Gear Review Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Pad - Long/Wide

[Deadeye008]

I have owned this pad for about a year or so and it is used mostly by a friend of mine. He is 6'4", 240lbs and really enjoys this pad. I think he would have a hard time sleeping on the other two inflatable pads that I own. This is definitely a "king size" pad but it does weigh about a pound more than the other 2 pads I own so there is a trade-off. The deminsions are 78"x25"x2.5 Big Agnes lists it's weight as 38oz and when I weighed mine it was spot on. Pad comes with a stuff sack and a repair kit. Stuffed dimensions are roughly 12"x6". As I mentioned before this pad is heaven to sleep on. If you are the type of person that moves around a lot or just like to spread out a little then this is the pad for you. It is full of Primaloft insulation and from what I can tell it is attached to the inside/top of the pad which I have found is typical for pads with the exception of the Exped pads which have the insulation attached to both the inside/top and inside/bottom of the pads. It took me 26 breaths to inflate this pad and I have to take a break in the middle. This is definitely harder to inflate than the other 2 pads I own. Big Agnes rates this pad at 15 degrees F.

https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Pad/InsulatedAirCore

Here are some pics.

 

[Yellowstone 1]

I have owned this pad for about a year or so and it is used mostly by a friend of mine. He is 6'4", 240lbs and really enjoys this pad. I think he would have a hard time sleeping on the other two inflatable pads that I own. This is definitely a "king size" pad but it does weigh about a pound more than the other 2 pads I own so there is a trade-off. The deminsions are 78"x25"x2.5 Big Agnes lists it's weight as 38oz and when I weighed mine it was spot on. Pad comes with a stuff sack and a repair kit. Stuffed dimensions are roughly 12"x6". As I mentioned before this pad is heaven to sleep on. If you are the type of person that moves around a lot or just like to spread out a little then this is the pad for you. It is full of Primaloft insulation and from what I can tell it is attached to the inside/top of the pad which I have found is typical for pads with the exception of the Exped pads which have the insulation attached to both the inside/top and inside/bottom of the pads. It took me 26 breaths to inflate this pad and I have to take a break in the middle. This is definitely harder to inflate than the other 2 pads I own. Big Agnes rates this pad at 15 degrees F.

I have an Air Core and I'm with you on the blowing it up part kind of a hassle sometimes. I have the shorter version of this and I agree that it is comfortable. I use mine with the Big Agnes Encampment.

 

[Nick]

My very first backpacking pad was a Big Agnes Air Core. Not the insulated kind though. I used the hell out of it but then it started leaking. I called Big Agnes and they had me send it in. A week or two later, I had a brand spanking new one in the mail. Those guys ROCK on customer service. They even hooked me up with new poles for my Seedhouse when they got bent in a windstorm.

Anyway, I loved my Air Core except that it keeps me too high off the ground. I like to flop my arms out and if I'm 3" off the ground, that doesn't work as well. I've tried about every other type of pad since and none are as comfortable though, aside from that complaint. As I've mentioned, I'm thinking of going with an ultra wide NeoAir this year to see if that fixes the arm-flop problem.

 

[Deadeye008]

My very first backpacking pad was a Big Agnes Air Core. Not the insulated kind though. I used the hell out of it but then it started leaking. I called Big Agnes and they had me send it in. A week or two later, I had a brand spanking new one in the mail. Those guys ROCK on customer service. They even hooked me up with new poles for my Seedhouse when they got bent in a windstorm.

Anyway, I loved my Air Core except that it keeps me too high off the ground. I like to flop my arms out and if I'm 3" off the ground, that doesn't work as well. I've tried about every other type of pad since and none are as comfortable though, aside from that complaint. As I've mentioned, I'm thinking of going with an ultra wide NeoAir this year to see if that fixes the arm-flop problem.

Never used a NeoAir but it appears to be the same thickness as this Big Agnes Insulated Air Core(2.5"). You might have the same problem...
Have you seen this:
http://www.klymit.com/index.php/products/sleeping-pads/ineriaxframe.html
Or this:
http://www.klymit.com/index.php/products/sleeping-pads/inertiaxl.html
I believe they are only 1.5" thick. Klymit is a Utah based company also.

 

[HomerJ]

Have you seen this:
http://www.klymit.com/index.php/products/sleeping-pads/ineriaxframe.html
Or this:
http://www.klymit.com/index.php/products/sleeping-pads/inertiaxl.html
I believe they are only 1.5" thick. Klymit is a Utah based company also.

I just saw these (not in person) about a month ago. My boss went to the outdoor rec show and laid on the one in the 2nd link and said it was really nice! If I were to get one, it'd have to be the 2nd one as I tend to roll around a lot in the night.