Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsBudget Option with Suspect R Value
Reviewed in Canada on November 21, 2023
Size: I got the regular size. Many have complained about it being too small. It's actually a bit wider than your standard "regular" size sleeping pad from brand name makers. I can rest my elbows and hands on the pad comfortably, where with some of my brand name pads in this size, I cannot. Its a less agressive taper than other pads. If you are a side sleeper size is not a problem. If you're bigger or a back sleeper you may need to consider another size. They do offer a larger size so no problems here.
Inflation: valve has a one way inflation and a dump port for quick deflation. However the quality of the valve is suspect. It takes a lot of force to open and I worry about it tearing the fabric. There's no satisfying click when closing and seating the valve so you have to take some time to ensure it is closed. I wonder how many reports of leaking are actually from not fully closing the valve. The pump sack (pretty standard way to blow up air pads these days, as it saves your lungs and reduces moisture going into the pad from your breath) is just ok, cap came off the little hole immediately and is not glued or welded to the sack in any way, but is also not a necessity. I have two other pump sacks, each with a different size opening for different types of valves, and neither fits the valve for the pad. So if this pump sack fails, I'm in a bit of trouble because it takes a lot of force to blow up this pad by mouth. The pad also comes with a stuff sack which fits well. Takes about five pump sacks of air to inflate. Deflation is quick and easy.
Design: strange placement of the valve. It's at the bottom of the pad, on the underside. Usually the valve is on the top of the pad to the left or right of the head so that you can make micro adjustments to your comfort level while lying on the pad. Not possible here as you have to get off the pad to adjust. Speaking of micro adjustments, they want you to use a little plastic needle to make them. I generally don't recommed going near a lightweight air pad with a needle. If they made the little knob in the valve a bit sturdier, you could easily make micro adjustments with just your thumb or finger. As it is, you can still adjust this with your finger it's just a little finicky.
Comfort: the material is slippery, unfortunately many pads are made this way these days (I have one old pad still that has grippy patches on the bottom, but all my modern pads are slippery as this one). You can come up with your own solution to keep it from sliding around the also very slippery tent floors. When I seam seal my tents, I do a few tracks of sealant along the tent floor so my pads don't slide around. There are many solutions out there for that. The horizontal baffles are pretty standard and give decent support. The 3 inch thickness allows for some adjustment in firmness without any part of you bottoming out (dependent on your weight). It's not very noisy when tossing and turning. Definitely not the chip bag crinkle you get with other pads. Just more of that inflatable material sound than anything. The comfort is pretty good, and is on the firm side of things. As mentioned you can adjust to make it less firm.
Warmth: I don't know what the true r value is. When I researched how they acheived a 5.2 rvalue, they referred to a coating. Some pads use internal mylar or films along with structural components to restrict the movement of air. I have pads ranging in r value from 2.7-6.5 and without extensive field testing I have no idea where this falls, but I'm erring toward the low side of that (maybe 3). There are some reviews saying this pad kept them warm in freezing conditions, and some who say they were cold at 5 degrees celsius. I'm apt to trust the latter. For those new to backpacking, r value is extremely important. Your sleeping bag won't keep you warm alone. Other reviewers have indicated that the company has stated it intends to test to the sleeping pad standard. As such, I consider this as a summer sleeping pad that I would only push into shoulder season after some cold weather tests in the backyard.I do feel warmth being reflected back when lying on this pad, but I would recommend testing extensively in temps you are planning to camp in before taking it out in the field.
Durabilty: 40D material should hold up. Even the brand name expensive pads have durability problems these days, bad production runs, and the like. I'm more concerned about the valve holding up. The patch kit appears to be intended as a more permanent fix rather than a field repair, as they want you to wait 4 hours after patching before filling it up with air. However if it develops a hole in the middle of the night, who wants to wait 4 hours to go back to sleep? They do state it has a lifetime warranty so appear to be standing behind their products.
Value: this is where this pad really shines. I bought it on sale and it's a fraction of the cost of brand name pads. The r value may not be as high as stated, but it's something I can live with. Pads are ridiculously expensive these days but this one is reasonably priced. If the valve holds up and the warmth is enough for the summer season, this pad will be very much worth it for me. To get a lifetime warranty at this price point is commendable.
Overall I would recommend this as an entry level summer (in Canada, could probably stretch it a bit into other seasons in warmer areas) pad. It's very lightweight at 500 grams and extremely packable. It's comfortable. The pump sack and valve could be improved. The warmth is a big question mark that but at this size and weight, there is value here for budget conscious backpackers and people just starting out.