Sleeping Pad Accessories
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How we choose: The best sleeping pad accessories highlighted here were selected based on 27 reviews of 17 products. Our top picks are those that are readily-available in the United States and have received the highest overall ratings from reviewers.
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Therm-a-Rest BlockerLite Pump Sack
A simple and light dual-purpose dry bag and pump sack for the new Therm-a-Rest Winglock and Twinlock valve sleeping pads. Inflation of the pads is easy and the waterproof construction seems like it will hold up. The BlockerLite Pump Sack is only 20 liters, so it takes quite a few sacks of air to fill larger pads, and may not work on older valves or other brands, but overall it's a great match for new Therm-a-Rest mattresses.
Reasons to Buy
- Very light
- Easy to use
- Solid construction
- Waterproof
- Saves your breath
- Doesn't introduce moisture
Reasons to Avoid
- Small volume—takes time to inflate large pads
- May not fit older TAR valves
- Occasionally pops off while inflating
- Difficult to maximize air in sack
- Limited adaptability to other brands
This is the initial review of the Therm-a-Rest BlockerLite Pump Sack after a couple of months of testing. I will update this in the late fall after cold weather comes in and it has a lot more nights out under its belt. The Therm-a-Rest (TAR) BlockerLite Pump Sack was provided to me as part of my testing of the TAR Topo and Topo Luxe sleeping pads. These new NeoAir models come standard with the Blockerlite Pump Sack now for the Winglock and Twinlock valves, but it can also be purchased as an add-on accessory ($45 current price).The BlockerLite Pump Sack is basically a lightweight (2.7 oz/78 g) dry bag with a valve that converts it to use as a pump sack for easy air mattress inflation. The pump sack is made by SealLine for TAR and is similar...
Read more: Therm-a-Rest BlockerLite Pump Sack review (1)
Flextail Tiny Pump 2X
Took one star off for the loud high-pitched noise, however that’s a feature not a bug and overall it’s a winner. A capable, convenient device that doubles as air pad inflator/deflator and lantern. Rechargeable, sturdy, and comes in orange so maybe won’t get easily lost in the woods.
Reasons to Buy
- Fast and efficient (less than a minute to inflate a large air pad)
- Pumped air is moisture-free
- Convenient
- Double function: inflator and lantern
- Battery lasts a long time (more than 20 pumps)
- Sturdy, should last a long time
Reasons to Avoid
- High-pitched and loud noise is anti-stealth and a bit out of place in the woods
- Won’t fit all types of valves
- Heavier and not as reliable as a pump sack
- Non-replaceable battery
Presentation The Flextail Tiny Pump is one amidst a slew of compact, lightweight, and rechargeable pumps available in all formats and colors nowadays. Thanks to advancements in brushless motors and rechargeable batteries, these pumps are being used for everything, from bike, motorcycle, and car tires, to flaming barbecue and camp fires, filling balls and balloons, and lots more. Some have pressure gauges, programmable digital readers and controllers, the works. The Flextail is more straightforward, and though it can fill other stuff it’s intended to inflate air mattresses, sleeping pad insulators, and pillows.
Read more: Flextail Tiny Pump 2X reviews (4)
Exped Schnozzel Pumpbag UL
A multi-purpose pack liner that works incredibly well as a pump bag for a sleeping pad. While designed to work with Exped pads, a simple modification can adapt it for Therm-a-Rest pads.
Reasons to Buy
- Lightweight
- Multi-purpose
- Easy to use
- Mitigates wear on a sleeping pad by reducing moisture inside
Reasons to Avoid
- Modification needed to use with Therm-a-Rests
Specs: Length: 27" Width: 19" Weight: 2 oz. Volume: 42 liters (2563 cu.in.). Warranty: 5 years Materials: Top: 15 D Ripstop Nylon, Silicone/PU coated, 1500 mm water column. Bottom: 15 D Ripstop Nylon, Silicone/PU coated, 1500 mm water column20 D Polyester, TPU Polyether Film Laminate, Hydrolysis resistant, Honeycomb embossed. Background: I had previously been using the Exped Mini Pump to inflate my Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xlite, after I discovered that a small piece of bicycle tubing (road bike size 700c) fit over both the Exped fitting and the classic Therm-a-rest valve.
