Double Sleeping Mat/Pad/Bed Suggestions

We Make Life A Ride · Jan 23, 2023

Hi all,

We currently use an air bed purchased from Amazon along with a liner, double sleep bag and a snugpak jungle blanket over top on the colder nights when touring/camping.

The place where our setup falls down tho is on the bed. It can lose air and is generally uncomfortable and is making us feel cold.

I'd like to know if anyone has a better suggestion i.e. would the benefit of a self inflating foam type pad outweigh the extra weight and bulk etc? Or an air bed that doesn't redistribute it's air each time one of us moves.

The Mrs and I do have our own bikes so not like we trying to pack one bike 2up. So got plenty of space but also don't want to look like packhorses

The bikes are r1250gsa and f850gs.

As usual, Amy thoughts greatly appreciated.

oblertone · Jan 23, 2023

I think ours is an Outwell self inflating double mattress, very comfortable but it's a quite large pack size and it's like wrestling a greased pig trying to get the air out. With hindsight, I'd go for one where you can suck the air out using a small pump rather than having to squeeze it.

You may find the blanket over the top detrimental as it compresses the loft of your sleeping bag, actually reducing the insulation factor.

Traffic893 · Jan 23, 2023

Came across 2 bikers camping last year and they were using a camp star rock n roll self inflating mattress. She said it’s the best they’ve ever slept on. They did have 2 bikes to carry all their gear tho.

We Make Life A Ride · Jan 23, 2023

oblertone;6441943 You may find the blanket over the top detrimental as it compresses the loft of your sleeping bag said:
Good point and I wasn't clear. What we actually do is place the blanket on top of the liner and then close the sleeping bag up around us.

I've had a double self inflating matt before and I seem to remember it being quite comfortable but large pack size.

dean0n0 · Jan 23, 2023

Don't know if it'll work for you, but Thermarest do a coupling kit https://www.thermarest.com/ie/sleeping-pads/sleeping-pad-accessories/universal-couple-kit/05228.html it'll give you more flexibility, being able to use a single mat on its own if needed.

They also do double mats.

Non of their stuff is cheap.

AustinW · Jan 23, 2023

Exped do a small range of Duo mats from a heavy Megamat to a couple of lightweight versions. Being a Swiss brand they ain’t cheap but if they are as good as the singles, which we have they should great. The latest lightweight Duo in their range packs up to about the same size as one of our singles. I’m trying to find a way to justify buying one.

We currently use two Exped Synmat 7 singles (now discontinued but the 7 =7cm thick) with a coupling kit incorporateing a bottom sheet plus an Exped down duvet (also discontinued) that clips to the coupling kit. 130cm wide (normal double bed) and as comfy as and as warm as. Duvet packs like one sleeping bag. Mats pack to about 1.5litre in size each.

OnHellas · Jan 23, 2023

dean0n0 said:
Don't know if it'll work for you, but Thermarest do a coupling kit https://www.thermarest.com/ie/sleeping-pads/sleeping-pad-accessories/universal-couple-kit/05228.html it'll give you more flexibility, being able to use a single mat on its own if needed.

They also do double mats.

Non of their stuff is cheap.

Their stuff is very good though.
Check out the R rating for the mats thermal values. The higher the warmer.

We use Thermarest Neoair. Pack size is small enough and having two singles makes it more versatile when packing in to the panniers/rucksack what have you.

AndyB_11 · Jan 23, 2023

My wife and I have experimented with all sorts of air beds and come to the conclusion that 2 large air beds are better than any twin air bed and if hers goes flat she can fucking deal with it herself

Seriously though, double air beds are shit because if one moves the other one knows about it and we’re both light sleepers which means we both get a crap nights Kip.

snelly · Jan 23, 2023

AndyB_11 said:
My wife and I have experimented with all sorts of air beds and come to the conclusion that 2 large air beds are better than any twin air bed and if hers goes flat she can fucking deal with it herself

Seriously though, double air beds are shit because if one moves the other one knows about it and we’re both light sleepers which means we both get a crap nights Kip.

This; doubles are nowt but trouble; when she rolls over i move; when i roll over she move's ; if she gets off for whatever reason i go down; if i get off she goes down; 2 singles every time.

AustinW · Jan 24, 2023

AndyB_11 said:
My wife and I have experimented with all sorts of air beds and come to the conclusion that 2 large air beds are better than any twin air bed and if hers goes flat she can fucking deal with it herself

Seriously though, double air beds are shit because if one moves the other one knows about it and we’re both light sleepers which means we both get a crap nights Kip.

snelly said:
This; doubles are nowt but trouble; when she rolls over i move; when i roll over she move's ; if she gets off for whatever reason i go down; if i get off she goes down; 2 singles every time.

