Big Agnes - Insulated Q-Core Deluxe

I have the Dura 5R Duo and I think it's darn quiet for a pad that still at least somewhat prioritizes packed size and lightness. It's certainly much quieter (and warmer) than my Big Agnes Q Core Deluxe single pad.

they do weight a ton but imo weight is much less of an issue on a motorcycle than volume is. I admit i havent tried any true high end ones but I had the big agnes Q-cure and now I have gear doctor large. It'll do the job if you have no room to spare but I still prefer the huge walmart ones.

I had the BA Q-Core for a few years until it too developed a slow leak. Thought I had maybe punctured it during a desert trip (thorns, needles and such). Did a soap smear to check for leaks. Turned out to be a material separation between the valve and the air mat portion. Glue just gave out, I guess. Called up Big Agnes and sent them an REI screenshot of my purchase date. BA was cool enough to send me a replacement of the Q-Core (discontinued) with the Rapide SL (current equivalent). Can’t say that either air mat is “ultralight,” but they are warm (good R ratings) and comfortable. As a 3-season High Sierra hiker, sleeping through very cold nights near glacial lakes is a big deal for me. Big Agnes makes great mats, sleeping bags, and tents. Their stuff is made to be durable without making comfort a secondary consideration. Yeah, I’m a fan.

I picked up a Big Agnes Q Core Deluxe on clearance last year for $119 at Public Lands. R value of 4.3 and 25oz. It's very comfortable. At least as comfortable as my mattress at home. I upgraded from a sub $100 Klymit pad I found on Amazon that had the same R rating but was lighter, but didn't feel as warm and was much less comfortable. Still, it was adequate. Amazon has the NeoAir Xlite NXT on sale now for $179. It's am R4.5 pad that's lighter than mine. A lot of people like it. You should check for sales right after Christmas. Thermarest, Big Agnes, Nemo, Exped, and Sea to Summit make a range of good pads at various price points with different R values and weights.My wife went with a very high R Exped pad and loves it.

Yeah, QCore SLX is my favorite pad ever.

After struggling with sleep for years I went to a cot and the Big Agnes pad with a Kodiak canvas bag. It’s a fantastic combination! I’m a side sleeper too. Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core Deluxe Sleeping Pad, Extra Wide Long

It helps to define what your priorities are around what you want from a sleeping pad. Is the weight of the pad important. Is comfort more important than how light it is. How many seasons of the year are you looking to use it so what R Value insulation is important to you Figure that formula out and go from there. I bought for comfort and an assured good night sleep so I went with the Big Agnes Boundary deluxe Regular wide R 4.3 insulation. It's just under 1kg, so 500gms heavier than others but 8 hours uninterrupted sleep is golden when on multi day bikepacking holidays.

I have the Q Core Deluxe 30" wide (previous version of this). Great pad, very comfortable. I do find the pad is not quite as warm as advertised, but otherwise it is great for more glamping / car camping.

I have an exped and multiple air mattresses, and I still prefer my Big Agnes. Warm, roomy, supportive, compact, affordable.

Q Core Deluxe. I got it in tall / wide because I cared more about comfort than weight. They’re discontinued, but the Rapide and Boundary look similar.

I had a big agnes insulated q-core deluxe for the past two years and absolutely loved it, but the valve got warped and it's way too difficult to close now, so I contacted their customer service and they gave me a credit to cover the cost of a new pad. Hopefully the rapide sl insulated is just as good.

Yep the old Q core deluxe now called the boundary deluxe are about as comfortable as you can get with an only air backpacking style pad. Next step up would be the Exped mega mats that are 4"+ thick and filled with foam. Agree volume is priority 1 and weight second, but that's also relative to each rider and their style of camping. On the big bike I'll take all the comfort items, on the smaller dual sport I'm cutting the fat to keep it nimble and more fun on the dirt, assuming I'm hoping from one site to the next each night. If I'm setting up Basecamp I'm guilty of stuffing in as much as I can to dump it and go ride the area unloaded.

Oh man I got their Q Core Deluxe a few years ago and it totally changed my backcountry sleeping. I always had assumed that sleeping poorly was part of camping but now I sleep so well and I hear from my companions that I snore less,too.

6’3 260. Love my big Agnes q core deluxe long wide. Most comfy pad ever

I use a Big Agnes Q core deluxe insulated for winter and a Big Agnes SLX for summer. I’m a bigger guy and also a side sleeper, and it keeps me off the ground. I’ve tried using a hammock, but I just don’t sleep as well as being flat on the ground.

