Therm-a-Rest Base Camp (Large)

I used this pad on a Cub Scout overnighter. I'm not big on the closed-cell pads (too hard for my taste), but this pad worked very well. The weather was chilly at night, but I didn't feel it.

The self-inflating feature didn't seem to work very well -- at first. Seemed kind of soft. I was surprised to discover that it only took a few additional breaths to firm up the mattress to my liking.

You'll need some sort of bag or strap to carry the pad once you roll it up. I bought a Granite Gear #10 Toughsack, but that was still about six inches too short.

In 1975 we purchased Therm-a-Rest pads for a backpacking trip in Yellowstone National Park and have been using them regularly ever since, in recent years mainly for car camping. They've needed a patch a couple of times, and one of them -- after thirty-two years -- wouldn't hold air very well, so we decided to get a new set. The Base Camp pads, for car camping, are thicker and also larger than the backpacking variety -- they nicely accommodate bodies that have spread a bit over three decades. They are comfortable, perform as they are supposed to, don't take up much space when deflated and rolled, and, based on experience, are likely to give good service for many years. It's a good product, good value for the money, easy to use, nice looking, supportive, insulate well from ground heat or cold. Our 80 pound Lab likes them too.