PlacidWaters
Adventurer
Based on reviews in this forum I recently bought two high-end Exped mattresses and offer this comparison of five mattresses:
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Exped Mega Mat $220
Exped SIM Comfort 10 $179
REI Campbed 3.5 size regular $120
Exped Synmat 7 medium wide $139
Intex Classic Downy single: $15 Walmart
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The Mega Mat, SIM, and Campbed are self-inflating. The foam that provides the self-inflation also provides cushioning and warmth. The Synmat and Intex are air mattresses that need to be pumped. The Synmat is insulated and warm down close to zero F. It has an integrated pump that works but is uncomfortable and slow. The Intex will suck the warmth right out of you in spring and fall.
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I tried each of the mattresses on the ground and on a cot---the Camptime-Roll-a-Cot wide (32 x 74 x 15), $148, one of the best cots you can buy. I was a bit surprised at the results. Here's the comfort rating system for my review:
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5 Excellent
4 Very good
3 Good
2 Fair
1 Poor
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These ratings are for demanding campers, like older people with joint problems.
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BEST COMFORT OVERALL: Cot + REI Campbed 3.5.
COMFORT RATING: 5
The cot offers some suspension which has a cushioning effect. Even though the Campbed is thinner than the more expensive and wider Expeds, it felt superior to me. First, the top fabric is softer than the Expeds. More importantly, with the Campbed I didn't feel like I was going to roll off the sides–-the surface feels stable. I realized that with round edges (as opposed to the square box sides of the Mega Mat), a thicker mattress is more likely to roll you off the side. The 3.5" thickness of the Campbed (actually thinner than that) is sufficient when used with a cot. The 4" SIM did not offer any additional cushioning on the cot, and it did roll me to the side.
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The Mega Mat, which is supposed to be 30" wide but actually measures at about 31", simply doesn't fit on this particular cot. Here are some measurements of this cot that determine the width of a suitable mattress:
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Overall width to outside of side rails: 32"
Width inside rails: 29"
Actually useable width of the flat part: 27"
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All cots have to sag a bit at the rails with your body weight. If the mattress is too wide, the rails will push the mattress up at the sides. The sloping part just inside the rails (again, from your body weight) will have the same effect and it’s uncomfortable. This explains how a 32" cot might have only 27" of useable space and why the Mega Mat really doesn't fit this cot.
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RATINGS FOR MATTRESSES WITH COT:
REI Campbed 5
Exped Synmat 7 3.5 Doesn't roll you off the side
Exped SIM 3 Unstable on sides
Exped Mega Mat 0
Intel 0
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BEST COMFORT ON THE GROUND: Exped Mega Mat
COMFORT RATING: 5 for the mattress, 3 for being on the ground (but that’s subjective, depending on your fitness). In other words, the cot with the REI Campbed is still quite a bit better because you don't have to get up of the ground. The Roll-a-Time is particularly tall at 15", which makes it very easy to get up off the cot.
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Cot aside, the Exped Mega Met appears to be the most comfortable camping mattress on the market. The Mega Mat is literally twice as comfortable as the other four mattresses. Reviews in this forum rated it higher than the Thermarest Dreamtime. I would say that it has about 80% of the comfort of my bed at home. The comfort comes from:
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1) The box sides, which really make a big difference
2) The width and thickness
3) Perfect combination of support and softness
4) Micro adjustment of the softness
****
Another incentive for buying the Mega Mat is its warmth. It's rated for -54F.
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RATINGS FOR MATTRESSES ON THE GROUND
Mega Mat: 5
Intex: 4 Uninsulated, so summer only
Exped SIM: 3.5
REI Campbed: 3
Synmat: 7 2.5
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Notice that the SIM is barely more comfortable than the Campbed, even though it costs quite a bit more. Again, the Campbed feels more stable at the edges. You do feel about 1/2" of extra thickness with the SIM, but rolling off the side detracts from the comfort. Many people will find the Campbed adequate on the ground. I'm a demanding camper and would prefer something thicker. The Mega Mat is clearly much more comfortable than the Campbed, if the price and size don't deter you, but that doesn’t mean the Campbed is not comfortable.
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If price is a concern, the Intex Downy provides excellent comfort for its puny price. It is likely to be less durable than the others.
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BEST COMFORT FOR BACKPACKING & BIKE & KAYAK CAMPING: Exped Synmat 7
RATING: 4 for this use
The Synmat is the only mattress among the five that can be backpacked. Although it is less comfortable than the others, it is still a top-rated backpacking mattress. In other words, if you can't carry something thicker, the Synmat is as good as it gets. It’s considered a bit heavy compared to other choices for backpacking, but among the top two or three for comfort.
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BEST VALUE: REI Campbed:
The Campbed is very comfortable on a cot and decent on the ground. It packs smaller than the Mega Mat, can be used year round, and self-inflates very quickly, needing only three or four extra breaths to fully inflate. The fabric feels luxurious on the skin. Durability has been good for me over the past year. The Exped SIM offers only marginally more comfort than the Campbed.
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BOTTOM LINE:
For sleeping on the ground get the Exped Mega Mat if you can afford it and the REI Campbed 3.5 if you want something cheaper. If you can put up with the inconvenience of assembling a cot, for ultimate ease of use consider the Camptime-Roll-a-Cot W or LW (not the regular---it's too narrow for the reasons explained above) with the REI Campbed 3.5.
****
NOTE: I haven’t tried other cots. I got the Camptime after extensive research. The reviews of this cot are excellent.
