My usual principle with camping gear is the lighter,听the better. Which is why no matter where I鈥檓 sleeping, whether it鈥檚 deep in the backcountry or in my backyard, I听always sleep on a three-fourths-length . It鈥檚 not very comfortable.
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Since moving to the Southwest,听I鈥檝e been going on听multi-day rafting and car-camping听trips with friends who have luxurious sleep systems featuring plush and rooftop tents. Feeling a little left out, I recently got a听听($299). It鈥檚 changed the way I sleep outside.
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The Comfort Deluxe comes in three sizes: Regular, large, and double. I got the double,听which is a whopping four inches tall and 51 inches wide鈥攂asically the size of a full bed. It fits neatly into my and is big enough for my girlfriend and me to sleep on comfortably together.听
My favorite feature of the pad, although it takes a bit of practice to figure out, is the multifunction valve鈥攁 one-way valve that听allows the mat听to self-inflate in just a few minutes. The valve can be听reversed during the deflation process so it will allow air out, but not in, which prevents any struggle when trying to roll up the pad.
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To decrease weight and increase packability, Sea to Summit removes 40 percent of the foam from inside. It鈥檚 hard to determine how well this works听but the pad has a very even surface and I haven鈥檛 been able to find any holes or divots. The entire thing packs into a three-by-five foot stuff sack and weighs nine pounds.听
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