Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Gear Questions, Information, Reviews and Competitions => Topic started by: Typo-On on September 18, 2011
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I looked at this as an alternative to the neoair. Think they are about the same weight and R values
Anyone used it/have one, been thinking about the noise of a neoair and twentyclicks confirmed it in his gr20 kit list, is this crinkly like the neoair?
Im looking full lengh as I really dont think I would like my feet not on something and I dont want to start having to put things down there for my feet to rest on.
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I quite like my Karrimor x lite mat, 3/4 length is only 325g and full length is 475g, mine is the 3/4 one, i did feel the feet getting cold at times so i put my rucksack under the feet with my coat below that (for when i wiggled!).
http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-x-lite-mattress-782042
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They have one on display in Cotswold (Boucher). Other suppliers may have also. It is a very different material to the Neo Air. At a quick glance I think any fears of it being noisy would easily be put to rest. It is quite tapered at the foot end, I'm not sure I'm ready for that, but for those who don't quite want to go the whole 3/4 way, it looks a great option.
In truth, I could well have bought one of these but it wasn't released at the time I needed a mat. If I thought I would be doing something long distance or hard ground I would definately consider it. It would be useful to read some reviews. No doubt some people will dislike having to inflate it.
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Yesterday I decided to treat myself to a decent mat on account of not yet having had a decent nights sleep outdoors. I looked specifically at the Neoair, Pacific Outdoor Peak Elite AC and Exped SynMat Ultralite 7.
The Neoair definitely looks good and it seems to be a love it or hate it mat. There have definitely been some complaints about their quality with people having to return them because they deflated and the "crinkling" noise issue does exist but doesn't seem that bad. They are pretty expensive.
The Pacific Outdoor also reviews well but there has been some sort of build quality issue with them and they are not being imported into Europe at the moment. (Suspectmonkey has 2 and has been very happy with them but I couldn't find a single one for sale anywhere).
In the end I ordered the Exped SynMat Ultralite 7 for £65 from mightcontainnuts.com (https://www.mightcontainnuts.com/). The Exped reviews very well, is significantly cheaper and has a higher R rating (the value that suggests how warm a mat will be). My only beef was I couldn't find very many reviews so fingers crossed it's as good as it looks!
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Yep, as RedLeader says both Kat and me have the POE Peak Elite AC and love them! Very comfortable mat and personally I much prefer the long tubes running the length of the mat rather than the NeoAir tubes which run across the mat. There do appear to have been some quality control issues with the Peak Elite mats though and the last I'd heard the UK distributor had stopped bringing the full length Peak Elite in until the problems were resolved. That said mine is still going strong and Kat slept on hers for a week at a Guide camp with no problems. Perhaps it was just a batch issue? You can still get the 3/4 length version okay, but frankly I don't think its worth it as the weight saving isn't even 100g and you end up having to stuff a rucksack or something under your legs.
To be honest all the sleep mats seem to have issues if you Google them, including the NeoAir despite the fact Thermarest is one of the most respected and experienced names in the business. You are more than welcome to call over and take a look at mine, give you a chance to have a lie down on it without people in the shop staring at you ;)
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In the end I ordered the Exped SynMat Ultralite 7 for £65 from mightcontainnuts.com (https://www.mightcontainnuts.com/). The Exped reviews very well, is significantly cheaper and has a higher R rating (the value that suggests how warm a mat will be). My only beef was I couldn't find very many reviews so fingers crossed it's as good as it looks!
Brilliant price for a Synmat UL. I was looking for one everywhere, couldn't find one in stock in the UK or Ireland. Looks like you got the last one from that shop as they're no longer listed on their website. Fingers crossed for you for many comfy nights sleep from now on.
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Yep, Friday night's the test night for the mat plus my shiny new Jetboil with coffee press!
You able to come?
Mmm.. just looked at RL's mat now Im at a PC. Looks good. Will you have it with you on friday night?
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Haven't heard from Lenny but you can tell the missus we'll make you carry all the gear and jog all the way there ;)
Yep, Friday night's the test night for the mat plus my shiny new Jetboil with coffee press!
You able to come?
Mmm.. just looked at RL's mat now Im at a PC. Looks good. Will you have it with you on friday night?
