ActiveOutdoorsCampingKelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad reviewThe Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is designed for supreme comfort while camping. Does it deliver? Here’s our reviewWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictFor car campers looking for comfort, the Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is an outstanding choice. It offers the feeling of sleeping on foam, with a soft-to-touch topper. It’ll inflate on its own, or you can speed things up using the cleverly designed bag.Reasons to buy+Ultra comfy+Carry bag doubles as pump+Clever valveReasons to avoid-Bulky and heavy when packed-Only one size optionWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
ActiveOutdoorsCampingKelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad reviewThe Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is designed for supreme comfort while camping. Does it deliver? Here’s our reviewWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictFor car campers looking for comfort, the Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is an outstanding choice. It offers the feeling of sleeping on foam, with a soft-to-touch topper. It’ll inflate on its own, or you can speed things up using the cleverly designed bag.Reasons to buy+Ultra comfy+Carry bag doubles as pump+Clever valveReasons to avoid-Bulky and heavy when packed-Only one size optionWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
The Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is designed for supreme comfort while camping. Does it deliver? Here’s our review
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future)T3 VerdictFor car campers looking for comfort, the Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is an outstanding choice. It offers the feeling of sleeping on foam, with a soft-to-touch topper. It’ll inflate on its own, or you can speed things up using the cleverly designed bag.Reasons to buy+Ultra comfy+Carry bag doubles as pump+Clever valveReasons to avoid-Bulky and heavy when packed-Only one size option
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
T3 VerdictFor car campers looking for comfort, the Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is an outstanding choice. It offers the feeling of sleeping on foam, with a soft-to-touch topper. It’ll inflate on its own, or you can speed things up using the cleverly designed bag.Reasons to buy+Ultra comfy+Carry bag doubles as pump+Clever valveReasons to avoid-Bulky and heavy when packed-Only one size option
T3 VerdictFor car campers looking for comfort, the Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is an outstanding choice. It offers the feeling of sleeping on foam, with a soft-to-touch topper. It’ll inflate on its own, or you can speed things up using the cleverly designed bag.
T3 Verdict
For car campers looking for comfort, the Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is an outstanding choice. It offers the feeling of sleeping on foam, with a soft-to-touch topper. It’ll inflate on its own, or you can speed things up using the cleverly designed bag.
Reasons to buy+Ultra comfy+Carry bag doubles as pump+Clever valveReasons to avoid-Bulky and heavy when packed-Only one size option
Reasons to buy+Ultra comfy+Carry bag doubles as pump+Clever valve
Ultra comfy
Carry bag doubles as pump
Clever valve
Reasons to avoid-Bulky and heavy when packed-Only one size option
Bulky and heavy when packed
Only one size option
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Kelty Waypoint Si deals
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price information
No price information
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
The Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad is designed to be a mid-point between a camping mat and your actual bed. It’s the biggest, thickest and softest sleep pad in Kelty’s range, and when inflated, you’ve got 3 inches (8cm) of cushiony, air / foam padding underneath you, covered with a soft, stretchy upper fabric. There’s currently only one size in the range: a wide single, with a sticker price of US$164.95 (last time we checked, it was only available to buy in the US).
Is this comfy enough to rank amongst thebest camping bedsaround? I put one to the test to find out. Read on for my full Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad review.
Kelty Waypoint Si review: inflation and packing up
The Kelty Waypoint Si’s cleverly designed valve has a central disc that flips round depending on what you need it to do. Turn it sideways to open the valve fully, or one side for inflation and the other for deflation. This mat does a fair amount of self-inflating if left to its own devices, but if you want to speed up the process or make the sleep surface nice and firm, Kelty has helpfully made it so that you can use the stuff sack as an inflation tool. Attach the bottom of the sack to valve on the mat (set to inflate, so it’ll let air in but not out again), blow up the sack and roll down to push the air from the stuff sack into the sleep mat. In short, getting set up is very straightforward, however you decide to do it.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Packing up, as you’d expect, requires a little bit of elbow grease, but the special valve helps matters. Flip it to the deflate side and it’ll let air out but not in, which means you don’t need to work against the mat trying to blow itself back up while you’re trying frantically to pack it away. This makes the task of rolling it up less strenuous than it might have been.
This is very much not a backpacking sleep mat (those looking for a lightweight option should consult T3’sbest camping matguide instead). When rolled, it remains pretty bulky and heavy, and the fact that it’s wide for a single doesn’t help matters – it’s not quite wide enough to be folded lengthways, and the supplied bag isn’t sized for that either. On the subject of the supplied bag, some kind of handle might have been helpful, although I appreciate perhaps this isn’t possible if you’re wanting it to double as an inflation tool.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Kelty Waypoint Si review: design and comfort
The inside is filled with a mix of air channels and foam, to sleep on it feels more like the latter, and there’s none of the lumpy-bumpiness of a traditional air mattress.
