What R-value sleeping pad do I need?

R-value measures insulation from the cold ground. For summer and warm-weather camping an R-value around 2-3 is usually enough, three-season campers generally want 3-5, and winter or snow camping calls for 5 or higher. Several pads in this roundup advertise R-values from roughly 4.6 to over 9, but note these figures are manufacturer claims that were not independently verified in the data we reviewed.