ALPS Mountaineering Comfort Series Air Pad

This product is exquisite. I had been using an old, generic "self-inflating" sleeping pad for many years. I suppose I had gotten used to its odd, triple section design despite the fact that each section differed in pressure every time. Regardless of the many stern talking to's and me gingerly supplying additional zephyrs into said sections, a mutual respect was never garnered. Both literally and figuratively, we two reluctant bedfellows went on as usual for many seasons. Every time after a camp when I would roll it up and relieve the pressure within it, I could swear there was sinister laughter escaping from its valves. No longer willing to be a glutton for punishment, I decided to make a change. Through extensive research and cross-examination (using an info-portal known as Gaggler, I believe), I came across the ALPS Mountaineering Comfort Se...it's written above so I shan't waste precious vowels and/or consonants. Anyway, I came across this Rectangle of Glory and was immediately intrigued by its pronounced stature. Hastily navigating through the banal minutia of sales pitches and specifications and looked for the cold, hard facts of whether this was a legitimate option or yet another gimmicky impostor. I'm here to say that the AMCSAP-L is the proverbial Bee's Knees. The top, suede-ish fabric is very soft and comfortable (notice the "Comfort" portion of the above designation; nailed it) and the underside material really does stay stationary under pressure. Speaking of pressure, I should touch on the weight threshold of this Polygon of Pleasure. I happen to be a male-gendered, human individual with dimensions of 6'1'' tall and 245 lbs in girth. Colloquially known as a "Rotund, Fatty Lard-Pudge" by those closest to me. This pad cushions my mass without a hint of strain. It truly self-inflates without needing assistance from your lungulars and its low profile, closed-cell foam innards insulate and reflect your body heat quite well. Any modest, organic or synthetic objects that might happen to rest underneath the placement of the pad can seldom be noticed. Objects such as a large rock or perhaps another person would, in fact, be noticeable so it does have its limits. The inflation and deflation periods are both quite prompt. If you expect instantaneous results you should wise up to science and then go away. The rolling and storage is also quite prompt and non-strenuous. The melody that escapes the air valve on this particular pad is something reminiscent of "I Got You, Babe" by Sonny and Cher. A very high quality item that will withstand many uses as long as the owner isn't an ignoramus and takes proper care of his/her possessions. Example: Do NOT attempt to re-create the daring, inflatable raft escape scene from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" with this pad. It will not go well. All in all, If you value a solid, comfortable sleeping pad that will outdo even the most prestigious of Therm-A-Rest pads, this should make your short list. If you do not, I pity you and hope you enjoy your eventual Forrest Gump spine. I sincerely hope this review will aid in the decision process for many fellow Use Precious Vacation Days to Voluntarily Expose Yourself to the Elements for an Elongated Period of Time enthusiasts (UPVDVEYEEPT-ing to us pros). So, for now, I bid you adieu.

***Update 05/29/2013***Used the pad for outdoor sleeping in NH about 3 weeks ago. Temp dropped down to low 30's overnight. The pad provided a soft platform that was a great cold barrier. Still love it. I will reiterate that the sueded top picks up debris like crazy, but it's not a major deal.***Update 09/17/2012***Just got back from a 3 day camping trip to Western MA and was very pleased with the performance. It was warm enough that I slept on the bare pad and used my sleeping bag as a blanket - the sueded top makes sleeping on the pad VERY comfortable - not sticky or slippery at all. Very pleased with the performance. I have a couple more trips in colder weather coming up and will update after those trips.I have several Alps Mountaineering pads that my family and I use for car camping. We used to use an air mattress, but the durability of the mattresses left a lot to be desired. These self inflating pads are great - they provide a nice amount of padding without taking up a lot of tent space. The important thing to remember with these pads is you have to blow into the valve to top off the air once it has unfolded. Because this is a particularly large pad, I found it took quite a bit of additional inflation to get it topped off, but once I did, it was incredibly comfortable. The manufacturer (as well as other reviewers) say it takes less topping off as time goes on. In retrospect, I would have purchased this in place of my air mattress, cot AND cot pad, saving myself a good $300.00. Here's the pro/con rundown:Pros:VERY comfortable once fully inflated.Sueded top and internal pillow is a nice touch - prevents slipping off."dotted" underside minimizes sliding on tent floor.Excellent moisture and cold barrier.Takes up much less headroom in tent than full size air mattressMuch easier to get in and out of tent than air mattressRolls up reasonably compactly for car campingCons:Too large and /or heavy for any kind of camping other than car campingThe comfy sueded top is a magnet for all kinds of debris.Takes a pretty good lungful to get the mattress fully inflated (at least out of the box)It takes some muscle to roll the pad up when you're packing it up.You'll never get it back if you lend it to your neighbor/spouse/brother/sister/dad/mom/etc.Overall It's a great value for a comfy night's rest.

I purchased 2 XL pads and 1 regular pad for camping. The XL pads are 3" and nicely sized for a full size adult. I just got back from 2 days of camping where the temps were below 40 each night. The pads were comfy and kept us warm from the cold ground. I bought the regular pad for my 6 year old which at 2" inflated is ok for a child. The width on the regular pad is so small I can't imagine anyone but a child using this pad. Even an older child may find this pad too small. It does pack well and is 1/3 the size of the XL pad rolled up.A couple of points I'd like to make from reading other reviews of these.-The first inflation does take some time. Alps recommends allowing the pad to inflate on its own for 30-minutes the first time. Then blow air into it manually to fully inflate, close the valves and let it sit that way over night. Subsequent inflates/deflates should occur naturally on its own.-The instructions/ warranty info is in the inside pocket in the stuff sack with the repair kit.-The pads are meant to be stored fully inflated with the valves open, NOT rolled in the stuff sack. The instructions clearly point this out. If you store these pads rolled, the foam will compress and may not reach full thickness the next time it's unrolled/ inflated.I researched many options for camping bedding including air beds, open celled foam, closed cell foam. These pads seem the be the best of all worlds providing comfortable thickness, portability, and protection from temperature transfer from the ground.