Reviews > Sleep Gear > Pads and Air Mattresses > Big Agnes Insulated Air Core > Jim Hatch > Initial Report

Initial Impression:
The Big Agnes Air Core Insulated pad arrived via UPS in a small cardboard box--smaller than I expected, much smaller. I almost overlooked it on the dining room table.  Accompanying the pad was a brochure for Honey Stinger energy foods, the 29-page Big Agnes 2004 catalog, and the packing slip. The Air Core was rolled and in its stuff sack. Attached to the stuff sack was a hang tag with some advertising info on PrimaLoft and one containing specs for the Air Core. The hangtag is essentially the same info as can be found on the website or the catalog (with the minor exception of the weight listed). So far I'm thinking, "this is small". It's smaller than my Nunatak Arc-Alpinist in its stuff sack. As a lightweighter, I'm concerned with the size of pads as my packs tend not to have a lot of volume to spare -- that's not an issue here. It's easily smaller than any of my other pads, much smaller. Think smaller than a Super Big Gulp at 7-11. This is already making me happy.

I pulled the pad from the stuff sack and am impressed by its uninflated thickness -- something thicker than a sheet of paper but thinner than corrugated cardboard. Laid out on the floor it looks a little thin. Eeek! Not looking forward to ground dwelling with this puppy. Time to measure & inflate. This Air Core is a mummy shape starting at 10.5" (26.7 cm) at the head (valve) end. Nine inches (23 cm) down toward the feet, the pad has opened up to 23" (58 cm) at the shoulders. It starts to taper again, 33" (84 cm) further down as it reaches its final 13" (33 cm) width at the feet. All of the "corners" are well rounded (which may lead to some distortion of my measurements), the side seams (1/2"/1.3 cm) appear well done (welded), the material is a thick airtight nylon and I can feel something inside (the insulation layer) when I rub the material between my fingers. There are 6 channels running the length of the pad with 2 additional channels running from the shoulders to where it narrows in the foot area. Finally, the pad is black but there is a slightly darker grid running throughout the material and the Big Agnes logo and product name are printed in white at the head.

Okay. Enough with the Mr. Science. Time to inflate this thing (the Air Core Insulated pad is a non-self-inflating pad). Filling it takes 14 full breaths. That's fortunate because my lips are tingling. Good thing this is a mattress pad because I think I should lay down for a minute. Perhaps next time I'll take it slower. It fits like it's been designed for me with just enough pad for my shoulders, hips, and height. After laying on it for a few minutes, it seems 14 breaths might be a bit too much as it seems to be a little too firm for my tastes. I let a little air out and it softens up a bit. Rolling off of the pad I measure the thickness and find it is 2.5" (6.4 cm) thick. I've found air mattresses tend to be more comfortable when they're not quite "filled to the brim" and it seems Big Agnes agrees. By the way, the valve is located by my right ear -- very easy to let out that air while staying in position to evaluate how much to let out. One last "test" is to rub the fabric between my fingers again -- this time though I catch the same surface between my thumb & forefinger. When squeezing the top of a channel together I can feel the inner insulation layer. When doing the same with the underside, I just feel the fabric to fabric slippage. It appears as if the insulation layer is bonded to the upper layer of the pad fabric.

The last thing I notice is the stuff sack the pad goes into. On the surface it's a simple nylon stuff sack made of apparently the same material as the pad. The stitching is tight, the cord & cordlock are sturdy and strong, the ubiquitous logo is printed on the bottom & a small PrimaLoft tag is sewn into the vertical seam. Closer examination reveals two things that elevate it into "very cool" status. First, the bottom has a small pocket sewn into it. I don't know what it's officially for, but it makes a very convenient way to grab the sack and pull it from around the pad. I don't know if this is cheaper or lighter than using a webbing strap, but it works great. The other surprise is another pocket. This one is in what would normally be the dust flap. Instead of a simple flap of fabric, there is a nice little pocket. Inside this nice little pocket is a nicer little repair kit. This one has a tube of cement, a small square of fabric, an O-ring and valve cap in a small zipper lock bag. The repair kit weighs 0.4 oz (12 g) so I think I'll keep it in there. Handy.

To be honest, this is my first Big Agnes product, but I'm already positively disposed towards anyone who can put together a combination that as Goldilocks mentioned is "just right".

Air Core Features:
The Air Core Insulated is the PrimaLoft enhanced version of the Big Agnes Air Core mattresses. Backpacker Magazine awarded it an Editors' Choice Award in 2004 -- in addition to pointing out that Big Agnes is simply the coolest name in the business. The pad is made from a black nylon that is apparently the same on the top & bottom. In fact, there doesn't seem to be a formal "top". I'm considering the side with the logo as the "top". It's this one that seems to have the insulation layer bonded to it.

