Backpacker Magazine – Online Exclusive

Gear Review: Eureka Dualis Sleeping Pad

Do you toss and turn endlessly in your tent at night? Keep reading.

by: Allison Woods

Tags:
• Gear
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• Sleeping pad
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• Sleeping bags
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Maybe you’re one of those people who just can’t get comfortable at bedtime: squirmy, shifty, and generally a less-than-stellar tentmate. Did you know that there is an excellent chance that your sleeping pad is partially to blame?

Think about it: you rely on this slip of air and some kind of insulation to keep you both warm and adequately padded from whatever happens to be under your tent, be it snow, mud, or partially frozen earth. The Eureka Dualis addresses this matter with ingenuity: The four-season pad is essentially an inflatable foam pad with an air mattress welded right on top of it, bringing the best of both worlds—and nearly 4” of cushion-- to your somnolent underside.

I tested it in Washington’s Cascades and Columbia River Basin and this one didn’t disappoint in the comfort department. At 72 x 20”, the pad’s large enough that my feet never fell off the end of the pad, even while rolling onto my side. Even camping on snow, and on cooler nights (the coolest testing night, the mercury dropped below 20°F), I never felt the chill of the ground through the pad. The separate air chambers for the “self-inflating” foam section and air mattress section require little effort (it takes about 2 minutes to fully inflate both chambers), and in four months of testing, I didn’t experience any problems with leakage from either valve, nor did I puncture the pad.

The tough 150-denier ripstop polyester exterior made it ideal for stargazing on the granite slabs at an unnamed lake deep in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. All of this comfort comes at a cost though. While this pad is a bargain at $99 (comparable pads can cost twice that), the weight penalty is significant. The Dualis comes in right at three pounds, but if you’re one of those people who just can’t get comfortable in the high country, this pad will comfort the restless hound dog in you.

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