Big Agnes REM Hinman Sleeping Pad

Long Term Report

Biographical Information:

Name: Chuck Carnes

Age: 34

Gender: Male

Height: 6’0” (1.83 m)

Weight: 175 lbs (79 kg)

Email address: ctcarnes1@yahoo.com

City, State, Country: Taylors, South Carolina, United States

Date: October 22, 2004

Backpacking Background:

I love the outdoors – I’ve spent time camping in the outdoors since I was born, and have been actively hiking and backpacking for the past ten years. I consider myself a lightweight hiker, usually carrying 20-30 lbs (9-14 kg) for hikes up to a week in length. I hike at an easy pace, averaging 2 mph (3 km/hr). I am a one man tent camper for now until something I like better comes along. I like to carry a single trekking pole when I hike to help relieve stress to my legs and knees. I like to get out on the trail as often as I can.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Big Agnes, Inc.

Type of Pad: Air Core, solid foam

Year of Manufacture: 2003

Temperature Rating of Pad: -30 F (-34 C)

URL: www.bigagnes.com

MSRP: $69.95(US)

Weights and Measurements: (Scale: Pelouze model K-5)

Listed weight: 74 oz (2.10 kg)

Weight as delivered: 78 oz (2.21 kg)

Listed dimensions (unrolled):25 in (64 cm) Wide x 78 in (198 cm) Long x 2.5 in (6.35 cm) Thick

Dimensions as delivered (unrolled, from edge of seam to edge of seam):

            26.5 in (67 cm) Wide x 79 in (201 cm) Long x 2.25 in (5.72 cm) Thick

Listed rolled size: 7 in (18 cm) High x 26 in (66 cm) Wide

Rolled size as delivered: 7.5 in (19 cm) High x 26 in (66 cm) Wide

The Big Agnes REM Hinman Pad is one of Big Agnes’ top luxury pads. At a thickness of 2.25 in (5.72 cm) this pad is as nice as a pillow top mattress. It is designed for the person that wants superior comfort and insulation. The Hinman Pad is also designed for the Big Agnes Park Series bags but can be used separately with one’s own sleeping bag. The brass valve, durable construction and great comfort will hopefully make this pad a long lasting and deep sleep companion.

Previous Reports:

Initial Report

Field Report

Long Term Report:

            I have really enjoyed the use of this pad. It has kept me warm and comfortable for the times that I used it. Since the posting of my Field report I have been able to use it on three different car camping occasions and one backpacking trip. I realize that this pad was to be tested as a backpacking pad but as mentioned in my Field Report, the pad is really too heavy for a long backpacking trip.

Three of the four trips were to Lake Keowee where my family and I camped for the weekend. The temperatures at night were a nice 60 F to 70 F (16 C to 21 C) with a slight breeze coming off the lake. I did have some envy from some of the other family members for my pad, but none the less, I did not give it up. The ground that we usually camp on is a small pea gravel base. Most of these camp sites are where RV’s park and set up. Although the gravel is small and loose, I always like to have a nice cushion between me and the ground. The pad performed as intended and was as close to luxury as one will get from a rolled up sleeping pad. On these trips I was able to use a normal bed sheet and a fleece blanket. The cotton sheet gave the pad a little bit more of a softer feel. There was never an issue of keeping the cold ground from touching my body since the temperatures were not cold but it sure kept the gravel from digging into my back. With the pad’s full 79 in (201 cm) length, my feet never touched the ground and actually stayed on the pad every night.

The other trip was a short, one night backpacking trip to Shinning Rock in the Pisgah National Forest. The temperature that night was a cool 55 F (13 C) at an elevation of 6200 ft (1890 m). I strapped the pad on my backpack and carried it for about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) which was not as bad as I thought it would be. I slept under the stars that night in a sleeping bag that did not have a sleeve for the pad. The pad kept me warm from the cold ground and the bag kept me warm from the cold air.   

During this test I was able to answer some of the questions that I had about the BA Hinman pad. The questions that I had are as follows:

Question: I wanted to know if it was easy to slip the pad into the BA Hog Park sleeve that is provided on the bag for this pad.

Answer: Yes. After the pad inflates, I put my knees in the middle of the pad and the bottom edge of the pad rises off of the floor and the sleeping bag easily slides over the pad.

Question: Does the comfort of the pad make up for the weight?

Answer: The pad is certainly comfortable, probably one of the most comfortable on the market, in my opinion. But it really weighs too much to take on a long backpacking trip for me. I would rather use something smaller and lighter.

Question: Does the pad self inflate quickly?

Answer: No, not for me it doesn’t. When I let it unroll by itself, it still takes over 2 minutes to self inflate. If help it along with a few puffs, it only takes about 30 seconds.

Question: After being rolled up for several hours, the pad seems to have that little curl up at the end of the pad even after inflation. If this pad does that, will that have an effect on being able to slip it in the sleeve?

Answer: The pad does have a slight curl at the end but it does not have an affect on being able to slide the pad into the sleeve of the BA Hog Park.

Question: If I sleep on the pad in a sleeping bag that does not have a sleeve, will I slide off of the pad?

Answer: I have slept on this pad in a different bag for two nights and both mornings I woke up slightly off of the pad. I do toss and turn quite a bit while I sleep.

Question: How well does the top and bottom hold up to constant friction of the sleeping bag and the ground?

Answer: So far, the pad has not shown any wear on the top or the bottom. The bottom shows a few scuff marks from being sat on when sitting the pad directly on the ground near a campfire; nothing beyond normal scuffs under these conditions.

Question: Do the seams stay sealed?

Answer: At this point in the test the seams are still sealed and there have been no leaks.

Question: How well does the valve function in drastic temperature changes?

Answer: Since I wasn’t sure if I would experience this in the field, I opened the valve to the pad and allowed it to self inflate and closed the valve. I then put the pad in a freezer chest for 30 minutes and then removed the pad to evaluate the operation of the valve. It took some effort to open the valve but it functioned smoothly after getting it loose. The pad was obviously cold and had a thin layer of frost on the surface. The frost was easily wiped off with a rag dried very quickly.

Question: Will the pad continue to provide the comfort that it does now or will the foam start to break down after many uses and not provide the support that it is intended?

Answer: At this point, the pad still remains comfortable and shows no signs of the foam breaking down or not functioning properly.

            I have truly enjoyed testing this fine piece of equipment. It has spoiled me into wanting to take it on every trip that I take. I said before, if it wasn’t for the weight for backpacking, I would make this my choice of pad from her on out. 

Thank you Big Agnes and BGT for the opportunity to test this pad. It was a pleasure being a part of this test and I hope that the reports that were filed will be helpful.