We have a big Agnes double pad and a single pad that combined cover the floor of our tent. It works for the two of us + toddler + dog pretty well. In our big tent we put those two things on top of some folding cots from Walmart.

Be wary of uninsulated air mattresses in mild temps.  I bought 2x Big Agnes insulated pads for my twins, along with the BA kid’s sleeping bags for our twins. This is more of a backpacking setup, but works great for car camping and living room camping.  The bags have a sleeve on the bottom so you can slide the pad inside. Helps keep them in the bag and on the pad - again - cause the cold ground can give them a chill. 

The only pillow i've ever found comfortable was the REI Co-Op Trailmade pillow. It's a non-inflatable pillow stuffed with memory foam squares. So it's definitely heavier and takes up more span than inflatable pillows, but after trying several brands of inflatable I just needed something different. I don't see it for sale anymore, so not sure if they still make it. If you aren't hiking in, and size isn't an issue, I would just use your home pillow. For me the big thing for side sleeping/stomach sleeping is a good mattress. If space isn't an issue a foam mattress would be best, there are a bunch of \~$50 tri-fold 4" memory foam mattresses on amazon. But these take up a HUGE amount of space in a car to transport. For backpacking I use an inflatable Big Agnes insulated pad, but those are like $150. If you aren't backpacking, amazon has several options for cheap inflatable camping mattresses, but you will probably need to buy or borrow an air pump to fill them, as they don't come with them usually. For the sleeping bag I've found I can sleep in any style as a stomach sleeper. Mummy style bags just kind of stay with you, so when you curl your legs up, the bang stays mostly form fitted. If you are sleeping on your stomach, do you sleep in "tiger pose" where you have one leg bent up and the other straight? Mummy bags can make sleeping like that difficult. Big rectangle bags would let you sleep in "tiger pose" with one knee up and the other leg straight, which is how I sleep at home. If you are going with a non-down warm sleeping bag, you can always bring a secondary blanket too, so you don't have to splurge on a super expensive 20 degree bag or anything.

Big agnes for the win. I had two of their insulated inflatables, and they were the best 2 pads I ever had. But got holes I could not locate despite weeks of trying. I'm ready to get another, even if it only lasts a couple seasons

Big Agnes pads are some of the toughest out there as far as I can know, yet I have gone through three because of punctures. Each time the holes have been so small that I can't find them without getting to a hotel and submerging them in the tub. The company is great about replacing them, but I've gone back to foam mats.

75l gregory bag, big agnes inflatable mattress (comfy)

I started on the old school thermarest shortie, then a full length, then switched to a big agnes inflatable--which i liked but went through two of them with bad valves. Switched to a nemo a couple of years ago, and love it. It's a little "crinkly" sounding, but otherwise well worth it. Good choice :-)

Big Agnes are the best

I have a big Agnes pad. Inflatable and not sure exactly what specs, but any inflatable pad is going to have some noise imo. I love mine. I’ve had it for 8 years, which feels kinda unreal for an inflable. Never had an issue with it and definitely put it through the gauntlet- camped in the desert a lot, cowboy camped, camped on rocky areas. Never had a leak. Love it and feel like it’s worth the price tag

I'm late 20's and I've never had a decent sleeping pad until this year, I got myself a big agnes inflatable pad off of ebay, my god I'm actually comfortable sleeping.

I have a pretty basic Big Agnes sleeping pad that's probably R-3.5 or something like that. I've used it for several trips in Washington and Oregon in the summer. Being cold from below was not a a problem. I think R-1.5 would be OK in the summer, the ground warms up quite a bit during the summer. A more insulated pad would only be necessary if the ground is frozen during the day. What probably matters most for you is size, weight, and comfort - it needs to be thick enough so you don't feel the ground through the pad. I would also look at how difficult it is to inflate. The one I have has a terrible valve that seems to be designed to be as inconvenient as possible. You have to blow into it, but there's a bit of resistance to air coming in, and the valve is such that it's hard to tell if it's open or closed. I'm attaching a piece of an old bicycle inner tube to make it possible to use a bike pump. Some pads have a built-in hand pump and that would be useful. I can't offer a recommendation for a specific product since I haven't bought one recently, and the one I have doesn't seem to be available any more.

Funny, I just spent last night sleeping on a Big Agnes pad with a very slow leak, after having just patched a slow leak in the same pad.

Big Agnes is the best I’ve found. Pricey but well worth it.