Im working on it, brownie points need a little boost to make it happen. If Lenny was going I could use the excuse it was a TGO training exercise ;)
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Funny, I hadn't used that website before and after I ordered I clicked back through the invoice and the page the mat had been on had gone which panicked me incase they just took my money and spent it on beer. But it seems I did just get the last one, I'll get a review up as soon as I can!
You can get one here for roughly the same price delivered but I know nothing about the seller:
http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Exped_SynMat_Ultralite/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=174061 (http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Exped_SynMat_Ultralite/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=174061)
In the end I ordered the Exped SynMat Ultralite 7 for £65 from mightcontainnuts.com (https://www.mightcontainnuts.com/). The Exped reviews very well, is significantly cheaper and has a higher R rating (the value that suggests how warm a mat will be). My only beef was I couldn't find very many reviews so fingers crossed it's as good as it looks!
Brilliant price for a Synmat UL. I was looking for one everywhere, couldn't find one in stock in the UK or Ireland. Looks like you got the last one from that shop as they're no longer listed on their website. Fingers crossed for you for many comfy nights sleep from now on.
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Funny, I hadn't used that website before and after I ordered I clicked back through the invoice and the page the mat had been on had gone which panicked me incase they just took my money and spent it on beer. But it seems I did just get the last one, I'll get a review up as soon as I can!
You can get one here for roughly the same price delivered but I know nothing about the seller:
http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Exped_SynMat_Ultralite/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=174061 (http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Exped_SynMat_Ultralite/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=174061)
Cheers, but unfortunately I was after the medium length, its the small that's that price, medium is out of stock. I had found lots of small ones in stock, the mediums aren't back in stock until sometime in October. I don't feel so jealous now if it was a small one that you nabbed!!
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You can sleep happy, I did indeed get a small one, being diminutive I like to save that extra few grams not to mention ££s!
I went online and did another search for reviews and I'm reasonably assured that I can't find anyone with a single complaint that would bother me. Fingers crossed my sleeping woes are over! Think I'll get a cheapy foam mat or suchlike to put beneath it though bit wary of punctures (although it does come with a repair kit).
Funny, I hadn't used that website before and after I ordered I clicked back through the invoice and the page the mat had been on had gone which panicked me incase they just took my money and spent it on beer. But it seems I did just get the last one, I'll get a review up as soon as I can!
You can get one here for roughly the same price delivered but I know nothing about the seller:
http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Exped_SynMat_Ultralite/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=174061 (http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Exped_SynMat_Ultralite/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=174061)
Cheers, but unfortunately I was after the medium length, its the small that's that price, medium is out of stock. I had found lots of small ones in stock, the mediums aren't back in stock until sometime in October. I don't feel so jealous now if it was a small one that you nabbed!!
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I'm still liking the Synmat but don't feel like I've tested it enough yet.
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I got an email this morning from Ultralight Outdoor Gear to say the Synmat is back in stock in regular size. Once this batch is sold out there won't be anymore back in stock until March. If you fancy one I'd get it on your Christmas list pronto ;)
http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/exped_synmat_7_ultralight.html
PS: Still more than welcome to check out my Peak Elite any time. I'm still loving it, although it hasn't had much use recently!
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That's not a bad price either (though I don't know what delivery is). Why did they send you an email on their Synmat stock, seems pretty specific?
I got an email this morning from Ultralight Outdoor Gear to say the Synmat is back in stock in regular size. Once this batch is sold out there won't be anymore back in stock until March. If you fancy one I'd get it on your Christmas list pronto ;)
http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/exped_synmat_7_ultralight.html
PS: Still more than welcome to check out my Peak Elite any time. I'm still loving it, although it hasn't had much use recently!
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Why did they send you an email on their Synmat stock, seems pretty specific?
Was just a newsletter email, but they always give stock updates on gear that is hard to get the hold of. As far as I know postage is free from ULOG so might be a good enough deal for Santa to stretch to :)
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Having updated my sleep system to include a MED neo air it has been great. I was a bit dubious about the quality and like you, I was unsure of what to buy. For me I went with Thermarest due to the experience I have with my original sleeping mat, used loads nothing to go wrong and it has lasted years, in fact there is nothing wrong with it apart from it only being a 3/4 length.
That said I do like the synmat especially that Gucci valve which allows all of the air to be expelled for storing.