***
Exped Mega Mat $220
Exped SIM Comfort 10 $179
REI Campbed 3.5 size regular $120
Exped Synmat 7 medium wide $139
Intex Classic Downy single: $15 Walmart
***
The Mega Mat, SIM, and Campbed are self-inflating. The foam that provides the self-inflation also provides cushioning and warmth. The Synmat and Intex are air mattresses that need to be pumped. The Synmat is insulated and warm down close to zero F. It has an integrated pump that works but is uncomfortable and slow. The Intex will suck the warmth right out of you in spring and fall.
***
I tried each of the mattresses on the ground and on a cot---the Camptime-Roll-a-Cot wide (32 x 74 x 15), $148, one of the best cots you can buy. I was a bit surprised at the results. Here's the comfort rating system for my review:
***
5 Excellent
4 Very good
3 Good
2 Fair
1 Poor
***
These ratings are for demanding campers, like older people with joint problems.
***
BEST COMFORT OVERALL: Cot + REI Campbed 3.5.
COMFORT RATING: 5
The cot offers some suspension which has a cushioning effect. Even though the Campbed is thinner than the more expensive and wider Expeds, it felt superior to me. First, the top fabric is softer than the Expeds. More importantly, with the Campbed I didn't feel like I was going to roll off the sides–-the surface feels stable. I realized that with round edges (as opposed to the square box sides of the Mega Mat), a thicker mattress is more likely to roll you off the side. The 3.5" thickness of the Campbed (actually thinner than that) is sufficient when used with a cot. The 4" SIM did not offer any additional cushioning on the cot, and it did roll me to the side.
****
The Mega Mat, which is supposed to be 30" wide but actually measures at about 31", simply doesn't fit on this particular cot. Here are some measurements of this cot that determine the width of a suitable mattress:
****
Overall width to outside of side rails: 32"
Width inside rails: 29"
Actually useable width of the flat part: 27"
****
All cots have to sag a bit at the rails with your body weight. If the mattress is too wide, the rails will push the mattress up at the sides. The sloping part just inside the rails (again, from your body weight) will have the same effect and it’s uncomfortable. This explains how a 32" cot might have only 27" of useable space and why the Mega Mat really doesn't fit this cot.
****
RATINGS FOR MATTRESSES WITH COT:
REI Campbed 5
Exped Synmat 7 3.5 Doesn't roll you off the side
Exped SIM 3 Unstable on sides
Exped Mega Mat 0
Intel 0
****
BEST COMFORT ON THE GROUND: Exped Mega Mat
COMFORT RATING: 5 for the mattress, 3 for being on the ground (but that’s subjective, depending on your fitness). In other words, the cot with the REI Campbed is still quite a bit better because you don't have to get up of the ground. The Roll-a-Time is particularly tall at 15", which makes it very easy to get up off the cot.
****
Cot aside, the Exped Mega Met appears to be the most comfortable camping mattress on the market. The Mega Mat is literally twice as comfortable as the other four mattresses. Reviews in this forum rated it higher than the Thermarest Dreamtime. I would say that it has about 80% of the comfort of my bed at home. The comfort comes from:
****
1) The box sides, which really make a big difference
2) The width and thickness
3) Perfect combination of support and softness
4) Micro adjustment of the softness
****
Another incentive for buying the Mega Mat is its warmth. It's rated for -54F.
****
RATINGS FOR MATTRESSES ON THE GROUND
Mega Mat: 5
Intex: 4 Uninsulated, so summer only
Exped SIM: 3.5
REI Campbed: 3
Synmat: 7 2.5
****
Notice that the SIM is barely more comfortable than the Campbed, even though it costs quite a bit more. Again, the Campbed feels more stable at the edges. You do feel about 1/2" of extra thickness with the SIM, but rolling off the side detracts from the comfort. Many people will find the Campbed adequate on the ground. I'm a demanding camper and would prefer something thicker. The Mega Mat is clearly much more comfortable than the Campbed, if the price and size don't deter you, but that doesn’t mean the Campbed is not comfortable.
****
If price is a concern, the Intex Downy provides excellent comfort for its puny price. It is likely to be less durable than the others.
****
BEST COMFORT FOR BACKPACKING & BIKE & KAYAK CAMPING: Exped Synmat 7
RATING: 4 for this use
The Synmat is the only mattress among the five that can be backpacked. Although it is less comfortable than the others, it is still a top-rated backpacking mattress. In other words, if you can't carry something thicker, the Synmat is as good as it gets. It’s considered a bit heavy compared to other choices for backpacking, but among the top two or three for comfort.
****
BEST VALUE: REI Campbed:
The Campbed is very comfortable on a cot and decent on the ground. It packs smaller than the Mega Mat, can be used year round, and self-inflates very quickly, needing only three or four extra breaths to fully inflate. The fabric feels luxurious on the skin. Durability has been good for me over the past year. The Exped SIM offers only marginally more comfort than the Campbed.
****
BOTTOM LINE:
For sleeping on the ground get the Exped Mega Mat if you can afford it and the REI Campbed 3.5 if you want something cheaper. If you can put up with the inconvenience of assembling a cot, for ultimate ease of use consider the Camptime-Roll-a-Cot W or LW (not the regular---it's too narrow for the reasons explained above) with the REI Campbed 3.5.
****
NOTE: I haven’t tried other cots. I got the Camptime after extensive research. The reviews of this cot are excellent.
