Adventure Bike Rider Forum

I camped over at Salisbury Plain on Thursday night and it was pretty brisk. Although my sleeping bag was fine, I was getting cold coming up from beneath me. I've been using a cheapo blow up pad from Lidl, but after Thursday night I think I'll invest in something better. Needs to be a blow up one to save the space. Any suggestions?

On Friday night I salvaged some cardboard boxes from the campsite recycling place and it was a bit warmer too!

A lot of folk seem to be going for either Therm-a-Rest Neo air or Exped mats.

I've always been happy with a normal Therm-a-Rest.

If you review them on websites, they now rate them with some sort of thermal value so that you can tell how good they will be in colder weather.

If I was getting a new one, I'd probably go for a Neo Air as I've had Therm-a-Rests since 1993 and still have and use my original one.

Ex-ped down filled, extremely comfortable and warm, pack down quite small. A bit more of a faff to inflate deflate than thermorests but more comfort and pack smaller.

Exped
Or a camp cot

Exped Downmat, best sleep mat every time.
I am a 3 season camper and the Downmat made a noticeable difference.
You mustn't blow these up by mouth the damp in the breath wrecks the insulation properties of the down.
You use one of their Schnozzel Pumpbags

tom

I use an alpkit cloud base.
Very light and good price

Check the R rating. That is the key.

I’ve got Thermarest of some sort.....quite a high R rating, weighs about 800 grams ish and packs down small enough.
Great quality kit does cost money but it’s well worth it for the comfort it provides. In my opinion anyway.

I have an exped down 5 LW and it is atonishing. I've had a lot of different camp beds in the last 30 years but nothing like it for comfort warmth and pack size.

Exped, used one for about 5 years and it's been great.

Steve

Blow up sleeping mat - any recommendations?