Sleeping mats

A good mat is an essential component of a restful night’s camping, adding comfort and insulating your sleeping body from the cold ground. Here’s how to choose the right one…

TYPE

Mats fall into one of three categories: ● Foam mats are lightweight, cheaper and weather-resistant, but provide minimum cushioning and are bulky to carry. ● Self-inflating (take this with a pinch of salt) mats pack down small but are not always the most supportive. ● Inflatable mats are like compact air beds and tend to be more comfortable, but unless they have some kind of insulation inside they can be cold.

R-VALUE

R-value is a measure of thermal resistance; the higher the R-value, the warmer the mat. As of 2020 a new industry standard was adopted by most brands to standardise the measurement of R-value – the ASTM FF3340-18 R-value standard.

WEIGHT

A sleeping mat will spend more time being carried in a pack than being slept on, so lighter is better, but toughness can diminish with weight, so there’s a balance to be found.

PACKED SIZE

Mats with smaller packed sizes are easier to fit into a rucksack along with your other camping gear. Warmer mats tend to be bulkier, so really compact mats are best saved for summer.

REPAIRABILITY

Self-inflating and inflatable mats become unusable if punctured, so usually come with some kind of repair kit. Foam mats are far more resilient and continue to offer insulation even when wet.