Read more: Exped Schnozzel Pumpbag UL review (1)
Exped Schnozzel Tube
OMG. What a crazy thing this is. While your friends are huffing and puffing to get their air pads blown up, you have been sitting on your air pad since their fifth breath because of the Schnozzel. Fill this tough bag up with air and squeeze it into the air pad. Two times and you are done. And you can use it as a stuff sack following the hike rule of multiple-use items.
Reasons to Buy
- No cardio problems
- Easy to use
- Fast to pump up the air pad
- Doubles as a stuff sack
- Use a bivy bag when in camping mode
- Not expensive
Reasons to Avoid
- None
While your friends are almost dead from blowing up their air pads, you have used the Schnozzel two times and filled up your air pad, thus saving a lot of time and possible cardio problems. I also used this as my main stuff sack. It is a very light but durable material. Please be careful when sitting on it to squeeze the air out as the Schnozzel can get in the way and you will get amusing comments from your friends, lol. All my gear reviews have now been hiker tested during my recent 35-day hike on Quebec's very wild Appalachian Trail.
Read more: Exped Schnozzel Tube reviews (2)
Flextail Zero Pump
Amazing small and light camp pad pump.
Reasons to Buy
- Small, lightweight
- Battery life
- Saves pads from mold and saves lungs
Reasons to Avoid
- High pitch when running
- Not really water resistant from what I can see.
- Pricey
Until about 3 years ago I have always blown my camp pad up with my lungs. I do have one Exped pad that has a pump built into it, but admittedly it takes a long time to pump up that way anyway. About three years ago I saw a small Flextail pump online and before taking the time to research it like I normally do for most gear, I ordered it unknowing if it was good quality and perhaps just a gimmick. It turned out to be one of the best pieces of gear I’ve taken with me. No more warm moist air from my lungs getting into my pads to potentially create mold and no more time taken to blow the pad up that can now be used for other tasks.
Read more: Flextail Zero Pump review (1)
Exped Schnozzel Pumpbag
This is a great multipurpose backpacking accessory for use with Exped sleeping Pads. Worth every penny of the cost.
Reasons to Buy
- Extremely lightweight
- Waterproof
- Drybag
Reasons to Avoid
- Cost
- Small connector tube
I bought one of these to go with my DownMat 7 mat. I had to buy a small adaptor so the connectors of this bag would fit onto the built-in pump of the Downmat 7. You may ask, if it already has a built-in pump why would you buy this accessory and add weight and bulk to your setup? Two reasons, ease and speed of inflation and dry bag stuff sack for my down mummy bag. First the pump function. This bag connects, via adapter in my scenario, to the Exped mats very easily. Then all you do is open the bag up so it is "inflated" like a balloon, close the top, and roll the air into the mat.
Read more: Exped Schnozzel Pumpbag review (1)
Flextail Tiny Pump X
One of the dumbest purchases that I really like.
Reasons to Buy
- Inflates pad quickly
- Lets me be lazy
- Fairly bright light
- USB-C rechargeable
- Double click to turn on reduces accidentally turning on
Reasons to Avoid
- Non-removable battery, means e-waste in a few years
- Loud
- Friends all want to use it
I had an amazon gift card that I had to use and couldn't find anything, so I did this. I'm embarrassed that I have it. It is seriously one of the laziest things I've ever owned. Youtube with Exped Synmat Duo - mainly to give you an idea of how loud it is. This inflation took 1min 50 as the battery was getting low. No, I didn't film the entire boring inflation, trust me it worked. It inflates our Klymit double pad in 1 minute and 40 seconds. A single 3-inch pad takes about a minute. We have done 4 inflations of a double pad and 4 inflations of single pads on a single charge.
