Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map Review

Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map Overview

If you’re a car camper and looking to get a new self-inflating camping mattress, then keep reading, because the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map provides a guide to comfy sleep, as implied by the name. The short of it: this pad is as comfortable as my mattress at home. Really.

The Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map comes in a few sizes, but I reviewed the large version, which weighs in at four pounds, three ounces, and measures 25 by 77 inches, providing more than enough room for tall and wide folks. It’s burly, cozy, and very warm, with an R-value of 6.8. The foam is layered for maximum comfort, and there’s a LOT of it, which allows for such a luxurious night’s sleep. Quite impressive!

While we think the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map camping mattress is outstanding, the REI Camp Bed remains our Classic Pick pad for the Car Camper. This is mostly due to cost — the Camp Bed (in a Regular size) is $99, and comes standard with the extra-wide 25-inch width, which we believe most people prefer.

That said, the Luxury Map is much more comfortable than the Camp Bed, and Therm-a-Rest has a better reputation for durability and warranty. If the extra cost and size aren’t a problem, definitely get the Luxury Map. And, if cost is no object and you want the absolute best in camping mattresses, consider the Exped MegaMat.

Read the full Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map review below, and see where it stands on our guide to the Best Camping Mattresses.

Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map (Large) Specifications

Gear Review of the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map

Origins: Easing You In

Car camping is not always my favorite way to camp, but this spring I found myself pregnant and desiring comfort over everything. This made car camping one of the best ways for me to explore the wilderness areas around Southwest Colorado.

The trip I brought my Luxury Map mattress on was a three-night campout in the woods near Durango, an area where you can take it easy or explore the many trails that go on pretty much endlessly.

Getting ready for some good sleep on the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map.

It was a true mountain weekend, with temperatures fluctuating between 30 degrees to 80 degrees. That kind of range can be a little bit tricky when choosing what sleeping gear to bring along, but I figured with such a strong R Value, it would be hard to go wrong with the Luxury Map.

Revelation: The Moment I Knew

I knew that I loved the Thermarest Luxury Map almost immediately. It inflated quickly — just release the valve and it fills up about 90% of the way — which was great! But the true love happened when I laid on it for the first time.

Inflating…

I am not kidding when I tell you it is as comfortable as my mattress at home. And I am pretty picky about this kind of stuff. If you have ever been pregnant or known a pregnant person, then you will know that we are almost always uncomfortable. I was pretty concerned about being able to sleep on this trip because of it.

As it turns out, I slept great all three nights and woke up each morning feeling refreshed and limber. I was able to sleep on my back and sides without slipping off the pad, and it was not noisy at all, like so many backpacking air pads can be.

It’s always cool to be shocked in a good way by gear, and that is exactly what happened for me with the Luxury Map.

Digging Deeper

When considering a camping mattress, you want to think about comfort and durability. In terms of durability, the Luxury Map is top notch. The top fabric is made of a 50D polyester knit, which has a lovely slip resistant material, and the bottom is 75D polyester, which is incredibly burly.

While I wouldn’t recommend placing this mattress on a rock bed (actually, don’t ever do that for sleeping or for testing inflatable pads), I do believe it would hold up the that type of abuse. The foam construction of this pad also adds to its durability by taking some of the pressure off of the fabric. A quick note on that slip resistant top layer — it’s amazing. Very much like having a flannel sheet on a bed. You will stay in place, and your skin will thank you.

The pressure points laid out on the Luxury Map are designed to help you sleep.

In terms of comfort, the Luxury Map shines. Therm-a-Rest uses pressure mapping technology on this pad to layer foam in a way that adds a lot of comfort and removes pressure points one often feels when lying on foam and air. The heavily foamed areas are clearly visible on the pad and truly do add a lot of comfort. However Therm-a-Rest created this technology,  it’s clearly working well!

Finally, the R-Value is a winter-ready 6.8, meaning this pad will protect you from a freezing ground. That adds to comfort, and makes it so you just need the one pad for many seasons (and years) of use.

While the height isn’t the thickest out there, the Luxury Map’s 3 inches keeps you off the ground and unable to feel any rocks or sticks that may be underneath.

