Big Agnes Dual Core

Many winter pads are almost as bulky when packed as the overstuffed bags they fit under. Not the Recluse 2.5i. This synthetic-insulated, mummy-shaped pad packs down to football size, yet the 2.5-inch-thick mattress kept testers warm to 10°F when they were camped on snow. “I never felt a cold or lumpy spot,” says our Colorado tester, who used it during a snow-cave campout at 10,000 feet.

Thick channels along the sides act like railings and keep sleepers from rolling off the pad (or onto their tentmates). An integrated hand pump makes it fast to inflate, and you won’t suffer from the dizziness that can result from blowing at high altitudes. The 23-inch width won props from broad-shouldered testers, and the 70-denier nylon is pretty tough.

Downside? Weight.

$80

2 lbs. 3 oz. (with included stuffsack and patch kit); 23”x78”x2.5”

kelty.com

-durable 70D hexagonal nylon rip-stop top & bottom
-70D nylon bottom
-Internal polyurethane coating
-Non-breakable EZ-Flate plastic coated brass valve