Self inflating mats-recommendations please

[Janesville]

Just as title says really.... Anyone got one and actually sleep well on it?

[SlipperyLizard]

We've had our thermarests for over a decade, they are so comfy we take them to sleep on when we know the bed will be uncomfortable (i'm looking at you MIL and DSis). Have camped for two weeks on them and slept well.

They were about £100 all those years ago, and were worth every penny. They were, at the time, the thickest and longest available, think they inflate to 5cms thick.

I'm sure they do even better ones now!

[cyclecamper]

I don't get on with thermarests - hips too big for any that roll small enough to carry on a bike I think. I like my exped synmats and downmats, which aren't technically self inflating, but use their own bag or an in-built pump or a special bag called a schnozzle. They are brilliant - fold smaller than a thermarest, keep out the cold and can cope with my big bum and bad back. I use one in a chairkit to feed my 14 month old and he crawls back onto it if I put him down on his! My husband has an ultra light one that rolls to a tiny size

[Janesville]

cyclecampernever heard of these. What make do I put in to search as don't know where to start?!

[cyclecamper]

'Exped' for the mats and chairkits. Downmats have down in and synmats have synthetic filling. We have some of each in various sizes and they are both good.

'Bum buddy' for the flat seats, although there are other makes, those will show you what I mean. Rowing places have them.

[cyclecamper]

Sorry, the second part of that was from another thread

[MinimalistMommi]

I've just bought the Exped megamat 10 LXW, I haven't sleep on it yet though. If you google it there are lots of very good reviews. I previously had a Thermarest Basecamp.

[DikTrom]

We got thermarests, but I don't find them comfortable at all. Too thin, you feel every lump, stone etc. Possibly, if you are very slim they are fine (little weight on the mattress). Old fashioned airbed with a thermarest on top for warmth worked best for us.

[alexw]

Outwell dreamboat - the comfiest sim I have tried (and have tried lots).

[TheFantasticMrsFox]

I recently bought a Vango one for £25 which was fine. Admittedly I am only slight and an Olympic standard sleeper but I was far more comfortable than I expected for the money :)

[flipchart]

Agree about Thermorest. Their neoair is great. Also Alp kit do sme great ones. I bought one for DS and I want it for myself!

[droogie]

We just bought some 7.5cm ones from Costco for £30 a pop. Very comfortable and great quality for the money. I figure we can spend more ££ if we get the use out of them enough to wear them out at that price but great for a few weekends a year.

www.costco.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/cos_5,cos_5.4,cos_5.4.2/149330

[Blu]

Halfords have them for £15 atm.

The same thickness as I have, 3cm I think, which I am happy with (but I am quite hardy) and is certainly OK for kids. (they are lighter so don't press down so much)

[Janesville]

Managed to get one from decathlon. Thanks for input as has no idea where to start.

[RaisingSteam]

I've got an Alpkit Dozer which is a 7.5cm SIM - they aren't available this year but other brands do similar. With a good pillow it's really comfortable, like my own bed. I'm no lightweight and I sleep on my side. I can sleep on my light thermarest (a trail lite, 4cm allegedly) but I need to be really tired IYSWIM. I also have upgraded this year to a 4 season down sleeping bag and merino thermals so there is no getting cold any more. I don't like airbeds but if I had one I'd put a thin SIM or just a foam rollmat on top to insulate under me.

glad you found what you were looking for - Decathlon is the business for camping!

[didldidi]

Exped megamats! They are great. V.comfy but v. Expensive!

[beckym8678]

How about recommendations for double mats? So annoying when they slither apart... (Love the look of the the exped downmats, but not available as doubles..)

[SalomeD]

We have both the Vango 7.5 and Multimat 7.5 - have a great night sleep on both and even better now we have Outwell Posadas double to put them on.

Another option we used previously was to put two singles in a stretchy jersey sheet and that held them together

[cyclecamper]

Exped do a double kit which holds 2 mats together very effectively. The chair kits can also be clipped together, but not so well.

[MinimalistMommi]

becky the exped megamats go together as a double! and they are extremely comfortable!