Sleeping mats
An inflatable mat holds you off the ground and, if it is built for it, holds the cold out of you. The first job shows up in centimeters on every listing; the second needs an R-value, and on this shelf that figure is nearly always missing.
Two things separate a good night on the ground from a bad one, and only one of them appears reliably on a product page.
The first is how far the mat holds you off the ground, and that is published everywhere: thickness in centimeters, length and width in centimeters, packed size in centimeters. The second is how much heat the mat stops leaving you, and that needs an R-value. On this shelf, one listing publishes one.
R-value describes resistance to heat moving through the mat. It is why a thin closed-cell foam mat can outperform a thick uninsulated air mat on frozen ground, and why two mats of the same thickness are not interchangeable in October.
The Naturehike self-inflating mat states 4.8, in its title and again in its bullets. That is the only R-value published across the mats here, and it is published bare: no ASTM F3340 reference, no other test named beside it. Take it as the maker’s figure rather than as a standardized one, and note that it is the only listing that even attempts the number.
Every other mat on this page — and every other mat in the family — publishes nothing under that heading. That is not a reason to reject them. It is a reason to buy them for the job they do describe, which is thickness under the hip, and to plan warmth from the sleeping bag and from what goes under the mat.
Thickness is the figure this shelf publishes best, and it does a real job: it keeps a hip off a root, and it lets a side sleeper turn over without touching the ground.
The NORDMUT states 10 cm (3.9 in) in its title, at 925 g (32.6 oz), packing to 10 x 28 cm (3.9 × 11 in). The WARMTUYO states 12 cm (4.7 in) as an average thickness when fully inflated across ergonomic air chambers, in a 200 x 68 cm (78.7 × 26.8 in) mat that folds to 26 x 15 x 15 cm (10.2 × 5.9 × 5.9 in). The JATEKA also states 12 cm (4.7 in), in a 200 x 83 x 12 cm (78.7 × 32.7 × 4.7 in) inflated size with a 16.5 cm (6.5 in) pillow given separately. The Realky states 9 cm (3.5 in) with a 14.5 cm (5.7 in) pillow, and the Yuzonc states 10 cm (3.9 in) inside a 195 x 68 cm (76.8 × 26.8 in) mat.
Set against those, the Naturehike is about 5 cm (2 in) inflated, and no other mat on this page states less — yet it is the only one with a warmth figure. That trade is the whole argument of this page.
Width decides whether an elbow ends up on the tent floor. Most of these publish it as part of a three-figure inflated size.
The JATEKA states 83 cm (32.7 in), and no other mat on this page states more; it is aimed squarely at restless and broad-shouldered sleepers who have the tent floor to spare. The Realky is 70 cm (27.6 in), the WARMTUYO 68 cm (26.8 in), the Yuzonc 68 cm (26.8 in), the Naturehike 63 cm (24.8 in) and the Alpenwert 60 cm (23.6 in) inflated from a 70 cm (27.6 in) flat width.
The NORDMUT is the gap in this list: it publishes 10 cm (3.9 in) of thickness, 925 g (32.6 oz), a 10 x 28 cm (3.9 × 11 in) packed size and a 40D ripstop nylon face with a TPU coating, and it publishes no length and no width at all. That is a real omission on the specification that decides whether you fit, and it is why the listing suits someone who will confirm the sleeping dimensions before ordering rather than after.
Mass is published on most of these and labeled on almost none.
The Alpenwert states 531 g (18.7 oz). The Yuzonc states 690 g (24.3 oz). The NORDMUT states 925 g (32.6 oz) and the Realky 950 g (33.5 oz). The Naturehike states 1.85 kg (4.1 lb), which is the price of a self-inflating core and the R-value that comes with it.
The WARMTUYO is the one to read carefully: it states 1 kg (2.2 lb) as the weight of the package, not of the mat on its own. That is a more honest label than most of this shelf manages, and it is also not the number you would compare with the Yuzonc’s 690 g (24.3 oz). The JATEKA publishes no weight at all, which on a mat sold for its 83 cm (32.7 in) of width is a fair trade only if you are not carrying it far.
Packed size is the figure that decides whether the mat rides inside the pack or strapped to the outside of it.
The NORDMUT rolls to 10 x 28 cm (3.9 × 11 in), a folded figure no other mat on this page undercuts, and the reason it heads the list for anyone packing tight. The Realky gives 33 x 14 cm (13 × 5.5 in), the JATEKA 32 x 14 x 10 cm (12.6 × 5.5 × 3.9 in), the WARMTUYO 26 x 15 x 15 cm (10.2 × 5.9 × 5.9 in) and the Naturehike 19 x 19 x 33 cm (7.5 × 7.5 × 13 in).
