Bestway Ridgelite

The Bestway Ridgelite uses a dimpled baffling pattern with raised areas and lowered areas across the surface. Each raised area works as a small air spring, so pressing on any one of them relieves pressure independently of the rest of the pad. While the dimpled baffling provides excellent pressure relief, the top material of the pad is not soft or stretchy. The dimpled baffling also creates a large amount of contact between the top and bottom of the pad, which makes the Ridgelite very stable. Whether lying close to the edge or in the middle of the pad, I never feel as if I will roll off or run out of space. A feature of the baffle design is that the pad can be inflated to nearly full firmness and still be comfortable. While I usually recommend deflating pads to 70-80% inflated for improved comfort, I recommend sleeping on the Ridgelite fully inflated because the air springs make it more comfortable at full inflation. If you do decide to deflate the Ridgelite, it maintains good stability due to the connection points but you will bottom the pad out more easily.

All sizes are 7.5 cm (3 in) thick, which is less than many pads in this category and is a limitation for comfort. Sleepers over 99.8 kg (220 lb) may contact the ground with a shoulder or hip when side sleeping, or with the hips when back sleeping.

The Ridgelite comes in two sizes: a regular that is 183 cm (72 in) long and 51 cm (20.1 in) wide and a long wide that is 193 cm (76 in) long and 63.5 cm (25 in) wide. It is comfortable for side and back sleepers under 99.8 kg (220 lb) and the stability makes it suitable for stomach sleeping as well. Most people under the weight limit will find it comfortable.

The Bestway Ridgelite has an ASTM-tested R-value of 4.9, which sits in the middle of the range for three-season pads. Bestway describes the pad as ideal for cold weather conditions with insulation being provided by two layers of reflective film that are offset from each other and suspended in the pad. The film reflects heat back to the body and reduces radiative heat loss. Offsetting the two layers reduces gaps for heat to escape.

I have used the pad below freezing on wet, cold ground and stayed warm. The Ridgelite is comfortable to about -5°C (23°F) on cold ground. It is a three-season pad, not a winter pad. The warmth is exciting for a budget pad and it is a large part of why the Ridgelite competes with pads that cost far more.

The Bestway Ridgelite weighs 700 g (1.5 lb) for the long wide size on my scale. The weight is high when compared to pads of similar comfort and warmth, which typically fall in the 500 to 600 g (1.1 to 1.3 lb) range. The mummy shaped foot end reduces some weight compared to a fully rectangular pad of the same length, but the Ridgelite is far from being an ultralight pad.

The pad folds and rolls to a compact size. Bestway lists the packed size of the long wide at 10.5 cm (4.1 in) by 10.5 cm (4.1 in) by 27 cm (10.6 in).

For ease of use, the Bestway Ridgelite has a very good valve for inflating and deflating the pad. It is a one-way valve with two flaps, positioned on the top of the pad. The first flap opens for inflation and the second flap opens to release air for packing.

Inflation is easy by breath or with a pump. The Ridgelite comes with an inflation bag and is compatible with almost any pad pump on the market. Because the valve is on top of the pad, adjusting the inflation level while lying on it is simple: release a little air for more comfort or add air if the pad has lost pressure as the temperature dropped overnight. The top-mounted valve is a big advantage compared to pads that place the valve on the bottom of the pad.

Deflation is fast. Opening the second flap dumps air effectively and the pad folds and rolls to a compact size without effort.

The Bestway Ridgelite uses a 20-denier ripstop nylon for both the top and bottom, which Bestway claims is highly puncture resistant, stretch resistant, and lightweight. The airtight layer is Bestway's ToughLite TPU. Bestway does not disclose the specifics of its welding or lamination processes. The Ridgelite appears to come from the same factory as the REI Helix, which has proven to be a durable and reliable pad, but Bestway may use a different quality control process that lets more manufacturing defects through.

I have had no issues with the pad. There are few reviews of the Ridgelite available and not much long-term data on its reliability, so my confidence in it is based on my own use rather than on a large sample. Bestway covers the Ridgelite with a two-year limited manufacturer's warranty, which is longer than the coverage on its standard air mattresses.

The two components that usually make a pad noisy are internal reflective films, which can crinkle, and the outer material, which can squeak on tent floors. The Bestway Ridgelite has two layers of reflective film inside and neither produces any crinkling sound. The outer material has a plastic feel and may produce slight squeaking on a tent floor, but nothing notable. The Ridgelite is a fairly quiet pad and most people will have no issues with its noise.

The Bestway Ridgelite excels at warmth, comfort, and ease of use for a budget pad. I consider it the best budget pad on the market. It is an excellent pad for any backpacker, but particularly for new backpackers, for anyone who wants a backup pad, and for parents outfitting kids. It is not for sleepers over 99.8 kg (220 lb), who will bottom out on the thinner pad, or for anyone prioritizing pack weight, since 700 g (1.5 lb) is well above the ultralight pads in the category.