Have you considered a camping cot? There are a lot of ultralight options now which are about the same price as a good sleeping pad for side sleepers. The only difference being is the weight, you’re looking at around 1.5kg for a cot bed which would be double the weight of a sleeping pad. For me, the extra weight is worth it for the comfort. For context I’ve tried Therm-a-Rest, Big Agnes and Nemo mats. If I’m going for comfort, the cot bed wins every time.

Big Agnes and sea to summit checks all your boxes. Small/compact, uses vertical baffles to prevent that bouncy castle feeling and provide actual support

It's very simple if it blows up with air and inflates - at SOME point it's gonna get a hole in it. That's life! The whole air mattress thing started with Therm-a-rest's and they were pretty tough back then, now with everybody sporting hard-on's for "ultralight" gear its gonna get worse. Same goes for actual air mattress, you can sleep on them but if you're not in Texas or Arizona yer still gonna freeze your butt off. Here's why ....... People these days buy inflatable pads for the comfort, but you really need them for the insulative qualities they actually provide. Don't believe me go sleep on the actual ground one night. When you crawl in to your sleeping bag you actually crush the down or syntho fill in the bag so there is no insulation there under you and the cold even in summer can seep right in. You need a pad under you to keep you off the ground ..... the best ones for that are still the cheap blue ensolite foamy's you buy at the cheaper stores but yes, for comfort they suck. There is a yellow thicker brand called Zotefoams Evazote and they got up to an inch thick but I haven't seem them for years but they were good quality and tough and CAN'T deflate ! So ultimately if you want comfort you need to go buy a big chunk of open cell white foam four inches thick and 7 feet long like you see in hobby stores - mega comfy and the size of a house! But now you can't pack it anyway so you're back to the blow up pads - and that's it. You can go to stores and look at stuff like Futons and crap but they don't pack well ! Heck even Ikea makes a folding mattress but again good luck carrying it around, right? Pick one but they WILL get a hole in them at some point however you can try to limit that with a cot. I've used them for years and its nice. I'm gonna suggest a Cabella's Lounger Cot but they are $350 bloody bucks and the same goes a real camping pad, something like a Exped Megamat itself is $400 bucks by itself. The two cots I wanna get are gonna cost me $405 bucks so add in two decent pads like Expeds and they're $500 .... great huh? It's nuts at a thousand bucks! I actually might just go get some memory foam cut at an RV store and use that. They can't deflate and its about the same bloody price as these inflatable ones, granted it won't be near as packable and portable but both my Thermarest leak, both my Big Agnes pad leak, even the TWO Coleman air beds leak, you can't win. My tent is 210 sq feet and 10 feet tall so I don't need backpack-ability either ........

I went from a Klymit to a Big Agnes. Night and day difference. 

Plus one. I have a therm-a-rest Xtherm, two cheap Amazon pads (they didn’t last), a Big Agnes, and I’ve tried the foam pads (they’re not for me). Exped seems to have the best tech. Their pads are quiet, comfy, reliable, and I love the synthetic down on the inside

Big Agnes has valve issues, mine didn't even last 3 uses

I had a Big Agnes for a decade. It sprung a leak on a trip this time last year. I found the leak on a seam and called to ask about repairing it. They asked for a pic, which I sent as well as a pic of the valve cut off (per their instructions) and my new pad arrived in a few days. No charge. I’ll never buy a pad from a different manufacturer again. https://preview.redd.it/qcc2h29uz8ve1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a5db870df20331f504fddf587c14258a32a7250

Bought my Big Agnes pad for $100 at REI ten years ago and still going strong. Not a single leak. I’m a side sleeper and it’s pretty comfy. 

I've used my Exped for 500miles. I've never had a problem with it. Personally, I would only buy Exped or Big Agnes sleeping pads because they're the only ones I've never seen leak. Anything by thermarest is trash.

I'd say it's at the very least quieter than my Big Agnes that I used most recently. In all honesty at 390lbs every thing is noisy when I toss and turn, but I wouldn't say it's extra noisy or anything. As far as better than self inflating, I'd say yes by a large margin. That being said, I've also got to admit the last self inflating pad I regularly used was probably 10 years ago. I'd assume tech has come a long way since my last self inflating pad but I don't know for sure. I never had one that would ever keep me completely off the ground the entire night. there were always high and low spots and not much insulation back then. If you do go that route at the very least I'd try to find the thickest pad in your budget. Also on noise, maybe a pad cover like the Thermarest Synergy may help as well. I'm looking into that as a little extra protection from dog claws but I'm sure it would dampen noise too.

