Thread: Exped down mats

Any good? look warm...

Hope so, just picked one up at Bivouac sale, 20% off. My mate swears by them.

Yeah was considering it too. Look light, warm, and pack down small...

grab one. best night sleep I have ever had in the bush, warm and comfortable. Normally I can't sleep on the first night, I toss and turn; I got a Exped Down Mat and have not had any problems sleeping.
The pump takes bit of getting used to, but once that is sorted, it's easy.

What model exped mat did you get CraigC?

Looking at reviews some have an external bag pump and others have an inbuilt pump- which one have you got?

Cheers

Steve. Mine has the inbuilt pump and is around 1m long. I always use mats around 1m long, as the bulk of all that extra length seems a bit unnecessary as it is really just your hips and shoulders you are trying to keep off the ground. I put my head on bunched up cloths and my feet on my pack/dog!
I'd put up a picture if I knew how? Do they need to be really small (VGA) or something.

I've got the... 7XS? It's ok. Warm, bit heavy. Apparently they don't like getting wet.

Heavy compred to what though gimp? They seem pretty light compred to a normal therma-rest type thing...

Wet as in on the inside or on the outside?

Thanks guys,

It's like 500 or 700 grams or something, there's a thermarest (Neo-air??) that while much thinner and no doubt colder also is like 200 grams or something

Exped works and I can't be bothered changing so

I just bought a Neoair off ebay, 400grams Regular size, $150 NZ incl freight and they are $399 at Bivouac. Man they try to bend us over here!!!

The only downside to those expeds is the weight- I dont reckon its cold enough here to justify really

Depends on how small your sleeping bag is I guess for how warm you need your mat to be...

True there are some pretty light bags now

Steve, I just weighed my Exped Downmat 7 (short) and it was 640 grams, I was surprised; it did not feel that heavy. I've tried a Neoair in the shop and it felt nice and soft. I've heard they can puncture quite easily; so be careful where you place them on the ground.
I'm looking forward to a combined gear/hunting report...

Yes I read Greg Duleys review on the neoair, I either use a bivvy bag or now the hubba hubba with footprint so punctures should not be an issue. Matagouri is the worst and it put a hole in my old thermarest a few years ago.

A good nights sleep is real important in the bush, like you Craig I used to have a crap first sleep and then get better from there.

I now take an oztrail pillow with me and stuff the down jacket into it- absolutely magic!!

yeah, might have to invest in a pillow... Don't tell anyone though...