PrimaLoft is supposed to be (according to their hangtag) warmer, drier, softer:

• Thermally efficient
• Water resistant
• Breathable
• Lightweight and compressible
• Fast drying
• Soft

Well, it's definitely lightweight, compressible, and soft. We'll see about the other claims over the next few months.

According to the BA hangtag, the Air Core Insulated pad is good to 15 degrees F (-9 C) and:

• Provides the best comfort to weight ratio of any pad
• With the added PrimaLoft it's a 3 season pad that's super comfortable and lightweight
• Unique I-beam construction allows the air to flow freely as you move for constant support and makes inflation and deflation quick and easy
• Non-breakable valve with a lifetime warranty
• Lightweight, durable 40 denier nylon fabric
• And a repair kit is included

Okay, the first is subjective and I'll know better after using it for a few months. It's got some stiff competition in the comfort arena compared to another pad I own, but it does have lightweight on its side. The "unique" I-beam construction seems similar to at least one other pad I've got and others I've seen so we'll chalk that one up to marketing hyperbole. I'm somewhat puzzled as to why the repair kit needs a replacement O-ring & valve cap for the "unbreakable" valve -- just what part of the valve won't break? But the included repair kit is a very nice feature. I'll probably never use it, but if I do I will be so incredibly happy to have it that I'll probably dance the happy dance as a result.

The catalog claims that the insulated version of the Air Core pads are a little heavier than the non-insulated version (20 oz/567 g vs. 19 oz/539 g) but are designed for cooler weather (15 F/-9 C vs. 35 F/2 C) while being smaller than any self-inflating foam pad. I'm inclined to believe this claim as I own what I thought was the smallest self-inflating pad and this one is smaller.

As for the website, the only claims that it makes that are different than the previously mentioned documents, is that it packs to 3.75" x 10" (9.5 cm x 25 cm) which I expect I will be able to verify. My measurements above are based on a loose roll. I don't doubt that with some attention to rolling it very tightly, that I couldn't get it down to BA's size. The other claims that the website makes of interest here is that the DWR coating sheds water and stains and the PU coating makes the pad waterproof. I'm not sure why these are separate claims (after all isn't PU waterproofing a DWR?) but BA makes a distinction. Frankly all I care about is that it's supposed to be waterproof.

The "feature" that interests me most of course is its shape. The tapering mummy shape holds significant promise for my backpacking style. I use a Nunatak Arc-Alpinist sleeping quilt, Hennessey hammock and carry a small (2350 cu in/38.5 L) volume pack. The Air Core definitely fits the small volume restriction I put on my gear and the tapered mummy shape is well matched to my sleeping quilt and hammock. Together they should allow me to push hammock camping deeper into 3 seasons. The quilt has two straps running from either side that are designed to go under a pad. A normal rectangular pad is too squared to fit well in the tapering shape of the quilt. The Air Core is shaped very similarly. With it I should be forced onto the ground only a few times a year when I'm in serious winter weather.

Future Test Plans:
Beginning with a whitewater rafting trip this month, I will be testing the Air Core for comfort, functionality, and durability using a variety of sleep systems including my Hennessey hammock, Trease! Flying Bivy, and a 3-season tent. Sleeping bags will include a standard 35 degree down bag, and a 20 degree (-7 C) Nunatak Arc-Alpinist quilt (with 2 oz/57 gm overfill -- resulting in a nominal 10 degree/-12 C temperature rating). I should get cold enough weather to push the 15 F (-9 C) temp rating toward the end of the test period. I will also be testing with and without a reflective vapor barrier (normally a cold weather necessity in a hammock or air-borne bivy like the Trease!) to determine if the air/waterproof qualities of the Air Core's fabric will eliminate the need for this additional layer. Other mattress pads with this quality in the fabric have shown the reflective barrier to be unnecessary and I expect the Air Core to be the same. Temperatures should definitely dip below freezing during the test series but I don't expect anything below 0 F (-18 C) which will be more than the manufacturer suggests. I will also be testing the water resistance of the mattress with my whitewater trip as well as the normal exposure to water (both incidental in the form of rain/fog/etc. and potentially a dunking from raft or kayak) during the next few months.

Reviews > Sleep Gear > Pads and Air Mattresses > Big Agnes Insulated Air Core > Jim Hatch > Initial Report