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InsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad

heated-sleeping-pad.bmpInsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad – Heated sleeping pad.

I think the InsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad by Pacific Outdoor equipment was one of those ideas that sounded better on paper. Sure a heated sleeping pad sounds nice, but who wants to spend $130 on a sleeping pad to start with? Not to mention the number of batteries the InsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad is sure to eat.

The InsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad is a heated sleeping pad that runs off of four AA batteries. The batteries are housed in a small battery pack so you aren’t rolling around on them all night. The InsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad has a thermostat in it that turns on the heating coils when the tempeture drops below 68F. To make sure you don’t get too hot, the coils cut off at around 77F.

What gets me about the InsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad is the battery pack. If you have ever tried to use battery powered devices in extreme cold weather, you know how fast they die. On a good night, the batteries can last for up to 8 hours. Since Im assuming you would only want a heated sleeping pad for really cold weather, I can only imagine the short life span of the batteries in these conditions.

The quick & dirty:

Where you can get one:
Amazon: $134

Why the rock:

  • Material: 50D Low-slip nylon
  • Inflated Size: [Petit (women’s)] 20 x 66 x 1.5in; [Reg] 20 x 72 x 1.5in; [Lng] 20 x 78 x 1.5in
  • Rolled Size: [Petit] 20 x 5.75in; [Reg] 21 x 6.5in; [Lng] 21 x 7in
  • R Value: 3-Season use
  • Weight: [Petit] 25oz; [Reg] 34oz; [Lng] 36oz
  • Recommended Use: Adding a little extra warmth to your night of camping

Why it bites:

  • Stupid idea

Seat-of-the-pants rating: 4 out of 10

About the only reason I could see the InsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad being a good idea is if you’re a wuss and cant suck it up in the cold weather. Id buy a warmer sleeping bag and add a few ounces before I bought the InsulMat Hot! Sleeping Pad.

Looking to buy? Check out these sites:
Amazon: $134