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hi piglet,

as another cold air bed user, are self inflating mats as soft as an airbed?

Rob

As Piglet says, SI mats are really quite different. IMO - pretty much all better :-) I would say a thick (5-7 cm SI mat is as soft as an airbed but more supportive. I always find airbeds either too soft and wallowing, or feel I'm perched on top. But they are certainly much wamer.

Yes if you want to an airbed , insualting with foam mats, fleecy shets etc. is probably the way to go. (Though I'd rather bee on a cloase cell foam mat than an airbed anyway). But that is even more stuff to take and sort out.

I suggest trying out an SI mat. Though for lighter weight/packed space you want to have a thinner one - 3/ length for minimum size. My lightweight Thermarest packs down very small (about a 1/3 size of a roll mat) but is pretty thin (but acceptable for backpacking)

If you think about it, for an airbed you will be laying on top of a block of cold air, just seperated by a piece of plastic, insulation between the body and bed is important on those frosty mornings. also sometimes bedding can become damp because of condesation through body heat ect.  I did toy with the idea of self inflating mats.  I went around the campshops trying them out. Some are comfier than others, but the thicker they are, bulkier they become. It will depend on your definition of comfort. 

Why not go and try them out and have fun.

Heather

Cover the airbed with a Wilko's or Dunelm fleecy mattress protector and it won't be cold to sleep on any more.

Helen

Hi Moonmummy

Heres my take on airbeds vs self inflating mats and its only my opinion i dont know all the technical jargon you can google for that if you want to.We have been backpackers for 34 years only started car camping 4 years ago and we camp all year round. 

When you sleep on an airbed it is not the cold air inside  that makes feel you cold what happens is the warmth of your body is transfered to the bed somthing to do with convection i think any way as you move about in your sleep the air inside the bed moves about and the top layer of air you just heated up with your body heat is replaced by colder air which has to be warmed up again by your body and so it goes on again and again hope you got the idea.

Self inflating mats are totaly different they have a layer of foam inside them  open cell foam i believe when you uroll the mat the foam expands sucking air into the mat but because the air is inside the foam it  does not move about when you do so once you have warmed the mat with body heat you do not have to do this again as the air inside does not move around as it does in an airbed wow! glad thats over with the old grey matter was in overdrive for a while there.

Oh one more thing there are good and bad mats the better ones have higher quality foam better insulation,roll up smaller, expand better when unrolled.We have thermarest mats and they add a season to your sleeping bag because of the better insulation so a 2 season bag becomes a 3 season bag. Cant comment on quality of other mats as we have only used thermarest and no i do not work for Thermarest in fact dont work for anyone now just retired a year early this March instesd of next.

Sorry about the long post but only way i can explain to you.Do you perhaps have camping friends who use mats as opposed to beds perhaps you could borrow.

Quote: Originally posted by moonmummy on 25/5/2010

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Hi Dave and Linda, that makes perfect sense!

I have been looking at mats and although I like the idea, they seem quite bulky. Our air bed rolls up quite small, takes up much less space than 2 SIM would. I have got a plastic backed picnic blanket and a space blanket to insulate me...for now.

Also, money is tight this year because... I am going to order my long awaited and saved up for Djakarta tomorrow
Yay!!!
I want to get a footprint sized groundsheet for her, I remember you mentioned that you had one. I haven't found one that will be a good fit, and am wondering where you got yours from? I feel I need a good solid floor throughout,so I can tuck under all the mud wall/flap thingies properly, especially with my littlun around. Is a pvc one a good idea? I would like to be able to use rugs too, but doubt I can manage the added weight on my trolley!

Once my little tent is all sorted, I will think about SIm again.

Thanks

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