Camping mats are much easier to transport than a camp bed or air bed, so they are a great option for hiking camping trips. Once at home, sleeping mats are best stored inflated with the valve left open. If they are left compressed, this can shorten the lifespan of the foam. Warm and comfortable– self inflating air mats provide a cushioned barrier between you and the ground for a happier night’s sleep There’s no doubt that the Kip Highrise is an absolutely blissful in terms of the luxury it offers and actually it offers good value at the pricepoint we’ve seen for this year.

Use a 50:50 white vinegar and water mix to safely disinfect your self inflating sleeping mattress. Then sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda and leave for a few days to remove the smell. The first time you use your mat, it might take a little longer to inflate, so take it out at home first to prepare it. If you think it needs some help inflating, you can blow into it yourself. Deflating and inflating it again can also help breath life into a new mat! However a low R-Value (<2) could mean you end up getting cold in the night. Inflatable air mattresses which are essentially big air balloons which you sleep on have notoriously low R-values and are no good at all for sleeping on in winter or autumn. With dimensions of 190L x 85W x 10H cm it’s one of the larger single-sized self inflating mats on the market, but is still compact enough to fit on the Kings Stretcher for an elevated sleeping experience or inside their Swags.If you’re going to get a sleeping mat that’ll let you freeze in the cold, you might as well sleep out in the open. Your mat of choice should have enough insulation to keep the cold from touching your body. Insulation is measured in R-value; the larger the number, the better the insulation.

A cross between an inflatable airbed and a camping mat, a self inflating sleeping matress gives you the best of both worlds. Easier to use than an airbed, just unroll the self inflating mat and it will blow up on its own without any pumping. This gives you an air filled mattress to sleep on, offering more comfort than a flat camping mat. The Shangri-La is exceptionally easy to inflate and deflate, and this is one of its major strengths. The Cyclone ‘flip-valve’ as seen on the Comfort 10 Double is a joy to use. Simply flip it around to the correct airflow direction required. Inflation happens automatically, and deflation can be achieved in a couple of minutes by the old “roll and kneel” manoeuvre. A self inflating camping mat is a clever little piece of kit. Inside, they comprise a special type of cell foam attached to a valve. In reality (unless you are a heavy person over 15 stone) a 7.5cm option is acceptable, but we wouldn’t recommend going any lower than that if comfort is your main objective.The KingCamp is undoubtedly fabricated from decent materials – the two valves on the SIM are brass which is a nice touch and differentiates the Deluxe from other SIMs which rely on plastic. R-value is suitable for the summer, but you’ll need to opt for better options if you’re planning a winter trip. At Camping Secrets we often like to highlight niche products we uncover which accomplish a task in a clever way, whilst maintaining quality and value. The 3rd generation IForrest Sleeping Pad accomplishes this task extremely successfully. Operation is simple. The Berghaus uses a rotatable ‘flip valve’ with a protective sealed cap to secure in place. When the flip valve is is one position air can get in but not escape (i.e. use when inflating). In the other orientation, air can escape but not get in – use for deflating.

And oh how it’s worth it. I’ve long been an admirer of Vango inflatable gear and the Comfort 10 follows on a familiar theme of reliability coupled with performance. The Comfort 10 really lives up to its name, providing ample cushioning for even the weightiest of folk.The mat is designed to fit a woman’s body, thanks to its shapely design where It gets narrower near the shoulders and wider near the hips. However, I'd argue that it shouldn't discourage anyone else from buying it if they like what they see.