Closed cell foam or air mat?
Besides comfort, is it worth getting an air mat over a closed cell foam mat? I was looking at getting a thermarest prolite but its like $250 where you can get their a closed cell foam mat for like $80.
If comfort is the only factor then ill go for the closed cell foam
39 comments
The exped mats are great. I've ended up with a lightweight one for summer and just bought a Klymit light Static V insulated for winter - seems a good investment and theres a focus on weight reduction with this one - have yet to try it out...
saw a thread on another forum with a lot of complaints about the exped mats failing
the compartment seams break apart before long
Hmmm interesting waynowski - it wouldnt worry me too much as my mat has paid for itself by now but I would be gutted for other people if that is a problem with new batches. The basic models are very cheap.
But I know a lot of people who have used their exped mats for several years with no issues so far.
I've used my exped mat for years with no issues.
it sounded like it was exped purchases in recent years, i used to thrash one years ago with no issues.
Yeah, I had Exped mat that expired mid trip a few years ago, previous to that it had been very comfy. Replaced it at the time thermarest prolite mat, more price than anything else as the range was limited. That got stolen, and I've using a Thermarest Neo Air, which has the advantage being very light and comfortable. I pack into the old cover I had for the bigger Exped, as typically these things come with covers that are a tight fit.
I've got an exped synfil too and it developed a leak along where I folded it. I now fold along different lines and try to vary the fold lines. Also it leaks from the intake valve sometimes if the baffle gets buckled and I have to make sure no white fluff from inside gets caught in the deflate valve as has happened a few times.
I've read that when sleeping on an inflatable/closed cell foam combination that the closed cell foam mat should be underneath you, not the inflatable as this foam mat will protect you from the cold air of the inflatable mat.
I've not tried this out as I haven't slept in this set up on snow for a while. Unfortunately only on the inflatable as it was an unsheduled sleep out. I woke shivering at 6am and got up and enjoyed a campfire.
It would be good to hear more comments on the neoair versus the expeds. I hear the neo airs are noisy but I wear ear plugs so that's not a problem for me, possibly only others!
I have a Thermarest Neo Air. I don't usually have it fully inflated as I tend to roll off it. I am able to hold position better if it is slightly under inflated.
Fully inflated, yes they do tend to have a bit of a crackle with movement. I don't notice it quite so much in the under inflated state but then I also place mine inside a silk liner. Two reasons for this, I use my sleeping bag like a quilt, in so much that I zip the bottom to make a foot box then push the mattress an liner into this and the rest of the bag never gets zipped up. The silk liner acts like a sheet so to speak. Plus it is a nice surface to sleep on.
Secondly the silk liner is quite long and I use a light weight down jacket to wrap clothing not being worn into a tidy bundle, then place this under the silk liner, which I then tie a knot with to hold everything in place and I have a satisfactory pillow. This works well for me.
I have devised this over time as I hate being zipped in to a sleeping bag, I have difficulty turning over, get tangled and can't turnover, and the mummy style bag I have even more difficulty with. Thus the quilt style use of my sleeping bag. I sleep extremely hot so this works well for me. If it is below zero degrees I might put on a T shirt and wear a beanie to bed.
Im useing a nature hike mat. a third of the thermorest prices but dont know if its insulated. If it is there isnt much as it packs small. However Ive never been cold on it although the only time Ive ever been cold was on a camp stretcher in a tent at Brookfield Scout camp. 4 in the morning I had to put the snow foam on the stretcher then I ws fine. Following morning I noticed a thermometer that had been in the sun for over an hour but still saying -2. We used to tell the scouts Wainuiomata is the coldest place in wellington, Brookfield is the coldest place in Wainuiomata. This camp was in November
I have used closed cell foam, self-inflatable, and inflatable and for me comfort rates number one! I think if you're not a side sleeper it probably matters less.
But since you don't care about comfort, it's the R rating that counts. Your foam does about R2.5, that's not a lot. I used to combine the foam with self-inflatable which had an R4.2 rating to get me an over R6 in frozen ground. Works very well.
I now have an NeoAir XTherm Which has an R5.7, so I only need to take that, not both a foam + inflatable, saves a lot on bulk and weight.
PS: The crinkly noise you hear about is very old, possibly their first iteration. Really doesn't make more noise than any other.
PPS: I used the foam underneath the self-inflatable, the other way around sounds horrible to me.
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Forum | Gear talk |
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Started by | fdi4r978fg |
On | 28 May 2018 |
Replies | 38 |
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