View Full Version : Big Agnes Air Core
I use one of these pads and find it nice and comfy, esp. since I'm a side sleeper. I am on my second one the first being replaced due to a phanthom leak. The replacement is now starting to leak, I've found two and patched them. Does anyone else have these problems with this product? I always use a GC under I am now thinking of making a sort of sleeve with Tyvek and sliding it over the pad so its ptotected top and bottom. Any comments?
you are not the first one to have problems with them. You won't be the last either. Go with a Insul Mat Max by Pacific Outdoor Equipment
MacGyver2005
08-22-2006, 13:06
Same thing happened to me and my father on our Thru last year. We replaced his, then mine, and ended up returning mine altogether. Other's have had this happen. I won't give them any more of my money, but am thankful that it was so easy to return!
Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME
hopefulhiker
08-22-2006, 14:55
I used one on my thru hike last year, It developed the same problem of a phantom leak, but Big Agnes replaced with one made froma different material.. The new one has held up just fine.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
08-22-2006, 14:57
It is my understanding that a run a few years ago had problems and that the newer BA's are more reliable. I have a rectangular 20" x 72" - it has been camping a number of times and has endured things like having kids hit each other with it and jump on it without any problem. I use our air mats on the floor in parents' bedrooms when our tiny great-grandkids are visiting and afraid to sleep away from mom and dad.
Well, I've patched two leaks and its still not holding air. Will try again if results are neg. I'm sending them back.
GOT THIS FROM BA TODAY----------------------------------------------Hey Bob,
We did have an earlier run with some inconsistencies that were
basically
undetectable in testing and quality assurance. They only fail after
multiple
outings, which as you can imagine, drives us nuts. I actually use one
of
those pads and it has a few hundred nights on it now and is perfectly
fine.
All that said, you can feel like we are blowing smoke since you've had
2
fail. It has happened to a few others. We have slightly changed the
fabric
and coating and they are more bomber than ever.
Send your address and we'll send a new one. I'm not going to have you
hassle
with sending that one back. Normally we want them all to test because
the
few people with second bad ones think they all suck and we've found
quite a
few have punctures or the "o" ring is misaligned.
i had the same problem. sent it back, and got a new one. new material with a non slip coating. i have been out with the new one many times with no problems. BA has great customer service.
TJ aka Teej
08-23-2006, 17:30
Send your address and we'll send a new one.
You can't beat service like that!
Considering they don't want the used one back!
Daddy Longlegs
08-23-2006, 20:02
can I have your old one!?!:D
When I get the new one you're welcome to it!
slowhike
08-26-2006, 22:12
BA replaced my 1st leaker w/ a new one (a few months ago). they gave me the same story about a new fabric.
not to long after starting to use the new one (in my hammock) it began to leak too.
i`ll give them one more chance & i hope they will go ahead & just send me one instead of making me send in the leaker, then wait several weeks. i have a exped DAM that i can use now, but i had to do with out or borrow one before. ...tim
I have one that's three years old with no problems. I haven't used it that much, though, only when hiking with others (I prefer solo, when I use a hammock in the summer). My pad has no insulation. Maybe that's the problem with all the leakers I've heard about. When I need insulation, I throw a ccf pad on top. If I happen to be carrying the ccf, but don't need the insulation, it goes underneath the pad for protection from the ground.
slowhike
08-27-2006, 00:06
yep... some people haven`t had a problem. mabey it does have to do w/ differant matereals used at differant times (or differant locations where they were put together)... or ...who knows??? ...tim
hopefulhiker
08-27-2006, 09:11
I also heard that the rectangular ones hold up better than the mummy ones
Frolicking Dinosaurs
08-27-2006, 09:13
Since they are mostly a backpacking product, I'm sure they sell more of the mummy style so they may have spotted the problem before it found its way into the rectangular pads.
When the new one arrives I will use it starting 9/5 on the C/O canal trail and give a report.
MacGyver2005
08-27-2006, 19:15
I also heard that the rectangular ones hold up better than the mummy ones
Two of our three that failed were rectangular, so I am going to suggested that your source is incorrect.
Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME
headchange4u
08-27-2006, 19:49
You guys are making me nervous.:(
I have 2 rectangular BA Air Core pads, one for me and one for my wife. I have never had a problem with them leaking. They have only been used about 5 or 6 times, but the last time I used them it was over a 4 day period. I had to put more air in them only once over that 4 days, and that was only a little bit of air.
Is there any way to tell if I may have the ones that are having the problem leaking? The no slip material would be nice as I seem to slide around a lot on the pad.
