How to Use a Big Agnes Pad Inflation Sack

How to use the weird inflation sack that comes with your sleeping pad.
My review of the Big Angnes Rapide SL Sleeping Pad: camphikeliveca...
My amazon affiliate link to this pad: amzn.to/40OmKXu
I'm using a Big Agnes Rapide SL Regular Wide. Inflating it to its firmest setting makes it look less flat but it still sleeps well. Or if you let some air out to make it a softer sleep, it will lie flat.

[@Nick-kb2jc]

Dude thank so much for actually walking through the process and describing each step with commentary and visuals. Thank you!

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Cool no problem!

[@melaniewagner7797]

I found this video (and appreciate it so much!) because I purchased an Agnes and had no idea how to use the sack. I started as you did, leaning over and pushing the air into it, and it was taking forever (as you said, 20-30 times to fill the pad) after a while I got tired and sat on my butt. When I did, it took pressure off the valve and the air flowed more easily, and the pad inflated more rapidly. I was more squeezing the air into the pad, rather than pushing/leaning down into it. After finishing inflating I actually let the air out and started over to see how many sackfuls it took and it was only 7-8 using the sit-on-your-butt method. Hope this helps someone else!

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Great - thanks for sharing! Hopefully viewers see your comment and try it out. These days I have one of those mini-pumps from Flextail Gear that gets me 90% of the way there. Take care!

[@jessieb.7188]

Best video, thank you! It came with ZERO instructions and I wasn’t sure what to do. At first I thought this is too time consuming and not worth it despite how light and compact it is but now that I’ve done it a couple times I love it and see the reasoning and benefits behind this design. Thanks!

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Cool, glad it helped! I use a Flextail Gear tiny pump now, but still keep the sack with my pad just in case!

[@DriftlessWarrior]

Just bought one and was a bit baffled as to how to use the inflation bag. Thank you so much!!

[@Think-about-]

How do you like it? I’m considering getting one

[@DriftlessWarrior]

@@Think-about- Well, unfortunately I haven't been able to go camping. Life got in the way big-time. :( I did use it one night at a friend's house and "camped" on their back deck, and slept quite well on it. I really love that it folds into such a tiny size but still can be that comfortable. Not as comfy and doesn't have as much ground insulation as my Exped Megamat, but I didn't expect it to be. I bought the Big Agnes because the Exped takes up a *ton* of space when rolled up. It's a fantastic compromise. I would recommend buying it. There are two widths. I have the narrower one, but I'm 5'5" with a small build and wanted to save money, so that worked out for me. Hope this helps, and happy camping!!

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Yeah it's a little different than a Nemo or Exped where you can blow into it to give it some volume. Kinda more bare bones. Take care and hope you got to use it!

[@Robert-yp9zs]

The inflation sack certainly beats beating up one's lungs! Plus, as alluded to in the video, using the inflation sack bypasses all your lung's warm moist air getting into the mattress, with its attendant growth of mold.

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

That's a good point. I don't mind topping it off with a few breaths since I like to sleep on my side and want the pad nice and blown up. But yeah, if you get any mold growth, it may reduce the lifespan of the pad, and flare up your allergies when deflating the pad, if you're allergic to mold.

[@gepstein9]

Wow, it only takes 10 minutes to blow up with the bag! No thanks LOL

[@maxstevens2414]

Super helpful, super easy. Thanks for the video!

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Cool no problem!

[@bertonimawa]

you are underestimated! thanks for the video

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Cool thanks! Take care!

[@jelin5233]

You open it, bring one seam to the other, scrunch it up and press. More air capture. Then you press from the side, not from up to down. It will pump with less resistance.

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Awesome thanks! I have a better, more traditional inflation sack from Exped that works better for that technique. The BA ones are not that great - just made from some recycled material they were going to toss from the cutting floor.

[@michaelsrowland]

Amazing someone has actually put up a video that shows how to connect the air sac to the pad

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Yeah it just kind of snaps together.

[@setman85903]

Helpful video! The inflation is a bit awkward but it works!

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Cool, thanks! Yeah I have a Exped pad too with a better inflation sack, but this one works okay. Lately I've just been using a FlexTail Gear Tiny Pump...

[@sp10sn]

I have this Big Agnes and Expeds also. Gosh, this is awkward!

[@ManBolo5432]

Blows up quick for me but the transition pulling pump bag to plugging I lose all air over and over

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

which model sleeping pad do you have? The BA Rapide SL in the video has a one way valve so you don't lose air when you unplug. It does have a button to press in the middle of the intake valve that lets out a little air to customize your firmness thought.

[@johnholbrook6042]

Does not blow up quickly for me. Trying to return for refund.

[@shumandaniele]

About how many rounds does it take? When I push down on the bag, it makes lots of squeeky noises, I'm wondering if there's a leak or if I'm somehow not attached correctly. Edit: I guess I must be doing it right -- the first few rounds seemed to do nothing, but it's inflated after about 10 "puffs."

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Glad you got it going. I've been using a little mini-pump lately. So I don't remember the number of reps I needed but I'm guessing it was under 20.

[@malihere82]

Does the inflation sack have threads on the outside? I have a sleeping pad that has a 1 1/2" inlet that is threaded. It's been a pain to inflate because most pumps are smaller. Thanks.

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Hello, I'm out of town, so away from my camping gear. But if I recall, there are no threads on the BA inflation sack. It does kind of 'snap on' to the pad's inlet. And it only seems to fit my BA pad. It doesn't fit my Klymit or Exped pads. But if you get a Flextail Gear Tiny Pump, that has a soft rubber nozzle which seems to work universally with my pads. Or at least it can do 90% of the work, and then I'll blow a little in with my lungs at the end.

[@johnholbrook6042]

Just received a Big Agnes pad that I ordered online. Hope I can return for refund. Hate the way it inflates using the air inflator sack. Doesn't matter if it is the most comfortable pad in the world if it is not user friendly to inflate. $ wasted if I can not return for I will not use.

[@jvg3242]

Just get a mini electric pump. Most bags don't have a much better system anyhow.

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

Just buy a little Flextailgear pump so you don't need an inflation sack. I posted a video of mine on this channel a few months ago.

[@christianbeaupre7989]

There is another inflation bag made by big Agnes that works better fyi. Check their website.

[@PhilHaddon]

This should be entitled how to totally NOT use the pump sack! Open the sack and from about 12" away blow into the sack. The sack will inflate very effectively. Then trap the air in by scrunching up the open end, then push the air into the mat as in the video.

[@camphikelivecalifornia3864]

I tried blowing air into the inflation sack when I was camping at Joshua Tree the other day. The amount of extra volume obtained from blowing at it from 1 foot away was marginal. And factoring in that I could be increasing the risk of mold growth by trapping warm, moist air into the sack, this marginal increase in volume doesn't seem to be worth it, in practice. But thanks for the suggestion.

[@kentwood9821]

I would disagree, just opening and closing as he does in the video is fine, took me no time at all to fill the pad. Blowing is fine too, but not required.