Using roll mats?

[adam_myers]

A thought been on my mind for a few days now

I was packing up for a few nights in the woods and I don't use a roll mat or item similar my cousin had said I should pack one or I'll get to cold so we ended up having an argument about it. I've used roll mats before and have never felt any benefits I sleep through the night in only boxers a bivi bag and sleeping bag is 1 degree comfort temp I've camped without one for many years.

So do you or don't you? happy posting

 

[shaggystu]

i nearly always use something as a mat to sleep on, even if it's just a bit of bubble wrap, for me it makes a massive difference to my nights sleep. the only time i don't use a mat is if i know that the place i'm going to has plenty of available materials to make a raised bed of some sort, a good thick layer of evergreen branches gives me the best nights sleep i could hope for

stuart

 

[Shewie]

If the ground is soft then they're not needed, it's when you don't know the terrain that they come in handy.

I'd want one in the colder months for sure.

 

[Retired Member southey]

I always use some form of I sulation beneth my sleeping bag, be it man made ir natural.the biggest reason is protect my bivve bag from puncture. A ccf roll mate whrighs very very little and adds a lot to my comfort.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Yep I always use a foam sleeping mat ( the dog has one too, which also helps protect the tent's wafer thin groundsheet from his claws )
You loose most of your body heat through the contact with the ground so some form of insulation under you is recommended.....................................
They also prevent damp from condensation seeping into the sleeping bag.

 

[Kerne]

Some form of insulation is essential - especially at this time of year. It can be natural - brush, leaves etc. or manufactuerd - a karrimat/thermarest. I always use a foam mat or a thermarest and it makes all the difference between an uncomfortable, cold night and a blissful night in the arms of Morpheus. Worth their weight in gold.

 

[mousey]

I never really bothered with roll matts, it was more the bulk which put me off, until I went out in colder [into sub zero] temps that I found out they are actually a good thing. Now I roll my sleeping bag inside a bivi inside a sleep matt, so the bulk isn't so noticable as a matt rolled on its own and the advantage is I just throw it on the floor unroll it then thats me set.

 

[Paul_B]

Never kip out without one. Both for comfort and warmth. The ground can really take the heat out of your sleep system particularly in the colder months. What you take is just down to preference and the rating taking into account your warmth when sleeping. If you get by without ok then lucky you it's one less thing to carry. Of course you can get a CCF for something like 100g in the form of the OMM duomat. Only 3/4 length but sack under the lower legs job done and it forms a good pad for your back of the sack making sure nothing digs into your back if you pack badly. I use a 3/4 TAR or that and a cutdown, scored, taped and folded CCF that weighs sub-100g in colder conditions.
Your choice really but if you are comfortable in cold weather without then it is your choice in the end.

 

[adam_myers]

Yeah I had a feeling that most people used them like you mousey I find them really bulky it's what put me off using it and over time I just get by without one I clear the ground of all sticks and rocks first to stop the bag from getting holes it only takes a couple of mins to clear the sleeping area of sharp objects.

 

[6udr]

i use a very light yoga mat just to keep my **** warm at night takes up next to feck all room and works for the dog to plus we share

 

[Shewie]

Yeah I had a feeling that most people used them like you mousey I find them really bulky it's what put me off using it and over time I just get by without one I clear the ground of all sticks and rocks first to stop the bag from getting holes it only takes a couple of mins to clear the sleeping area of sharp objects.

You can drop the mat down into an empty pack as a cylinder then stuff the rest of your gear inside it, that way you don't get the bulk and the room taken up is very little

 

[yomperalex]

Yes to roll mats. They weigh so little and add comfort as well as insulation.

Even if you are sleeping well, you will be losing body heat.

Alex

 

[dwardo]

Last weekend i used a 3/4 mat for inside the bivy and a full for the outside.
Yes it is a lot of bulk but as shewie says i stick the 3/4 inside my pack but around the walls of the pack. The full length i strap to the side of my pack in a bin liner to keep it dry.
Weight is next to nawt and its worth every gram when your hip starts to go to sleep or you find that stone in your back at 4.am when its -10 outside
Nice layer of spruce bows under that helps too

 

[Highbinder]

The only time I've never used one was when I was sleeping on the beachs in the summer. I'm a cold sleeper and I need some insulation from the ground to get a good nights.

 

[ged]

They do make a big difference to comfort and warmth.

To keep the volume down I use an inflatable one most of the time, but if I could afford the pack volume and weight I'd use a thick foam one with a wool blanket on top of that.

Generally I can pick and choose where I stay so most of the time I can find somewhere comfy enough if I haven't got a mat with me. A heap of vegetation works fine but tends to be moist so a thin mat, a groundsheet or a bivvy bag over it will help a lot.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Heres how I carry mine, using a bungee from a loop on the bottom to one on the top

 

[woof]

If the bulk concerns you, cut it into 3 pieces, duct tape the pieces together so they fold, then they will fit inside your pack, taking up very little room.

Rob