The Yuzonc and the Alpenwert publish no packed size. On a mat sold at 690 g (24.3 oz) and 531 g (18.7 oz) respectively, that is the one number a buyer would still want.
The split is straightforward and it changes how the mat ages.
An integrated foot pump keeps your breath out of the mat: the Realky states 60 seconds to inflate and one second to deflate through a double-layer valve, the WARMTUYO 60 seconds with a separate deflate valve that empties it in about 10 seconds, the Yuzonc 30 to 60 seconds of pedalling, the JATEKA about 80 seconds with a double-walled valve at the head end.
Mouth inflation is lighter and wetter. The Alpenwert states a few puffs and includes a repair kit. The Naturehike self-inflates to about 80 per cent through two valves in a few minutes and is topped up by mouth, with the first inflation stated to take longer.
Denier is the one material figure this shelf gives consistently. The Realky states 75D nylon with an inner TPU sealing coating — no other mat on this page states a higher denier, and it is the one to look at if you camp on stony ground. The JATEKA states 50D spring nylon with a waterproof TPU coating. The NORDMUT, the WARMTUYO, the Yuzonc and the Alpenwert all state 40D.
The Naturehike does not state a denier: its fabric is given as 190T polyester, which is a thread count and a different quantity.
If the ground is the cold part of your night, the Naturehike is the only mat here that publishes a number for it, and 1.85 kg (4.1 lb) is what that costs. If the ground is merely hard, buy the thickness, the width and the packed size, and put the warmth in the sleeping bag instead. Then take one further step that no listing can take for you: lie on it at home, on a hard floor, before it goes anywhere.
A modest R-value is enough, and thickness becomes a question of comfort.
The stated R-value governs, and weight follows as best it can.
Stated thickness can go up without limit: nothing gets carried.
| The season | What you look at | What is not enough |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | The thickness | The R-value alone |
| Shoulder season | The stated R-value | Comfort |
| Winter | The stated R-value | The thickness |
| Uneven ground | The published thickness | The R-value |
An inflatable mat rarely punctures in use and often in storage. Sand, thorns and folding in the same place every time do more damage than the nights themselves.
This site publishes stated specifications and promises no felt insulation.
Self-inflating · R-value 4.8 stated · 200 × 63 × 5 cm (78.7 × 24.8 × 2 in) · 19 × 19 × 33 cm (7.5 × 7.5 × 13 in) packed · 1.85 kg (4.1 lb) · 190T polyester
The only mat in this group to publish an R-value — 4.8, with no standard named beside it — on a self-inflating foam core at 1.85 kg (4.1 lb).
Best for: Cold-ground camping where an R-value on the page matters more than 1.85 kg (4.1 lb) in the pack.
10 cm (3.9 in) thick · 925 g (32.6 oz) · 10 × 28 cm (3.9 × 11 in) packed · 40D ripstop nylon with TPU · integrated foot pump, one minute · no dimensions on the ground
A 925 g (32.6 oz) mat that publishes its thickness, its packed roll and its fabric, and never says how long or how wide it is.
Best for: Campers who want 10 cm (3.9 in) and a small packed roll from a foot pump, and will confirm the sleeping dimensions before buying.
195 × 70 × 9 cm (76.8 × 27.6 × 3.5 in) · built-in foot pump, 60 s · 950 g (33.5 oz) · 33 × 14 cm (13 × 5.5 in) packed · 75D nylon with TPU · no R-value
A wide air mat that publishes every dimension, its weight, its fabric and its inflation time — and no R-value, which is the figure a mat is chosen on.
Best for: Side sleepers who want 9 cm (3.5 in) under the hip and a tougher 75D face, at pitches where 950 g (33.5 oz) is acceptable.
200 × 68 × 12 cm (78.7 × 26.8 × 4.7 in) · 26 × 15 × 15 cm (10.2 × 5.9 × 5.9 in) packed · 1 kg (2.2 lb) package weight · 40D nylon with TPU · foot pump, 60 s · no R-value
A 12 cm (4.7 in) air mat that publishes its inflated box, its folded box and its inflation time — and weighs the package rather than the mat.
Best for: Campers who want 12 cm (4.7 in) under them and a folded box small enough to be planned around, and who can live without a mat-only weight.
