
Big Agnes - Zoom UL Insulated Air Chamber Sleeping Pad
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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 15, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
17
1
"I’m 6”4 and a side sleeper I recently picked up the big Agnes zoom UL insulated pad, and used it for a three nighter in snowdonia and found it super comfortable ... couldn’t recommend it more"
"I sleep like I'm in a bed."
"It is by far the most comfortable sleeping mat I've ever owned."
3
0
"also packs up nice and small"
"compact"
"Small/compact"
6
1
"It has a 4 R value so it insulates well."
"Being cold from below was not a a problem."
"I'd consider the ZoomUL for the temps you're going out in instead of the rapide."
6
6
"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."
"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"
"Bought my Big Agnes pad for $100 at REI ten years ago and still going strong. ... Not a single leak."
2
0
"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."
"It's 4 in thick, 25 in wide, 76 in long."
"The 25 inch wide pads are much better for side sleepers."
Disliked most:
3
1
"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 ... Just starts to struggle around 0"
3
1
"The Big Agnes zoom is too crinkly like all the Thermarest air pads are."
1
2
"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."
"Big Agnes has valve issues ... mine didn't even last 3 uses"
5
6
"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."
"Big Agnes has valve issues ... mine didn't even last 3 uses"
"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."
Ive used the sts ether light xt and the ba zoom ul, and the zoom ul is more comfortable for a side sleeper imo. Not sure if the xr is much better than the xt
There are a few options for thicker pads that are also light weight. I like my Bug Agnes Zoom UL for side sleeping. Is it as nice as a foam pad probably is, I doubt it. Does it give be a decent sleep while camping and backpacking, yea.
I’m 6”4 and a side sleeper I recently picked up the big Agnes zoom UL insulated pad, and used it for a three nighter in snowdonia and found it super comfortable and really warm, also packs up nice and small, couldn’t recommend it more
Check out the sleeping pad comparison chart I posted. It's a quick reference for pack size and weight across multiple brands. The best 2 light air pads that are still comfortable: Big Agnes Rapide SL NEMO Tensor (any version really) I personally prefer the Rapide SL but my wife really likes the Tensor. Both available in 20x72 up to 25x78, I always recommend at least a 25" wide. Both insulated and smaller packing that the other that may offer more comfort or insulation like the Big Agnes Campmeister Deluxe or Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft. Maybe not as small as some cheaper Amazon pads or the infamous Klymit static V but guaranteed more comfortable. They also have lifetime warranty which I know doesn't help you in the woods, but does protect your investment in the event there's a leak you can't find. The Big Agnes zoom is too crinkly like all the Thermarest air pads are. The Sea to summit etherlight packs too big for what it is and the external material is super squeaky on a tent floor.
Big Agnes makes the most comfortable sleeping pad imho. I used a high end thermarest for years and it’s crap compared to my BA Zoom UL
I am a side sleeper and own the Zoom UL. It is by far the most comfortable sleeping mat I've ever owned.
Not on your list, but the Exped 3R is a solid option if you find it comfortable. I find it quite comfortable. Otherwise, I'd consider the ZoomUL for the temps you're going out in instead of the rapide.
I've been using a Big Agnes ultralight pad for a few years and love it. The one downside is that it is very crinkly. I'm conscious of the fact that when I roll over it makes a fair amount of noise. I don't sleep in the shelters but often sleep nearby. Because of the noise. I do try to camp on the edge of the group area.
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.
I’ve got 2 BA pads for my kids but haven’t had any issues with them at all, but they don’t seem anywhere as nice as my Nemo Tensors. A buddy has an BA pad and did get it replaced via warranty. With that said, my Nemo Tensors have been amazing and one of them lasted over 7 years. Got it replaced very easily with Nemo, too!
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.
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