UKC

A dark day is upon me, my sleeping mat has died. We spent many a good year together nz, Tajikistan, the alps, Himalaya, WAles, Scotland, Font. Even  that Principe buiscuit patch from Spain 10 years ago has held out.

what pad would you recommend to replace the old girl with? Want a blow up one needs to pack down small and be full length.

In reply to ffati:

I've not used it loads, but my exped down mat has been really good so far. 

In reply to ffati:

I like Thermarest. My lightweight coffin shaped one is 8 years old and so far only one puncture (a thorn) easily fixed with a dab of repair glue a couple of years ago - still going strong.

In reply to ffati:

I am trying to find a store that stocks the new ME mats, supposedly they are lighter than the Exped Downmats and more robust than the Ultralights or Thermarest Neo Airs. 

Since I will need it only in September I am not in a rush to order a mat online, as I would like to feel the material before buying (and to find out whether they are as noisy as the horrible Thermarest ones).

 

CB

In reply to cb294:I have been looking at the exped synlite my girlfriend has a neo air but I’m not overly keen on the noisy fabric. Is the exped any better? 

Im in a bit of a rush as I’m away this weekend so need something asap

In reply to ffati:

The Exped is better, but a guy at a local shop told me to look for the ME ones he had seen at a fair, much better apparently than the stuff he had in store:

https://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/aerostat-synthetic-7-0-mat

 

CB

In reply to ffati:

Highly recommend thermarest, the customer service is probably the best I've ever experienced. My prolite plus had a large tear in it (completely my fault), I sent it to them to see if they could fix it and a week later got a brand new one in the post. 

In reply to cb294:

How small does the mountain equipment pad stuff down to? Struggling to find any info.

Exped is the leading contender at the moment, I’m not to worried about warmth as I’m a really warm sleeper.

In reply to ffati:

No idea, another reason I want to see one in the wild before buying. Probably similar to the Exped ones or slightly smaller (have a look at the pump sack).

CB

In reply to cb294:

Just bought the synthetic one for my girlfriend as her Exped failed big style ... impressed so far!

In reply to Pkrynicki1984:

How small does it pack down? How did the exped fail?

In reply to Pkrynicki1984:

How does the surface fabric feel compared to the heavy or light expeds?

CB

In reply to ffati:

 

Had a exped for quite a few years & quite extensive use to be honest.

Mine died one day quite spectacularly, just about all the vertical seams failed instantaneously resulting in one huge bubble that was impossible to sleep on without being ejected onto the floor.

 

In reply to ffati:

I use the Exped as it is very quiet (warm, light and packs small). 

In reply to ffati:

i'll take some photos later , smaller than my thermarest and the other halves Exped.

The exped seams in between the chambers failed at the stitching , resulting in huge bubbles that got bigger very quickly. I wouldn't buy another.

In reply to cb294:

Feels very similar to be honest.

In reply to Pkrynicki1984:

Thanks!

In reply to Pkrynicki1984:

Excellent, just ordered one!

CB

In reply to ffati:

I bought an Exped  down mat UL7 (their lightest one - I think it is around 500g) a couple of years ago. I've used it tons, and would never look back. I've literally camped on sticky out rocks and not felt them and I've camped in minus god knows what in the Himalayas and been warm! Before I always used thermarests which were great but not as warm or comfortable as the Exped DM.  

I made the huge mistake of lending it to a friend and when it came back it had 3 punctures (she confessed up later to pumping it up in the field not the tent - duh!) I repaired them with glue after I located them by putting it in the bath (only way I could find them) and since then it has been fine.  I'm never lending it out again!  

The snozzelpump is a bit of a pain in the arse (not as quick as putting up a thermarest) but once you get used to it it's okay. 

As for weight I wanted a lightweight mat and went to look at the thermarest Neo air (the lightest one) but I was so sure it would puncture and also it was really noisy.  

In reply to Cheryl:

I bought myself a neo air in the end got a good deal on it. 

 

Have been out camping this last weekend and was well comfy and packed away to nothing.