Hest’s five-star reviews come from expedition sea kayakers, sailboat captains, avid campers, vanlifers, car campers, sleepers with hip problems, slide sleepers, you name it. Their single biggest issue is a lack of comfortable sleep outdoors. Hest has the answer.
I discovered Hest Foamy and Camp Pillow when I needed a break from venturing around the grounds of Overland Expo and fell into the dreamiest of places—the Hest exhibit. Owner Aaron Ambuske told me to stay and rest a while. The first thing I noticed was the luxurious feel of the material covering the Foamy sleeping pad. I melted into the sleep system and could have napped there, even with dozens of people buzzing about.
Turns out, Aaron believes what I have long said: If you spend a third of your life in bed, it should be amazingly comfortable. This is especially true for outdoor sleeping, where a restless night can leave you ragged the next day. Nobody wants to be a grumpy hiker. So, I took the Hest Foamy and Camp pillow to the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico and tested it out on the river’s rocky bank.
Its compact roll size measures 12 x 25 inches, weighs 11 pounds, and comes with a sturdy carrying handle. Once my tent was set up, I merely released the clasps and unrolled the bed. It took shape immediately into its full 3.9 inches of height. After a night on the Foamy, I am a believer. This is a rich and luxurious mattress, quintessential glamping without looking too, well, glamping.
Hest engineered the Foamy for optimal body alignment and temperature regulation—and it shows. The soft but supportive mattress is the best sleeping pad I’ve ever experienced outdoors. In fact, I decided to sleep directly on the mattress and layer my sleeping bags over me. The pillow is soft but firm enough to be supportive and wraps easily into its own smaller carrying case.
On my second night out, I decided to give the mattress a try in my truck. It fit perfectly onto my back seat, molding into the shape of the seats. I slept as comfortably there as in the tent. I am a dedicated side sleeper, and Foamy’s two layers of enhanced memory foam provided the pressure point relief I need in my hips and shoulders. That is huge for me.
The bottom half of the mattress is water- and dirt-proof, and Hest thoughtfully attached a small pocket for keys, cell phones, or other essentials. Hest also created a doormat for storing shoes. The Foamy comes in 25- and 30-inch widths and can also be ordered as a system for two, with options for additional padding.
Hest offers several sleep options, including a full sleep system and a bed for Fido, so he can have sweet dreams, too.
$299 | hest.com
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