Pacific Outdoor Equipment
Pacific Outdoor Equipment is a manufacturers name for a line of self-inflating camping mattresses. They are located in Bozeman, MT.
A air mattress or sleeping pad consists of an airtight nylon, polyester, or bamboo fabric envelope filled with a sheet of low density, open-cell polyurethane foam. The urethane foam does not provide significant padding; when a valve is opened, it tends to expand to its normal size, and as it does so it draws air into the mattress. When the mattress has fully inflated to the ambient air pressure of the surrounding environment, the user simply closes the valve. To increase firmness, a few lungfuls of air can be blown into the mattress. To pack the mattress, the valve is opened and it is rolled up tightly to force the air out, whereupon the valve is closed to prevent re-inflation. There is a slight weight penalty in such mattresses compared to non-inflatable pads, but when used properly they can provide isolation from cold and hard surfaces.
They came up with the first design for a women's specific sleeping pad. A women's specific sleeping pad has increased support in the hip area as well as increased insulation in the foot. With a design supported by reputable research among the scientific community, these features have also been supported by shorter length pads.
The Air Loft mattress was redesigned in 2004, and is composed of tubes that are inflated by the camper. Each tube has a polyester fiber fill that is draped from the head to foot of the pad. This polyester fiber fill reduces thermo siphoning, and keeps air static for insulating. In an more environmentally conscience move this pad is now from carbonized bamboo. The carbonized bamboo is made into a fiber fill and a fabric. The bamboo insulation has heat reflective properties.
They invented the first Hybrid sleeping pad in 2003 combining two types of foam. A Hybrid sleeping pad fuses increases the comfort with the combination of self inflating foam and closed cell foam under the shoulders and hips keeps the sleeper warmer, and closed cell foam down to the feet adds extra insulation.
Similar mattresses are now available from competitors.