Sleeping mat
A sleeping mat (short for insulating mat ) is a pad for sleeping that is used when camping and trekking . It is used for thermal insulation , to protect the sleeping bag from sharp stones or branches and, in some cases, to make it comfortable to lie on thanks to its softness.
Executions
Normal sleeping mat
A normal sleeping mat is made of polyethylene (PE) or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam . Depending on the intended use, there are sleeping mats made of foam in different thicknesses (usually between 5 mm and 19 mm) and a standard size of 60 cm in width and 180 to 200 cm in length, as well as in different shapes: smooth, knobbed, grooved, foldable or rollable, partly with a silver-luster aluminum coating on one side for additional insulation. For weight reduction on trekking tours, shortened sleeping mats are also used, with the sleeper's legs not resting on the sleeping mat.
The insulating effect depends on the thickness and density of the foam as well as the structure (for example, single or double layer).
Compared to thermal air mattresses, sleeping mats are lighter (often well below 1 kg) and usually less slippery.
Thermal air mattress
Compared to sleeping mats, thermal air mattresses have a smaller pack size and are more comfortable to lie on, but they can leak.
A self-inflating air mattress is a polyurethane foam mat that is surrounded by an airtight cloth cover. This envelope has one or more closable valves . Usually there is a smooth, dirt-repellent fabric on the underside and an anti-slip layer on the top, which is intended to prevent the sleeper from slipping on an inclined surface.
When not in use, the mat is rolled up and the foam is compressed. If you open the roll-up protection and the valve, the elastic foam can follow its efforts to take up its original shape again. Air is sucked into the foam, which remains when the valve is closed. In addition, the mat can be inflated further, but this is not absolutely necessary and can also have negative effects due to the entry of (breath) air humidity - such as the colonization of microorganisms . Compared to the usual air mattress , the thermal air mattress is lighter and thinner and offers thermal insulation even when not fully filled thanks to the foam inside .
Newly purchased mattresses should "rest" for a few days with the valve open before being used for the first time so that the foam can expand completely. In order to maintain the swellability of the foam, thermal air mattresses should be stored in the rolled out state with the valve open.
Isolation and R-value
The comfort of a sleeping mat cannot be precisely defined using a scale or a value. Unlike the thermal insulation properties of a sleeping mat. This is particularly important for trekking and extreme expeditions in weather-unstable regions. The so-called R value indicates the heat transfer resistance . It quantifies how much resistance the material of the mat can offer to the passage of heat. The scale ranges from 0-10, whereby a sleeping mat with an R value of 0 offers no significant resistance and one with an R value of 10 offers the highest resistance.
| R value | fitness |
|---|---|
| 0 | up to +15 ° C: suitable for high summer |
| 1 | up to + 7 ° C: for summer and mild spring and autumn nights |
| 2 | up to + 2 ° C: spring to autumn, without ground frost |
| 3 | down to - 5 ° C: suitable up to mild winter |
| 4th | down to −11 ° C: 4 seasons, suitable for winter |
| 5 | down to −17 ° C: suitable for winter |
| 6th | down to −24 ° C: suitable for winter, suitable for high alpine tours |
| 7th | down to −32 ° C: suitable for expeditions |
| 8th | down to −38 ° C: for extreme expeditions |
| 9 | down to −45 ° C: for extreme expeditions |
| 10 | down to −50 ° C: for extreme expeditions |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Product details for sleeping mats on the website of an online retailer, accessed on September 3, 2014 (this reference refers to the entire paragraph).
- ↑ Information about the sleeping mat. Retrieved April 20, 2018 .