This pad inflates rapidly and mixes warmth, comfort and durability in an unusual way that makes for excellent sleeping. Even for those of us who are sleeping lightly because we’re so uncomfortable. I think that speaks volumes of the Luxury Map’s quality and thoughtful design.

Comfort – 5 Stars

The Luxury Map is large and in charge. It’s wide enough to move around, with a top layer that keeps you in place while doing so. The foam layers are in all the right spots to support sleeping on your back, side or tummy if you’re so inclined. It’s also nice and wide, so most of your body will always be on the pad. No one likes waking up to freezing-dead-arm, so the 25-inch width of the Large is truly a nice feature. The Regular has a 20-inch width, which is standard for most sleeping pads, but we think it’s a bit narrow for a luxurious camping mattress.

Durability – 5 Stars

Keeping price in mind, I do not believe you’d find a more durable camping mattress. It’s well constructed and made of thick poly materials that can hold up to some rough surfaces. The foam layers add to its durability by removing pressure points that most other pads have. The inflation valve seems very well attached and moves around a lot less than others when handled, especially in the dead of night!

The fabrics used in the Luxury Map are burly. This means they don’t pack small, but they’ll last.

All that said, it’s still a camping mattress that utilizes air, and can spring a leak. Don’t rake it over obsidian, alright?

Inflation and Deflation – 4 Stars

In about 15 breaths you can fill this camping mattress. That is not very many breaths. It inflates quickly and easily — just pull the valves and hear the whoosh of air entering. Due to the Luxury Map’s weight, it just naturally unrolls, which is great! You don’t have to keep repositioning it to make sure it’s fully inflated. The inflation valve screws and unscrews less than many of the other valves I’ve used (about a twist and a half), so you don’t lose much air when you take your mouth off the valve.

A single valve to inflate. Not the best, but works well and has for many years.

As far as deflation goes…that’s a little more clunky, mainly because of the pad’s size. I wasn’t able to find a very efficient way to get all the air out quickly. Because of the heavy foam layers, air wants to stay in certain areas. The best way to deflate it was to lay on it with my body for a few minutes with the valve unscrewed, then roll it up slowly. I think that got most of the air out, but due to the foam, it was hard to tell!

The rolling up of the Luxury Map may be the most difficult part of it.

Packability – 3.5 Stars

Let’s be clear: This is not a pad you would backpack with. It’s strictly for car camping. It is extremely large and quite heavy. That being said, once you’ve mastered the deflate, it rolls up easily. And you don’t have to concern yourself with trying to roll it up really tight. Because of its foam, it naturally rolls to one size and getting it smaller is basically impossible.

The Luxury Map in its included carrying case. Not meant for backpacking.

That said, the carrying bag should be bigger. It’s a bit of a challenge getting the Luxury Map into the bag. It fits, most definitely. But it takes longer than it needs to and would not be a fun task to take care of with gloves on.

Grievances

The tight carrying bag is my main complaint of the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map. It’s too small to pack quickly, and when you’re ready to leave camp you don’t want to struggle with stuffing a giant foam mattress into a bag!

Try to fit the Luxury Map into the included stuff sack in a few minutes, and you’ll get frustrated. It takes time, probably more than it should.

As long as you know that this pad is for car camping and not backpacking, you’ll be happy with it! There are not many negatives to a portable home-esque bed.

Final Word

If you want a camping pad that will fool you into believing you’re sleeping on a comfy mattress, then the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map is for you! It’s a high quality piece of kit for any car camping enthusiast. Well thought out, designed with intention and very easy to sleep on!

Where to Buy Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map

We tested the Large version of the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map camping mattress. We prefer this size and think that for the price it provides the highest amount of comfort in its class.

Therm-a-Rest also makes the Regular, which is shorter and 20 inches wide, your standard sleeping pad size. Great for a smaller person. They also make the XL, which is a full 30 inches wide, and more than enough room to roll around.

Compare Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map prices below.

Deirdre

Deirdre is a photographer and outdoor writer based in Tucson and the San Juan Mountains. She is a big fan of type II fun and loves gear! To check out some of Deirdre's work, check out her IG! Instagram.