Thermarest Camp & Comfort BaseCamp

Advantages: Reasonable Price
Disadvantages: Rather large if backpacking

...and I can see why. The mat is hard wearing and comfortable thanks to the open cell foam design. The non-slip polyester underside prevents the mat from slipping whilst you sleep. It is easy to inflate and de-flate, in fact the self-inflate mechanism means you only need a few breaths to bring it up to the desired pressure. When you packing up you can simply deflate, roll and pack. At this point I can't stress enough the difference between a normal foam mat and one of these. Once you try one you will wonder why on-earth you have been suffering for all these years. I have done well over 100 nights on a standard foam mat, and know how it feels to have aching limbs in the morning. The thermarest gives you a comfortable nights sleep and this makes all the difference to the following day's activities. The thermarest is rather expensive... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap Thermarest Mat, Very Comfortable
Disadvantages: Size

...be used in any situation for an affordable price. I paid about £50 online for this from snow and rock. Now i am able to have an excellent nights sleep without worrying about carrying something too big the next day. "The Explorer is the perfect mattress for beginning backpackers and those on a budget. With a foam core 1.5 inches thick, it provides the ideal combination of comfort and minimal weight. Available in full-length and 3/4 sizes." The mat uses the open cell foam such as the classic thermarest mats so your basically getting a normal thermarest mat for £30 cheaper, although the Explorer is slightly bigger. Like with all thermarest mats the explorer has a self inflating valve, making the mat easy to inflate and deflate and also giving it the ability to be rolled up really small into the provided stuff sac. The bottom of the mat... Read review

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Advantages: self inflating!!!
Disadvantages: damn expensive

...Ultralite Therm-a-rest Quite possibly the lightest and most compact self-inflating mattress in the world. Made with nonslip Staytek fabric on the sleeping surface, with damp and dirt resistant durable nylon on the underside. OK well theres the sales pitch, so on with the review.... The full length ultralite gives a warm and comfortable nights sleep when used in conjunction with a good sleeping bag. Many people advocate using the 3/4 length and substituting the shorter length with clothing or other softish materials. However I don't usually carry enough clothes to do that. This may be an option if you are 6 feet tall or less, but for anyone over that, I'd suggest the full length version. The anti-slip treatment works very well and will keep all but the most restless insomniac in place. The firmness of the mat can be adjusted... Read review

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