Self inflating matress for camping - 7.5cm v 10cm thick

[sbarclay62]

Morning all

Anyone have any experience with self inflating mattresses? Wasn't really aware of them until reading a review on a camping blog and i'm pretty much sold on how comfortable they're meant to be.

However not sure if i should go for the 10cm or 7.5cm? The 7.5cm is cheaper (by alot - found a good deal on an outwell one), smaller and lighter. The 10cm is double the price, bit bulkier/heavier and should offer more insulation and comfort. Any suggestions on what I should go for as a sleeper who kips on his side and would prefer to use a duvet over sleeping bag. Not sure if the 7.5cm would be enough insulation underneath...

[Ben Nachie]

Are you intending carrying it far? All the Outwell ones I can see are pretty heavy.

I use a Thermarest Trail-Lite 3/4 length that's about 10 years old. Only about 20mm thick but very warm & comfy. I think it weighs about 600-700g from memory.

[sbarclay62]

Are you intending carrying it far? All the Outwell ones I can see are pretty heavy.

I use a Thermarest Trail-Lite 3/4 length that's about 10 years old. Only about 20mm thick but very warm & comfy. I think it weighs about 600-700g from memory.

Nah, furthest i'll be carry it is from the attic to car, then car to tent so size/weight not overly important so long as it fits in the boot

[Ben Nachie]

Nah, furthest i'll be carry it is from the attic to car, then car to tent so size/weight not overly important so long as it fits in the boot

Ah, that's OK then!
I've not seen these mattresses but I'd say 7.5cm should be plenty, so long as it stays inflated for the whole night.

[Jon and Jen]

We have 2 x 7.5cm mattresses we have used once when camping near the car. Perfectly comfortable, wouldn't see the need to go bigger, no contact with the ground even on your side. Way too big and heavy for any kind of walk though. We have 3cm thick ones for walking at 900g and they pack small.

[Alteknacker]

Physics would suggest the difference is less important than the quality of the insulation in the mat (= doesn't allow much air circulation inside the mat, the absolute Achilles heel of old fashioned air beds).

My (limited) understanding is that the R value of the mattress is a reasonable standard to judge insulation effectiveness by (forget the thickness). I have an Exped Synmat UL 9 M, which has an R value of 8. This has seen me comfortable in snow and a few degrees below zero in combination with a 3 season sleeping bag (lots of ice on the tent in the morning ). The only issue is that it ain't so light (UL???) - 595 gm.

It seems there are now mats on the market that are at least as effective as this one.

[mrssanta]

for what it's worth, I am a cold sleeper and a bony person. I use an Exped mattress for comfort (it is warm as well) but also a closed cell foam mat underneath the groundsheet. This serves a useful function in protecting the groundsheet and adds really good warmth - but far too uncomfortable to sleep on by itself

[HokeyDoke]

Good call on the foam mat. I do something similar, but with a high-density sheet of upholstery foam which has worked well for me.

[Sgurr]

I would try it before you buy it. In a bothy one night a guy brought in what he claimed to be the latest in high-tech, and every time he turned over it sounded as if he were opening 100 bags of crisps. Unfortunately I don't remember what he said it was, but others may have met it.

[mrssanta]

Might have been a Thermarest NeoAir. They are quite crinkly sounding.