Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated Review

The Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated has some of the thickest baffles of any pad we've ever tested. We measured the interior at 3.5 inches thick, and the outside rails are 4.25 inches thick, which helps keep you on the pad if you're tossing and turning. Yet, at only 18 ounces, it's still one of the lighter-weight pads in our lineup; with a packed volume of 1.9 L, it's one of the smallest as well. The Rapide SL pad comes in six unique sizes, including a double-wide pad (all rectangular), so anyone can find the size that works best for them.

Comfort

The thick, supportive, vertical baffles on the Rapide SL allow you to sleep comfortably in any position, on any surface, no matter how bumpy. When I slept on my back, the thicker side rails cradled my shoulders and hips. On my stomach, the square edges gave me room to put my arms above my head. And on my side, my hips never felt the ground, even if we had set up camp on a rocky surface.

Among the various designs of inflatable sleeping pads, ones built with vertical baffles, like the Rapide SL, are a great option for folks who tend to roll around a lot at night. Unlike horizontal baffles, vertical baffles create a cradle-like effect, no matter your sleeping position. The baffles along the edges of the Rapide SL are also 3/4-inch thicker than they are in the center, which helps keep even the most restless sleepers on their pad. Unlike other pads we tested, the face material is also not slippery, which helps prevent you from sliding off in the middle of the night.

Weight

The Rapide SL isn't the absolute lightest pad in our lineup, but it's light enough that we'll even qualify it for ultralight backpacking. We weighed the 72-by-20-inch version we tested at an even 18 ounces.

We never hesitated to pack this pad, even though it weighs a few ounces more than some ultralight models we also had available. We're okay with the slight weight penalty because the extra thickness and added comfort made for a better night's sleep.

Warmth

The Rapide SL has a third-party verified R-value of 4.8. This isn't the most insulated pad available, and its insulation value is actually slightly under the median R value of pads we tested. However, the thick air chambers create a huge space between you and the cold ground, and that makes a lot of difference.

During summer backpacking trips, we were never cold when sleeping with this pad, even when we were hit with an unexpected snowstorm in July while camped at 12,000 feet. Even as wet snow and cold rain fell on our tent, we were immediately warm when we crawled into our down quilt on top of this pad.

Packed Size

The Rapide SL is smaller than the average packed size of pads in our lineup. This is impressive, given the fact that it is also thicker than most pads when inflated. It easily folds up into a 7-inch-long stuff sack that's less than 5 inches wide in diameter, equal to a packed volume of 1.9 liters. The stuff sack is also a bit larger than those included with other pads we tested, which makes packing so much easier.

If you ditch the stuff sack and inflation bag, you can fold this pad into a flat layer that sits evenly against your backpack's back panel. Even compared to our ultralight setup, the Rapide SL is on par with the size of our combined stove, fuel canister, and pot.

While we often leave the inflation bag at home to save weight, we found that it can serve another purpose besides filling this pad with air. On one rainy backpacking trip, we needed another waterproof stuff sack to protect our gear, so we used the inflation bag as a waterproof barrier for our sleeping layers. When we arrived at camp, our clothes were dry inside the bag, and after unpacking, we could still use the bag to inflate our pad.

Quality of Construction

The Rapide SL is made with superlight nylon double ripstop. While this material is relatively thinner than the material on other pads we tested, we haven't had any puncture issues during our extensive test period. That said, we wouldn't recommend laying this pad directly on sharp rocks or plants. But if you set it up on a ground sheet or in a tent, you shouldn't have any issues (beyond the normal hazards of opting for an inflatable sleeping pad).

It has two separate, one-way air valves: one for inflating and one for deflating. The included inflation bag fits well on the intake valve and is super easy to use, taking about four bags of air to inflate this pad fully. Using your lungs doesn't take very long, either – given the extra-thick baffles, we were surprised by how quickly we could inflate this pad with our lungs alone. The location of the deflation valve also makes it easy to roll the pad up tightly, which helps aid packing.

Should You Buy the Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated?

The Rapide SL offers maximum comfort in a lightweight, surprisingly packable package. It's less expensive than many of the other ultralight pads we tested, which makes it an excellent value. If you're looking to shave every ounce possible from an ultralight kit, this probably isn't the pad for you. However, if you're looking for a pad designed to fit your body perfectly, we highly recommend the Rapide SL, thanks to the availability of sizing.

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