Enthusiast III
I recently bought an Exped MegaMat duo Sleeping pad to use in the back of my Jeep Grand Cherokee. This past weekend was the first time I got to use it. It was fantastic. I wanted to share my experience here.
SETUP:
First of all, when I got to camp, it was super easy to set up. You roll it out and open the inflate valve. It will take about 15 minutes, but the foam inside will expand and fill the pad. While it is doing its thing, I set up the rest of my camp area. Then when I came back, I used the included hand pump, which is a nifty design itself, and pumped it up for about 30 seconds, and it was perfectly firm. You can adjust its firmness very easily because the valves are designed so well. Simply make minor adjustments to the fill until you are at your desired firmness. When fully inflated, it fit perfectly in the back of my jeep. According to the specs, it is 72in x 40.9in. They also make long and wide versions which come in at 77.6in x 52in, as well as a queen size.
SLEEPING:
I spent all day Saturday cutting up deadwood, splitting logs, and cutting brush with a machete for camp. That night I slept great and was so comfortable. In the past, I used a cheap air mattress from Walmart and would always sleep very poorly (tossing and turning all night, being too hot/cold, etc.) With the Exped, I could dial in the firmness, which for me was firm enough that I couldn't feel the floor of my jeep but still had some give. It felt a lot like a memory foam mattress. I am also a hot sleeper, and sometimes it can get stuffy inside the jeep at night; however, the material they use for the pad feels very cool all night. According to their specs, the mat is also rated for use down to -40 F. I believe that it would provide adequate insulation from the ground, although I have not had a chance to test it in the cold yet.
STOWING:
When it was time to pack up, I could deflate and fully pack the mat in under 5 minutes. All you need to do is open the deflate valve, and then I folded it into thirds and sat on it until I didn't hear air coming out of the valve. Next, I unfolded it, folded it in half long ways, and started rolling from the non-valve end. when I got to the last foot or so, the remaining air was forced out, and then I capped the valve and packed it in the included bag.
My conclusion is that I would recommend this mat to anyone who is camping directly out of the back of their SUV or truck bed. Especially if you are not comfortable with what you currently have. It is pricy, though. The Duo comes in at $350, although there are other configurations that are cheaper. I am looking forward to using it more, and knowing that I'll sleep well at camp without spending a ton of time setting up and tearing down is a huge plus.
SETUP:
First of all, when I got to camp, it was super easy to set up. You roll it out and open the inflate valve. It will take about 15 minutes, but the foam inside will expand and fill the pad. While it is doing its thing, I set up the rest of my camp area. Then when I came back, I used the included hand pump, which is a nifty design itself, and pumped it up for about 30 seconds, and it was perfectly firm. You can adjust its firmness very easily because the valves are designed so well. Simply make minor adjustments to the fill until you are at your desired firmness. When fully inflated, it fit perfectly in the back of my jeep. According to the specs, it is 72in x 40.9in. They also make long and wide versions which come in at 77.6in x 52in, as well as a queen size.
SLEEPING:
I spent all day Saturday cutting up deadwood, splitting logs, and cutting brush with a machete for camp. That night I slept great and was so comfortable. In the past, I used a cheap air mattress from Walmart and would always sleep very poorly (tossing and turning all night, being too hot/cold, etc.) With the Exped, I could dial in the firmness, which for me was firm enough that I couldn't feel the floor of my jeep but still had some give. It felt a lot like a memory foam mattress. I am also a hot sleeper, and sometimes it can get stuffy inside the jeep at night; however, the material they use for the pad feels very cool all night. According to their specs, the mat is also rated for use down to -40 F. I believe that it would provide adequate insulation from the ground, although I have not had a chance to test it in the cold yet.
STOWING:
When it was time to pack up, I could deflate and fully pack the mat in under 5 minutes. All you need to do is open the deflate valve, and then I folded it into thirds and sat on it until I didn't hear air coming out of the valve. Next, I unfolded it, folded it in half long ways, and started rolling from the non-valve end. when I got to the last foot or so, the remaining air was forced out, and then I capped the valve and packed it in the included bag.
My conclusion is that I would recommend this mat to anyone who is camping directly out of the back of their SUV or truck bed. Especially if you are not comfortable with what you currently have. It is pricy, though. The Duo comes in at $350, although there are other configurations that are cheaper. I am looking forward to using it more, and knowing that I'll sleep well at camp without spending a ton of time setting up and tearing down is a huge plus.