Those lightweight Exped ones I referenced are two separate chambers.
https://www.exped.com/en/products/sleeping-mats/dura-5r-duo?sku=7640445454308. (Can’t find the ultralight ones now, but that one is two chambers).

leedude03 · Jan 24, 2023

2 of these would be my choice. very comfy and a good R rating so warm down to double minus figures

https://www.trekitt.co.uk/sleep-she...BU_MlAoutUFA3mSp2LFrYBb8FFjeHsKgaAnN5EALw_wcB

AndyB_11 · Jan 24, 2023

leedude03 said:
2 of these would be my choice. very comfy and a good R rating so warm down to double minus figures

https://www.trekitt.co.uk/sleep-she...BU_MlAoutUFA3mSp2LFrYBb8FFjeHsKgaAnN5EALw_wcB

My air bed is definitely an Exped down filled one and I think my wife purchased one when I persuaded her to go to a winter rally in Denmark

If insulation from the cold is the name of the game then either a single expedition weight closed cell foam mattress or two standard ones is the way to go but they don’t fold down too small being designed to carry outside a rucksack. I’ve slept in ice caves using a Karrimor camping mat and a thermarest air bed (foam filled) and been fine whereas a normal air bed would have had me shivering all night. It’s all about pack size most of the time and the Thermarest packs down to about 1/4 of the size of my Exped so if I’m using small panniers it stays at home.

Udders · Jan 24, 2023

Get a pair of Exped Downmat 9’s. Not the cheapest out there but definitely the best. They pack down fairly small and are very warm at night.
No messing about with a double air bed getting bounced about when one of you moves.

We Make Life A Ride · Jan 24, 2023

Yeah must say I like the idea of 2 singles and a coupling kit

I'll look at some of the suggestions you've made. Thanks so far.

Pukmeister · Jan 24, 2023

Udders said:
Get a pair of Exped Downmat 9’s. Not the cheapest out there but definitely the best. They pack down fairly small and are very warm at night.
No messing about with a double air bed getting bounced about when one of you moves.

Great Kit, I use an Exped Downmat 9 DLX, its small/compact but super comfortable when inflated using its inbuilt hand pump and very well insulated against the cold ground beneath.

dean0n0 · Jan 24, 2023

I've an earlier version of this (less R value) https://www.thermarest.com/ie/sleep...t-max-sleeping-pad/neoair-xtherm-nxt-max.html It packs much smaller than their self inflating mats.
One of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/FLEXTAILGE...keywords=mini+pump&qid=1674563962&sr=8-5&th=1

Though the mat's good enough for winter I use a Z mat underneath- better safe than frozen.

AndyB_11 · Jan 24, 2023

Pukmeister said:
Great Kit, I use an Exped Downmat 9 DLX, its small/compact but super comfortable when inflated using its inbuilt hand pump and very well insulated against the cold ground beneath.

You’ve got a different idea of small and compact to me if you think a 9 DLX fits the description

Northern jock · Jan 24, 2023

Like Andy I've got some very effective, compact mats

I've also got one of these that we used to use in the back of our Landcruiser, I took the rear seats out and had a false floor to sleep on. It's very comfy, no affect from the other half rolling over

https://www.vangoarchive.co.uk/gb/sleeping-mats/4839-adventure-dlx-5-double-2016.html

Happy to sell if of interest, we now have a roof tent with a mattress in it

leedude03 · Jan 24, 2023

AndyB_11 said:
My air bed is definitely an Exped down filled one and I think my wife purchased one when I persuaded her to go to a winter rally in Denmark

If insulation from the cold is the name of the game then either a single expedition weight closed cell foam mattress or two standard ones is the way to go but they don’t fold down too small being designed to carry outside a rucksack. I’ve slept in ice caves using a Karrimor camping mat and a thermarest air bed (foam filled) and been fine whereas a normal air bed would have had me shivering all night. It’s all about pack size most of the time and the Thermarest packs down to about 1/4 of the size of my Exped so if I’m using small panniers it stays at home.

The man said.

The Mrs and I do have our own bikes so not like we trying to pack one bike 2up. So got plenty of space,

With reference to the cold, there is no mention of how cold a place he is going to sleep, so i thought something down to minus 15-20 ish would be ample, i may be wrong of course. :beerjug:

AndyB_11 · Jan 24, 2023

leedude03 said:
The man said.

The Mrs and I do have our own bikes so not like we trying to pack one bike 2up. So got plenty of space,

With reference to the cold, there is no mention of how cold a place he is going to sleep, so i thought something down to minus 15-20 ish would be ample, i may be wrong of course.

If he goes below those temperatures he needs treatment.

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