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Exped DownMat Sleeping Pad

Exped DownMat Sleeping Pad description

The Exped DownMat sleeping pad combines the cushioning of an air pad and the insulation of down to let you sleep comfortably on cold winter camping trips. Super light 700 fill-power goose down traps air beneath your body, decreasing the heat-robbing effect regular air mats have when lying on cold ground. Down's superb compression factor allows the DownMat to pack comparably with other air or foam pads, and inside the tough, UV- and abrasion-resistant polyester fabric, a Nocar treatment prevents molding and clumping. Exped provides a pump sack that quickly and safely inflates the sleeping pad to avoid loft-killing moisture entry, and you can use the pump sack as a pillow when you're done.

What value do you put on sleep? Can't beat it for the night's sleep you get. For the lightweight crazies, I think this thing is worth it's weight when considering that it's only 13 oz heavier than the therm 4 (comparing longs). Obviously sleep is critical for performance, so I'll truck the few extra ounces to sleep thru the night. I backpack hunt (sorry if hunting isn't your thing) and we usually setup shop about 6-7 miles in, and stay for a few days before moving, so I'm not carrying it everyday. I suppose if I could sleep perfectly still on my back and I was packing my pad everyday, I'd probably consider something lighter and smaller, but that's not the case. Every year I second guess myself on going extreme lightweight for my pad, and every year when I hear my buddies whine about their backs, I'm glad I stuck with it. It's the typical weight vs. comfort dilemma, and the trade off here makes this pad a no brainer. I guess the down (no pun intended) side would be, I have trouble waking up in the morning to get to my spot before the sun comes up. I'm 6'1 and went with the long...I guess the only thing better would be having a pillow top mattress flown in....it's that comfortable.

I have back problems, and sleeping on a typical camp pad or thermarest causes sleepless nights with sore and tenderness the next day. These DownMats are absolutely amazing! I feel like i am sleeping on by featherbed at the house! They are a bit bulky when packing, but if you have a sick down bad like the Marmot Helium EQ, you can make up for the space with a bag that condenses to the size of a loaf of bread. If you have back problems, pick one of these up...Chriropractor recommended!

I have 2 of these Mats - a Downmat 9 for my wife who is a colder sleeper and a Downmat 7 for myself. Having used a Thermarest Prolite 4 for the past few years I can say that this mat just blows the Thermarest away for comfort and warmth. Although the Downmat is slightly heavier, I have taken a slightly lighter sleeping bag with me on my last few trips as the insulation in the Downmat easily compensates for the lighter bag and I was just as warm but far more comfortable due to the extra thickness of the Downmat (and the total weight was the same). No more sore hip bones ! It is worth a practice at home to get used to blowing the mat up with the stuff sac but once you get the hang of it - it is a very simple process. A rolled up fleece in the stuff sac also makes for a very, very comfortable pillow. All in all, a fantastic mat. Highly recommended - my old Thermarest Prolite 4 is just sitting on the shelf in my cupboard and I can't see it moving from there now.