Nothing beats the cold, hard ground better than a Therm-a-rest*. And we were delighted to see that the US military picked great contractors for these self-inflating mats. At 20" wide and 72" long, it's a perfect mid-sized sleeping mat for backpacking.
*we have another variant made by Vinyl Technology, another contractor who made the same design under the same NSN.
While it's no inflatable mattress, a sleeping mat's main goals are to elevate your body off the cold and moist ground. Air is an excellent insulator and cushion, so by bringing you a mere inch or two off the ground, you're going to be a lot more comfortable and warm than just being on the bare ground. So why bring this instead of an air mattress? The answer is obvious - bulk. Self-inflating sleeping mats are far more packable for backpacking.
The 'self-inflating' process is as simple as opening the valve and allowing air to enter the mat. If you want you can inflate it with your mouth a little faster, but its not typically recommended or efficient. Deflation is easily achieved by opening the valve and rolling up the mat tight, forcing the air out.
Specs
- 20" x 72"
- Made by Cascade Designs (Therm-a-rest) or Vinyl Technology In the USA
- Nylon & Urethane foam construction
- Single twist-valve
- 1 inch minimum thickness
- Approximately 2lbs 5oz
Condition Guide
Excellent
- Lightly used and well cared for.
- Perfectly functional with either minor or no cosmetic blemishes, abrasions, or other signs of use.
Good
- Gear that's seen normal use, but retains uncompromised utility.
- Exhibits cosmetic blemishes, or other signs of use.
- May exhibit writing and/or markings, including rank, serial numbers, etc.
