Best Bang for Your Buck

Price: $95.00

Type: Air Construction/Synthetic Insulation

Claimed R-value: 4.4

Weight: 19.6oz (555g)

Packed Volume: 1L

Thickness: 2.5″ (6.3cm)

LxW: 72″x23″ (1.8m x 0.6m)

Breaths to Inflate: 10-15

What We Like: Very warm, Great for side sleepers, Excellent packed size

What We Don’t: Outer fabric could be more durable, Slow deflation time

Is it possible to find an air pad for under 100 bucks that can still hold up when the temperatures drop? Well, if the pad in question is the Klymit Static V Lite, the answer may just be yes. At only $95, this surprisingly roomy and packable pad shows that good things can come in small packages and at a relatively low price tag. It’s light, it’s warm, it’s comfortable—what’s not to love? It was an easy choice for our Best Bang for Your Buck award.

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See Our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pad Review HERE!

Is it possible to find an air pad for under 100 bucks that can still hold up when the temperatures drop? Well, if the pad in question is the Klymit Static V Lite, the answer may just be yes. At only $95, this surprisingly roomy and packable pad is a dynamite deal with some unique features and minimal drawbacks. It was an easy choice for our Best Bang for Your Buck award.

Warmth

One of the first things that surprised us about this pad was its warmth; the Static V Lite has a claimed R-value of 4.4 thanks to its Klymalite™ lofted synthetic insulation, making it more than capable of handling freezing temperatures. It actually manages to be just a bit warmer than the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite, which comes in at nearly double the price. In addition, you can pair it with Klymit’s V Sheet to boost the warmth even more, as well as add a touch of extra comfort. For hikers who prefer to schedule their adventures in the spring and summer, the Klymit Static V2 is essentially the same pad but with an R-value of 1.3, and a slightly smaller weight and packed size (with a much lower retail price of $64.95).

Comfort

With a shell composed of 30D polyester, the exterior of the Static V Lite isn’t exactly the pinnacle of comfort, although this can be resolved with the aforementioned V Sheet if you have just a little extra room in your bag. Thankfully, the pad isn’t particularly loud and doesn’t produce crinkly noises while shifting, as we’ve found with comparable pads. In addition, the 2.5″ (6.3cm) thickness means you shouldn’t be bottoming out, and the 72″x23″ (1.8m x 0.6m) dimensions provide plenty of wiggle room on the sides. The pièce de résistance on the Static V2 is its V-chambered design, intended to accommodate side sleepers. There are also horizontally baffled side rails to help keep you centered on the mat. For those who tend to toss and turn, this is a valuable inclusion.

Weight & Packed Size

The Static V Lite weighs 19.6oz (555g), which is just 2oz heavier than the Static V2. This leaves it right near the middle of our 14 sleeping pads. Compared to pads with comparable R-values, it’s significantly higher than the 12.5oz Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite (which is not surprising given the higher price tag) but actually 3oz lighter than the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Ultra, which costs $5 more. The Static V Lite packs down to a very respectable 1L compressed volume, making it highly appealing to the ultralight set.

Inflation

It will take around 10-15 breaths to inflate the Static V Lite, and though there is no pump sack included, we didn’t find blowing up the pad to be too exhaustive of a process. Deflating provided a bit more of a challenge than what we saw with other pads. Here’s why: the deep-weld pattern of the air chambers does slightly too good of a job keeping the air separated, and you may need to roll it up twice to get the pad completely deflated. However, one bonus is that the included stuff sack is just a bit larger than the packed size for this pad, so it should be easy to fit inside even if there’s still a bit of leftover air.

Durability

The weight-saving 30D polyester used for the shell of this pad is unfortunately also a bit thin, so you’ll want to be cautious around sharp objects and be sure to bring along that repair kit. The valve does jut out a bit more than what we’ve found on other pads. Although we have not heard of any cases where this piece has suffered a breakage, we’d still advise caution when packing this away so that the valve doesn’t potentially get lodged between two hard objects.

The Bottom Line

With innovative features and impressive statistics, the Klymit Static V Lite shows that good things can come in small packages and at a relatively low price tag ($95). It’s light, it’s warm, it’s comfortable—what’s not to love? There was simply no other pad on our list that came close to providing the same degree of value, which is why the Static V Lite earned this year’s title of Best Bang for Your Buck.

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