The Exped SynMat HL is the lightest, most compact insulated sleeping mat from the Swiss masters of techy stuff. It does exactly what it says on the box, it's suitable for year round conditions and is very, very light. This is not only an excellent year round mat, but great for those cold sleepers who don't venture out as much during the winter.
The mat has been designed to be the lightest insulated air mattress...in the world! Exped have used a tapered design to reduce weight and to allow for an efficient use of space inside a tent when using a pair of mats. The 9cm deep air chambers are filled with 60g/m² Texpedloft Microfibre which provides warmth down to -6°C yet is easily compressed for a tiny pack size. The really clever bit is how Exped have laminated the filling to the top and bottom fabric of the mat so when it is inflated the filling is automatically pulled apart to achieve maximum loft which lasts for the life of the mat. Another really clever thing about this mat is that Exped have made the two side air chambers larger than the others, this creates a concave profile that acts to keep you centralised on the insulation and also acts to stop you rolling off the mat in the night...genius!
A honey-comb embossed slip resistant 20D polyester is used for the top of the mat and the base is made from standard 20D polyester, both fabrics have a TPU Polyether film laminate to prevent air loss and stop water ingress. The top fabric has also been coated with Exped's GripSkin coating, which, as you would expect, grips your skin to minimise the amount you slide around in the night.
Inflation is simple using the two way Flat Valve, this valve sits nice and flat against the face fabric so it is far less susceptible to damage. Also included is the superb Schnozzel Pumpbag to help you inflate the mat, not only is it a lot easier than blowing it up yourself but it will not introduce moisture into the mat that could freeze and dramatically reduce the mats performance.
Getting the right mat to suit your needs is far more important than the sleeping bag, you should be looking at the mat and sleeping combination to give you the temeprature rating you need for the least weight and pack size. Bear in mind that your sleeping bag is only as good as the mat it lies on, once you get in your sleeping bag you compress all the insulation that’s underneath you, rendering it practically useless. Therefore it is essential to have a good insulating mat to protect you from the cold ground. An efficient insulating mat will enable you to choose a lighter sleeping bag keeping your pack-size and weight to a minimum.
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Top fabric: 20D Polyester, TPU Polyether Film Laminate, Hydrolysis resistant, Honeycomb embossed
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Bottom fabric: 20D Polyester, TPU Polyether Film Laminate, Hydrolysis resistant
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Concave profile
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Flat valve technology
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Schnozzel pump sack included
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Tapered shape for minimal pack size and weight
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Contour shape allows two mats to fit side by side in confined spaces
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Extremely lightweight