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advice needed on sleeping mats
Hi all
You may remember a long thread on the night I slept in my conservatory and was COLD ! Well have decided to bin the air bed and go for a 4 leg bed (which is very comfy) but looking at sleeping mats and I dont know where to start.... there just seems so many !! Ive searched threads n been to various shops to try out and Im still non the wiser So advice please on best self inflating mats Cheers Geordie |
Thermarest.
Not the cheapest by any means but effective and dependable. Other brands exists (eg alpkit, exped) but I can't comment on their quality. I expect them to be decent and Exped the better of the two... Just my guess, though... |
The Thermarest Prolite 4 worked fine for me over 2 long trips.
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Exped Downmat is the one for me.
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Thermarest for me, and I'd even consider ditching the camp bed if I were you, isn't it a bit bulky? In the past I've used my thermarest with a foil backed foam camping mat and it's always been warm as toast and comfortable after about the third day. And packs small enough and you can sit on the foil camping mat when the ground's wet.
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Try this.
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I have used several self inflating foam mats - one was really excellent and cost £12.00 from aldi is really roomy fairly thick and very warm and comfortable, but its a quite bulky, I still have it now, I also have one of the smaller thermarest types pack up quite small and are reasonably warm and comfortable however the Exped down mat is far superior to any of the above (I camp in Arctic areas a lot and its here where it really makes a difference) as Its an air matress it gives a good degree of comfort, the down gives warmth and it packs down as small as a thermarest. The latest Exped mats have a built in pump (not the older pump bag) and far better none slip material than the original. Once again with most things you have to pay a bit more - The warranty and service is excellent and is for 5 yrs. I have just had mine replaced free of charge after 5yrs (for the newer one described above) after the valve started to leak the valve sytem has been changed slightly so maybe this was a fault on the first run of these mats. Dont know what they cost now but mine was about £60 -£70 - 5yrs ago. If your buying gear - buy the best gear once, it works out cheaper in the long run.
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Sleeping Mats
I slept on a THERMAREST PROLITE for 3 months, touring Europe, camping 99% of the time. Packed away small, and was comfortable. Ride Free Ron&Rocket
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You can't beat a thermarest.....
Simples ! |
Exped all the way...
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If you have a THERMAREST or similar, invest in a small pump, it weighs ounces, but trust me on this...... blowing it up to "firm it" with your lungs will introduce water vapour............ which will in turn make you colder.
Use a pump. your warm body will thank you for it! |
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Hi All
Just a quick update Bought a Gelert one (£18) went to the lakes on wed night and was comfy (using it on top of my 4 legged bed) and very warm :thumbup1: So thanks for all the advice, going to stick it out with this one for now Cheers Geordie |
Downmat puncture?
My downmat now has a really slow puncture, after 10 nıghts use ın a tent. Usually on grass.
A frıend of mıne has had the same problem wıth the Exped Downmat. Anyone else? Chances of Exped gıvıng a hoot? I`ll try and emaıl them. |
Baron - Re Exped mat, as I stated earlier they replaced mine after 5 yrs without any question - and the service was beyond anything that I have recieved from an importer anywhere ever. ( e.mail daily to let me know they recieved it, another that they were testing it and another with test results followed by one stating replacement sent and all postage details thereon and a huge apology for the inconvienience and failure of the product) - exceptional !. you need to to contact the importer at Dent Cumbria -through the dealer you bought from - also make sure the puncture is not your own doing and is a fault before wasting yours and there time.
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I had a look at the downmat and originally I was ready to upgrade to it, but since reading up on it a bit, it seems that an awful lot of people had issues with it. All had the mats replaced under warranty without any problems, but on the road you can't just pop into the shop you bought it from and get a replacement. Now I'm torn as to how reliable they are ... It would seem that with a punctured thermarest or alike you still get a little bit of insulation/comfort, wherease with a punctured inflatable mat, you're right on the ground. Hum... Any furhter experiences and comments re reliability would be appreciated.
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Emailed...
I`ve just sent an email to the nice folks at Exped.
Littered wıth praıse for thier products and emphasis of the scale of my trip. I`ll update wıth the outcome. |
I had a similar dilemma last year when I decided I was going to camp my way around Europe for a few weeks. I bought a Thermalite, used it once, then dumped it along with my tent and sleeping bag!! lol
I had never had such an uncomfortable night in my life. In the end I stayed in hotels and B&B's for the remainder of my trip. It was shorter overall than I originally planned but it was a hell of a lot more comfortable! The problem was not the Thermarest, it was probably fine.......... but I simply couldn't sleep on the ground the way I used to years ago. So my advice is simple...........whilst a self-inflating mattress will be more comfortable than nothing (but only marginally so) there is NO substitute for a real bed no matter where you are. :clap: Chris |
Hi there, I have a couple of Vango sleep mats. there are cheap and comfortable, however the downside is they are bulky and I have to carry two of everything due to GF accompanying me everywhere. I am considering the slim Airic as they are slightly lighter but will compress even more and in theory take up less space.
Hope this helps. GM |
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way more comfy than a bed!:thumbup1: |
I am a bit torn on which mat to get as well. Will probably end up for with a Downmat 7 DLX but not sure I would trust it on a RTW trip.
One alternative that you guys could look into is the Ultralite cot by Luxurylite. A bit under 3lbs and for colder weather you should probably bring a thin Thermarest as well. But no real risk of breaking and apparently by far the most comfortable option out there. There are a few reviews on Advrider if you want to know more. LuxuryLite® - UL Cot™, Camp Cot, Light Weight Cot, Lightweight Cot, Camping Cot, UltraLite Cot, UltraLight Cot, Cool Mat, UltraLite Pillow & Sit Pad, External Frame Pack, Front Pack, Camp Stove, Hiking Staff, "V" Down Sleeping Bag http://www.luxurylite.com/cotbottom.jpg |
Personally am a Thermarest fan. I tried lying on an exped mat but didn't like the air-matress feel. I tried an Alpkit mat when I decided to get a long mat (my thermarest was a 3/4) and it was comfy and cheap, but I had to send one back because it leaked and the next lasted barely six months. Bought a Thermarest Prolite 4 recently and it is superb, like sleeping on a firm bed.
Matt :) PS- after 10 years of abuse (including being holed and patched) in all sorts of conditions, my 3/4 thermarest is still going strong. |
I have now also decided on a Thermarest Prolite 4. I asked about the downmat at the local outdoor shop and my suspicion was confirmed that there are still quality problems. The shop owner has one - by now his fourth replacement - and although he likes it when it works, he said it's the single most troublesome product with the highest number of warranty claims in the whole shop. That brought me back to self-inflating mats, and the fact that there were 20% off on the Thermarest together with the shop owner claiming thermarests to have to lowest warranty claim rate then sold it to me. I had a bit of a hard time deciding between the Prolite 3 and 4, but decided that the potential extra warmth/comfort (didnt feel it in the shop, but probably a difference after a night) was worth the marginal extra weight of the 4.
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