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If you spend any amount of time under canvas, hiking, or just wanting an occasional bed, you will quickly learn that there is only one reliable, comfortable, and well insulated range of sleeping mats. I’ve been using Therm-a-Rest mats for at least 20 years, and though they have developed technically over that time, their basic reliability and comfort is still top of the tree. They incorporate a self inflating technology with an open celled foam insulating inner, protected by a robust outer skin. Currently I use the large ProLite 4 mat, and usually carry the Trekker Chair for those moments when I want a seriously comfy sit down with a cuppa from my flask (the chair weighs next to nothing, but accommodates the mat to convert it into a great seat with a back support).
I used this exact set up when I was last in the Arctic. The Therm-a-Rest mat in the Trekker Chair provided an ideal “office” in one of the tents we used, to keep in touch with the outside world. It was often –30 ˚C outside, but my bum stayed cosy during the lengthy satellite email sessions!
There are a wide range of mats, from the very light (ideal for medium weather conditions and long hikes) to the very beefy, which really do banish the cold and provide comfort in harsh environments.
Every one of them sooooo much better than a roll of foam!
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