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 Therm-a-Rest Base Camp Sleeping Mat By: Therm-A-Rest Average Rating: 5.0 Total Reviews: 4 More Information Worth every penny  On: 2008-07-16My husband is new to camping. He bought a cheap pad for the first camping trip and said it was worthless. I got him this for Fathers Day and he used it at Cub Scout residence camp last week. He said it was worth every penny! I tried it in the house and thought it was quite comfy. Even on my side on a bare floor, I didnt hit bottom. It really provides good support with minimal thickness. It will be handy for kid sleep-overs in coming years and is easily stored behind our couch with the valves open. (Dont store these rolled up for the long term.) Id buy this over a sleeper sofa for occasional overnight guests. Quite comfy! But, a little bit slippery! On: 2008-06-18I took this sleeping pad for a test drive on a gravelly slope in Shenendoah National Park and I must say that it was VERY comfortable for my 63", 200lb self. It effectively shielded my back from the gravel below and, at the same time, provided a supportive sleeping platform. I am a side-sleeper, which means that my hips, shoulders and elbows bear the brunt of my bodyweight. On a sleeping pad, this usually means that those spots cannot be well-supported due to too much pressure on too small of a location. This pad did very well in this regard! It is lightweight, compact (for my kind of camping--hardcore backpackers might want the ultra-lightwight model) and quick to inflate. A couple of extra puffs from me, and this thing was ready for a good nights sleep... The one shortcoming that I found was the slipperiness of the pad. Because I was on a slope, I found that I slid down the pad a little bit over the course of the night. I know that there are ways to beat this problem, I just didnt think of it before I left to go camping on this trip. certainly not a big enough problem for me to regret my purchase. It is expensive, but I think that this is something that I will have for a long time, and as such, a good investment... All in all, a great mat! As good or better than your bed at home! On: 2007-07-11This is my 2md Thermarest mattress. I got about 20 years of great service out of the first one. It held air fine until I left it fully inflated in a closed trailer for a few hot summer weeks & the air expanded until it leaked. My fault. I learned to leave the valve open when storing. Or just roll it up when not in use. I really cant complain about it. So I bought another. This is the most comfortable camping mattress I have ever used. My back really loves it! Washable. Also it is ridiculously tough! In my college days I camped many times on sharp rocks or even broken glass, but the Thermarest air mat never had a problem with that. These things are so great because they almost inflate themselves! When you are making camp, just unroll the Thermarest & leave it with the air valve open. Go do a few things & come back & give it a couple of puffs & close the valve. All done! Really easy! Just remember not to store it fully inflated in a hot place with the valve shut! You can also get a Thermarest strap kit to join 2 of these mats so you & your honey wont keep falling into the space between. Boy Scout Campout success! On: 2006-09-25I took this on a Boy Scout campout to rest my old bones on for three days and loved it. I slept well on rocks and tree roots! In the past Ive often used a Coleman air mattress, but those can get pretty chilly when the temp drops. Kind of like sleeping on an ice block! Plus the air mattress is heavy and a pain to set up (have to haul batteries, pump, etc). This Therm-a-Rest was almost as comfortable as the air mattress. Well worth it considering that it kept me warmer than the air mattress and it was easy to set up (just open the valve!). Its very light and easy to transport. I highly recommend getting the "stuff sack" for this model. Makes it easier to pack/transport. I got the XL as opposed to the regular sized one. It gave me more room to move around. Whatever you do, dont store it rolled up! I ruined a different sleeping pad by making this mistake. They develop a foam memory and wont inflate properly if stored long term rolled up. Ill give this my high recommendation! See you on the trail! |