Sleep Mat?

josip

I'm thinking of getting one of these for Ireland and summer Alps camping 1500m - 2000m.
Has anyone got one of these?
Any feedback/opinions?

my3cents

Amazon.co.uk have a couple of good reviews if you haven't already read them https://www.amazon.co.uk/VANGO-Aero-Sleeping-Mat-Yellow/dp/B00OKCL3IM/ .

Carawaystick

It's heavier than a foam mat

EndaHonesty

josip wrote: »

I'm thinking of getting one of these for Ireland and summer Alps camping 1500m - 2000m.
Has anyone got one of these?
Any feedback/opinions?

I have Vango Trek 3 Standard mats and they're fine for camping close to the car, but they're quite bulky so for backpacking I'd be looking at something like this;

http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/sleeping-mats-c58/all-sleeping-mats-c146/multimat-superlite-air-blow-up-airbed-regular-p1063

It's an ultralight 3 season mat for around the same price as 53 degrees are looking for the bulky Vango. It get's very good reviews and looks a bargain to me.

That website has free delivery for Ireland too.

josip

I splashed out in 53degrees North last night.
There was/is a member's 20% discount last night and Vango have their own discounts at the moment so it cost a little over €40 I think.
I don't know exactly how much it cost because it seemed irresponsible not to avail of all the discounts so I picked up a Vango flocked double and a couple more 300 latitudes while I was there.
All for €177. They almost paid me to take them *

Tested it last night on a hard wooden floor and wowsie.
Up to now I've either used airbeds (cold and usually need a top up middle of the night) or foam mats. I've bony hips and am a side sleeper and have never found the foam mats particularly comfortable.
The self-inflate doesn't do a whole lot and definitely needs a top up, but that's expected and we're only talking 10-15 breaths after 5 mins of self-inflate.
I was very surprised how comfortable the 3 cm of air foam was, as were kiddo and my wife. Remains to be seen how it goes for a whole night, perhaps I'll have a chance to test over the weekend.
It packs down tiny compared to an old fashioned foam mat and if like me, you like to pack everything inside a rucksack and not be like "Buckaroo", this mat is very good.
Not as tiny as a NeoAir Xtherm but way cheaper.

* I have no affiliation with 53 degrees North or Vango other than being a (happy) customer.

DavyD_83

Haven't been camping/hiking in a few years now, but Therma-rests used to be the only really good option. There are probably a number of alternatives at this stage, like the one you posted.

Foam mats are a pain to transport, and really not that great in terms of insulation.
Lilo style airbeds, weigh too much, and are way too much work to inflate (takes ages to blow by mouth, or you need to acarry a pump of some sort.

Pat Mustard

Exped have some very good products.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=exped+synmat+9&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=24542839734&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13803775946223375317&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_3nozv67uq3_b

Carawaystick

DavyD_83 wrote: »

Foam mats are a pain to transport, and really not that great in terms of insulation.
.

I've camped and bivvied several times on glaciers on a foam mat, never had insulation issues

Alancillhill

Tried many options,
Therma rest are the leaders... for sure. Very expensive. Look out for R rating...
Study the weight, I do this religiously due to having to carry the bloody thing.

Also improvise, a blowup with a cheap light foam mat underneath?

I have also used a car windscreen reflector under a blowup to reflect heat and protect for punctures.

josip

I tested the Vango Aero last night in the back garden.
I decided to use an old army surplus, 1 season sleeping bag to test the heat insulation capabilities rather than my 3 season bag.
No problems with cold, the thermo said it got down to 10 degrees overnight.
The only part of me that was uncomfortable were my quads which bore a lot of my weight when sleeping.
I'm a side sleeper and perhaps I had it too inflated for fear of my hip bones sinking through.
When lying on my back it felt great and I was aware of my increased body warmth from the mat side versus the air side.