The Exped inflatable mats are sufficiently comfortable to sleep on that I almost feel guilty that I am not really camping any more. They feel a bit like cheating. Ultralight kit tends to be more expensive than its regular counterparts but, in this instance, the Synmat UL is actually cheaper. That’s presumably because the weight saving is achieved by using a much thinner material which makes it look and feel much more fragile. Which it probably is…

We have used our Synmat 7 UL air pad for nine months of camping at the side of the road, in car parks, garages, spare rooms, storage rooms, bed rooms and park benches.We protect ours with a very thin (2mm) foam sleeping pad underneath. We had one slow puncture in Iran, six months into the trip, that was fixed with the puncture repair kit included with every mat. I just had to put some glue on, let it dry, and repeat twice. I’ve had no problems since. The Exped SynMat Winterlite 7 Long Wide is a brand new mat from the Swiss masters of techy stuff. It does exactly what it says on the box, it is suitable for winter conditions and is very, very light. This particular model is suited to taller users or for those wanting the ultimate in lightweight comfort. The Winterlite mats are not just for winter, they work equally well all year round for cold sleepers.I consider that there are three broad categories of camping mat: foam, self-inflating and inflatable (see my comprehensive Comparison of Camping Mats article for more on this). Exped are probably the leading company in the manufacture of the latter – inflatable sleeping pads – and best known for their DownMats from which the Synmat differs only in its use of synthetic filling. Offering increased levels of insulation over standard self-inflating mats the Exped Synmat 7LW sleeping mat has the same makeup as the ever popular Downmats, only microfibre fill replaces down in each chamber.

Inflation is simple using the integrated hand pump that is a doddle to use and has an ingenious method to adjust the firmness (watch the video). Separate inflation and deflation Flat Valves sit nice and flat against the face fabric so they are far less susceptible to damage. The hand pump is fast and efficient and far easier than blowing up the mat yourself with the added advantage of not introducing moisture into the mat that could freeze and dramatically reduce the mats performance. The Exped SynMat 7 Long Wide is a supremely comfortable, warm and durable sleep mat from the Swiss masters of techy stuff. It is perfectly suitable for winter conditions, is lightweight, compact and this particular model is suited to taller users or for those wanting the ultimate in lightweight comfort. The SynMat 7 LW is not just for winter, it works equally well all year round for people who feel the cold.Lightweight Exped models have two separate valves: a green inflation valve and a red deflation valve. This gives you a variety of options for inflation. We’ve more or less used all of the different inflation options so can give an overview of how effective each is… Blowing up with mouth/lungs Exped Dura R5 M on erittäin kestävä ilmatäytteinen makuualusta. Mikrokuitueristeensä ansiosta se sopii mukaan otettavaksi vaaroilta vuonoille lähes kaikkina vuodenaikoina.