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thoughts on good but cheaper sleeping pad


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Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
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  • #1261338
    Derek Schutt
    Member

    @derek_fc

    Locale: Northern Colorado Front Range

    I'm in the market for a sleeping pad to use with my new sleeping quilt. My old thermarest is heavy and 15 years old. I don't want to go with a closed-cell pad because I sleep on my side and my hips bruise, so something like a NeoAir would be great–if it wasn't so expensive.

    I'm curious if anyone has recommendations for something soft-ish, warm-ish, and cheap-ish. Do you guys like the BPL Torsolite? Thanks.

    #1630286
    Brad Rogers
    BPL Member

    @mocs123

    Locale: Southeast Tennessee

    1.) Kooka Bay Air Mat(not very warm)? or Synthetic Insulated Mat?

    2.) CC Foam pad with a Thermarest Prolite X-Small on top?

    3.) Thermarest Ridgerest Solar? (I know it is CC foam, but it is pretty thick so it might qualify as soft-ish.

    #1630287
    Kier Selinsky
    Member

    @kieran

    Locale: Seattle, WA

    If you can't do CCF like a ridgerest, then +1 on the kooka bay – i haven't seen more reasonably priced inflatables

    #1630293
    Mark Ryan
    Member

    @sixguns01

    Locale: Somewhere. Probably lost.

    I enjoy the Thermarest Prolite 3. Around 60-70 bucks and light for an inflatable for the price. Packs down nice and small as well. Find some good deals on this website or on Ebay.

    Hope it helps

    #1630302
    Brian Latta
    Member

    @skillet0

    Locale: SW Michigan

    You can get the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core pad for $60 shipped or the regular Air Core for less.

    #1630416
    Jason Elsworth
    Spectator

    @jephoto

    Locale: New Zealand

    The POE Ether Elite's are cheaper than the Neoairs.

    #1630419
    John Nausieda
    BPL Member

    @meander

    Locale: PNW

    When I bought air pads for myself, my wife and my daughter we went with the POE Ether -Thermo. Very good for the price, and included a stuff sack and a patch kit. Very comfortable so far but winter is another matter.I even found a balloon pump at Amazon that fits it well and which removes the issue of getting moisture into the internal fabric/baffles that seems to be a real concern especially on down filled mattresses.

    #1630436
    jeffrey bennett
    Spectator

    @jollygreen

    Locale: Near the bottom

    I love my Big Anges Clear view mummy. Good till about freezing by its self. Lower than that add a foam pad. $45 to $55 on the web.

    #1630487
    Jay Campbell
    Member

    @gohawks

    Locale: SE Iowa

    I got one. light, cheap, comfy. I dont know how warm the torso insulating strips will be though.I cant imagine much colder than neoair. slight weight penalty, mummy vs. rectangular, but big price difference.

    Its harder than heck to find a regular length right now. I do know you can get the 2/3 or long length from detourgearzone for a great deal, especially if you can take advantage of the 20% off code.

    #1630657
    Brad Groves
    BPL Member

    @4quietwoods

    Locale: Michigan

    Your best bet is a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core. Pick up the 20 x 60 mummy for 18 ounces, R-value of 4, and 2.5 inches of comfort… for ~$75. Incidentally, retail on the standard 20 x 72 IAC is ~$80, not $60. But still half the price of a Neo.

    I do recommend 2" + pads for side sleepers. Your shoulders and hips won't bottom out on the ground. They definitely would on the much thinner pad.

    #1630757
    Elizabeth Tracy
    BPL Member

    @mariposa

    Locale: Outside

    I am a side sleeper, and love my new POE Ether.
    More comfy than the Neoair I tried in the store.

    #1630766
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Review coming on POE Ether Elite 6 soon.

    Yeah, not bad. Not perfect either, but comfy.

    Cheers

    #1630785
    >> Bender <<
    BPL Member

    @bender

    Locale: NEO

    I don't know how Big Agnes gets away with advertising the Insulated Air Core with an R value of 4.1. According to Richard Nisley's testing the R value is actually 1.5-1.8 depending on inflation. Other air mats were much closer to their advertised ratings. The Insulated Air Core uses a thin layer of Primaloft Eco which has a clo of .74. I believe the thickness is 0.6" if I remember correctly. The Eco insulation would need to bee several times thicker to reach the advertised R value.

    #1630791
    Ultralite Hiker
    Spectator

    @ultralite

    To those that have owned both, (or at least the BA IAC and the RR Deluxe) how do they compare in terms of comfort (just comfort, not concerned about warmth). It would save me about 5 ounces, more after I cut it down, and I would not have to worry about punctures, blowing up, etc.

    I start off trying to sleep on my back, but usually end up all over the place, stomach, back, and side.

    #1630863
    Chris H
    BPL Member

    @nxp

    Locale: Upper Midwest

    I own both (a RRD and the BAIAC Short rectangle), and hands down comfort goes to the BA. I'm a side sleeper, and found that even the 1" thick Thermarests make me wake up sore.

    In the summer it's always the BA, in the fall it's the BA with a GG 1/8th pad, and in the winter it's the BA and RRD on the snow/ice.

    If Bender had been around when I got my BA, I would have gone with him first – but kept the syn filler over the down (just a preference).

    The POE does look like a good substitute for the money IMO.

    #1630866
    Ultralite Hiker
    Spectator

    @ultralite

    So as a stomach/side sleeper, I really do not have much of an option (as far as weight savings) but to go with something like the BA IAC? I like it, but tend to roll off. I may try to snag a NeoAir large. I would save about 5 ounces, and it would be 25 inches wide instead of 20, however, it is quite a bit more expensive.

    Basically, I am looking for:

    1. Comfort
    2. Weight
    3. Cost

    In that order.

    I own the BA IAC already.

    #1631063
    Derek Schutt
    Member

    @derek_fc

    Locale: Northern Colorado Front Range

    Thanks everyone for your comments. I just went for a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core (the short mummy). Can't wait to sleep on something on which I don't bottom out when I sleep on my side.

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