Big Agnes - Rapide SL Insulated Sleeping Pad
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Last updated: Dec 16, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
276
93
"It’s is SO MUCH more quiet than the s7 it ramped up the suction power from 4000 to 19000 yet I can let it clean my office room while being in a call now."
"Extremely quiet compared to our last one to the point where we can have it running while my partner is in work meetings (besides emptying water and dust bin, but that is 10 seconds of loud x 2)."
"pads that lift on carpet so you can run it while the baby naps"
615
132
"super comfy. ... And even me at 270lbs I can sit in my side and not bottom out (inflated a lot though)"
"definitely has improved our sleep quality a lot while camping ... boyfriend has back issues so a bad sleep set up is not really an option"
"I just put up with the pinholes and patching them on trail because I can't sleep better on any other pad. ... There's a huge difference in comfort depending on your body between the dimpled baffling of the Etherlight/Tensor and the horizontal baffling of the Xlite. ... I can't sleep on horizontal baffling despite all the good features of the Xlite. ... I'm a side sleeper and my arms and shoulders ache and/or fall asleep or go numb on the Xlite. For whatver reason I can only sleep on dimpled baffles (tensor, etherlight)"
299
78
"Just had my second camp out with it. 0 issues with warmth at 50F , unsurprisingly. Also at 60f I didn ’t sleep hot so that ’s nice too."
"I can take it down to like 25-30F very comfortably."
"20 degrees F comfortably from below. Quilt wasn't up to it"
25
8
"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."
"Big Agnes Rapide for me...100+ nights on one"
"I've had it for a few years and taken it on a ton of trips and it hasn't failed me yet."
15
4
"no one rolling off the pad"
"no one ... falling into a weird crevice"
"The side baffles completely eliminated the feeling of falling off the pad that I'd get with other inflatable pads"
Disliked most:
49
78
"sounded like a loud squeaky balloon. ... Every time I shifted weight or switched sides it was loud. ... Even someone walking by looked at me and said “that’s really noisy”."
"The fan that circulates the air is so ridiculous it sounds like an airplane is idling inside my house, and it literally changes the air pressure in my kitchen and hurts my ears"
"It ’s super loud ... Noise at least on hardwood is easily double the qrevo"
155
105
"found it to be the equivalent warmth of the insulated static v plus my ccf, and even pairing the etherlight extreme with a ccf, and having it fully inflated wasn’t nearly enough for sleeping on frozen ground or snow."
"I've got three nights on it so far in temperatures ranging from upper 30s to mid 40s and I have been cold on it every night. ... It wasn't freezing, but it was noticeably cool and feels like an accurate R-value would be significantly lower. ... That night the pad felt a little colder than my nights on the Neoloft have been, but not by much."
"too cold for what they said it was"
36
30
"Big Agnes has valve issues ... mine didn't even last 3 uses"
"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 paid good money for this thing and it is absolutely not worth it."
"I had a Nemo Tensor straight POP with a one-inch tear from a extremely tiny burr on the edge of my quilt pad strap!"
8
26
"Their major downside is their weight. Takes some getting used to. I’ve found that when you’re tired you reallllly need to make sure you pick up your feet when jumping over larger rocks."
"Noticeably bigger and heavier in the pack"
"I often spurn the CS Hotel because you could go lighter"
3
3
"And it takes a LOT of pumps to fill it."
"Big Agnes has valve issues ... mine didn't even last 3 uses"
"On some nights I found myself waking up with a leg or two numb on some nights because of some position that had me cutting off circulation. ... Even though I played around with the inflation level of the Big Agnes pad, as I was worried it was maybe too firm at full inflation, that didn't seem to help much."
