Big Agnes Air Core Sleeping Pad

This product is new to me so my experience is too. However, the last and only trip I have taken this pad on it worked great. I slept well and it was very comfortable. I found it to be light and easy to pack as well. The price is right and I am looking forward to camping more this spring.

I actually like my self-inflating pad a little better than this pad, but this pad is so much smaller and lighter that I pack this one.
I fully inflate the pad and sleep well on my side. I prefer the rectangular shape of this pad over the mummy pad. I am glad that there is no anti-slip material on either side of this pad (I hate that stuff).
Remember, manually inflated pads collect moisture in their chambers which can lead to problems when inflating in freezing conditions. For this reason, this is a three-season pad.

Got this for our little one. 48" takes about 70 secs to blow up. Folds up into the size of a CD wallet. Very impressed that it comes with it's own stuff sack, which has an interior pocket holding a patch kit. Doubt you can find a better pkg for under 45 bucks.

The BA Air Core pad adds light-weight luxury to backpacking! We paired ours with Big Agnes bags (which have sleeves for the pads) and slept as soundly in our tent as we do at home. The pads are thick enough that you don't feel the ground/rocks at all, durable, and really easy to pack up. Our friends, who all had Thermarests, complained of sore backs and stiff joints every morning, while we were well rested and pain free. The only bit I wasn't thrilled with was the amount of time/effort it took to blow them up, but I still think they're worth five stars! An additional point worth mentioning...we also paired our pads with the Big Agnes Big Easy Chair Kits, and wow! were they awesome!! :)

As a lifelong hiker, camper, river runner, outdoors woman, the goal has always been to find a sleep solution that strikes a balance between comfortable enough to get some good sleep and easy to pack for ultra light trips. My new Big Agnes 48" sleeping pad saw it's maiden voyage on this years 29th Annual River Run (2009) in Florida on the 3 day canoe trip. Many of you know that having gear that is multifunctional is a beautiful thing. This pad stayed in my small waterproof "emergency" bag just in case I found myself with no canoe and just my floating emergency sack (sh_t happens). I could easily be towed along behind a fellow river runner on top of my Big Agnes inflated sleeping pad. Fortunately, it didn't come to that, although Big Shoals was kicking as a strong class II whitewater thanks to the torrential rains before Memorial Weekend. So here's my advice on this mattress, do NOT over inflate. Inflate it until it seems fairly full then lie down (...on the mattress :-). The beauty of the nozzle is that you can gentle dial the valve open and closed while lying on the mattress until you feel yourself sink just to that sweet spot where you are not on the ground but you're getting into the mattress a bit. The comfort zone will vary for each person but the adjustment is so easy to do without losing all your air and fumbling to get the air closed off quick when you find that spot. I love it! As for the noise, I slipped mine into a lightweight fleece sleeping bag the second night and it really quieted down. Slept good. I'm 5'3" so the mattress came to my just below my knees when lying on my back. When I laid on my side with my knees comfortably (slightly) bent, I was totally on the mattress. I don't mind my feet hanging off the end when I'm on my back, it was actually quite comfortable. The trade off of going ultra light is well worth it for those who aren't camping with the luxury of your vehicle nearby and who understand that this isn't a pillow top mattress. OVERALL - I would buy another one if anything ever happens to this one. I'm impressed with the quality and versatility. Very happy with this purchase.

So, basically this pad is the equivalent of the overrated Therm-a-rest Neoair, only without the "reflective surface" heat barrier. However, the aircore is $100 less, it actually comes with a stuff sack AND it comes with a repair kit which fits into its own compartment of the stuff sack. Also, this pad actually holds air, unlike the neoair. At $50, this 2.5" thick pad is comfy, light, affordable, and packs down nice and small. Very good piece of gear. I highly recommend.
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Super thick, super comfy, and packs down nicely. 'nuff said.

We got these pads and used them the first night while hiking the Tetons. We were camped half on a bolder and half on a snow bank...never felt a hard spot once and stayed pretty warm. My brother was using the insulated pad and i could feel no different between the two...save a few bucks and just get the regular pads instead of the insulated. Pack size and weight is worth the money alone! Love it!!!!