Kelty Waypoint Si Sleeping pad specsWeight:5lb 6oz / 2.44kgDimensions (inflated):77.95 x 29.92 x 3" / 198 x 76 x 8cmDimensions (packed):31.5 x 7 x 7" / 80 x 18 x 18cmR-Value:5.6Fabric:30D stretch polyester (top), 75D polyester (bottom)
Weight:5lb 6oz / 2.44kgDimensions (inflated):77.95 x 29.92 x 3" / 198 x 76 x 8cmDimensions (packed):31.5 x 7 x 7" / 80 x 18 x 18cmR-Value:5.6Fabric:30D stretch polyester (top), 75D polyester (bottom)
Weight:5lb 6oz / 2.44kgDimensions (inflated):77.95 x 29.92 x 3" / 198 x 76 x 8cmDimensions (packed):31.5 x 7 x 7" / 80 x 18 x 18cmR-Value:5.6Fabric:30D stretch polyester (top), 75D polyester (bottom)
Weight:5lb 6oz / 2.44kgDimensions (inflated):77.95 x 29.92 x 3" / 198 x 76 x 8cmDimensions (packed):31.5 x 7 x 7" / 80 x 18 x 18cmR-Value:5.6Fabric:30D stretch polyester (top), 75D polyester (bottom)
A soft stretch fabric topper means it won’t get sweaty and you won’t end up sliding around on it, and the flat sleep surface (the sides are also squared off, so you’re not wasting any room) gives it the feel of a traditional mattress.
On the underside, you’ll find a non-brushed polyester. I assume this is probably slightly more sturdy and robust than the upper, and it offers enough grip that it’ll keep the mat in place pretty well on a slippery groundsheet. There’s only one size at the moment, which is a wide single – I’d imagine if it’s successful, Kelty might add a double option into the mix.
This is one of comfiest camping mats I’ve ever slept on. It’s three inches thick but feels thicker, thanks, possibly, to the ability to manually pump in air so it’s nice and firm (if that’s what you want). It feels luxurious, cushioned and high quality. Two thumbs up for comfort.
A real test for any air mattress is how long it lasts. While this is difficult to comment on from my initial tests, it certainly feels luxurious and well made, with no obvious points of weakness that I’d be concerned about.
Kelty Waypoint Si review: alternatives to consider
There are a few similar kinds of sleeping mats on the market. At time of writing the Waypoint is only available in the US, but if you’re reading from the UK then definitely check out ourVango Shangri-La II camping bed review. This mat is very similar to the Waypoint, although has the benefit of being available in a double as well as a wide single, and also in a few different depths – 7cm, 10cm and a luxurious 15cm thick, if you really want to push the boat out. That one isn’t designed to be manually inflated, which means it can be difficult to get it to feel firm, which isn’t an issue with the Kelty option on review here.
For another similar mat, head to ourRobens Polarshield 120 review. If you’re not quite sure what kind of sleeping equipment you need, ourairbeds vs camp beds vs sleep matsexplainer lays out the differences between the main three options, and for more recommendations, check out ourbest camping bedranking.
Kelty Waypoint Si sleep pad review: verdict
The Kelty Waypoint Si sleep pad is a supremely comfortable bed option for a night under canvas. While it’s not compact or lightweight when packed, if you’re car camping and want something that’ll deliver a dreamy night’s sleep, this is about as close to the feel of an actual mattress as you’ll find. It feels robust and high quality, and thoughtful design details such as the flippable valve and stuff sack that doubles as an inflation tool help elevate it from the competition, too.
Kelty Waypoint Si: Price Comparison
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price information
No price information
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
The ultimate full-body gym workout for beginners, according to a fitness expertWant to hit the gym to build strength and muscle, but don’t know where to start? This workout can help
Want to hit the gym to build strength and muscle, but don’t know where to start? This workout can help
Amazon upgrades Kindle Colorsoft already – new model addresses customer complaintsAmazon’s full-colour e-reader fixes a problem that was plaguing its display
Amazon’s full-colour e-reader fixes a problem that was plaguing its display
Disney+’s most eagerly-awaited new Marvel series also looks to be its most brutalDaredevil: Born Again clearly won’t be for the faint of heart
Daredevil: Born Again clearly won’t be for the faint of heart