Read more: Flextail Tiny Pump X review (1)
NEMO Cosmo Pillowtop
The Nemo Cosmo Pillowtop is an amazingly plush, luxuriously comfortable addition to your Nemo Cosmo series mattress pad. I recommend this product to anyone with a Cosmo series pad that wants to add serious comfort to their pad, or wants to adapt their pad to other uses besides backpacking.
Reasons to Buy
- Inexpensive if purchased as a combo with a pad
- Well designed and built
- Warm, soft, and plush
- Increased warmth and comfort outweigh the cons
Reasons to Avoid
- Expensive if purchased separately
- Fabric seems to attract dirt/debris
- Tedious to roll up with a pad
- Tedious to insert/remove a pad
*Reviewer notes: I have already reviewed the Nemo Cosmo Air and Pillowtop 1P sleep system combo. This review is of the Nemo Cosmo Pillowtop 1P SE by itself, and is, basically, identical to my other review, but without the parts about the pad. Also, Nemo has made several different versions of this pillowtop over the last several years, with various changes to the fabric, construction, price and design. Although the same product, it has carried slight differences in name throughout its life. It is, and/or has been, known as; Nemo Pillowtop 1P Padded Mattress Cover Nemo Pillowtop Padded Mattress Cover Nemo Pillowtop Mattress Cover Nemo Cosmo Pillowtop 1P SE Nemo Cosmo Pillowtop 1P Nemo Cosmo Pillowtop Nemo Pillowtop 1P 25L and some other various...
Read more: NEMO Cosmo Pillowtop review (1)
Camp-Tek Microburst
If you've ever owned a pad that ISN'T self-inflating, you've probably asked yourself why you ever bought it in the first place, despite any and all benefits it may have. Buy this, and you'll never ask yourself again. Consisting of a one-piece plastic fan connected to a rubber nozzle, this compact fan (about the size of two golf balls, side-by-side) does the work for you. Runs on two included AAA batteries.
Reasons to Buy
- Effortless ease of use
- Small and packable size
- Durable one-piece construction
- Quick inflation time (~5 minutes)
Reasons to Avoid
- Expensive (considering your lungs can accomplish the same for free)
- May make fellow campers jealous (I'd file this with the "Pros")
I mentioned this pump in my review for Therm-a-Rest's NeoAir Trekker sleeping pads. If you own one — or one similar to it — you'll know it doesn't come easy to inflate the damn thing after a long day on the trail. I'm a young guy, with two working lungs, and I'll admit — it's admitting defeat a little to go and buy something like this. Sucked up my pride, decided to give one of these a try, and bought it directly from their website for the full retail price (something I almost never do — I'm a king of sales, clearance racks, and eBay auctions).
Read more: Camp-Tek Microburst reviews (4)
The Instaflator
Simple, easy to use, human powered tool for filling sleep pads or other inflatable gear. Packs light and small, no batteries required. Would probably work to inflate a pack raft, but definitely a great way to save some breath when making camp at the end of the day.
Reasons to Buy
- Light and packs small
- Easy to use
- Reduces moisture buildup
Reasons to Avoid
- Too big to work inside most tents
- Small clear plastic adapter hard to see if dropped
My first reaction when someone here on Trailspace posted a link to The Instaflator was to laugh. Then I got to thinking about the advantages of not having to blow up my sleep pad manually and the idea didn't seem so silly. I ordered two online since I didn't expect it to last very long and I wanted to save on shipping. On opening the package I found a compactly folded, lightweight, plastic bag with a somewhat confusing plastic attachment. The product is designed and sold for inflating pool and beach toys, so I'm guessing they included adapters for various sized valves.
Read more: The Instaflator reviews (2)
More Reviews of Sleeping Pad Accessories
Trailspace reviewers have shared 27 reviews of 17 different sleeping pad accessories.
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Other Types of Sleeping Pads
Find more sleeping pads reviewed in these related categories:
Air-Filled Sleeping Pads
Closed-Cell Foam Sleeping Pads
Self-Inflating Sleeping Pads
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