Cascade Designs LE CampRest Sleeping Pad
By Steve Mann

When is overweight gear a good thing? On my backpacking gear list, an overweight sleeping pad is definitely not good. A measly one-inch thick sleeping pad for me yields an acceptable night of sleep for backpacking. "Acceptable" in this case means that every time I wake up at night I remind myself how much weight I didn't have to carry all day.

But when it comes time to day hike using the car as a base camp, the old one-inch is the first item to go off my car-camping gear list. Now, an overweight pad sounds very desirable. Overweight in this case refers to my plush 2 1/2-inch thick, 25-inch wide LE (Luxury Edition) CampRest Pad from Cascade Designs.

This sleeping beauty features the same construction as the sturdy backpacking Therm-A-Rest pads. It's a self-inflating open-cell foam pad. And the extra five inches of width and thicker padding makes a world of difference in a good night's sleep. I've used Therm-A-Rest pads for years now, and they are very durable. I managed to puncture a hole in one (the only hole-in-one I've ever gotten) by carrying it outside my backpack without its stuff sack (trying to save weight). The included patch kit made for a quick and easy repair job, and it's been air tight ever since.

The LE CampRest shares that durability with the rest of the Therm-A-Rest line. The Oxford Nylon fabric on the pad's bottom side is highly abrasion resistant. I've jammed, crushed, crammed, stuffed, knelt on, sat on, dried-off on, dropped, scratched, stepped on, rolled, folded, squeezed, and slept on my LE CampRest for more than a year without a moment's problem. And it still looks like I just rolled it out of the package for the first time.

Of course, the LE CampRest takes up a little more space in the tent than its skinny backpacking cousin, but what works for the pad works for the tent. Why skimp on tent space (weight) if your not hauling the tent on your back?

I have been doing lots of day hiking using my Suburban as base camp the past few months, and my LE CampRest goes on every trip. I've discovered that two CampRests fit just perfectly in the back of a Suburban, if you take out the third seat. That means two LE CampRest pads will also just fit right between the wheel wells of a standard full-sized pickup truck.

Now for the one problem you might have with the LE CampRest--its price. This is certainly the premium sleeping pad--the most comfortable--I've found anywhere. And its price reflects the fact that it's a quality product. Hey, this is the "Luxury Edition" after all! The LE retails at $130.

Maybe this isn't the right pad for the casual, or infrequent, car camper. If your principle concern is the dollars you're going to shell out, look elsewhere. You can buy a length of three-inch thick mattress foam at most home improvement stores. Or, you can opt for one of Therm-A-Rests economy 2" pads at around $75.

On the other hand, maybe infrequent campers should consider the LE CampRest. If you are unaccustomed to a night on the hard ground--or the hard ground covered with a slim sleeping pad--the LE CampRest may make the difference between an enjoyable, successful trip and a poor night's sleep followed by a tired day.

Summary: For all-around comfort, combined with stuff-ability, and durability, nothing beats the Therm-A-Rest LE CampRest from Cascade Designs. If you do much car camping, I highly recommend this pad. After one night on this pad, you, and your back, will be glad you bought it.

Specs:
LE CampRest
Weight: 3 lbs 7 oz (1560 grams)
Size: 25X77X2.5 inches (63X196X6 cm)
Rolled Size 26X6 inches (66X15 cm)
Colors: Dark Blue top, mocha bottom

Steve Mann is a contributing editor for GearReview.com

For more information, contact:
Cascade Designs
4000 First Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98134
(800)531-9531