How to Choose a Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

This Big Agnes sleeping pad lives up to its name with 5 in. of thickness for max comfort. It self-inflates and has a stretch fabric for a soft-touch feel. The insulation creates a 9.9 R-value.


Imported.
View all Big Agnes Self-inflating Pads| Best Use | Camping |
|---|---|
| Sleeping Pad Type | Self-inflating |
| Sleeping Pad Shape | Rectangular |
| Insulated | Yes |
| Insulation Type | Closed-cell Foam |
| R-Value | 9.9 |
| Repair Kit Included | Yes |
| Stuff Sack Included | Yes |
| Packed Size | 11 x 27 inches |
| Sleeping Capacity | 2-person |
| Pad Thickness (in.) | 5 inches |
| Dimensions | 78 x 52 x 5 inches |
| Weight | 11 lbs. 2 oz. |
| Gender | Unisex |
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Anytime you purchase an inflatable pad, the worry of possible pad noise is a concern. Not with this pad...I'm a side sleeping tossing and turning type sleeper and found zero noise! The soft material along with the memory foam keep this plush 5" thick pad quiet, warm and oh so cozy! I will be purchasing one for my wife now that I've tested it for car camping comfort. I bought this for camping in the back of my truck as I was currently using a tri-fold pad and wanted the ability to keep my gear on hand in the truck and still have room to use my truck when not camping. It's perfect...I'm ready for a siesta whenever and wherever! I've used this down to temps in the upper 30's with plenty of warmth still on my backside...looking forward to some colder fishing trips in the mountains!
This pad is very comfortable, but too heavy for anything other than base camp or car camping. It is “self-inflating”, but I have needed to add air to get some firmness. I think it is easier to get it to self inflate after it has been used a few times, but it was still too soft to sleep on. I ended up buying the inflate bag. Dinged it one star because I think this should have been included with the pad. I found it difficult to roll the pad after use. The carry bag seems adequate. This is a very comfortable pad, albeit a large and bulky one. Highly recommended for anything other than backpacking.
It's incredibly comfortable, especially for two adults and a small dog (to be specific here). The set up is super easy, even easier when paired with some sort of air pump. My partner did blow it up manually the first time we used it, a pump only made a quality of life improvement. The only gripe I have is the breakdown. There's a good chance I'm not doing it correctly, but it rolls up super bulky and storing it is somewhat cumbersome. I'm going to do more research on this, but for now that's the only reason I'm not giving it five stars. Again, probably absolutely operator error here.
I have used this product camping in the back of my truck, and my tent, and snuggling in the living room with my senior dog- he's also using it as a larger doggy bed. This is the absolute most comfortable pad I have ever slept on. I don't know why I waited so long to make this front country upgrade.
I just got this today and have yet to take it camping. I know these things take a bit to "inflate" the first time due to the factory compression. But its a good thing i did it now and not while I was camping, it took quite a while. I let it sit for an hour and then had to finish most of the inflating using the pump sack (thankfully i had one from my rapide) for about 30 minutes. This needs to come with the pumphouse ultra, at a minimum, or ideally, something like the exped mini pump. BA should also look at developing an electric pump for these double mattresses. That said, i think I will be sleeping in the lap of luxury when i go car camping. The key takeaway is time consuming set up, luxurious sleep, needs pump of sorts.
We have each and every level of Big Agnes ground pad as our trips range from ultralight backpacking and bikepacking to car camping at bike races with kids. These Captain Comforts are a game changer. No longer is a night in the tent "hard and character building" as they are luxury. You will need to polish your system of packing it away. Lying on the pad for awhile with valves open, then kneeling on each section as you roll is a must to press the air out enough to get these pads tight throughout the roll up. If you're diligent in this, you'll be able to get the velcro straps on and synch them down and get this big mattress back in it's bag. It's worth the extra time and effort of packing it away to have such a great night of sleep.
I build trails May-October and spend that time sleeping in a tent or the back of my truck. This season we were front country camping at the trail head, and this mat was a complete game changer. The 40x72 filled up majority of my 2 person tent, leaving some room to stash clothes and gear. We work 8 days on and 6 days off, and on my off days I would take the mat out of my tent and put it in my truck where I built a sleeping platform based around the mat. Fit great in my 04 Tacoma. It self inflates well enough, and is easy to make small adjustments to firmness, fits back into its carrying bag easily, and the soft top makes you feel like youre sleeping on sheets not a camping pad. Very impressed and will be buying more Big Agnes gear because of this experience.
I used my pad this past weekend on a Cub Scout campout with my family. It was the best night's sleep I've had camping since I was a kid (and I've logged a lot of nights on the ground between Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and the Marine Corps). I'm a stomach sleeper and this 5" mat worked perfectly for that. I also loved that I didn't feel cramped on it. I'm a bigger guy (6'1" 235 lbs) and I felt like I had plenty of space on it. My wife was jealous so we are planning to buy her one also.
I purchased this pad to go in the bed of my Silverado. I have a 6.5 foot bed so the biggest size fits perfectly between my wheel wells. It's incredibly comfortable and I've slept on it during AZ summers and sub-zero alpine trips. After the first use I ended up purchasing a cheap better powered pump because it requires a lot of air. It does self inflate a decent amount but I find the pump makes setup and take down much easier. This is the most comfortable camping pad I've ever used.
Tested it out on a car camping trip a few days ago. It made all the difference in comfort and warmth in upper 30 degree temperatures. Insulated, comfortable and it doesn't squeak, like an ensolite pad when moving around. It initially took a good amount of time for the pad to inflate when we first got it. But, it now inflates much faster. The challenge, as others have said, deflating it and getting it to a size that fits back in the sack or taking up less room in the car.




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