Exped Downmat 7 in a 3/4 or short length

[Paul_B]

I've just spotted a place selling this120cm long down filled airmat with integrated pump (newer version as old one used dry bag as the pump). It is a good cold weather mat. At £49 or half the price of its RRP it is a steal as I need a better mat for colder weather.

So far so good. The short length is my only hang up. I am 196 cm but could use stuff under my legs. I don't know anyone who has one so I am not sure how I could use it. I like to tarp and bivvy. I use a Rab SZ bivvy bag and a Golite quilt. I currently use a TAR prolite 3 inside the SZ, could I fit the Downmat 7 in there as well or would it have to go outside? How much of a difference does th greater thickness of these mats make to use inside a bivvy bag. I am thinking I would like to bivvy bag on snow or grass without having to take a grouond sheet but I want to protect the mat so I'd use it inside the bivvy if it could be used there.

Any opinions?

 

[markie*mark0]

Where did you find the downmat for sale at that price?

 

[Twodogs]

Theres an interesting reveiw on mats here and the site very handy for people that want a trip to Finland ,

http://www.hikinginfinland.com/2009/12/gear-talk-sleeping-pads-mattresses.html

Twodogs

 

[Ray Britton]

Paul B

Have you looked on the 'multimat' site yet, as they do some very cold weather mats.
They have an adventure self inflating mat in full length at £55, which is good for minus fifteen, but also do mats suitable for down to minus forty five degrees C.

I will also add, that no matter what inflating mat I use, in cold weather I also add a very thin foam mat on the top of it, and this makes a huge difference to the warmth rating.

Although it is quoting multimat again, they do some 3mm thick foam matting, that comes in orange or black. I mention this as it comes by the metre, and so you could order a length that is taller than you, to compensate for any shortness of an inflatable mat under you.

For my own use on snow etc, I use a POE ether lite inflating mat, with a 3mm roll mat on top. The whole (full length) set up weighs 500g. It is not too good for very cold weather, but is great for down to minus ten C. For colder weather, I simply use a thicker roll mat instead