Sleeping mats

[RobD]

I am planning my summer holiday family camp at the moment and am looking to reduce the stuff we take.:camping:

Normally SWMBO wants comfortable sleeping so a big inflatable sleeping mat is the order. I'd like a lighter alternative that is warmer to use as the big inflatable just leaks cold air to us all night - every time we go family camping it rains and is cold!

Any thoughts?

[saxonaxe]

I use an Exped Mat for four season camping/ backpacking, it gets a lot of use and after 2+ years is still as effective as when it was new, warm and comfortable.
They're not cheap but if you do a fair bit of camping then they're definitely worth a look.
http://exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage.nsf/b43HomePageMain?openframeset

They sell a kit called a 'joiner' for securing two mats side by side to make a double, but quite honestly I think the Joiner is just a couple of webbing straps that you could buy for half the price elsewhere.

The mats themselves are ace though and make a lot of difference to sleeping comfort.

[ADz]

Thermarest NeoAir, excellent bit of kit and compacts down to size of a beer can.

[jacko1066]

Have a look for the synmat ultra lite 9 lw.

Wide, big, food if you sleep on your side, 4 season so good down to minus 25 and weighs in about 700 iirc.

That my next major investment!!
Cheers
Steve

[happybonzo]

I don't know if this is correct or not but I'm told the VauDe and Thermorest mats are made in the same factory.
The people who told me are big outdoor pursuits retailers

[Yungen of Bury]

my god there expensive for a mat... are they really all that much better than the 20-30 quid alternatives???

or even, highlander pro-force ELITE sleeping mat (http://www.highlander-pro-force.com/partnumber.asp?cid=&pnid=384573)

[Silverback]

I don't know if this is correct or not but I'm told the VauDe and Thermorest mats are made in the same factory.
The people who told me are big outdoor pursuits retailers

Lots of things are made in the same factories and they just put different names on them...there was a news item this week where they visited a clothing factory in Bangladesh above the sewing room there were different names of big companies side by side...one was a place where you can buy 2 t shirts for a tenner the other was a retailer that sells nothing under £50 !!

I used to work in the Outdoor Retail sector for 2 very well known retailers. We used to go on staff training weekends or have reps come into store and I can tell you from experience that there are brand names all owned by the same company, manufactured in the same factories but to different price points

[snowleopard]

Thermarest for me!

Small , light, and it fits in your bivvy bag!

Joel

[jus_young]

Just spent the last two nights on a Thermarest NeoAir Xlite and they have been the most comfortable two nights ground dwelling that I have had in a very long time. The ground was hard and not particularly flat and the temperature dropped to about 3deg outside, but I was lovely and toasty with an open sleeping bag on top.

[DorsetForge]

Would fully recommend the Thermarest range, had once for the last 10 years and still going strong. They might not be the cheapest option but I have seen many cheap 20 quid ones break, valves go, air pockets merge into one... etc..

Otherwise you could try the Alpkit ones. Havent used one is person but heard lots of good reviews. Have used other Alpkit stuff and have always been impressed.

[roberts]

Alpkit are very very good on price and quality I've had my mat now for a few years and its still a great performer ,, I know what you mean abut them big air beds freezing