Alternatives to Exped

[Polar Bear]

We currently have two borked Downmats and now a borked Synmat.   Comfy as they are this cannot continue.   Can anybody recommend viable comfy alternatives please?   We do cycle tour so please do not recommend something bulky.

[peliroja]

Thermarest Neo Air XTherm? Supposed to be good, but noisy.

[Kim]

Those Big Agnes mats? 

Nikki OTP reviews: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=85374.0

[mcshroom]

Those Big Agnes mats? 

Nikki OTP reviews: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=85374.0

IIRC that's the one we were trying to find the leak on during the Things camping weekend last August.

[Kim]

Ah yes.  I remember offering the use of a bath.   

I had a surprise deflation of my downmat during the recent ALC weekend, but that turned out to be because I'd snagged the inlet valve cover with a USB cable and popped it open.

[Vince]

Thermarest Neo Air XTherm? Supposed to be good, but noisy.

Very happy with mine. Whilst it does crinkle a bit, its not loud enough to disturb your sleep.

[nikki]

Those Big Agnes mats? 

Nikki OTP reviews: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=85374.0

IIRC that's the one we were trying to find the leak on during the Things camping weekend last August.

I never did find the leak - whatever it was the failure mode was something tiny rather than baffles breaking or a seam splitting. I suspect it was something to do with the valve. The isulation appears to be fixed to the inside surface, so you're not likely to ever encounter an issue with spitting feathers silver filament.

I think I might have had to cover postage, but Big Agnes sent me a replacement in return for a photo of the old mat with the valve cut off in a decisive manner.

They do a less lightweight version of the Q-core, which might be worth looking at if you're worried about durability, but as illustrated in the review Kim linked to above, my one did get a certain amount of non-standard 'usage' 

I've found the mat to be comfy and lightweight. I think you can sometimes get them in the UK, at which point/price they're probably worth a punt.

[andrew_s]

I use an Xtherm, and have never really noticed the supposed crinkliness.

Another option, that there's not likely to be much user feedback on yet, are the Sea to Summit mats, some of which are dual layer so you've still the top half to sleep on if the bottom gets a puncture.

[Butterfly]

We currently have two borked Downmats and now a borked Synmat.   Comfy as they are this cannot continue.   Can anybody recommend viable comfy alternatives please?   We do cycle tour so please do not recommend something bulky.

Why don't you send them off for repair? They didn't charge.

[MalRees]

Agreed. I've had two mats repaired now, no charge for either.

[D.A.L.E.]

We currently have two borked Downmats and now a borked Synmat.   Comfy as they are this cannot continue.   Can anybody recommend viable comfy alternatives please?   We do cycle tour so please do not recommend something bulky.

They all do that. Every brand. Completely not fit for purpose. But hey, they are lightweight...

I'd be speaking to Exped for replacements.

[Polar Bear]

The Downmats have already been replaced twice and will be going back.   The Synmat is the first time one of these has failed and again will be going back.

It's a tiresome and ridiculous process though.   They last three or four seasons at best and then give up.   With the Synmat we've been especially careful and yet the same problem occurs.   This one was bought in 2014 and has not yet done three years!  Exped really need to sort out the quality.   

Am I being unreasonable in expecting a greater lifespan?

[D.A.L.E.]

The Downmats have already been replaced twice and will be going back.   the Synmat is the first time one of these has failed and again will be going back.

It's a tiresome and ridiculous process though.   They last three or four seasons at best and then give up.   With the Synmat we've been especially careful and yet the same problem occurs.   This one was bought in 2014 and has not yet done three years!  Exped really need to sort out the quality.   

Am I being unreasonable in expecting a greater lifespan?

Since you bought it, but how many actual nights?

And no. But they sure are lightweight...

[andrew_s]

Being good at free repair/replacement is a long way behind rarely failing in the desirability stakes.

It may be just about acceptable if you only use them for weekend trips, where you are only without for the remaining part of Saturday night, but spending a week or more sleeping on a flat mat because it failed during a longer trip isn't, especially if it's cold.

[Kim]

Indeed.  And if you're far enough from a source of a replacement that that's likely to happen you have to carry two mats.  At which point they become a lot less lightweight.

[peliroja]

Ours failed in deepest darkest Chile. We had replacements (the second lot) sent out there and collected them from a post office in Puerto Montt. It was a right old faff. Luckily the faulty mats still held air and were more or less "usable' even when the baffles opened up due to glue failure so we didn't have any nights sleeping directly on the ground.

I'd try a different brand if we did another big tour.

[Polar Bear]

Hmmm, how many nights.   Probably between 70 and 100.

[andrew_s]

I'd try a different brand if we did another big tour.

Indeed.
I've seen far too many reports of Exped mat failure (often multiple, like PB) to consider buying one. Try googling "Exped baffle", and compare the results with those for "Thermarest baffle".

