UKC

I'm 6ft 2 (188cm) and looking for a self-inflating mattress to suit. I've been looking on the Alpkit website and they do their standard range of 180cm mats but then to get ones that are a bit longer they are thicker and often wider - I'm tall but not fat! (not that fat anyway).

Can anyone recommend a manufacturer who make longer matts that aren't bulkier? Or does it matter too much if my feet are hanging off the edge anyway?

Thanks,

David

In reply to David Kirsfelds:

Why should your feet dangle over the edge?

Surely you'll be making a pillow out of a fleece or two to rest your head upon, which can make up the extra 8cms?

In reply to The Lemming: I thought I might get a cold head! After freezing my tits off earlier this year on an uninsulated air bed I don't want a repeat performance any time soon. If you can vouch for this not being a problem then I'll just get a 180cm mat

In reply to David Kirsfelds:

I find fleeces to be quite good insulators. You could also just get an offcut of a camping-mat to place under your temporary pillow to insulate from the ground for either your head or feet.

I'm also a short arse.

A blow-up mattress will never be warm as they are like sleeping on a block of ice.

In reply to David Kirsfelds: I'm 6 foot and use a 3/4 length Thermarest. Use clothes for the pillow as people have mentioned, but also for your lower legs and feet. Its only really the pointy bits of your torso that need the comfort of a mat to get too sleep, I find.

In reply to David Kirsfelds:

If I remember rightly from browsing through their website, Thermarest make some longer models. But really, as suggested already, you're probably just as well rolling a fleece/down jacket (or a down jacket inside a fleece for ultimate luxury) to use under your head - this is what people I know over 6ft tall do and they all seem happy with it

In reply to David Kirsfelds:

2 x short mats work well. Im not tall but 2 x nemo zors are warm to at least -12c and will expand with overlap for your torso. Feet and head will only have single layer but pack/gear will take care of that.

Both zors are about 15% more than a single exped down mat in volume so not dissimilar to a long single, and you get a light summer mat (or two) as well.

In reply to David Kirsfelds:

I never carry more than a 3/4 mat (if it's out the back of a car, that's another matter....!), so I doubt it's a huge problem. I also tend to sleep on my side slightly curled, so not as long as lying flat on back.

And, as someone mentioned, I tend to put pillow off the top end of mat - fleece, with any spare clothes folded and put inside.

Another option (for warmth, rather than comfort) is to put empty rucksack (or anything similar) under your feet. As long as it's nicely padded between shoulders and hips you should be fine.

Thanks for the responses everyone. Looks like I'll get a 180 and see how it goes then!

Cheers

David