Wild CampingSimondSleeping Pad

Simond MT900 sleeping pad review: a great all-rounder at an excellent price

A 4-season inflatable pad that offers exceptional warmth and comfort at a wallet-friendly price — a game-changer for UK wild campers who want premium performance without breaking the bank.

✓  Best BuySimond MT900 Weight620 gR-value5.4Price£124.99 The good✓  Excellent value for money
✓  Very warm for its weight (R-value 5.4)
✓  Comfortable at 6 cm thickness
✓  Small pack size (~1-litre bottle)
✓  Quiet — no crinkle noise
✓  Easy dual-valve inflation/deflation
✓  Repair kit included
✓  Available in Decathlon stores to try
The not-so-good✗  Heavier than more expensive rivals
✗  Mummy shape less supportive than square pads for side sleepers
Buy the Simond MT900 at Decathlon →

At a glance

Overview

Simond might not be the first name that springs to mind when you are browsing the sleeping pad aisle, but this French mountaineering brand — part of the Decathlon family — is quietly building a reputation for delivering solid mountain kit at very reasonable prices. Long known for its climbing hardware and alpine-ready softshells, Simond has begun pushing deeper into the camping and backpacking scene in recent years. If you have shopped at Decathlon, you may have spotted this pad previously sold under their Forclaz range — the product is the same, but the branding has since shifted to reflect its mountaineering DNA.

The Simond MT900 is designed for wild camping and bivvying in genuinely cold conditions. With a high R-value of 5.4, a weight of just 620 grams, and a pack size roughly equal to a 1-litre Nalgene bottle, it is clearly aimed at those who want solid comfort and insulation without adding bulk or weight to their setup. Priced at just £124.99, it confidently steps into a market dominated by much more expensive alternatives — and makes a seriously strong case for itself.

Take the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT, for instance — long considered the gold standard in lightweight inflatable pads. At 350 grams, it is almost half the weight of the Simond MT900 and packs down a touch smaller. But it also comes in at close to £200 and delivers a lower R-value of 4.5. Unless you are deep into ultralight obsessiveness or tackling high alpine routes where every gram counts, the MT900’s weight is still more than reasonable — and you are getting significantly more warmth for your trouble.

Then there is the Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Extreme — another standout in the 4-season inflatable pad space. With its plush 10 cm thickness, warm 6.2 R-value and air sprung cell design, it is a luxurious choice for cold nights. But it also weighs more, takes up more room in your pack, and costs north of £200. For many UK wild campers, the MT900’s 6 cm depth and 5.4 R-value strike a far better balance between performance and affordability.

All in all, Simond have done something special with the MT900: they have created a genuinely warm, durable and comfortable 4-season inflatable pad that stands up to industry favourites, all while costing considerably less. Whether you are just starting your wild camping journey or upgrading your winter setup, this is one of the few pads that can go the distance without draining your bank account.

How we tested

We have spent over a dozen nights on the Simond MT900 in all seasons and all conditions. From a summer ramble across Dartmoor to sub-zero camps above Llyn y Fan Fach, this pad has been there with us — unrolled on moss, laid down on frozen scree, and puffed up inside draughty tents. On our Dartmoor trip, we appreciated how small it packed down in the rucksack and how cushy it felt night after night. And on that bitterly cold Brecon ridge, where the ground had been frozen for days, it gave a good account of itself — though we did feel a bit of cold creep in around the hips when sleeping on our side. In properly grim conditions, we would recommend doubling it up with a foam mat. But in every other scenario, it was warm, comfy and reliable.

Features and performance

Warmth and comfort

The headline stat: this pad has an R-value of 5.4. That is a measurement of how well a sleeping pad resists heat loss to the ground, and 5.4 puts this squarely in 4-season territory. For most UK-based adventurers, that is more than enough. Yes, there are warmer pads out there — the Ether Lite XT Extreme edges it at 6.2 — but for all but the coldest winter camps, the MT900 has you covered.

One reason it holds its heat so well is its 6 cm thickness, which not only insulates but adds a big dose of comfort too. Even when fully inflated, you stay nicely elevated above the ground — no more waking up with your hips in a cold dip because the air has shifted or deflated overnight. It keeps pressure points off the ground throughout the night, something we have found rare in sub-£150 pads.

Comfort-wise, the MT900 punches well above its price tag — right up there with the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir range, despite costing nearly half as much. Of course, comfort is subjective, and one of the perks here is being able to nip into your local Decathlon and try it out in-store. That simple bit of accessibility gives it a real edge over many online-only competitors. As for size, both the L and XL versions hit the mark. The regular L offers enough space to roll around comfortably, while the XL finally gave our 6′4″ tester a pad he did not spill off. For just £10 more, it is a great option for taller campers.

