Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Review

"We love these pads, one of the first ones got a slow leak and I woke up cold on the ground twice that night, but we exchanged it and have had no problems. The primaloft is sooooo warm and they colapse to smaller than a nalgene bottle and weigh almost nothing and we got the long ones. Better than any Thermarest I have ever seen."

"I bought this pad for a snowcamping trip in Yosemite. Like the pad in the earlier review, mine also leaked, only I needed to reinflate almost hourly. It was quite comfortable when it was inflated, but those times were fleeting. I'd recommend giving it a good tryout at home, before depending on it in the wilderness, and especially on the snow."

"We have 2 of these and really like them. Air Core is smaller,lighter, and way more comfortable than a traditional thermarest. My wife and I strap ours together to form 1 large pad. PrimaLoft worked well in 40F nights. Pads are well-built and seem durable so far (no leaks here).

Pros: Makes camping comfy for side sleepers. Packs light and small.
Cons: $$; need additional insulation for 4 season camping; Set up and tear down takes a little longer than self inflating pads"

"I just tried one last week and it was great! not too cold out, so I can't say how well it insulated. All that cushioning means that you can sleep on your side comfortably! Mine weighs 26oz and packs small.

I worry about leaks, and you have to blow it up (those things hold a lot of air!)"

"I used the regular one (square) for a week long trip in the Sierras in July. I liked it. If inflated it just right it is super comfortable.

I noticed that on the coldest nights the air would become mre dense and the pad would flatten slightly. So you need to overinflate slightly if you expect the temp to drop a lot.

I am not sure how well it insulates, but into the 30's it worked OK. I was in a 15 degree bag.

The repair kit was missing from the pocket in the stuff sack...which was a disappointment."

"My first Air Core leaked also making for a long night of waking up to reinflate. I exchanged it at REI upon my return and the replacement has not leaked. Supports my 250 lb. girth quite well. Very comfortable, especially if you shift and roll over during the night.
The only downside is trying to get it back into the stuff sack after use."

"I have an "iffy" back that can be really stiff in the morning; this is my lifesaver. Ultra comfy. I have the mummy reg. which makes holding a pillow in place a challenge, but well worth the $$. Pros: really, really, really comfy, adjustable support, packs small; Cons: careful not to pop it! Does take a few breaths to inflate."

"ON my last trip (6 nights) the damn thing leaked every night, even after I found the hole and patched it! Big Agnes replaced it for me no problem.

On my previous trip, however, I slept like a baby! It was so warm and cushy, and when i put it into my thermarest chair, it was so comfy! The cushioning is unbeatable.

Now I worry about leaks, however, and am considering just taking a solid foam pad next time so as not to risk a leak. Maybe if they made the material a little tougher!"

"My family of 4 each has his or her own version of Big Agnes or Insul Mat--not once in all of our uses has it been a problem. The mat makes it possible for me to even backpack because my back and hips don't bother me. The only downside is having to inflate myself."

"This mat very comfortable, but I did not find it durable. After 21 days of use over three different trips, it popped a leak. The following night, three more. The next night, four more. I couldn't keep up with the repairs and gave up. It was clearly at the end of its use and ended up dead weight in my pack. (FYI I weigh 135 and baby all my gear.)"

"Great pads, only problem is that they are not self inflating. My wife, daughter, and I all have this pad. They are so comfortable, my wife who sleeps on her side was able to sleep comfortably. For those of us who are over 40, and still backpack, this is a great product. We spent many nights over the last month sleeping well on these pads.

I can not attest to their sturdiness at this time, I will need to submit another review after having them longer. I have found an easier way to pack these pads. The first step is to fold them, to ensure all of the air has escaped. Once all of the air is out of them, fold them lengthwise into thirds. You should now have a pad that is the same length as the storage bag. Roll the pad making sure to keep the pad folded into thirds. This will produce a rolled pad that will fit into the storage bag.

My wife and I had two of the original Therma Rest 3/4 pads. They were fine but we could never get a good nights rest, we would awake throughout the night. I had done alot of research on these pads, and it was between the Insul Mat and the Big Agnes. Both companies make full length pads in mummy or square. Once tried these and got a good nights sleep we wont go back.

Pros - Can adjust the amount of air, to your comfort level. Great night sleep, very comfortable, and makes the next day of hiking more enjoyable.

Cons - Durability, have not had them long enough to know how they will hold up. They take longer to setup, to blow them up, and to take down than a self inflating pad."

"Pros-
*You can adjust it to just the right amount of air for comfort
*full length
*packs smaller than most pads and weighs less
*perfectly fits my large Therm-a-rest chair
*Most important, comfortable

Cons-
*Can't yet tell it's durability
*Not self inflating
*takes a while to deflate (although if you open the valve while you pack up camp it deflates most of the way)"

"Not a big fan. I have used this pad a total of 12 nights and it has leaked the last two. I cannot find the whole and it is frustrating.

It was nice for those 10 nights though.

I am going to contact the Mfg. and see what happens."

"A month in Alaska had me sleeping on this pad night in and night out and sleeping like a baby each time, regardless of the ground or conditions outside. After seeing a hiking partner inflate his therma-rest in under four breaths, I was jealous since every night I had to breath no less than 25 strong breathes to fill the pad. The payoff for my extra effort was worth it though. After sleeping on very uneven ground, I woke up without a sore and completely unfazed by the pock-marked ground that we pitched our tent on. After testing the therma-rest on the uneven ground, I realized that my pad was by far superior and was no longer envious of the quicker inflating therma-rest.
The pad also proved to hold up very well and never sprung a single leak. It insulates very well and keeps you high above the tent floor to avoid the water that can get in when a hole appears in the floor on a tent. It can also double as a raft on which to spend sunny days floating on calm waters.
Great pad, extremely comfortable, not too heavy, packs small. More than worth the 25+ strong breaths that it takes to inflate it."