I really love my BA pad. It's pretty light at 1 lb. 6 oz. for a pad thats 3 inches thick when blown up. It also packs down to nothing. It's been really comfortable and I hope I don't start having problems with it leaking.
slowhike
08-27-2006, 21:02
mabey your fourtunant enough that you got two "no leakers". that would be great. if you have concerns, mabey you could sleep on it at home to be sure it`s holding air through the night.
i know mine started w/ a slow leak that (in the beginning) only left the pad noticably less inflated than when i went to bed. but unfourtunantly, it got worse. then i was waking up in the wee hours of the morning w/ a compleatly flat pad.
i aggree about loving the comfort of the BA pad.
BTW... i found (like some others) that the psd works best for me when it`s only about 1/2 inflated. ...tim
You guys are making me nervous.:(
I have 2 rectangular BA Air Core pads, one for me and one for my wife. I have never had a problem with them leaking. They have only been used about 5 or 6 times, but the last time I used them it was over a 4 day period. I had to put more air in them only once over that 4 days, and that was only a little bit of air.
Is there any way to tell if I may have the ones that are having the problem leaking? The no slip material would be nice as I seem to slide around a lot on the pad.
I really love my BA pad. It's pretty light at 1 lb. 6 oz. for a pad thats 3 inches thick when blown up. It also packs down to nothing. It's been really comfortable and I hope I don't start having problems with it leaking.
I also heard that the rectangular ones hold up better than the mummy ones
Mine is a mummy, three years old, holding up just fine.
hc4u see post #7 ---- thats how it starts, minute leaks then they multiply-- e-mail them and tell them when you bought them and ask if they fall into the time frame of their bad lot---otherwise wait
Another suggestion, sleep on them at home for awhile.
headchange4u
08-28-2006, 10:42
*snip*
BTW... i found (like some others) that the psd works best for me when it`s only about 1/2 inflated. ...tim
I don't fill mine up all the way. I think the pad is a lot more comfortable if its not all stiff and bouncy.
I ordered mine back on May 18 from Backcountry.com. I wonder if I should contact them or contact BA directly?
Go To Ba Directly They Are Familiar With Problem
snarbles
11-13-2006, 14:06
Any updates on the leak issues with the 2006 models? I'm interested in buying one of the 20" x 72" x 2.5" mummy insulated air core pads. If they are still having issues I might get a new Prolight 3 reg.
DrewNC2005
11-13-2006, 15:33
Any updates on the leak issues with the 2006 models? I'm interested in buying one of the 20" x 72" x 2.5" mummy insulated air core pads. If they are still having issues I might get a new Prolight 3 reg.
Look at the Insul-Mat Max Thermo as well...it is essentially the same thing as the BA with little history of leaks
slowhike
11-13-2006, 20:39
Any updates on the leak issues with the 2006 models? I'm interested in buying one of the 20" x 72" x 2.5" mummy insulated air core pads. If they are still having issues I might get a new Prolight 3 reg.
BA made me mail my 2nd leaker back to them. after i expressed my un-appreciation for making another trip to the post office & paying the shipping charges, they sent me a postage paid label to put on it.
i mailed it back to BA on oct 4, & haven`t herd back from them.
so when i saw your post, i called BA. they asked if they could call me back. i said sure. i haven`t herd from them yet, so it`ll probably be tomorrow.
i`ll let you know. ...tim
Blissful
11-13-2006, 21:31
My 2005 BA rectangular model finally developed a slow leak this past fall and esp on my last section hike. Woke up in the middle of the night with it deflated. Plan to return it to REI for a replacement. Sigh. I really like the pad too. Hope it holds up for my thru. Double sigh.
slowhike
11-14-2006, 20:50
Any updates on the leak issues with the 2006 models? I'm interested in buying one of the 20" x 72" x 2.5" mummy insulated air core pads. If they are still having issues I might get a new Prolight 3 reg.
ok... bill (one of the co-owners & founders of BA) called me back today.
we talked for a while... nice guy, & he talked about the flustration trying to solve the problem.
though there`s been a problem w/ some of the pads, there a lot of pads still in use w/ no problem, even though they may have come from some of the same lots that had leak issues, making it that much more difficult to figgure out the cause.
they have continued to make changes in the manufacturing process & feel that they have fine tuned the process so that the pads they are making today are as trust worthy as any other pad.
i feel convinced that they are genuinly determined to get it right. and i suspect that if you get a pad today, it should be fine.
BTW... they are sending me a new insulated air core mummy. ...tim
Blissful
11-14-2006, 23:47
ok... bill (one of the co-owners & founders of BA) called me back today.
we talked for a while... nice guy, & he talked about the flustration trying to solve the problem.
Wow, impressive. Makes me want to stick with them, even though my 2005 version leaks now. Besides, I like the pad very much.