The premium REI pads are your best bang for your buck. I had the big Agnes but ended up buying the cold weather REI

Big Agnes is what I use. They are so much quieter than other inflatables.

As I side sleeper, I have found some of the Big Agnes pads to be very comfortable, and quiet. I've been through several different types and brands of pads over the years (decades) I like that the sides are higher on the BA pads, which keep you from rolling off the mat. It's not that they are super high to physically prevent you from rolling off. It's the subconcious thing that when you feel that extra height, your brain does it, even when asleep. The 25 inch wide pads are much better for side sleepers. I'd go with a 30 inch wide, but they only make that width in a few long pads. For biking, you may not mind the extra ounces for the 30 inch wide, long pad. I have one, and wish I could cut it shorter, but afraid to do so, for fear of not being able to seal it properly. None of the name brand pads are inexpensive. The new Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft looks good, and has many good reviews. If I didn't already have a few BA pads, I'd be tempted to buy a NeoLoft. The next time I'm at REI, I may try one, just to see.

If you want small the mega mat isn't the answer. I use a Big Angus pad and I am happy with it. I couldn't imagine sleeping on just a foam pad though

I also have one of these and loved it initially. After two months on the road it is now failing almost every night. I’ve exhausted the patches that came with the pad and it’s now covered with third party gear repair patches. I am ~75kgs and I don’t over-inflate it. I paid good money for this thing and it is absolutely not worth it.

Nemo or big Agnes pads!

Big Agnes. Im a side sleeper and also started with a Klymit like you and found it inadequate. My big agnes is only a little heavier but it's about four inches thick when fully inflated, which is great.

A lot of it depends on how you sleep. I’m a side sleeper which means they all suck, but it’s better than nothing even if your hips end up touching the ground (especially when it’s cold). The biggest differences are weight and durability but overall sleeping pads are things I pretty much exclusively pick up on sale. I have a couple of Big Agnes pads from several years ago that are tough and do the job- my wife sleeps on her back and hasn’t had complaints

Having a family of 4 can confirm individuals is the way to go. We’re all rocking Big Agnes pads. The kids are using big Agnes bags which have a pocket for the pad and keeps them from wondering around at night.

Spend money. Get a good quality mattress, this is not the place to go cheap. Restful sleep is important for recovery. The most expensive air mattress is still cheaper than a hotel for a night. I use a Big Agnes. It's 4 in thick, 25 in wide, 76 in long. I can inflate it quickly with the included pump sack, it's gets firm and hold air throughout then night. It has a 4 R value so it insulates well. I sleep like I'm in a bed. This was the single biggest upgrade to my gear and the best value (although it wasn't cheap). Anything you find on Amazon will be crap quality. Buy from a reputable brand. Check out outdoorgearlab.com for reviews. They are the Consumer Reports for gear.

The big Agnes pad is really nice and very comfortable, I do think it's R value is over stated though.  On nights where its around freezing or just below I've found myself getting rather cold.  I know my sleeping bag is fine because it's always coming from the ground often I'll toss some clothes under my legs and it helps to stop that issue.  I will probably invest in a better R value pad for the winter/shoulder seasons 

I suggest individual sleeping bags or quilts for colder weather. When I purchased sleep bags, I looked for a comfort rating that is the same or lower than lowest expected temperature. A 20f sleeping bag may have comfort rating of 30 or 40 degrees. To sleep well in 30 degrees, look for a 10 degree bag or quilt. A pad with R5 or better rating. The REI Helix is liked by many because it’s close to R5 and it’s lightweight. Big Agnes pads, I have 3, tend to sleep cold so I discount their R values. I have used a quilt plus an additional fiberfill blanket in colder weather. It worked well, but I first tried it car camping when I knew I had a back up system (more blankets) available. Recently I purchased a 10 degree quilt for temps down to mid-20s. It’s still in the teens at my house with lows in single digits. I like quilts but it did take some time to learn how to use mine well and stay warm. For the novice, a sleeping bag is a wise choice. Once you digest all the comments here, settle on a budget, and get a better idea of what conditions you will experience, consider making a new post over in r/backpacking with greater detail.

I’m a back sleeper with a big Agnes pad and would recommend from comfort pov.

Perhaps you are over inflating it? I was having a problem with my big Agnes and let out a bunch of air and it was much more comfortable. Now I inflate it to just enough so my hip doesn’t hit the ground when I’m on my side.