On a snowy bivvy during the Beast From the East, where minus-double-figures night time temperatures were exacerbated by a considerable wind chill, the NEOAir Xtherm gave our reviewer a warm and comfortable night's sleep - and at just over 450g you can't argue with that. In a sleeping bag the fill has to "force" the two sides of fabric apart to create loft/space; but in the Exped mats the inflation pump creates the space for the down to fill. These not only raise you off the ground but provide insulation and help you sleep comfortably all night long.

With a width of 52cm at the shoulder and only 35cm at the foot (in standard size M), the mat has quite a radical taper - in fact it is the pointiest of the models on test. The weight of down in Exped mats shouldn't be thought of in the "traditional" sense that we do in a sleeping bag or jacket.

Overall verdict: If you want a mat that just works in the cold weather then this is the one to look into. Overall verdict: If you are after the best self-inflating 4 season sleeping mat then this is the one for you. At 1kg it isn’t prohibitively heavy and it also deflates easily before packing away into a backpack. The tapered design, lightweight fabric and aggressive die-cut foam trim the mat down so that there is no excess weight.

The NEOAir's layered insulation is clearly less susceptible to moisture than, for instance, the Exped's down fill, but to avoid any issues with condensation and mould buildup inside, this mat comes with an inflator bag that can be used to pump it up.We wanted a mat that's minimalist enough for lightweight backpacking or alpine bivvies, but still warm enough for UK winter camping or even, at the extreme end, expedition use. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. This mat is not self-inflating to any extent, but has to be entirely blown up by the user via a single twist-lock valve. It also has 10cm of depth which keeps you well off the ground, even if you sleep on your side – no more achy shoulders or hips here – and stays inflated until morning. We have however comfortably slept out on a couple of Scottish winter nights in sub-zero conditions, and more recently a high level spring camp where the temperature wasn't far above freezing and the wind relentless.

It is extremely compact when packed and features a tapered shape that fits into the smallest of tents.It is safe to assume that any conditions you can imagine in the UK will be well within the DownMat HL's comfort zone, and having used a previous Exped down-filled mat in minus-double-digits in the Andes we'd have no qualms in recommending the HL for expedition use in very cold places! The OEX Flux 5 is a great option for fast-paced adventure in cold climates to casual camping trips in lower temperatures. All those V-shaped ridges make for a novel feel when you lie down, and while they are certainly not uncomfortable we did find them a bit odd at first.

Not only is the mat 25% shorter but it’s only 25mm thick… With that in mind, I think I would stick with the 40mm pad and save some money. Missed payments will show on your credit file potentially making credit harder to obtain and will result in late fees being added to the debt. To deflate the mat, a little toggle is popped into the valve to hold it open, and then you simply squeeze and roll - it's quick and easy. Its shiny surface makes the Airo very slippy on a groundsheet or sleeping bag, so if pitched on a slope you might well wake up against the wall of the tent. On the strength of our experience, this mat should be more than adequate for most mountain and cold weather use worldwide.The broad vertical baffles help keep you centred on the mat even if you're a side sleeper or tend to roll about in the night, and this goes a long way to compensating for the mat's relative narrowness (see below).