The review of the ALPS Comfort pad is a result of working with the team of 3Beds.com, a website that reviews airbeds and sleeping pads.
A word about ALPS Mountaineering
The Mountaineering is just one of the sub-brands of the ALPS company. It manufactures hiking and camping gear – anything from tents, chairs, tents to airbeds and sleeping pads.
It was started by Denis Brune in the early 1990s, a guy who run the Kelty backpack company before starting ALPS.
As their mission, they boldly put forth the idea of making high-performance gear at lower prices, but we are here to test if they came through on that with this sleeping pad from the Comfort Series.
A few basic facts from the sheet of the pad
The Comfort Series is one of the three main sleeping pads that represent the company in the arena, the other two being the ALPS Lightweight and the Featherlite.
The specs as listed:
- Self-inflating – features JetStream Foam, open cell
- The fabric of the bottom is dotted with PVC (anti-slip)
- The valves are brass
- Available sizes (Regular: 20x72x1.5 inches to XXL 30x77x4 inches)
- Weight of the size regular: 3.2 lbs
My First Impressions
The pad came well packaged. It came with a stuff sack, straps to secure it and a repair kit.
It is not a lightweight pad, and is not compact – I feel this would be better suited as a camping rather than a backpacking pad. It can also be used to add comfort when sleeping on a cot or the floor.
Testing the ALPS Comfort Series Self-Inflating Pad
The instructions sounded straightforward enough. I followed the directions: unroll the pad and open the valve.
It was suppose to inflate on its own within 30 minutes. After an hour, it had not inflated. The directions said you can blow air into the valve if the pad is not inflated. As I blew air into it, the sleeping pad developed a bubble in the middle.
I called the 1-800 number on the instruction sheet and spoke with a customer service representative. I told her what happened and she said they would send another one. She asked me to email her a photo for their records. Within two days I received a replacement. Although I was disappointed about receiving a defective product, I was pleased with their service and promptness.
The second time around, I unrolled the pad and left it alone for an hour. This time, the pad self-inflated.
I added air into the pad using the valve until it reached the desired thickness, then tightened the valve. The pad was comfortable and had a nice texture. It also has a non-slip surface, which definitely helps keep a backpack in place.
I left the pad overnight to see if it would deflate just like other pads I have tried out. I did find a small degree of deflation.
In conclusion:
The ALPS Comfort Series self-inflating pad is convenient and easy to use, but be aware it needs about an hour to self-inflate if you are using it for the first time. On subsequent uses, the pad self-inflated within 30 minutes. Test the pad at least a week before you take it out camping to make sure it works as described. My first pad was defective, but customer service was prompt and efficient. The pad is comfortable, with a suede-like fabric and non-slip surface.
Overall I would rate it a 3 out of 5.
Check out my review in the new Apartment Prepper You Tube channel here: https://youtu.be/QSf6RLbWhtQ
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