With onset of summer most people begin to visions of leaving behind the four walls of our homes and going out to take on the natural world through camping. No matter if a person is a professional backpacker or an inexperienced camper, a good equipment is either a passport to the successful completion of the camping trip or a reason for failure. One key piece of equipment? The camping mat.
Indeed, it is easy to overlook, but a camping mat has some very important uses that are worth paying attention to. They protect you from the rocks and rough terrains and also provide that much needed comfort when hiking into the evening. Many people don’t pay much attention to choosing the right camping mats and therefore end up aching in the wrong places at night. The bottom line: the fact of the matter is that how fun your camping trip is going to be all depends on how well you slept at night, so choose your mat correctly!
Being an end user myself, over the years, I have used all kinds of camping mats. Read on for my recommendations on what type of camping mat will work best for you and will help you get a good night’s sleep outside.
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Camping Mats Fill Material
So before getting to that, the first choice one has to make is what kind of fill is going to be used in a camping mat. This changes its warmth, weight and the ease with which it can be packed and folded. The three main options are.
Foam
Foam mats are in particular lightweight, inexpensive and can be easily folded or rolled for transport. All the same, they do not provide much support or padding. Ideal for those short camping trips in warmer climate within our local areas where size and weight are not an issue.
Air
Inflatable air mats utilise the utilisation of air chambers to enable you control firmness in addition to the thickness. These have more comfort and higher ranking in comparison to foam. But, they are difficult to prepare, heavier in weight and are not devoid of the possibility of developing leakage issues. Recommended for cold weather backpacking since you need to be as comfortable as possible.
Self-Inflating
The perfect blend of the two, these mats utilise open cell foam insulation that unrolls initiating auto inflation. Just top up with a few breaths to adjust the firmness. A little less sturdy than plain foam mats, but still reasonably portable and considerably more insulated and cushioned than the former. A universal and easy on the gear camping mats companion that is suitable for virtually any non-demanding camping experience.
The only thing to remember is that nearly all air mats come with some sort of repair kit, therefore, do not let the chance of getting a hole put you off the additional comfort!
Size and Shape Considerations
When choosing a fill material they should ask the following questions. What size and shape should it be? The important measurements to look at when choosing the right mat are its length, width and thickness. Choose something broad and thick enough such that when sleeping on your side, your whole body does not touch the ground through the camping mat. For mat length, what you want is something that should not be more than half a hundred length of your body size if you sleep straight.
You can also think about mummy shaped camping mats. These taper at the feet to aid weight and pack small size saving. They do this at the expense of size and leg space all over the cabin. It is advisable to choose one for multi-day treks after testing on the store since some can be manufactured to imitate other common hiking accessories out there. Roomier types of mats are rectangular and large oval and these models are suitable for non-technical tourist camping near a car. However, camping Mats that are less than five feet in length are also popular with children and teenagers.
Insulation and R-Values
However, if you are going camping outside the summer months, look at the temperature rating and R value of each mat. These measure insulating power and is the lowest ambient temperature that the mat will keep you warm in when inside your car making it a great choice for summer car camping at times, these mats may not have a rating at all. Still, for the situation when the temperature falls below 50 degrees at night I would suggest an R-value of no less than 2. As the values range from 3 to 5, better insulation for cold weather and snow camping is offered.
Extra Features
While foam, thickness and insulation make up the meat-and-potatoes of any camping mat, there are a few extra features to consider to take your comfort to the next level:
● Pillow Areas
Some mats have integrated spaces in which you may lay your head and thus, you don’t require a separate pillow. Super convenient!
● Multiple Zones
Premium air and self-inflation camping mats come with a different firmness for the hip area as opposed to the rest of the body. This included ergonomic shaping which works to adjust your spinal columns to allow better rest.
● Attached Pump
Some air mats come with built in battery operated pumps that can easily be used to pump or deflate the mat stored in its stuff sacks. Less puffing required!
● Quilted Top Fabric
Mat tops that are comfortable and fluffy are not as ‘plastic’ nor as slippery-feeling as a regular mattress, so it feels like you’re lying on a bed.
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Camping Mats
Whereas, testing specs are crucial while testing, it is difficult to comprehend the comfort of that little camping mats until and unless you have tested it real. Here are my favourites picked out in a rough outline of some of the categories I’ve spent many a night sleeping soundly on these mats throughout the entirety of the year!
● Best All-Around Foam Mat: Therm-A-Rest Z Lite Sol
● Best for Backpacking: Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite
● Best for Car Camping: REI Co-op Camp Bed 3.5
● Best Double-Wide: Exped MegaMat Duo 10
● Most Luxurious: Nemo Roamer Elite
● Best for Kids: Big Agnes Bunk House
● Best Insulation for Winter: Exped DownMat XP 9
Conclusion
Way more nights you fall asleep under the starry sky, the more you realise what your ideal combination of size, weight, insulation and additional gismes should be in the camping mat. Actually, this should be an excellent suggestion to you in helping you to select your outside sleeping comfort. Now grab that mat, mark your spot on the ground and start camping ready to have sweet dreams. See you on the trails!
