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Wild Camping Kit List
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Which camping mat should you choose?
A camping mat is a key piece of camping equipment. Keeping you warmer and comfortable than sleeping directly on the ground.
There are four different types of sleeping mats available:
Closed cell foam mats
Self-inflating mats
Air mats
Air beds
Each excels in their areas of camping. This guide breaks down the features of each type of camping mat and some key considerations you should think about before making a purchase.
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Foam mat picks
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Self-inflating mat picks
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Air mat picks
Air beds
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Air bed picks
Sizes & shapes of camping mats
Camping mat shapes
When buying a camping mat, you have the choice between mummy or rectangle mats
Rectangular Mats: Provide more sleeping space, ideal for if you move a lot during sleep or are a side sleeper.
Mummy Shaped Mats: These are tapered at the feet to reduce weight and bulk, ideal for light-weight packers.
Camping mat sizes
There are also a variety of sizes available.
Regular: Typically 183 cm long and 51–64 cm wide.
Wide: Around 64-76 cm wide, providing more room for movement.
Long: Usually around 198-203 cm long, offering extra length for taller people.
Long wide: Combines additional height and width for maximum space and comfort.
Short: Available for shorter people.
Women's specific: Often a little shorter in length and a wider in the torso area. They also have a little more insulation in the torso and feet areas. So, if you know you feel the cold and are 5’5” or shorter, whether you are male or female, consider a women’s sleeping mat.
Double: Designed for two people to sleep on the same mat.
Things to consider when buying a camping mat
Will my sleeping mat keep me warm in winter?
If you're camping in cold temperatures, ensure you have a mat with reflective detailing to help reflect your body heat back towards you. You could choose to double up on sleeping mats. Either two closed-cell foam mats or a self-inflating airmat with a closed-cell foam mat underneath works well.
What is R-value?
The R-value of a product measures how resistant that product is to heat flowing through the material. The higher the R-Value is, the better the resistance and the warmer the sleeping mat will be.
While you may find the R-Value information on some products, there is no agreed-upon test to rate exactly how warm each sleeping mat is. Brands that do their own testing will do the same test for each mat in their range. It's helpful to choose a mat from within their range, but it wouldn’t be reliable to compare this to the R-Value of a different branded mat.
Final thoughts
Head in-store for help from our experienced staff on choosing a camping mat.
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