Sea to Summit Camp Plus Self Inflating Mat (Large)

I purchased 1 pad and then liked it so I got 1 more - both in the last month from REI. I plan on getting 2 more soon.I was looking for a sleeping pad that had certain specifications. This ended up as my top pick after many hours of looking at every sleeping pad on the market that I could find that met these specifications and was under $140. In short... it is compact, has foam and air for r-value - comfort - and compactability, it is 3 inches thick which is enough so you don't touch the ground, it is long enough for a 6 ft person and a pillow, it has a high r-value of 4.3 which is good for most temperatures year-round (except perhaps snow). It seems fairly durable and does not make a lot of noise when sleeping on it as some other brands do. It is wide enough to lay ... MoreI purchased 1 pad and then liked it so I got 1 more - both in the last month from REI. I plan on getting 2 more soon.I was looking for a sleeping pad that had certain specifications. This ended up as my top pick after many hours of looking at every sleeping pad on the market that I could find that met these specifications and was under $140. In short... it is compact, has foam and air for r-value - comfort - and compactability, it is 3 inches thick which is enough so you don't touch the ground, it is long enough for a 6 ft person and a pillow, it has a high r-value of 4.3 which is good for most temperatures year-round (except perhaps snow). It seems fairly durable and does not make a lot of noise when sleeping on it as some other brands do. It is wide enough to lay with your hands at your side but not extra wide. It is fairly lightweight and can support a lot of weight. It can be used for camping and backpacking (although it is the widest (when packed) pad I would recommend for backpacking). I do not like pads that when packed are longer than your backpack... I like this pad because it is not long when packed. It has a 3 in 1 valve for fast inflation/deflation, inflating without deflating when you stop, and deflating without inflating when you stop. You can buy a separately sold compatible air pump sack by Sea to Summit for inflation without electricity or breathing a lot... and using it instead of your breath introduces less moisture into the pad - which can lower the r-value and cause mold.Few downsides:I would like it more if it was less wide and overall smaller - both in regards to packed dimensions... but that may be difficult to design and use materials that result in a higher cost. I like that is is wide instead of long.It is the most difficult pad I have rolled when packing it up... but it is still doable.I would have liked if it came with a bag/sack that could easily be secured to the outside of most backpacks - and if it was rain-proof.If it wasn't obvious this in not the pad for ultralight backpackers, but if you want these specs under $140 this is compact and the #1 I found.(The next best pad #2 which I will not list here is about 2 inches less wide and 2 inches wider when packed - it however is less wide unfolded and and unnecessarily thick) (a top pick but further down on the list is very compact however it is noisy and has an unreliable R-value due to its design)

Overall I am very happy with product. It is what it advertised as. Though bulky and heavy it works great for canoe camping with is the majority of what I do. Inflates quickly and requires few breaths to fill. Overall the comfort of the pad is great and succeeds expectations. I have not had a chance to test it in cold weather conditions as of yet but I am happy with the product thus far. I have found that the self inflating function has worn out after many uses (50+) but I would still suggest this pad for someone who is looking for a pad were weigh is not a concern.

Here's a tip for inflating it the first time: I opened the valve and laid it flat for 12 hours, closed the valve and squished the air around to open up the flatter spots, then re-opened and left for 12 more hours... I did this inside in the AC, after the first day, I closed the valve and set it in the sun for 10 min. That expanded the air inside, and warmed up the foam so it relaxed a little, and now it self inflates like a champ!Not sure I'd recommend it to side sleepers that weigh more than my ~190Lbs, my hip is JUST short of grounding out on my side.