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Exped Down Air Mattress & Pump Sac
View all Thermarests & Mats
View all Thermarests & Mats from Exped
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When comfort and insulation are most important this mat offers an incredible 3 times the warmth of any other mattress of comparable weight! This amazing development from Exped is a down filled mattress that will pack down smaller and is lighter than any equivalent foam filled mattress. Baffles within the mattress keep the down (250g of 700 fill high loft goose down) in place and help to eliminate any cold spots while the two valves allow the mattress to be deflated twice as quickly. The unique pump/packsack (included) can be used to inflate the mattress quickly and prevents humidity in your breath reaching the down inside the mat and will also double as a handy pillow when stuffed with clothing! Size: Inflated: 178 x 52 x 9 cm. Packed: 30 x 13 cm. Weight: Mat: 920g. Pumpsack: 160g. | Site | Price | Postage | Total |
 | £90.00 | FREE | £90 |  |
 | £85.00 | £5.75 | £90.75 |  |
 | £89.99 | £3.50 | £93.49 |  |
User Reviews
Reviewed by Mark (Edinburgh) on 2006-01-24:
General comments: This down air mattress is the best camping mat I've ever had. In fact, I'd rate it as one of my best bits of outdoor kit.It comes with a watertight dry bag that doubles as an inflation pump so you don't get the down wet when you inflate it. Without the bag you'd have to blow into the mattress to inflate it and this would be doubly bad. One, the tiresome effort involved as you'll know if you've ever done this with a beach lilo and two, the fact that this would introduce moisture from your breath into the down. Anyone you has ever been out in a rainstorm in their down jacket will know that getting down wet is not a good idea. The clever design of the down air mat prevents this and hence the down clumping up in freezing conditions. Once the mattress is pumped up, which requires around 12-15 inflations with the pump sac, it's extremely comfortable and the manufacturer claims that the down interior provides an extra season rating for your sleeping bag. Having used the mat often in winter conditions I can vouch for this being pretty accurate.
Pros: Comfort; warmth; relatively lightweight.
Cons: None really - just avoid a puncture.
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Reviewed by Pete Baars (Merseyside) on 2006-04-03:
General comments: I read about this ahead of their UK launch about 2 years ago and last easter was planning to take the lovely Mrs Baars away to Pembrokeshire camping for the long weekend.
Having used airbeds on camping holidays as a kid, I remembered just how cold they were, so reading the scientific rationale behind this new product, i could see how it worked in theory, and put my money where my mouth was to try them out and see if I could make Mrs Bs camping experience any better than the last time I'd taken her away in my ultra-quasar on a thermarest.
First thing that I found was that the 'pump-bag' was a bit of a faff, as soon as I exerted anything like a reasonable amount of pressure to inflate the bag, it would blow off the valve. However, unlike a therm-a-rest, you cant just blow into it, as we all know down and moisture mix like cats and dogs. So it was a bit of a faff and certainly not one that I'd be keen to do in a much smaller tent. However, once they were inflated, they provided a very comfortable sleeping surface, don't overinflate them , but don't under do it either. I found the best result came from getting the mat rock hard, laying on it and just releasing the valve momentarily.
The insulation provided by these mats is great, far superior to a standard air mattress and their depth kicks the thermarest style mats into touch at the same time. They are very plush, so much so that Mrs B actually enjoyed her camping experience so much that we've been again since (up until then, it was always a last resort for her!)
If you're not too worried about the faff with the pump bag, or the bulk, then they're definitely worth weighing up against a standard thermarest type mat. The comfort is amazing.
Pros: Fantastic insulation
Simple design and concept.
Extremely comfortable.
Cons: Faff with pump bag
Bulky
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Reviewed by Fred (Kendal, UK) on 2007-02-09:
General comments: Thought this would be the mattress of my dreams. It did the job, but I got a pundture after the first night into a week-long adventure! Car tyre patch added and fine for the rest of the week. You're off the floor maybe 2 x thermarests thickness (fully inflated) plus the sack I stuffed with rolled-up fleece & wrapped towel around for a luxury pillow. If left for half an hour before needed (unpacked & left with valves open) it self-inflates to some extend, reducing the amount of faffing about with the inflator-bag.
Pros: Great insulation, great length for a tall person, bag a great bonus as pillow, black colour means easy drying in sun.