I have had a Thermarest Prolite delaminate, but I admit it was my fault, leaving it fully inflated, valve closed, folded in a chair kit, inside a closed tent, all afternoon on a hot sunny day in Briancon, whilst we wandered around town looking for a pair of replacement front forks for my mate's bike. Fortunately there was an open Decathlon for instant replacement.

[Butterfly]

I'll be interested to see what you decide on. The reason I've stuck with exped is that I haven't found anything that is supportive/thick enough for me to sleep on, warm enough and packs to a size that I  can cycle camp with. The chair kit is also important as I often sleep sitting up or partially sitting, so I would have to be very convinced by any alternative to lose that.

It's not about weight DALE. It's about comfort x warmth x packsize. I find the fail rate (4 in 12 years, one twice, despite us sharing the DLX at one point and me regularly using the chair kit which puts them under extra stress) is worth it because I haven't seen an alternative that has all three elements that I need. I might consider finding an alternative if I was going on a long tour, but as I sadly have to work, I am never likely to be away for more than 2 weeks at a time.

[Kim]

It's not about weight DALE. It's about comfort x warmth x packsize. I find the fail rate (4 in 12 years, one twice, despite us sharing the DLX at one point and me regularly using the chair kit which puts them under extra stress) is worth it because I haven't seen an alternative that has all three elements that I need. I might consider finding an alternative if I was going on a long tour, but as I sadly have to work, I am never likely to be away for more than 2 weeks at a time.

Quite.

Many of the potential alternatives aren't alternatives because you can't actually get a decent night's sleep on them.  Self-inflating mats are pretty much impractical.  I have an old-style Airic, which packs bigger than a Downmat (though it's about the same weight), which is just about thick enough to sleep on your back on.  The Fat Airic (or whatever it's called these days) is as good as if not better than a Downmat, but it's far too bulky for cycle-camping.

Mats with no fill are fine if it's not too cold, but that does limit your options somewhat.

I think for a long tour away form civilisation I'd want some closed-cell foam as insurance.  Awkward though that might be.  You can't get proper sleep on closed-cell foam either, but it's everything-proof and at least you won't freeze to death.

[trekker12]

It's not about weight DALE. It's about comfort x warmth x packsize. I find the fail rate (4 in 12 years, one twice, despite us sharing the DLX at one point and me regularly using the chair kit which puts them under extra stress) is worth it because I haven't seen an alternative that has all three elements that I need. I might consider finding an alternative if I was going on a long tour, but as I sadly have to work, I am never likely to be away for more than 2 weeks at a time.

Quite.

Many of the potential alternatives aren't alternatives because you can't actually get a decent night's sleep on them.  Self-inflating mats are pretty much impractical.  I have an old-style Airic, which packs bigger than a Downmat (though it's about the same weight), which is just about thick enough to sleep on your back on.  The Fat Airic (or whatever it's called these days) is as good as if not better than a Downmat, but it's far too bulky for cycle-camping.

Mats with no fill are fine if it's not too cold, but that does limit your options somewhat.

I think for a long tour away form civilisation I'd want some closed-cell foam as insurance.  Awkward though that might be.  You can't get proper sleep on closed-cell foam either, but it's everything-proof and at least you won't freeze to death.

Indeed - Not that I've done any long touring but all the images I've seen of cycle tourists they all seem to have a good ole traditional foam rollmat strapped to their bike somewhere. A little bulky perhaps but as light as an Exped. It's also still standard Army issue although some of that will be about noise reduction. Perhaps not as comfortable but maybe on a longer tour you acclimatise?

[Kim]

Once you're sufficiently sleep-deprived (ie. more than a weekend), you can sleep on anything.  It's a principle I've used with self-inflating mats (and hospital beds) before, but doesn't seem conducive to spending the day on the bike.

[HeltorChasca]

I'd try a different brand if we did another big tour.

Indeed.
I've seen far too many reports of Exped mat failure...

Yup +1 For all of 3 minutes Exped was on my wish list, but the failure rate is ridiculous.

I've ended up with a Thermarest Neo Air Trekker. Rolls up to beer can size. Light. Warm even when ice was on the outside of my tent. AND the colour matches my guacamole dip.

My other Thermarest is 15 years + and has been commandeered by my youngest daughter. But I'm in my 40s (early ok?) now and need über comfort.

[Polar Bear]

Thanks for the suggestions folks.

I think that the winner will be the Thermarest Neo Air Trekker, size regular.  It will be an interesting game to compare two competitor mats side by side.

[HeltorChasca]

Thanks for the suggestions folks.

I think that the winner will be the Thermarest Neo Air Trekker, size regular.  It will be an interesting game to compare two competitor mats side by side.

A fine choice. Some have said worth getting the large for extra width and with the added length you can fold the end to make a pillow. I can't crack the pillow method and my regular JUST fits in my 1 man tent. I sleep on my back so I don't need the extra width.