Still getting use to the thickness, but it is pretty comfortable. The only thing that I do not like about it is that it is too slippery.

Been using this pad now for a few weeks ... At times i miss my old prolite 4, but with some practice this pad can get the job done very well, 2 1/2 inches thick, but with little to no support .. like a pool float or regular air mattress ... Its the vertical beams that cause the dip when weight is put in a general single area ... Like others have said, took me about 15/17 breathes to inflate ... allow air to evaporate from temp changes, and before ya go to bed .. add 2-3 good puffs of air or till firm ... Lay down inside the bag and release air slowly, when you get that cozy but firm, don't sleep slumped, your back will hate you in the morning ... Will little practice i found my air levels and got used to the bounce from a no foam pad ... I don't miss my pl4 much nowadays cept for winter use ... One star off because it can be hard to find the gel comfort but with little practice and $50 .. this should not be the one peice you leave home ... no foam can compare.

I bought this pad 4 years ago and it has worked better than any other pad I have ever used. Granted, at first I was concerned about putting a hole in it but I have had no problems. It is half the weight of other pads, is thicker than any other one, and packs down to the size of a Nalgene bottle. You can't go wrong.

For the small packable size, ease of inflating and deflating, and the cofort for the price it's a definate 5 stars.

While this is the only pad I've ever bought/tried, it more than exceeded my expectations. I found it to be SUPER comfortable, easy to inflate, and even easier to stuff back in its sack (I'm terrible at folding/compressing gear properly). My boyfriend was very jealous watching me sleep on top of this pad, since he was on only 1/4 inch pad, and I didn't find it to be noisy at all. The only negative was that I was very cold while sleeping. The pad is not rated well for warmth at all, and if you're going to be backpacking in 30 degree weather, you'll need some additional covering for it. Even in my 0 degree bag (it was about 25-30 degrees), both the pad and I were freezing. The only reason I was able to stay happy was because of the thickness/comfort of this pad!

I took this pad out in the rocky Texas hill country, and my friends on their thin thermarests were so jealous I could feel the hatred. This is by far the most comfortable backpacking pad I have ever used, and it rolls up small enough that I can tuck it in a water bottle pocket on my pack. I am 5' 9" and the regular was long enough for me. I slept on it on a 30 degree night with no problem, but in colder climates an insulated pad would probably be a good idea.

I've only used it once but we got along fine. I'm still glad I opted for the full length version. I found it very comfortable. It held up well both inside the chair contraption and below my bag.

Just got my sleeping pad! So happy to have this. I was instantly excited about the size when it's rolled up (size of a nalgene, very lightweight). When I unrolled it and started to blow it up, I was slightly disappointed. It took a few minutes to blow it up (around 20 - 30 breaths). I'm used to the self inflating or foam ones, so it will be an adjustment.
Excited to try it out on the trail!

Easy to blow up. Very small footprint for transport. I found it too small and uncomfortable. I will need a larger more comfy unit. I don't do any fastpacking so don't need one to be this small.

The short Aircore in at 16oz folds TINY. I'm a 5"10 side sleeper and the short has me covered. USE A TAPE MEASURE measure your length sleeping if your a side sleeper, you might like what you find. Long story short I used the aircore hiking and camping for 5 days in wyoming tetons. It worked down to 38, harder or softer, no big deal add some air, lose some air. Filling it aint a big deal. It takes a few minutes - unless your in a race who cares. If you are in a race you save on the weight anyway. It all works out. It was comfortable. It comes with a patch repair kit - havnt used it. I love it and I hope it lasts.

Very comfortable pad, I love that it slides perfectly into my Big Agnes Gun Creek 30 Degree synthetic bag.
It takes just about two minutes to fill with air, and that is without hyperventalating.
Packs small by itself or can be kept in the sleeping bag sleeve and packed that way.
Overall great pad that is very comfortable.

I really like this pad. I have slept on and carried other pads around and this is much easier to pack, lighter to carry, and more comfortable to sleep on! It does take a little longer to blow up than other pads but the comfort is worth it! Hope you enjoy.