Cons: NOISY!!!!! You could record an album with the different sounds coming off this! Also, puncture still not 100% (got a blackthorn double-puncture and used clear sealant after I got home, but still faulty). Should have included patch kit, especially at that price. Not so bad using pump bag once used to the ritual!
| This review has 1 comment(s):
mudlark responded : I'd be grateful to know how you found the puncture. I've tried submerging mine in my bath all to no avail. Still it deflates by half overnight. (2007-08-09)
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Reviewed by David Hargrave (Cumbria) on 2007-06-29:
General comments: I read every review under the sun before I bought the Downmat 7 DLX. The wider / longer version of Exped's two models of downmat and a little trickier to find than the std. 7 or 9 I found.
I've owned two therm-a-rest trails (couple camping) and a Thermarest lite (model before the prolite, or maybe i bought the womens version or something). These have been to Kili and Mt. Kenya and all manner of other lower level places. While handy and tough and more comfortable than rocks, they just don't stop my back aching when i get up and, lets be honest, they're not true comfort are they?
My new Downmat 7DLX is absolutely ace! I'm so impressed that I've got to tell someone and write my first ever review!
First, its a cinch to blow up the exped mat with the stuff sack. Some reviews said it was tricky but i found it straight forward. Took me 15 pumps from empty to rock hard (then i let about half of that out to make it properly comfy) so thats about 6-10 inflates of the bag to get it pumped to the right amount (less than a minute). I'm serious, this is super comfort. Beside's the down insulation being magic, and the little extra weight over my thermarest lite (the 7DLX is just over a kilo) this is the mother of all travel / camping / mountain mats. Worth sacrificing something else or getting a lighter sack for.
My mountain guide friend bought a pre 06 version and had some problems with the valves (went down in the alps) and i believe that was a common complaint, but these new ones (grey logo not red) have a new cool valve and are truly the business.
I know that true outdoors hardcore types are going to slate me for this, but i bought the large chair kit too. It was right there on the webshop and I really was going to send it back, honest, but then... i slid the downmat into it and that was it, I was hooked. It's a lightweight protector, rolls up with the downmat to store it but in the morning, just sit up and hitch in the straps that lie underneath and you're properly sitting up (I'm 103kilo's so supporting me is no mean feat) with the rest of the mat out in front (you can double it over to make the chair too), making trangia style porridge without getting out of your bivi + bag. ( i could never get the thermarest chairs to keep me from rolling backwards when trying them in-store so i always thought they were rubbish inventions). The exped chair kits allow two mats to fix together too if you camp with your other half and have 4 superlight da
Pros: - Super super super comfy (even lying on your side).
- 2007 versions have new reliable valves set at an angle.
- Great, I mean really great chair attachment that rolls up with and protects the mat (you want to protect it for a hundred quid) and has a pillow sleeve perfect for a fleece jacket or whatever to be slid in at night
- Lovely upper material. anti slip with a nice feel
- Repair kit included
- Super cool inflator stuff sac. totally no problem to use (you can't blow into the mat to keep the down dry inside!)
- No more achy back biviing out on the fells in the Lakes where I live - this is worth every gram
Cons: - Friends want to steal it (carry it with you while playing frisbee before bed)
- You don't want to get up in the mornings
- its not that cheap, but the manufacturing process is complex. Sell your old stuff - ebay anything just to get one - you won't look back
- can't think of any other cons. well done Exped. Genius
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Reviewed by David Hargrave (Cumbria) on 2007-06-29:
General comments: I read every review under the sun before I bought the Downmat 7 DLX. The wider / longer version of Exped's two models of downmat and a little trickier to find than the std. 7 or 9 I found.
I've owned two therm-a-rest trails (couple camping) and a Thermarest lite (model before the prolite, or maybe i bought the womens version or something). These have been to Kili and Mt. Kenya and all manner of other lower level places. While handy and tough and more comfortable than rocks, they just don't stop my back aching when i get up and, lets be honest, they're not true comfort are they?
My new Downmat 7DLX is absolutely ace! I'm so impressed that I've got to tell someone and write my first ever review!
First, its a cinch to blow up the exped mat with the stuff sack. Some reviews said it was tricky but i found it straight forward. Took me 15 pumps from empty to rock hard (then i let about half of that out to make it properly comfy) so thats about 6-10 inflates of the bag to get it pumped to the right amount (less than a minute). I'm serious, this is super comfort. Beside's the down insulation being magic, and the little extra weight over my thermarest lite (the 7DLX is just over a kilo) this is the mother of all travel / camping / mountain mats. Worth sacrificing something else or getting a lighter sack for.
My mountain guide friend bought a pre 06 version and had some problems with the valves (went down in the alps) and i believe that was a common complaint, but these new ones (grey logo not red) have a new cool valve and are truly the business.
