This must have been covered before but I couldn't find anything which answered what I was looking for on the forum....

I was wondering what mats you guys use for winter camping. Obviously the big names are the Exped down/ syn mats and thermarest but I want to know what you guys favor and why.

I will be using the mat with a quilt and sleeping bag depending on conditions (not sure if that rules out 3/4 length in the case of the quilt). My priority is for a comfortable mat with a small pack size (think fitting into wildcat bar/ seat pack along with other camping gear). I'm happy to take a weight penalty for a more comfortable pack but I would like to keep it sub 800g.

Any comments on what you use and how you find it would be very helpful.

Thanks chaps,

Lewis

My Xtherm is very comfy, packs down small and keeps me warm with a backless sleeping bag. It can sound a bit like a crisp packet if you move a lot and the supplied pump sack can be a bit of a bind.

Exped here ... Synmat UL for most of the year and Downmat lite for when it gets proper cold.

I like:

Size: The small is much bigger than most other mats, for me (5' 7") a small is pretty much full length.

Comfort: Never slept on anything as comfy. Never rolled off or felt like I was going to ... lengthways tubes might help with this.

Pack size: Not the smallest but I can fit my quilt, mat, jacket, bivvy bag, hat, gloves and a few other bits in a 13l.

Price: Not cheap but not expensive unless you go for the Downmat UL.

Warm: Even the Synmat is warm enough for most UK conditions all year. On last years winter bivvy I slept on a stone flag floor and didn't feel a thing

Reliability: I've not heard of an Exped mat fail.

Unless I was looking for something very specific I wouldn't buy another make these days.

EDIT: Oh yeah and they're not noisy

I'm also very interested in this thread as i'm now coming to the conclusion that my small Thermarest Prolite isn't gonna cut it if my baptism of winter bivviing is the T&B!

Where's the best/cheapest place to buy an Exped? Presuming that you're talking about UL 7's not 9's??

I've never had any problems using a Prolite 3 all year round.

I've also got a Hyalite (was Pacific OUtdoor) Peak Elite AC that is comfy, warm, quiet and isn't prone to me falling off. However, I've already had two fail on (well, actually under) me and I'm just waiting to see if this one goes the same way.

Where's the best/cheapest place to buy an Exped? Presuming that you're talking about UL 7's not 9's??

OutdoorGB have got the Downmat-lite starting at £62 and a bit of a reduction on the Synmat UL 7 (which seem to have gone up in price everywhere).

http://www.outdoorgb.com/c/camping_matt ... pmax=&c=12

Watch though the Synmat UL 7 doesnt come with the Exped Schnozzel Pumpbag

"Inflation: Mouth/lung inflation or Exped optional accessory pumps (Mini Pump, Pillow Pump or Shrink Bag/Schnozzel)"

Thanks for the reassurance & advice guys :)