I bought this pad to go on a trip to Hawaii with friends that have a time share - who I go with off & on. I end up staying on the pull out couch bed when we don't have a 2 bedroom condo. This pad was light weight enough to pack & not be over the limit. It really did the trick. The pull out bed in our condo wasn't a very good mattress & wasn't very comfortable, just like most of them I've had to sleep on.
I just took out this pad, blew up (takes very little time) plopped it on top of the mattress & slept well.
A great relief compared to past trips without it.
Definately handy! I recommend it to anyone who's traveling & has to be on a bed that might not end up being the best.

This sleeping pad was well worth the money I paid. Though extra-long, it took about 7 minutes for me to blow it up manually -- that is, without an air pump!!

It feels comfortable enough -- I tried it on my bedroom floor and will be using it on an upcoming bike trip.

Just back from a two week trip where I slept every night on this pad. I used it with my new Big Agnes Cross Mountain bag that has a pocket to accomodate it. I was happy with the bag/pad combination (never coming off the pad is great) but must admit I was missing my Therm-a-Rest by the end of the trip. While extremely high quality (it is guaranteed for a lifetime and it may last that long), the pad does not have the "foam" feel I like in a sleeping pad. It basically feels like a pool float. It must be totally manually inflated to use, which takes about 20 breaths. On two of the nightes I was at a base camp and had a matress or cot to sleep on. But the nature of the pad required that I inflate it anyway, or remove it from the bag. I chose to inflate it. Not doing so would have left a crinkly liner that would have made noise every time I moved on it.

I bought this sleeping pad for a camping trip overseas. Aside from being very light-weight and compact - a bonus for air travel - this airpad is extremely comfortable. My wife, who equated camping with having a sore back is now excited about camping, thanks to this mattress.

We have two types of BA sleeping pads, this one gives you a lot more cushion, the time it takes to blow it up is very short... fits nicely into the BA bags...
Paks and compresses fast... highly recommend this pad.

I just bought this about a month ago. I have slept on it the last three weekends. It is comfortable! In fact, I would say that it surpassed my expectations for comfort. It is also small and light to carry. I would definitely give it a 5 for comfort, weight and size. I am only 5'10" but I bought and would recommend the long version. The only drawbacks are that you have to inflate it yourself and it can take a few minutes to get all the air out of it so it can be folded enough to fit in the stuff bag. I have learned that if I open the valve when I first get up and then let it deflate on its own while I do other things in the morning then the folding goes easier. Inflation isn't a big deal. It only takes a couple of minutes.

I mean really, what more do you need? It takes 2-3 minutes to blow the darn thing up and you sleep like a baby for the night. Very light for a pad of this caliber and very compact when it's in its stuff sack. I was sliding during my sleep, but that was only because my genius partner chose an inclined camp spot. In short, you won't be disappointed because you won't be awake.

Can't forget about the price tag!

I do quite a lot of camping and day hiking. And I'm just now starting to get into backpacking a little more seriously. I recently purchased this product to use on backpacking trips, but it was forced into service when the king sized air mattress failed. I gotta' tell you, aside from the loss of space (versus the king sized air mattress) this thing is awesome. In the truest sense of the word. I'm a picky sleeper with a crappy back, but this thing was more comfortable than any number of substitutes, including my own couch.

Just slept on this pad for five nights in a row. We also had a Therm-a-rest classic pad. We both thought that the Big Sgnes Pad was a bit more comfortable. Though not self-inflating, it wasn't difficult to blow-up, it maybe took one or two minutes to inflate.

I’m 6' 2", 52-years-old and went on my first trip with this combo - BA pad and bag. Night time low temp's upper 30's.

Great combination with the BA Lost Ranger bag. A bit of a hassle inflating/inserting in bag's pad sleeve but worth the effort. Somewhat awkward to move around the tent once fully inflated. If not properly inserted square in the sleeve, cold spots develop as the sleeve (bag bottom) is not insulated but that's easy to fix/avoid with experience.

Easy to deflate and pack back into storage bag.

Best part was being able to roll, turn and reposition easily within the bag without any chance of rolling off pad. Was the envy of those on Therm-a-rests.

