Therm-a-Rest  BaseCamp Sleeping Pad

The basecamp sleeping pad fits my bike camping requirements. I have thicker and thinner pads and the basecamp is the Goldilocks pad, just right for biking. Therm-a-Rest does it right. My caliper shows pad height at self inflation is 1.2 inches and 1.5 inches with some air added. I'm sure it will inflate higher, but gentle break in without breaking is how I operate. This was my first buy withREI. Package arrived open due to scant use of packing tape and no dead air filler for a box 4 times larger than sleeping pad. See pictures. I can't blame UPS for this because REI clearly failed at their end of the deal. I will not return to do business with rei again.

I bought this pad awhile ago, 2012 or so. Anybody that thinks this pad is for backpacking should look at another product. I bought it for truck camping. For the last three years it's not been holding air. I've patched holes on the bottom several times. The bottom should really be more durable. The latest issue, as I found out after my last trip, was leaks on the TOP. The fabric appears to be separating and cracking. This pad is now trash. I'm hoping Therma-a-rest has resolved the long-term durability issues. I have a dividend coming and need to replace this pad before spring and summer camping. Historically, Therm-a-Rest has had the best reputation. Now I'm not so sure.

I am so disappointed in this product and REI. I bought this online, didn't open it for awhile as we didn't need it yet. We used it one time for our son camping in a tent in our backyard on a smooth deck. By morning it had lost air. I didn't get around to returning it at our nearest REI until today and we were denied replacement or refund as they said it was due to wear and tear. I am so upset as a product this expensive should last longer than one time of use. We have been members of REI since 2005. This incident makes me not want to support REI anymore. We have been good customers for years who never took advantage of the return policy. So much for the promise of 100% satisfaction. I do not recommend this product to anyone who wants quality products that last.

Great sleep even on the cold hard ground. I picked this up for a little winter camping. I used it on the hard ground and on a bed of pine bows and it did well on both. Kept we warm and was comfortable. And the R-5 value is great! The only down side is that it doesn't really fit in a mummy bag. But would be good underneath if it was in a tent or a bivy sack.

Bought two of these about 24-25 years ago! We haven't had to patch them yet. They only get used about 2-3 times a year but they have never given us any problems. They are stored fully open behind a dresser when not in use. This was the recommendation that came with the directions. It does not fold up like some of the others, but you won't feel any pebbles.

A quilt would give more padding. It's very narrow & took more effort to blow up then I expected. It did deflate fast. It was not worth the money & I will be returning.

Great value for the price. It is my first 2-inch thick mattress and with the level of comfort it provides, it will be hard to go back to the 1 or 1.5-inch thick Therm-a-Rest pads I already have, as it is not that much heavier (bulkier mostly). I would not hesitate to bring this on short backcountry trips and I will even carry the little extra weight to longer trips in which you spend several nights at a base camp (hence the name!).

My sweetie has been chiding me for needlessly foregoing a softer camping sleep. Instead I have been clinging to what has worked for 50 years, a foam pad. Dumb. I was going to be traveling and sleeping on an Alaska State Ferry and decided to "go for it" and bought this ThermaRest. I never felt the hard steel deck in the Solarium, and slept very well. I'll use my foam pad as a yoga mat, now.

If they say 2", it should be 2". Self inflates to 1-1/2", blowing my best - 1-3/4". i may keep it, but not starting out happy. This is my 5th thermarest pad.

I like to joke that there are three things at my house that I don't compromise--the temperature, the toilet tissue, and the bed I sleep in. So, when we decided to take up car camping after a 30-year hiatus, sleeping in a tent was a concern. We bought a couple of these, and were both amazed at how comfortable they are. We slept great. I highly recommend them.