Klymit Double V Insulated Review (2026)

Where to buy

Prices and stock change constantly, so we deliberately quote none here — the live Amazon AU listing always shows the current price. Links to Amazon AU may be affiliate links; qualifying purchases earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Key specifications

What we like, and where it gives ground

What it is, and who it suits

The Double V Insulated is a two-person inflatable sleeping pad. It is a wide, thick air mattress with a layer of synthetic insulation inside, built to lift a pair of sleepers off the cold, hard ground and keep them warm and comfortable overnight. Klymit designs its pads around baffle shapes that hold their form when inflated.

This review answers one question. Is the Double V the right shared sleep base for how you camp in the cold? We have not put this pad through our own long-term use, and we say so up front. Instead we read the maker's published specs against the jobs a car-camp or base winter kit asks. Those jobs decide whether a pad gets carried.

If you camp as a pair with a vehicle, this is the shortlist pick. If you walk in light, a smaller pad serves you. The sections below take the pad apart piece by piece.

Two-person size and the shared surface

The whole idea is width. A double pad gives two sleepers one continuous, roomy surface, so you are not fighting a gap where two singles meet or rolling off a narrow mat. For couples and families who co-sleep on the ground, that shared space is the point, and it feels more like a bed than camping gear.

The flip side of one big surface is one big transfer of motion. When your partner turns over or gets up, a shared air pad can rock or dip in a way two separate pads would not. If you are light sleepers who move a lot, weigh a wide single versus two singles before you commit.

Laid out, it takes real floor space, so check it suits your tent footprint. In a snug two-person tent a double pad can fill the floor and leave no room for gear at the sides.

Insulation and warmth, honestly

A pad does two jobs: comfort and warmth. The warmth part is insulation that blocks cold the ground draws out of your body, and this model builds synthetic insulation into its air core for exactly that. In an Australian winter camp or a frosty inland night, that barrier is what stops you waking chilled.

The honest number behind warmth is R-value, and you should read the listing's figure rather than trust a claim. Insulated pads suit cold-weather use; a plain summer pad will feel the chill. Match the pad's rating to the coldest nights you plan to face, not just the average.

Remember that your sleep system works as a team. A warm sleeping bag loses much of its value on an uninsulated pad, because your body crushes the down or synthetic flat underneath you. A pad like this carries the insulation your bag cannot while you lie on it.

Thickness and comfort

Klymit pads lean thick, and the Double V cushions you well above the lumps and cold of the ground. That loft is a large part of the appeal: side sleepers get room for hips and shoulders, and the sleep feels closer to home than on a thin mat you can feel straight through.

The trade for thickness is a bit of bounce and roll. A plump air cushion can feel slightly unstable as you shift, and some sleepers need a night to adjust off a firm floor. For most, the comfort of a thick, insulated pad is worth it, which is why people bring doubles on car trips.

The baffle construction helps the pad keep an even shape rather than billowing into a balloon. It still needs a decent ground sheet underneath, since thick air is no match for a hidden spinifex root or a sharp stone.

Weight and the case against hiking in

This pad is not made to carry far. A double insulated air pad weighs a good few kilograms and packs as large as it needs to. For a drive-up car camp, a swap-shop or a base where the vehicle hauls it, that weight is a non-issue and the comfort wins.

On a walk-in trip it is the wrong tool. Ultralight hikers carry thin, single, well-insulated mats precisely because grams matter, and a shared double would dominate a pack. Buy the Double V for the trips where you park nearby and want real bed comfort.

It does earn its bulk as a spare at a camp, though. Throw it in the back of a 4WD and it becomes the comfortable ground for a guest, a kid or a swag night when you want warmth for two without dragging a heavy setup.

Inflation, valves and daily use

Air pads need air, and a double holds a lot of it. Klymit uses one-way valves that let you blow or pump the pad up and keep the air in as you close. A pump bag or an electric pump makes filling a large pad far easier than lung power, especially at the end of a cold day.

In cold weather, filling by mouth adds damp breath into the pad, which over time can encourage internal mould. A pump sack keeps moisture out and saves your lungs, and is a smart little add-on for a pad you use for years.

Deflating and rolling it back down takes a bit of patience to push the air out before you pack. It is the same care any air pad asks, and worth getting right so it seals small and dry for storage.

How it compares to other pads

It helps to set the Double V against the two sleep bases people weigh it against most. Each wins in a different situation, and the choice rests on who sleeps together and how far you carry.

Should you buy it?

Buy the Double V Insulated if you camp as a pair with a vehicle and want a warm, thick, shared sleep that feels close to a bed. It lifts you off cold ground, cushions lumps, and turns a frosty car camp into a comfortable night.

Skip it if you hike in and must carry every gram, or if independent sleepers would do better on two singles. A light single mat or two separate pads fit those needs better.

Still deciding? See how it ranks in our inflatable sleeping pad guide. To match a pad's warmth to your bag and the night low, our sleeping bag temperature calculator does the maths.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Klymit Double V Insulated warm enough for winter?

It is an insulated pad built to block cold drawn from the ground, so it suits cold-weather and winter car camping far better than a plain summer air mat. The honest number for warmth is its R-value, so read the listing figure and match it to the coldest nights you face, not just the average. Remember your sleep system works as a team: even the warmest bag loses much of its value on an uninsulated pad underneath you.

Can you hike with a double air pad?

You can, but you probably should not. A double insulated pad weighs a good few kilograms and packs large, so it suits car camps, swaps and base camps where a vehicle carries it. On a walk-in trip it would dominate your pack, which is why hikers carry thin, single, insulated mats instead. If you park near your site, that weight is no problem and the comfort wins outright. If you carry it far, choose a lighter single mat.

Does one sleeper disturb the other on a double?

On a shared air surface, some motion does transfer. When a partner turns over or gets up, a single wide pad can dip or rock in a way two separate pads would not. Light sleepers who move a lot should weigh a double against two singles. If you sleep close and value one continuous surface without a gap, the double is comfortable and often simpler and lighter than two pads combined.

How do you inflate a large double pad?

Klymit uses one-way valves that hold air as you fill, so you can blow or pump the pad up and it will not empty when you stop. A double holds a lot of air, so a pump bag or a small electric pump makes the job far easier than lung power at the end of a cold day. Filling by mouth also pushes damp breath inside, which over years can grow mould, so a pump sack keeps the pad drier and saves your lungs.

What size tent do I need for a double pad?

A double pad takes real floor space and can fill the base of a snug two-person tent, leaving no room for gear at the sides. Check the pad's laid-out dimensions against your tent footprint before a trip, and if you camp as a couple with packs inside, a slightly larger tent or a footprint with space makes sense. In a tight shelter, two narrower singles can be easier to fit around your kit.

Is it better than a foam pad?

For comfort and warmth per packed size, a thick insulated air pad like the Double V usually beats closed-cell foam, which is thin, firm and bulky to strap outside. The trade is puncture risk: foam never leaks and lasts forever, while an air pad needs care, a ground sheet and a repair kit. For cosy car camps, the air pad wins on sleep quality. For abuse, reliability and cheapness, foam is unbeatable.