How does the Balloonbed compare with a Therm-a-Rest Mattress (Cascade Designs, Inc.)?
The two versions of the Balloonbed available so far are not designed to compete with a Therm-a-Rest mattress in terms of ease of use and durability. Therm-a-Rest matresses are designed for constant heavy use in situations where weight and bulk aren’t too big an issue. Balloonbed is light and small when packed away and was designed specifically for the needs of an ‘adventure racer’ who knows that weight and bulk can seriously impair race performance. As with all things there is a certain trade-off in terms of performance. The Balloonbed is light and packs away small but it takes a little time to assemble and you have to treat it with a certain degree of care. Therm-a-Rest mattresses are relatively heavy and bulky when compared with a Balloonbed but are easy to assemble and can take a great deal more abuse. If the Balloonbed was as durable as a Therm-a-Rest mattress then nobody would ever buy a Therm-a-Rest again – we’re working on it.