While this isn't the fanciest pad around, it is the best for the money. It packs up to the size of a nalgene and is very light. Take it out, inflate it and now you have an extremely comfortable pad. The downside is you have to blow it up your self and this doesn't do well below 35 degrees. I would recommend this to anyone shopping in this price range. I have still not found a more comfortable pad. As a bonus you can put two together and it forms an nice place to get close to one another.

The sleeping pad was perfect and I love the way it inserts into the sleeping bag and stays put. I cannot imagine a better mattress to use.

As for the Big Agnes sleeping bag—it was rated for 15F, but had to wear 3 layers to stay warm when the temp got down to 30F. Very surprised at this. Also, there is no insulation between you and the sleeping pad, but your body heat apparently warms the air in the pad and it was fine. If I had not had the pad, am sure the cold ground would really have been tough to deal with.

Excellent sleeping pad, simply the best pad for the money. It’s a high quality pad that’s easy to inflate and deflate, and it has a high level of cushioning.

I have been looking for the right sleeping pad. I think I have finally found it in the Big Agnes. At 2.5 inches any self inflating pad I have tried would not prevent me from touching the ground when sleeping on my side, my favorite position. On this pad I could not only sleep on my side but any other position I chose. Just make sure you bring a pillow.

After reading these reviews, I was expecting to "sleep like a baby," as one of the reviewers said. While I sleep better than with a normal foam pad, I still woke up a lot and had to adjust my sleeping position constantly. Maybe I'm just a light sleeper, or maybe my expectations were too high. Regardless, I was a little disappointed.

This pad works well with Big Agnes sleeping bags. Fits in pocket to keep you centered over the pad without rolling off with the bag. As for filling with air, the pad does take about 20 breathes, so not self inflating.

I love this pad. You can sleep ANYwhere with this thing! My buds are continually amazed at how much nicer mine is and the fact that it rolls up almost as small as their pads. I should've done more research before buying it though. Trying to save oz I bought this one instead of the insulated and froze my butt off on Weekend on the Buffalo River (AR). If you're going to be using this in colder temps, I'd really recommend bringing along a silk blanket or sleeve. This thing is light, super comfy, and packs well. Really nice outfit B.A. has going on.

Lighter than my thermarest, more comfortable. The trick is not to inflate, but leave it a little 'spongy'. Construction is excellent and it tough as nails. Down side is that you have to inflate it and if you inflate too much it makes a lot of noise if you roll over. My only regret is not getting one sooner. HONEST!

I know this sleeping pad has no fancy features, but my hip didn't hit the ground once my entire camping trip! This is far different from any other camping trip I've ever had. For anyone who sleeps on their side they might want to considering purchasing this pad. I keep the patch kit in the sac with it just in case.

Finally, a good night's sleep on the trail without aching hips and shoulders waking me up in the middle of the night. Small and light in the pack, easy to inflate, and after about 10 nights on the ground, still no leaks or other problems.

Ever wake up after a night under the stars and wish you'd sprung from a cheap motel because your hips are screaming in agony? Not with this pad. Best piece of gear I've purchased in years. Next up is the Big Easy Chair Kit so I can lounge on this supremely comfortable air mattress.

I tried thermarest for the longest time and I just couldn't get a good nights sleep on one. Then I got this little guy and what a difference. Granted it does take a little longer to fill but it's worth it in my mind. I would always slide off of thermarests, but i stay put on the air core. Very comfy, I sleep much better on it and I never hit the ground when I turn on my side. It packs really small(the size of your average water bottle.) Great price for a great pad.

The Air Core is a welcome alternative to those skinny thermarests, especially for side sleepers. My hips never touched the ground using the Air Core recent back country trips. I really like the pack-size of it, too. The only reason it did not get five stars from me was due to it's inflation/deflation effort. It's worth it though for the added comfort it provides.

This is my first sleeping pad that I've bought and I absolutely love it! It packs up small for extra space for other gear, and it's absolutely comfortable considering the minimal thickness. For backpacking, amazing on it's own, for carcamping I recommend two if you have the space in your tent for a little extra width.