This mat packs up pretty small too. shorter but a little more squat than my regular thermarest lite and with the chair cover, you've got to roll it up a little tighter to get it back in the stuff sack, but these things are super great. I probably should have gone for the synmat as i don't sleep on snow or ice, but the down wasn't much more really and similar weight.
These things would make me look forward to night-time from about lunchtime onwards they're so great.
Don't think of the money. Think of waking up thinking you're in your own bed! This has become my luxury item for sure!
I don't work for Exped, really, I just totally love this mat. I want to go wild camping... now!
Pros: - Super super super comfy (even lying on your side).
- 2007 versions have new reliable valves set at an angle.
- Great, I mean really great chair attachment that rolls up with and protects the mat (you want to protect it for a hundred quid) and has a pillow sleeve perfect for a fleece jacket or whatever to be slid in at night
- Lovely upper material. anti slip with a nice feel
- Repair kit included
- Super cool inflator stuff sac. totally no problem to use (you can't blow into the mat to keep the down dry inside!)
- No more achy back biviing out on the fells in the Lakes where I live - this is worth every gram
Cons: - Friends want to steal it (carry it with you while playing frisbee before bed)
- You don't want to get up in the mornings
- its not that cheap, but the manufacturing process is complex. Sell your old stuff - ebay anything just to get one - you won't look back
- can't think of any other cons. well done Exped. Genius
Comment on this review...
Reviewed by Yelena (NY) on 2007-09-26:
General comments: This is one of the best mats you can find out there but Exped's innovation with bag being used aspump was not thought through well. After only two camping outings I'm seriouisly considering to sell it on ebay and go looking for some other mat that doesn't require magician's skills to inflate it. It borders on impossible!
First of all, there are no ridges on the ring inside the bag, it is as smooth as it can be, nothing to hold the vent and bag together and thus on the smallest air pressure increase it jets itself off. Then fixing it back on and so on for dozens of times while air goes rigt out of the mat at every such occasion.
Pros: Mat in itself is the best out there, but..
Cons: It is impossible to inflate it with the provided device.
| This review has 1 comment(s):
Jon responded : I`ve had an exped down mat for years and yes it does take a little get used to for inflation but, after having some rough nights on therma rests (uncomfortable(too thin) and cold(below -5) )the most important thing for me is too actually sleep once in my bag! If you find that your bag used to inflate comes off with the air pressure try loosening the valve more and push it on further up the valve as it is tapered and will hold! You have to undo the valve quite allot to inflate! Also once at the desired pressure don`t take the bag off and then try to tighten the valve. Instead, turn the pump bag around with the valve to tighten. This works much better. (2008-01-29)
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Reviewed by Matt Lillie ( cornwall) on 2008-07-11:
General comments: Although this mat is slightly more expensive than rival makes I can guaranty that you defiantly get what you pay for. On a resent camping trip to Wales I discovered on my first night of camping that some of my mates has similar mats. Me and my mates take great pride in the gear we buy and always try convince one another that the stuff we have is better. For me this was no problem. Although the mat is quite small at 178 cm this was no problem when I told them about the other qualities of it. Them all being boys didn’t believe me that this was the best out of all four mats well not until our 3rd day of camping when it absolutely poured down. We set up our tent and all jumped into our sleeping bags. Unfortunately for us though we were camped near a marsh so the floor of our tent was slightly damp this was no problem for me as this mat kept me perfectly dry and extremely warm. The following morning as we were preparing to pack up and leave I found out how unbelievably easy it is for this mat to deflate and more importantly how easy it was to pack away. Space is one of my biggest problems when I go camping but with this mat my problems seemed further away.
Pros: warm
light
packs small
very very comfortable
Cons: quite expensive but totally worth it
slightly small for the taller of walkers
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Reviewed by Anthony Eccles (Manchester) on 2008-12-13:
General comments: one of the most innovative and functional sleeping mats ever devised. I had a therm-a-rest prolite 3 before this and it was very comfortable but the Down Mat 7 (the one I am reviewing) took lightweight camping to a whole new comfort level. My favorite feature is the bag it comes in as it doubles as a camping pillow when you stuff it with your spare clothing: it is foam lined. I find that it is less slippery than a therm-a-rest as i would often find myself at the bottom of the tent and my thermarest at the top.
I cannot recommend one of these highly enough.
Pros: by and large, the comfort over other camping mats is enough of a reason to buy one. It now comes with a repair kit so no worrying about punctures. It is incredibly light for the amount of comfort it provides and it packs down to an insubstantial size.
Cons: Slightly pricey around £100, a bit of a pain to inflate with the multi-functional storage bag but wouldn't advise using lung power!!
other than that i would not be put off by this as it more than makes up for this.
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