Car Camping Mattress Awards Announced by OutdoorGearLab.com
OutdoorHub 03.22.12
OutdoorGearLab.com announced today the results of its 2011 Editors’ Choice awards for car camping mattresses. We compared six of the best mattresses in a rigorous testing regime that evaluated the following three categories: warmth, comfort, and durability. Our testing, which involved two years of tenting in campgrounds across North America, identified the best all-purpose car camping pad, the most durable pad, and the best value pad. Each underwent extensive side-by-side comparisons. View the complete Camping Mattress Reviews
The winners:
Therm-a-Rest DreamTime – winner of the Editors’ Choice award for 2012. According to Gear Editor Max Neale, “The Them-a-Rest Dreamtime turns worst nightmare rocks and roots into Stage 3 NREM sleep. Warning: waking up may be difficult. The DreamTime is made of a 2.5” x 25″ x 77” classic Therm-a-Rest inflatable pad, 1” of memory foam, and a removable nylon-microfiber cover. This is the most comfortable car camping pad available. The inflatable pad provides customizable support, the memory foam a cushy surface, and the microfiber cover a super-soft next-to-skin layer that rivals Egyptian cotton. It’s also the only car camping pad we tested that can easily and securely be mated with another mattress. Snaps on the side of the pad turn two DreamTimes into a great portable bed for couples.”
Therm-a-Rest ridge Rest Solar – winner of the Best Buy award for 2012. This award is given to a product that balances a high score in our tests and a reasonable price. According to Neale, “The Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest Solar is the most comfortable closed cell pad we reviewed and the least expensive. This pad offers car campers a cheap, durable, and reliable pad that will last for many years. Its closed cell construction also makes it suitable for yoga, sitting around campfires, and anything else that requires a little extra cushioning.”
Jacks Plastic Welding Paco Grande – winner of the Top Pick award for 2012. This award is given to a product that excels at a specific application. According to Neale,”The Jack’s Plastic Welding Paco Grande is a behemoth sleeping pad. Its thick, cushy foam and an indestructible shell make it the largest (by volume), heaviest, and most durable pad we’ve ever reviewed.”