“On cold mornings with numb fingers, the MT900 was easy to deflate and pack. When your hands are cold, your brain is a bit foggy, and you just want a brew and to get moving — a pad that packs down without fuss is a genuine luxury.”

Inflating and deflating

Usability is another strong point. The dual-valve system makes both inflation and deflation refreshingly simple — especially compared to some of the more fiddly ultralight pads we have used in the past. Using the included stuff sack, which cleverly doubles as an inflation bag, we had it fully inflated in under a minute without getting light-headed from mouth-blowing. Clip the sack onto the valve, scoop in some air, and roll. A few good compressions and you are done.

But it is the pack-down process that really won us over. Open the valve to its wide setting and the air rushes out in seconds. Two slow, firm rolls from foot to valve were usually enough to push out the bulk of the air. After that, fold it lengthways, one last tight roll, and it is back in the stuff sack. No desperate kneeling, no awkward elbow leans, and definitely no shouting. Even on cold mornings with numb fingers, the MT900 was easy to deflate and pack — and the stuff sack is well-sized enough that you do not have to roll it perfectly to get it back in.

Durability and noise

Made from a 50% polyamide and 50% polyurethane blend, this pad is reassuringly tough. We did not use a groundsheet once during testing — and despite laying it directly on rocky ground, mossy turf and frozen hillsides, it came through unscathed. While it is always worth being cautious where you pitch, this feels far more durable than many ultralight alternatives we have tested.

A repair kit is included in the stuff sack — a small but thoughtful touch that adds to the overall feeling that this pad offers far more than its price suggests. And unlike many lightweight inflatables that sound like a crisp packet under your sleeping bag, the MT900 is refreshingly quiet. No rustling, no crinkling — just a peaceful night’s sleep after a long day on the trail.

Performance in the UK

From the milder nights of late summer to full-on frosty conditions, the MT900 held its own. We first put it to use on a multi-day traverse across Dartmoor — three days of kit testing, river crossings, rolling fog and all the moorland unpredictability you would expect. The pad proved a reliable companion from the get-go, slipping easily into our packs each morning and puffing up without drama each night. With varied terrain under our tents — everything from springy turf to uneven granite — the comfort and insulation levels stayed impressively consistent. No cold spots, no awkward sagging, and definitely no need for midnight re-inflation.

Then came the proper cold. We pitched high above Llyn y Fan Fach in the Brecon Beacons, where the temperature had not climbed above zero in over a week. The ground beneath us was rock solid, frozen deep through — and we were curious to see how far the MT900’s 5.4 R-value would stretch. For the most part, it passed the test. Warmth remained steady across the torso and legs, but we did notice a slight cold patch creeping in at the hips when side sleeping — a known weak point for many pads in sub-zero conditions. For trips like that in the depths of winter, we would pair it with a closed-cell foam mat for good measure.

That said, in all other scenarios — spring, summer and the shoulder months where frost lingers in hollows — this pad was absolutely spot-on. It insulated well, felt robust under pressure, and always gave us a solid night’s sleep. Factor in its fuss-free setup and durable materials, and what you have here is a proper 4-season workhorse that slots into any UK wild camping kit list without fuss, without compromise — and without the eye-watering price tag.

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Our verdictThe best value 4-season sleeping pad for UK wild camping.Simond have done something special with the MT900: a genuinely warm, durable and comfortable 4-season inflatable pad that stands up to industry favourites at a fraction of the price. R-value of 5.4, 6 cm of comfort, quiet, durable, easy to inflate and deflate — and available in Decathlon stores to try before you buy. At £124.99, it is an outstanding buy.Buy the Simond MT900 at Decathlon →

FAQs

How warm is the Simond MT900?It has an R-value of 5.4, making it suitable for 4-season use in the UK. We found it reliably warm from summer through to deep winter — though pairing it with a foam mat is advisable when camping on frozen ground for added insulation at the hips.

What is the Simond MT900’s R-value?5.4 — putting it in the 4-season category and offering enough insulation to keep most UK campers warm across a wide range of conditions, even in late autumn and winter.

How packable is the Simond MT900?It packs into a stuff sack roughly the size of a 1-litre Nalgene bottle. Not the tiniest pad on the market, but for a 4-season option with this level of warmth and comfort, the packability is more than acceptable.

How durable is the Simond MT900?Very. Made from a 50% polyamide and 50% polyurethane blend, we used it directly on rocky ground and frozen hillsides without a groundsheet and it came through unscathed. A repair kit is included in the stuff sack.