Rated 4 out of 5 by LongDistanceTraveler Works well, compact, lightweight
I have owned this pad for a year and been on 4 camping trips with it for a total of about 12 nights sleeping. WAY better than my old thermarest (which still holds air) or blue foam pad, or both together; and lighter and more compact too. The coldest temps I had were around 40F, and I didn't feel cold on the pad with an inexpensive 3-season sleeping bag (I sleep about average warmth). I really like that I can sleep on my side (so I don't snore) and not have pressure points like the flatter pads cause. Even though it looks pretty sturdy, I snagged it on something one night and had to repair it, but it hasn't leaked since. It packs down easily to fit in it's bag. Overall it has a very good price/performance ratio. You can pay a lot more to get something a little lighter, or less to get the uninsulated version, but I think that would be false economy. If you catch it on sale, it's a 5-star rating.
May 28, 2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by bmwtn Dead on Arrival
Mattress leaks and won't hold air overnite, out of the box. Fortunately, I was using it on a cot so it wasn't a critical issue, but an irritation, none-the-less. Quality control should be better. Being returned for a replacement. Hopefully this will function properly. I do like the system with the Big Agnes sleeping bag and integrated mattress.
October 19, 2011
Rated 5 out of 5 by captainsquid perfect pack mattress
Heavy duty , LIGHT weight, perfect for packing. Very comfortable, takes 5 minute to inflate ,comes with brass hardware , the bomb when it come to pack mattress
October 25, 2010
Rated 3 out of 5 by LHarrell Comfy, but Cool
I bought this mattress 2 years ago because I wanted a more comfortable tent experience. This pad is indeed thick, allowing you to release a little air to customize how hard/soft you want the mattress. Nice.
But, because the surface of the mattress is very smooth and the outside of my bag is too, I sometimes wake up off the mattress if the tent is not perfectly level (and it rarely is).
This mattress is mostly just air between you and the ground-- there is not much insulation. The air actually absorbs body heat and conducts it to the ground. I find that I sleep much cooler on this pad, which is not a good thing when the temperature drops. Best to use a second, closed-cell foam pad next to the ground if it's cold.
I am considering a heavier, self-inflating pad to replace this one.
September 11, 2010
Rated 5 out of 5 by MikeV Air Core Sleeping Pad delivers comfort!
Years ago in the army we had a heavy duty rubberized extremely comfortable inflatable mattress for the field. We modernized and replace those with self-inflatable mattresses, and I've used those for personal camping trips as well, but they never were as comfy as those old army mattresses. Finally L.L.Bean and Big Agnes comes through with an inflatable mattress that is light, durable and very comfortable. The materals used resist punctures, but even when a puncture occurs, the patching kit is quickly found in the storage sack in it's special pouch. The air valve is heavy duty and hasn't shown any signs of leakage. In addition to durability and lightness the mattress doesn't squeak, and that's important when sharing a tent with a couple other weary hikers/canoeists! I bought two and I'll be back to buy more as my kids take them off for their own trips!
April 28, 2010