Looking for a light weight compact sleeping mat.

Not sure what I need. Hoping some Australian users will help me as I don’t understand the R-Value thing.

Will mostly used in Australia, hoping to spend a lot of time in Tasmania. Temps can get cold; I'm not exactly sure of the temp, but something around -5deg C would be about right.

What mat should I get?

Ben,

The answer to this question depends on what you can get a good night's sleep on. Can you sleep on foam, need a little more padding than just foam, or do you need an inflatable air mattress to get a good night's sleep.

Edited by AndyF on 02/12/2010 23:51:57 MST.

Hi Ben,

I'm sure somebody can give a more technical answer but basically a higher R value means a warmer sleeping pad.

Some options could be:
A thicker 'four season' self inflating option e.g Thermarest Prolite Plus

a 'three season' self inflating option + a foam pad underneath e.g. Thermarest Prolite or Backpackinglight Torsolite + Thermarest Ridgerest (cut to size) or Gossamer Gear Nightlite

a 'three season' inflatable pad + a foam pad underneath
e.g. Thermarest Neoair or Pacific Outdoor Equipment Ether Thermo or Big Agnes Insulated Air Core + Foam pad

I don't have any experience for Tasmania or four season experience so others can comment on the weight and advantages of these options perhaps

If you take weight out of the equation,

When its hot, is it better to have a high R-value or lower?

It's better to have a low value when it's hot. That said, I don't think the pad makes that much of a difference when it's hot. It's the sleeping bag that you will be fussing with much more. That's why when it comes to summer bag -- I always make sure it comes with a full zip so it can be opened up like a quilt -- and you can just cover yourself part of the way -- as much or as little as you like.

When it's hot, the choice of pad is down to comfort, more than insulation. When i was younger i could sleep on the bare ground in warm weather. Not now! :)

Using the Big Agnes Insulated Air core gives the best of both worlds, as the insulation is on the top. Flipping it upside down makes it very similar to sleeping on a lilo, ie much cooler.

Lying down on my Downmat 7 on a hot day feels like putting a jacket on. I've never tried it on a hot night, and don't plan to. Plus it's a bit heavier than my Big Agnes.

The other option is a Neoair. Light, compact and comfortable and then add a blue mat on top of it when it gets cold.

Edited by Rod_Lawlor on 02/13/2010 14:56:56 MST.