Sleeping Mats

When camping or backpacking it is essential that you get a good night's sleep. It will contribute massively to your well-being and performance. Your sleeping bag will of course contribute to this but so will your sleeping mat. Camping mats come in different types and sizes ranging from cheap closed cell foam to down filled inflatable mattresses. They give you comfort but also help to prevent your valuable body heat being lost into the ground. If you are backpacking or lightweight camping then pack size and weight will be of prime consideration to you. The Vaude Norrsken Short Sleeping Mat weighs only 500 grams. Its pack size is just 25x12 cm. It is 3/4 length so designed to cover all but your feet (which you can rest on your rucksack). It is 7cm thick so offers plenty of comfort and importantly is part filled with a synthetic insulation. This increases its performance massively and will allow to sleep safely in temperatures well below zero. Conversely, if you are not losing so much body heat through the ground then you will not need to carry such a heavyweight sleeping bag. Self inflating mattresses are easy to inflate. An open valve will suck in air from the outside with just a few blows from the user to finish it off. These typically are 25mm or 38mm in thickness. If you are car camping where weight is no issue then why not treat yourself to luxury. The Vaude Dream or Exped Mega Mat at 10cm thick sounds like it would do the job. XL in length and width too these are designed for comfort. The Exped is warm down to -48 degrees centigrade. This is serious kit you can rely on.