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.
r/CampingGear • Recommendations for sleeping pads for camping with toddlers ->Big Agnes rapide sl, the wide long version is a great sleeping mat
r/wildcampingintheuk • Recommendations for Sleeping bag and Matt for a side sleep? ->Big Agnes is the best I’ve found. Pricey but well worth it.
r/drumcorps • Best sleeping Padd ->I tried a half dozen different mummy bags before immediately returning them. I'm 6'3" 235lbs, pretty tight fit. Perfect solution for me was a Katabatic down quilt. Really good quality and versatile. Paired it with a Big Agnes Rapide pad. Most comfortable pad I've ever used.
r/CampingGear • Sleeping Bag + Pad Combo Advice (Canada-Based, $600 CAD Budget) ->Yes it's a matter of seeing what works for you. Personally - I am a side and stomach sleeper. Mummy type bags and narrow tiny pads suck. I used to use a Nemo bag with a sleeve to receive a Klymit V. This worked ok, but not great at all. I finally got fed up and too the extra weight. I now use a Big Agnes Rapide double wide and a Kelty Galactic down rectangular bag. Went on a trip last week and it was the best camping sleep I ever had.
r/WildernessBackpacking • Is the best sleeping pad subjective? Maybe seeking recommendations. ->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.
r/wildcampingintheuk • Best sleeping pads for side sleeping? ->Big Agnes rapide SL wide and a queen fitted sheet. I know you said no air mats but you’ll never get a better night sleep camping, and IIRC they also do a double sized mat. Also IIRC lifetime guarantee.
r/CampingGear • Sick of air mattresses - what's the best sleeping pad? ->I’m similar size, and I’ll echo others I. The Big Agnes Rapide SL, but get the wide lad and opt for the long pad as well. Is almost as comfortable as my bed at home, has cool side rails to keep you on the pad as well. Packs up reasonably light and small as well. I’ve used it down to about freezing temps and it doesn’t feel cold at all - it has a down top with a heat reflector apparently which helps reflect body heat when it’s cold…but also doesn’t make it hot to sleep on when it’s warm and muggy nights like we had this summer. I’m also a side/stomach smelter and it’s great for that too.
r/CampingGear • Big Guy needs help picking a backpacking sleeping pad. ->We have gone through five different sleeping pads over the years. I know you said you’re on a budget, but man a good sleeping pad is one of the most important pieces of kit you can buy. We bought these red inflatable air mattresses from Amazon for our kids and they’re fine, but my daughter isn’t a fan of the ridges they have on them. We have finally settled on Big Agnes Rapide mats. They are expensive, but when I say they are as comfortable as my bed at home that isn’t hyperbole.
r/algonquinpark • Sleeping pad recommendation for $100 please ->I have no experience with the vectair but we did upgrade a couple years ago from self inflating MEC pads to a similar thickness air pad (Big Agnes Rapide SL) The comfort upgrade of the new pads ks night and day difference. My wife’s biggest complaint is how her hips bugged her on the old pads, it’s a non issue. Such a great upgrade, I’d say try the vectair.
r/canoecamping • Sleeping Pad ->Big Agnes Rapide SL. Don’t look at the price tag, just buy it. It is one of the most comfortable mattresses of any kind I’ve slept on, including real beds. Packs small, fairly light. Oh and did I mention insanely comfortable?
r/canoecamping • Need new sleeping pad for canoe trips (sidesleeper) suggestions? ->I’ve used the Rapide down to about upper-20s and stayed ~relatively~ comfortable, but that probably was more so due to having a good sleeping bag/quilt. As others have said, you could get a thin closed cell foam sleeping pad to put underneath it. R values are generally additive. If weight is a concern, I’ve heard some people say they put one of those reflective emergency blankets (extremely lightweight) under their sleeping pads. Though, it’s debated if this actually does anything. It might be better used sandwiched between a foam pad and the rapide, or on top of the rapide itself (if you don’t mind the obnoxious crinkliness)
r/Ultralight • Big Agnes Rapide SL (New Version) Question ->I went with the Big Agnes Rapide SL. It’s a little heavier than other UL pads, but the added comfort was so worth it. Plus, their customer service is superb.
r/AppalachianTrail • Favorite Sleeping Pad? ->I have the BA Rapide. I believe the outer edges are slightly larger, so your arms don't sink. They are raised just a bit and are more comfy. I find it pretty comfortable.
r/Ultralight • Very poor sleep on the NeoAir X Lite NXT. Recommendations? ->Im a big fan of the Big Agnes Rapide.
r/backpacking • Sleeping Pad Recommendations? ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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