The 4 star rating is just because I'm picky. It's a bit slippery which is fine as I like my freedom of movement, but it's noisy as heck when I'm squirming around to get into my comfy place. It rolls up and fits into its bag easily. The only thing I'd change is a quieter top fabric and a larger diameter filler valve for quicker inflation/deflation.

The Big Agnes Air Core pad worked great for my Montana horse trip. It was compact and easy to pack on the horse. The nights were warm so I put the pad inside of my sleeping bag and slept on top of that. No complaints about noise, and it was extremely comfortable. It does take a couple of minutes to blow it up, but the comfort and packing size make up for the couple of minutes it takes inflating it. Because of this pad I truly enjoyed sleeping on the rocky terrain of Montana and didn't want to leave.

This product is excellent, the noise is a bit much, but for the comfort it's one of the best pads to buy. After two nights my lady friend who has back problems woke up in better shape than usual.

I slept on Big Aggie 7 nights straight, and it was a BIG improvement over a Thermarest. I never felt a rock all week and no sore hips. It is great for limited packers/backpacking. The compression to a small size is a big plus.
It is a little slippery on your sleeping bag though. I am very satisfied and would recommend it.

The Big Agnes Air Core pad is GREAT for backpacking. It packs small, is lightweight, and is more comfortable than any self-inflating pad because it is 2-3 times thicker! The self-inflators also take up WAY more space when packed! At 20" it is a little narrow (one arm tends to go off the side when lying on my back) but I usually sleep on my side, and it's great for that. Easy to adjust firmness. It does take a little blowing to inflate, but it's worth it for the comfort. I use mine with a Slumberjack Ultimate +20degree bag, and it "squeaks" a little when you move around against the pad. But this is a very minor problem overall. This pad is rated for 35 degrees. For those who complain about it not being warm enough in cold weather, Big Agnes has an insulated pad for about $20 more rated at 15 degrees (also sold by BackCountry.com).

My only other experience with a sleeping pad was a cheap 1/2 length pad that I rented on a trip to the boundary waters. This pad blew that one out of the water! I slept really well on this guy and didn't think it was too slippery or too narrow at all. Of course, I am a pretty slender guy for 6' and I like to sleep on my side, so width wasn't ever really a concern.

The small size and weight, the comfort...all this adds up to a pretty great backpacking sleep experience! I've used self-inflating pads as well as foam pads, and this one is definitely the best way to go. (Certainly worth the extra time it takes to blow up.) I really won't leave home with out it! (I did take away one star for the noise. As you'll read in other reviews, it is a bit noisier than other pads--one of my fellow backpackers even commented on it. But it more than makes up for that in comfort!)

First pad I could fit in my smaller pack. I use a small comp. sack and stuff it with some other gear. Super comfy for its weight. Inflating is an easy two sessions.

Pad was great in rooty rocky ground, very thick. Love the way it packs up so small and hardly weighs anything. Looking forward to using it again.

This thing is 2.5 inches thick! Therefore, a lot better than the 1/4 inch pads. I take the 1/4 backpacking as it's lightweight but I take this when I'm not backpacking. It's not self inflated but only takes about 5 minutes to blow up.

I can't compare this to any other sleep pad as this is my first but it definitely beats sleeping on the floor! I did my research based on price, pack size, and reviews and this one had me sold. It does pack to the size of a nalgene bottle, only takes a few minutes to blow up, no slipping, super comfy but it is noisy and that is why I only gave it 4 and not 5 stars. I'm cold blooded so my only regret was not getting the insulated one.

The compact size and light weight we're excellent for someone who is getting on in years and trying to reduce the backpack load. It took a lot of effort to inflate. A younger person might do it easier. Comfortable sleeping, good hip support. No bottoming out when sleeping on my side.

This packs up into pretty much nothing. It is so easy to drag around with you everywhere you go. you never know when you will be on a floor and could use it. I have taken this to lake Powell, Colorado, the uninta's and many floors in houses. It is not cushy. It is just a typical air mattress, just fills with air. I have used it as a flotation device in the lake before also.

