Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)If you are a car camper like me, who really values sleep, the 4" XXL air pad is about as good as it gets. If you are a hiker and need something compact and lightweight, look elsewhere. I tent camp and have tried a variety of pads, including roll out foam pads and air mattresses.
The foam pads are somewhat bulky, but just don't provide enough comfort against rocks and uneven surfaces. The air mattresses, on the other hand, offered more comfort but had some major deficiencies. First, they tend to deflate with air temperature changes or pinhole leaks - I regularly woke up in the morning with half the air that I started with. Second, they also feel like a water bed and may not provide very good support or, if you have a queen air mattress and share it with another camper, then you are likely to feel every little movement they make. Third, with at least my tent's design, the air mattress was too tall and put my face too close to the angle of the tent - on the side wall. Finally, air mattresses need to be inflated with powerful lungs or an air pump. For the pump, you may not always have access to electricity or batteries, whcih can be frustrating.
Basically, this self inflating mattress was the ultimate solution. I feel like I can stop searching for the perfect pad for my tent camping. The 4" padding model is super comfortable, easy to inflate, and sits relatively low to the ground. Since getting this pad, it is the first time I have felt really rested when I wake up from my tent in the morning. Even my wife was super happy with it.
It is a little more difficult to roll back up, however, because the pad wants to self inflate while you are trying to get the air out. The trick is to roll it up once really sloppy and quick, just to get most of the air out, then you close the valves. Now unroll it and roll it up a second time but while keeping the valves closed. This will push and trap any remaining air to the end near the valves. At that time, reopen the valves and push out all remaining air before tightening the valves back up. The pad rolls up to about a 10" diameter and includes a couple of elastic straps and a nice travel bag with handle.
So far I have only used this for one trip and loved it, but I cannot speak about long term durability just yet. From what I see, it looks pretty solid. I do know my 5 and 6 year old kids were jumping around on it in the tent and it seemed to endure the test.
I also found the pricing of the Alps Mountainerring pads to be much more reasonable versus the ThermaRest brand.
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ALPS Mountaineering Comfort Series Air Pad
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