouth, the consumption valve seals after every breadth so that you don’t lose air whereas inflating it. Deflation can be straightforward as a result of the pad has a devoted OUT valve and a lot of the air rushes out as quickly as you open it. Each valves are flat and stemless, which improves sturdiness as a result of there’s nothing protruding to interrupt. Packing the pad away is equally straightforward. You merely pack fold it twice lengthwise, roll it up with the Schnozzel and pack it within the included stuff sack. It’s a comfortable match but it surely’s not onerous to pack.
The oblong medium-wide pad I evaluate right here weighs in at 19.4 oz (or 1.1 ouncesover spec), the Schnozzel weighs 2.1 oz, and the stuff sack weighs one other 0.5 oz. I’ve listed the manufacturing facility weights of the entire Extremely 3R pad sizes above for comparability. As talked about beforehand, these are all priced identically no matter dimension or sort, which I feel is a spectacular profit for shoppers.
Whereas this pad isn’t the lightest weight backpack air mattress out there with this R-Worth, I feel it’s a superbly snug and premium air mat if you need a thicker 3″ pad that’s near 25″ in width. There simply aren’t that many light-weight pads 3″ to 4″ thick sleeping pads out there in the present day to start with.
The most important query I’ve with the Extremely 3R is whether or not a sleeping pad with an R-value of two.9 is price shopping for because it has a reasonably low vary of use weather-wise, significantly in autumn, which is the very best time to backpack and camp in my neck of the woods. My desire is to make use of a 3″ pad with a better R-value like a NEMO Tensor UL Insulated, which has an R-value=4.2 and nonetheless solely weighs 19 oz. It’s additionally straightforward to pair with a foam pad just like the NEMO Switchback which has an R-value=2 for winter use since R-values are additive. However that’s simply how I take into consideration sleeping pads since I’m completely keen to pay a bit of extra for gear that has a wider vary of use, even when it provides an oz. or two to my gear record.
Advice
Exped has at all times made glorious insulated air mattresses which are heat and bombproof by way of sturdiness and this new Exped Extremely 3R air mattress is totally in line with that custom. The Extremely 3R has a sturdy cowl to guard it from punctures and is 3″ thick when inflated to guard you from roots and rocks if it’s important to camp on a poor campsite.
Whereas the choice to buy it in a number of widths and in an oblong or mummy form is a perk if you need the added consolation of a large sleeping pad, my largest query is whether or not it’s price shopping for a thick pad on the decrease finish of the R-value spectrum or one with a better R-value that you should utilize for a bigger portion of the 12 months. If worth isn’t a constraint and the burden is comparable, I’ll go along with the upper R-value pad each time.
Whereas the Extremely 3R is a wonderful pad, its comparatively low R-value doesn’t meet my wants as a 3+ season backpacker and camper. However when you solely camp through the summer season and pack your backpacking gear away after Columbus Day (October 10), the Extremely 3R is an effective worth for the worth and one you’ll definitely take pleasure in sleeping on.
Appendix: Exped’s Simplified Product Naming Scheme
Exped simplified its sleeping pad product line naming scheme this 12 months to make it extra comprehensible to shoppers as a result of their earlier naming scheme was laughably complicated and opaque. Additionally they killed off most of their older pads, with just a few exceptions, to standardize on the next product structure.
They now supply three collection of backpacking pads:
- In three fashions: Extremely (ultralight), Versa (versatile), and Dura (sturdy).
- In two shapes: Mummy and Rectangular
- In a number of R-values (it varies by mannequin – for instance 1R, 3R, 5R, and 8R)
- Three dimensions: Medium: (72 x 20.5 x 3″), Medium Large: (72 x 25.6 x 3″), Lengthy Large (77.6 x 25.6 x 3″)
Exped’s Ultralight line of pads is really useful when weight and pack dimension are vital; the Versa line affords worth and ease of use, whereas the Dura line is really useful when sturdiness is significant. Being Exped, there are a LOT of various variations (SKUs) out there and also you might need to hunt round to discover a retailer that carries the one your need since few will carry all of them, apart from Exped USA, which additionally sells direct to shoppers.
Disclosure: Exped donated this pad for evaluate.
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