The Great OutdoorsAugust 2019 79RECOMMENDED
Mountain Warehouse
Compact Infl ating Mat
£60 530gcomfort, costnot that lightType: airbed
Materials: n/a
Dimensions: 185x 57cm
Thickness: 5cm
Rating: n/a
mountainwarehouse.com
Like the other mats that have multiple
air cells rather than tubes, this one is
comfortable. It’s not that thick, though,
Therm-a-Rest
NeoAir UberLite
£180 245g (regular)ultralight, tiny packed sizeexpensiveType: airbed
Materials: nylon
Dimensions: 183x51cm
Thickness: 6.4cm
Rating: R-value 2.0
cascadedesigns.com
The weight of this mat is astonishing. It really
does deserve the label ‘ultralight’ – it’s even
lighter than the NeoAir Xlite that appeared
a few years ago. This has been achieved by
Multimat
Superlite 38
£70 709gwarmth, costquite bulkyType: self-infl ating
Materials: nylon/ TPU membrane shell,
vertically drilled 16kg/m^2 PU foam core
Dimensions: 183x50cm
Thickness: 3.8cm
Rating: -20 °C
multimat.uk.com
A decade ago most sleeping mats were
either closed-cell foam or self-infl ating
foam ones. Then the modern airbed came
along, and self-infl ating mats started to
so pressure at any point can depress it to
the ground. There’s no insulation – it’s one
for above-freezing temperatures. Unlike
the other multiple-cell mats it’s not tapered,
which may help restless sleepers keep their
feet on it.There’s no pump but as with similar mats
blowing it up by mouth doesn’t take long as
not much air is needed.
The cost is quite low, making this mat
good value. The weight, though, is a bit high
for an uninsulated mat.using a thinner shell fabric and removing
the refl ective inner. The UberLite is a bit less
durable and not as warm, and crackles less.
Otherwise the UberLite feels the same to
sleep on. Fully infl ated it feels quite hard and
a bit wobbly, as though you could roll off. Let
a little air out and it’s comfortable. Pressure
from an elbow or hip can depress the mat
to the ground. There’s no pump; blowing up
the mat is quite easy but requires a few more
breaths than mats with multiple air cells.
On its own the UberLite is a summer-
only mat, but it would be ideal combinedwith a closed-cell foam pad such as the
Multimat Superlite 8. The combined weight
of the two mats is less than that of most of
the mats reviewed, and this combination
could be used year-round, offering the
security of closed-cell foam in case of a
puncture to the airbed. The UberLite is very
expensive. But if weight is really important
there isn’t a lighter mat of this type.disappear. The Superlite 38 is the only one
in this review. These mats are still worth
considering, though. Compared with
airbeds they’re often lighter for the warmth,
and less expensive. They mostly infl ate
themselves too, though a few breaths
are generally needed. They’re also much
thinner than airbeds, which can make a
difference in a small tent. And if puncturedthere is still a thin layer of foam that will
provide a little insulation.
The Superlite 38 is a self-infl ating mat
that’s suitable for year-round use. It’s quite
comfortable and doesn’t depress to the
ground under your elbow or hip. The weight
is reasonable for a winter mat and the
cost is low compared with airbeds of
equivalent warmth.which may help restless sleepers keep theirblowing it up by mouth doesn’t take long as
not much air is needed.
The cost is quite low, making this mat
good value. The weight, though, is a bit high
for an uninsulated mat.disappear. The Superlite 38 is the only one
in this review. These mats are still worth
considering, though. Compared with
airbeds they’re often lighter for the warmth,
and less expensive. They mostly infl ate
themselves too, though a few breaths
are generally needed. They’re also much
thinner than airbeds, which can make a
difference in a small tent. And if puncturedthere is still a thin layer of foam that will
provide a little insulation.
The Superlite 38 is a self-infl ating mat
that’s suitable for year-round use. It’s quite
comfortable and doesn’t depress to the
ground under your elbow or hip. The weightcomparative review Gear