Gear Review: The Klymit Insulated Double V Two Person Sleeping Pad

The Klymit Insulated Double V is an ultra-comfortable two person sleeping pad that packs 4-season insulation. This two person sleeping pad utilizes a dual V-chamber design to minimize air movement and keep each side independently stable. Despite the size, insulation, and functionality of the Double V, it manages to come in at a respectable 3.6lbs. I’ve been testing the Klymit Insulated Double V for the past few months and will share my experience in this review.

*The majority of my opinions for this review will come from the perspective of using the Double V with one adult and one infant/toddler. Julia and I have used the pad together for testing, but only for a few minutes at a time.

So, Why Do We Use A Two Person Pad?

Julia and I used to go camping and backpacking with two single person ultralight sleeping pads. After having a son, we bought him his own and quickly realized it wasn’t a very good option. To keep him from falling in between the pads (a dangerous suffocation risk), we would have to bind the pads together. Even when the pads were ideally bound together, cold from the ground would rise up from the crack and chill him in the night. After a few attempts to make our triple sleeping pad system work, we gave in and started looking for a two person pad that he could share with one of us. After seeing the Klymit Insulated Double V at Outdoor Retailer in January, we hoped it would be the solution to our problem.

Double V Design

Size and Dimensions

When fully inflated, the Klymit Double V measures 74in x 47in x 3in. The 47 inches of width feels like a king size bed when you consider our lightweight backpacking pads are only 20 inches wide a piece! Julia and I are both just under 6-feet tall, so the 74 inches of length is just enough to spread out without having to curl up our legs. For two adults, you would definitely want to be intimate and comfortable with each other because you’ll be shoulder to shoulder all night. With one adult and one child, you’ll have plenty of room to spread out and get comfortable.

Weight and Packable Size

When packed in its stuff sack, the Double V measures 8in x 12in. This makes the pad a little large for backcountry backpacking, but perfect for shorter outings and car camping. The Double V weights in at 3.6lbs, which is 2lbs heavier than the dual Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite pads we were previously using. Although we gain a little size and weight with the Double V, its added warmth, larger sleeping area, and stable platform make it an easy pick over our previous sleeping setup.

Inflation and Deflation

Anyone that uses inflatable sleeping pads knows what a hassle the blow-up process can be. After a long day on the trail, pulling 30-40 hard breathes into a sleeping pad at altitude always leaves me feeling dizzy. Klymit has a nice solution to this by allowing you to use the stuff sack as an inflation device. All you have to do is seal the bag with air in it, attach it to the inflate port on the Double V, and transfer the air by hand compressions. This makes for a very easy setup with around 10-15 pumps for a fully inflated pad.

The Double V uses two separate flat valve openings to inflate and deflate. This is a much better system than the single straw like valves on my Thermarest NeoAir Trekker and XLite. For one, the flat valves don’t get in the way while sleeping. The second benefit is that you don’t have to seal the valve with your hand or fingers while inflating to keep air inside.

Chamber Design

The Double V is made of a durable and tough 75D Polyester that has proven to be toddler and dog proof so far. Klymit has designed the the Double V with “V” shaped chambers on each side and guard rail side baffles around the perimeter of the pad.

The top of the Double V sleeping pad uses an anti-microbial laminate that wipes down easy. This is really nice for toddlers that still spit up, burp, and drop food in bed…so, pretty much all toddlers. Most importantly, this top layer is nearly silent for restless sleepers. Many of our light weight sleeping pads making a crinkling noise with the slightest movement. Parents with sleeping kids don’t need me to tell them how nice a silent pad can be.

Sleeping And Comfort

The “V” shaped chambers and guard rail side baffles on the Double V do an incredible job at maintaining a level and consistent amount of air pressure throughout the pad. When we first received the Double V, I was worried that my weight would sink one side while my son rested on a slanted pad. I was happy to discover that my worries were unfounded. When I lay down on one side with my 180lbs frame, my son is still on a level platform with his 35lbs frame. The balance is even better when my wife is sleeping on the same pad as our son.

The Klymit Insulated Double V has an R-value of 4.4. R-value is a measure of how well an insulating material resists the flow of heat, with higher values performing better. Our Thermarest pads have an R-value of 3.2 and kept Julia and I warm in well below freezing temperatures on the JMT and at other high elevation campsites.  The jump to the 4.4 R-Value Double V has proven to be much warmer, and has kept everybody nice and toasty in temperatures down to freezing.

We use a few different tents while camping and backpacking as a family, with our favorites being the Tarptent Cloudburst 3 and Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 3. When using a second pad to pair with the Double V, I find a straight profile pad like the NeoAir Trekker works best. A contoured pad like the XLite leaves too much space in the gaps.

Couples using the Double V sleeping pad in a two person backpacking tent will find that they have quite a bit more border space without two separate floating pads. You can see how much space is available in the two person tent pictured below.

On one of the nights we went camping out at Alabama Hills we got hit with a pretty cold sand storm. I slept in the tent outside and Julia was able to sleep in my 4Runner with our son. I was amazed to see that the Double V looked custom cut for the back of the 4Runner. This would make a great pad for couples or individuals looking to car camp in the back of a truck or SUV.

Closing Thoughts

We’ve really enjoyed using the Klymit Insulated Double V over the past few months. This pad is an ideal solution for three main groups:
1. Parents wanting to sleep next to a child
2. Couples wanting to share a sleeping pad
3. Individual car campers looking to lounge in luxury

At $160, the Double V offers a ton of value. Our Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLites came in at $170 each. The Double V is heavier and packs larger than those pads, but for that weight we get more warmth, more footprint width, more durability, and no crinkling noises. If you’re looking for an affordable two person sleeping pad for car camping and shorter backpacking trips, the Klymit Double V is definitely worth a close look.

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Disclosure: The Klymit Double V was provided to me at no cost for this review. This in no way influenced my opinions or presentation of the pad. The links provided in this post are affiliate links. Purchases made using these affiliate links go to support the content created here at Trail to Peak at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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