Choosing camping and trekking gear often prompts the most heated debates between bulk and comfort. The ProLite sleeping mattress from Therm-a-Rest seems to straddle the divide well, mediated by a delivery of a substantial comfort in a surprising packable and light bag. I took the ProLite travelling down the West Coast of the USA; camping as much as possible gave me ample opportunity to put the sleeping pad through its paces.

The ProLite passed the first “crammability test” by fitting selflessly into our very tightly packed car. Once you are familiar with rolling the pad up it can be done in less than a minute, while blowing it up takes seconds. As it weighs a measly 460grams (regular size), it is not incredibly thick but I got plenty of good sleep on it and an overnight hike had me thankful that the weight was minimal.

If your weary body requires extra softness and you can take the extra weight, consider the ProLite Plus which comes in at 620g. Either way, I’d recommend this sleeping pad; be it for camping, hiking or just crashing on your mates’ floor.

For more information on the ProLite and other sleeping mattresses from Therm-a-Rest, visit thermarest.com. The product is available in men’s and women’s moulds.