When it comes to selecting a sleeping mat you're going to be forced to make a weight, warmth and durability compromise. Willie Duley from NZHunter explains in Hunting & Fishing NZ’s “Tip Of The Trip” the advancements in sleeping mattresses and how one mattress can tick a lot of the boxes. The fact is to keep in mind beyond weight and compactness is the durability, how likely the mattress will puncture in relation to use and also the warmth rating “R” (which tells you the insulative property).
The more insulated the mat is from the cold ground, the better sleep you'll have and the less precious energy and calories you'll burn trying to stay warm. A good general rule of thumb with sleeping mat R ratings is R1 to R2 will be adequate for summer conditions, R3 to R4 for shoulder seasons like autumn and spring and for winter you'll be wanting something R5 and above.
The most basic mat to consider are closed cell foam pads. They’re robust, can be used on any surface, and will last a lifetime but they're not the most comfortable option. Compared to the other mats, the Thermarest Z Lite Sol and Thermarest RidgeRest Classic sleeping pads offer marginal value in terms of their weight and warmth.
The next step up is self-inflating mattresses which are more comfortable and fairly hard wearing, Thermarest ProLite and Trail Series are a good option. What really revolutionised sleeping comfort and weight savings for the crew’s backpacking trips is the Thermarest NeoAir Range with its extra thickness.
The regular Thermarest UberLite is what they take on 80 per cent of their multi-day trip. The new Thermarest XLite NXT, with its quieter internal construction is what the crew recommend as an all-purpose and all-season mat. It weighs 100 grams more than the Thermarest UberLite but is warmer for cold winter trips. They'll tend to opt for the Thermarest XTherm NXT which again weighs a little more but boasts an incredible warm R rating of 7.3.
Check out any of these mats for yourself in the flesh at your local Hunting & Fishing New Zealand store and have a chat with our camping experts.
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