After spending 8 years at numerous Boy Scout adventures, The self inflated pads were comfortable but a pain to deflate and lug around from site to site. This inflatable is very comfortable. Used in at Big Bend National Park where a rockless spot is difficult to find. Slept very well down to 30 degrees one night. Can be slippery if you have an all hylon bag. But never felt a rock. Inflates in about 5-7 minutes for a 54 year old. Deflates and rolls up in about the same.

Great bag and costs less than many others comperable pads.

I've only backpacked with it on two nights, so I don't know how durable it will be. It is the first inflatable mattress I have used. In my opinion, it was comfortable--I didn't feel the ground beneath me at all. I fumbled with the valve a bit before I figured out how to "top off" the air pressure without losing too much while I closed off the valve. Pressure was still good in the morning, so it didn't appear to have leaked at the seams or elsewhere. Material appears to be heavy duty. Weight isn't bad, and it fold up into a small roll.

If I had it to do again, I would buy the wider size because my shoulders are a bit too broad for this one when lying prone or on my back. My only complaint was that the bottom of the pad slips a bit on the tent floor. This is not a fault of the pad, I guess. But if you place your tent on a slight incline as I did and you roll or squirm a few times on your pad, you will find that the pad has migrated to the low side or end of the tent.

Killer!!! Even though it's designed for the big agnus sleep system, this pad was awesome for other bags. I used it for one week in Alaska and it was the best.

It's small, compact and comfy! I love my mattress pad. It took only two minutes to inflate, even less to deflate, and it packs up very well. A good choice!

I received the REM air core sleep pad and immediately was impressed with its size. The following weekend, I used it and must say for me it is much more comfortable than a Therm-a-rest. It packs small, it is perfect for motorcycle camping trips.

A lot after a loong day on the trail! I'm a side sleeper and this is the only pad I can sleep through the night w/o waking up to sore hips! Admittedly it takes a while to blow up but who's in a hurry when you're enjoying life backpacking? Worth every cent IMHO! I gave it 5-stars!

As many pads as Iv tried this is THE BEST. I wish I would have herd of it sooner. Its so compact that I can throw it into a day pack and make it an over nighter pack,an its way thinner than a nalgine bottle.

Well worth the price and size. I used self-inflating mats until this summer--never again. This is without a doubt the best sleep mat I've ever used. Slept like a log. I'm average height and weight (5'10" & 170 lbs) and the 70" mat was perfect. My brother, who's taller and heavier, used the longer mat and loved it. Sure, you have to blow it up--takes but a couple of minutes. Big deal. The results are well worth the effort. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Much smaller and lighter weight than the self-inflating style and MUCH more comfortable. My son and I just got back from the Smokies and I can say that for the first time on a BP trip I slept and did not have every joint in my body ache when I woke up! Don't worry about what is under the tent, because you won't feel it through this mattress. Only negative is the noise when you roll over. If it lasts, this mattress will be a great investment! Blow up time is about 3 minutes, but well worth it in comfort.

I slept better on this pad than I recall sleeping on my full-size thermarest. I also bought the Big Agnes Lost Ranger bag to go with it...nice to have the pad and bag tied together. When I first lie on the pad it feels a little weird just having air under me, but, the feeling quickly fades. In the past I have often awakened during the night with an arm or hand that has fallen asleep. I haven't had it happen with this pad.

this is the best sleeping pad for backpacking. very light, very compact, and very comfortable. Takes a while to blow up, but its worth it.

I like this better than my pro light 4 seems to be a little more cush. wears about the same but doesn't seem to be as warm as the pro light 4.

This pad is a great alternative to the traditional foam pad. Doesn't self inflate, but wasn't too bad to manually blow up, it has a nice little valve that you can push down in between breaths so you don't lose any of the air you have blown in.
Fit very easily into the Big Agnes encampment bag I was using. The feeling lying in the tent was great, upgrade from your foam pad you will be so happy when you do.

Just returned from the Paria River in Escalante and this pad was great! It unpacks and inflates quick, is super comfortable to sleep on, and it even doubled as a flotation device in the river in 100+ degree temps while out there. All my other pads I usually would wake up in the middle of the night from being uncomfortable, but I slept through the night all 3 nights on this pad! Great work from Big Agnes on this one!