Huge Agnes Divide Insulated Backpacking Sleeping Pad Evaluate

Backside Line

After testing the Huge Agnes Divide Insulated in a variety of circumstances, together with snow-covered Rocky Mountains, it’s arduous to imagine this pad is obtainable at such an reasonably priced worth. 

The I-beam development cuts down on weight and supplies an alternate for folk who don’t jive with horizontal or cell baffles. Whereas facet sleepers might backside out on this pad, we discover its 3.25-inch thickness and raised facet rails enough for our trail-beaten bods.

The Divide Insulated is available in many sizes (together with a double) and packs a good R-value. The twin-valve and included pump sack make setup straightforward. The sturdy ripstop nylon will go the space so long as you take care of your gear. 

There are definitely extra specialised backpacking sleeping pads that maximize consolation, heat, or weight financial savings, however for backpackers on the lookout for one pad to rule all of them, the Divide Insulated is a noble alternative.

How We Examined

We examined the Huge Agnes Divide Insulated sleeping pad on tenting journeys throughout this brisk Colorado spring and a number of other nights within the frontcountry. We spent over a dozen nights on it and scrutinized each function and aspect to make sure its worthiness amongst our checklist of favourite sleeping pads.

Consolation

Consolation largely is determined by pad thickness, measurement, and baffle type. Lately, most pads use a horizontal or cell baffle system, however the Huge Agnes Divide sticks to a basic vertical I-beam baffle design.

The principle good thing about the vertical baffles is their hammock-like really feel, which naturally hugs the physique from each side. 3.25-inch-thick middle baffles hold you off the bottom, whereas 3.5-inch-thick facet rails hold you from rolling off in the course of the night time. Again and abdomen sleepers ought to discover no problem with this pad, however the vertical baffles present barely uneven assist, which can trigger facet sleepers to backside out.

We love rectangular pads over mummy pads for additional consolation, and the Divide is available in a variety of lengths and widths to suit each physique kind. It even is available in a double-wide for {couples}.

Weight

At 23 ounces for the most typical 20” x 72” measurement, the Huge Agnes Divide is way from the lightest sleeping bag in the marketplace, but it surely’s not the heaviest both. For comparability, pads on our checklist vary (from probably the most ultralight to probably the most snug) from about 10 ounces to twenty-eight ounces. 

The additional weight of the divide comes with many good trade-offs, together with extra sturdiness, higher heat, and affordability.

The included stuff sack may be very tight, making packing up within the morning a little bit of a chore, but it surely does hold the scale right down to a comparatively small 5” x 8”. The small 20” x 66” model will shed an additional ounce off the burden and a few inches off the packed measurement. 

Sturdiness

The Divide Insulated provides glorious sturdiness for an air pad. Huge Agnes doesn’t specify the fabric’s denier score, but it surely boasts recycled nylon ripstop cloth with aviation-grade TPU lamination.

This pad will final a very long time if handled properly, however Huge Agnes additionally features a alternative valve seal and high-quality 3M patches in case of an accident. As at all times, you’ll get probably the most out of your inflatable pad in case you watch the place you set it and clear the world of any pokies and jabbies first.

Heat

Some backpacking sleeping pads go for a easy, single-layer development that sacrifices heat to maintain prices down, however that’s not the case with the Huge Agnes Divide Insulated. 

This model has an R-value of 4, which is sweet in case you push your backpacking journeys into the early spring or late fall. They make an uninsulated model that may prevent a couple of bucks and ounces in your pack, however we expect choosing the insulated model is the transfer for a extra versatile pad.

Just like most insulated air pads, the Divide Insulated makes use of a skinny reflective movie to bounce your physique warmth again in direction of you and shield you from the chilly floor. With an R-value of 4, this strong pad will hold you heat by the shoulder seasons.

Will it maintain up in early winter as Huge Agnes suggests? Perhaps, relying on the atmosphere, however we advocate pairing it with a light-weight foam pad on frozen floor. The I-beam baffles also can doubtlessly create chilly spots within the pad.

Ease of Setup

With its high-volume, micro-adjustable twin valve, the Huge Agnes Divide Insulated is a breeze to arrange and tear down. Though it provides slightly little bit of bulk and weight, we love that the valves are separated. It basically eliminates the potential for by accident expelling all the treasured breaths you used to inflate the pad, which is all too frequent with two-in-one valves.

The pad will be inflated with the included pump sack (though it’s not our favourite) or the old school manner (that’s along with your lungs). Though the within of the pad is handled with an antimicrobial remedy to chop down on micro organism progress from one’s breath, we advocate utilizing the pump sack as a lot as potential to be protected.

The vertical I-beam development provides a head begin on folding the pad longways earlier than rolling it up (it’s harder and annoying than one may count on). Nevertheless, this comfort is balanced with the tremendous cosy stuff sack that hardly matches over the pad. Personally, we like to go away the stuff sack at house and fold the pad right into a rectangle on the again panel of our pack so as to add slightly rigidity.

Ought to You Purchase the Huge Agnes Divide Insulated Sleeping Pad?

For 3-season backpackers on the lookout for an reasonably priced sleeping pad to do all of it, the Huge Agnes Divide Insulated is a no brainer. It boasts one of the vital aggressive worth factors in the marketplace whereas sacrificing minimal efficiency. 

Though the vertical I-beam development isn’t for everybody (much less even weight distribution), it nonetheless supplies infinitely extra consolation than a primary foam pad. The raised facet rails assist to maintain your physique on the mat, and three.25 inches of thickness is nothing to shake a stick at. 

Along with its respectable consolation stage, the Divide Insulated supplies sufficient heat to maintain most sleepers heat for many of the yr and the sturdiness to final a very long time. 

Ultralight backpackers devoted to shaving each ounce potential from their pack can definitely discover a extra premium possibility, however the Divide Insulated is a strong funding for the informal and seasoned backpacker alike.

What Different Backpacking Pads Ought to You Contemplate?

For these prepared to drop slightly extra coin on a premium sleeping pad, take a look at our full vary of favorites. 

NEMO Tensor All-Season Evaluate: The Nemo Tensor All-Season is our favourite general backpacking sleeping pad because of its premium high quality and extremely well-rounded options. Though it’s slightly on the expensive facet, it achieves a formidable warmth-to-weight ratio with out skimping on consolation or sturdiness.

NEMO Quasar 3D Insulated Evaluate: Perhaps you’re slightly hesitant in regards to the vertical I-beam development of the Divide Insulated. If that’s the case, the Quasar 3D might be the reply. It’s equally sturdy, straightforward to arrange, and reasonably priced, however incorporates a extra typical horizontal baffle development with a raised head baffle and 3D physique mapping to cradle you to sleep.

Sea to Summit Ether Mild XR Insulated Evaluate: The Ether Mild XR is an actual sleeper (pun supposed). For its weight class, it achieves excellent consolation with its sprung cell baffles – offering among the most even weight distribution. It’s additionally decently heat and really sturdy.