What will give you the best night's sleep when out adventuring, camping, or hiking! A sleeping mat provides two vital benefits: cushioning and insulation. Cushioning might seem like a mat's most useful function, but often, more importantly, is the ability to insulate your body from cold surfaces.

Consider:

• How much cushioning (thickness) you require in order to be comfortable
• What length you would prefer
• A mats weight and pack-ability and how quickly it inflates/can be inflated


TYPES OF SLEEPING MATS


What is an Air Mattress?


Also known as an Air Bed these are typically used for car-camping and family-orientated camping trips, due to the fact they are renowned for being a comfortable option. These are much thicker than foam mats and are as close to real beds as you can get, and are usually compatible with regular-sized sheets.

Pros:

• Extremely comfortable
• Quick and easy to inflate with a portable electric pump
• Suitable for car or boat camping

Cons:

• Relatively heavy and bulky
• Lack insulation– best for mild conditions only
• Pump required for proper inflation
• Can be punctured or ripped


What is a Camping Air Mat?

These mats use air for cushioning with some models integrating insulation and even reflective materials to increase warmth. These are generally manually inflated; some models include an external hand pump.

Pros:

• Comfortable and lightweight
• Backpacking compatible
• Insulated model can be used year-round

Cons:

• Heavier than simple foam mats
• Can be punctured or ripped – however, field repairs aren’t difficult

What are Foam Mats?

These basic backpacking pads include dense foam filled with tiny closed air pockets.

Pros:

• Lightweight and compact
• Durable with excellent insulation
• Won’t absorb water

Cons:

• Can be less comfortable
• Relatively stiff and firm – tend to be bulky

What are Self Inflating Mats?

Pros:

• Comfortable andcompact
• Offer excellent insulation
• Ability to adjust the firmness

Cons:
• Heavier than simple foam mats
• Can be punctured ripped – field repairs aren’t difficult

UNDERSTANDING R-VALUE

Insulation is measured according to its capacity to resist (‘R’) heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better you can expect it to insulate against cold surfaces. 1.0 = minimally insulated to 9.5 = well insulated. Thicker matsgenerally offer higher R-values.


The Best Sleeping Mat By

Car Camping, Boat Camping

In situations like these where size is not necessarily a limiting factor, you are able to opt for the slightly thicker, more luxurious sleeping comfort.

Backpacking

Should always consider the trade-off between weight and comfort.
Minimalist Backpacking, long-distance hiking

For these types of activities you want to seek out the lightest more compact mat possible. Low weight and reduced pack size usually override all other factors.

NOTE: some mats are designed to be ultra-lite in order to meet the needs of minimalist backpacking.

Winter Camping

Camping on the now requires a great deal more insulation. For maximum heat retention, we suggest the use of two mats: an inflatable air pad on top of a closed air cell foam pad. The foam pad adds insulation and offers insurance in case the inflatable mat gets punctured.