200 × 83 × 12 cm (78.7 × 32.7 × 4.7 in) · 32 × 14 × 10 cm (12.6 × 5.5 × 3.9 in) packed · 50D spring nylon with TPU · foot pump, 80 s · 16.5 cm (6.5 in) pillow · weight not published
The widest mat here at 83 cm (32.7 in), with every dimension published, a 50D fabric, three patches in the box — and no weight anywhere.
Best for: Restless and broad-shouldered sleepers with room in the tent, who value 83 cm (32.7 in) of width over a published weight.
195 × 68 × 10 cm (76.8 × 26.8 × 3.9 in) · 690 g · 40D nylon with TPU · foot pump, 30 to 60 s · packed size not published · no R-value
A 690 g (24.3 oz) air mat that publishes its inflated box, its fabric and its inflation time, and compares its packed size to a water bottle instead of measuring it.
Best for: Backpacking where 10 cm (3.9 in) of thickness at 690 g (24.3 oz) is the target and the ground is not the cold part.
531 g (18.7 oz) · 190 × 60 cm (74.8 × 23.6 in) inflated and 225 × 70 cm (88.6 × 27.6 in) flat · 40D material · inflated by breath · repair kit included · no R-value
A 531 g (18.7 oz) mat that publishes both its flat and its inflated dimensions — an honest distinction most listings skip — and no thickness and no R-value.
Best for: Lightweight trips where 531 g (18.7 oz) and a 190 cm (74.8 in) sleeping length are the specification, and warmth comes from the bag.
Resistance to heat passing through the mat, from you into the ground. A higher number means more resistance. The comparable version of the figure comes from the ASTM F3340 test method, and no mat listed on this site names it.
The Naturehike self-inflating mat states 4.8, in its title and again in its bullets. It publishes the figure without an ASTM F3340 reference or any other test beside it, so it is the maker’s own number rather than a standardized one.
No. Thickness tells you how far your hip sits from the ground and how much air is in the way of a stone; it does not describe how the mat handles heat. A 12 cm (4.7 in) mat with no insulation and a 5 cm (2 in) mat with a reflective layer are not ranked by their centimeters.
Because breath is warm and wet, and repeated mouth inflation puts moisture inside the mat. An integrated foot pump keeps it out. Most mats here state one: 60 seconds on the Realky and the WARMTUYO, 30 to 60 on the Yuzonc, about 80 on the JATEKA.
For walks that: Cold-ground camping where an R-value on the page matters more than 1.85 kg (4.1 lb) in the pack.
Its best point: The only mat here to publish an R-value, at 4.8, and it publishes it twice
Its worst point: No standard is named beside the 4.8, so it cannot be compared with an R-value measured under ASTM F3340 with confidence
For walks that: Campers who want 10 cm (3.9 in) and a small packed roll from a foot pump, and will confirm the sleeping dimensions before buying.
Its best point: Publishes a 10 × 28 cm (3.9 × 11 in) packed size, the smallest measured roll among the foot-pump mats here
Its worst point: Neither the length nor the width is published anywhere, so whether the mat fits you cannot be established
For walks that: Side sleepers who want 9 cm (3.5 in) under the hip and a tougher 75D face, at pitches where 950 g (33.5 oz) is acceptable.
Its best point: Publishes the complete inflated box at 195 × 70 × 9 cm (76.8 × 27.6 × 3.5 in) alongside a 33 × 14 cm (13 × 5.5 in) packed size and a 950 g (33.5 oz) weight
Its worst point: No R-value and no standard, so the insulation claim cannot be compared with any other mat
For walks that: Campers who want 12 cm (4.7 in) under them and a folded box small enough to be planned around, and who can live without a mat-only weight.
Its best point: Publishes both boxes — 200 × 68 × 12 cm (78.7 × 26.8 × 4.7 in) open and 26 × 15 × 15 cm (10.2 × 5.9 × 5.9 in) folded — which most mats here do not
Its worst point: The 1 kg (2.2 lb) figure is the weight of the package rather than of the mat, so the carried weight is still unknown
For walks that: Restless and broad-shouldered sleepers with room in the tent, who value 83 cm (32.7 in) of width over a published weight.
Its best point: The widest mat in this group at 83 cm (32.7 in), which is the dimension that keeps shoulders and elbows off the ground
Its worst point: No weight of any kind is published, on a listing whose own title calls the mat the lightest
For walks that: Backpacking where 10 cm (3.9 in) of thickness at 690 g (24.3 oz) is the target and the ground is not the cold part.
Its best point: Publishes 10 cm (3.9 in) of inflated thickness at 690 g (24.3 oz), which is the best of that pair among the foot-pump mats here
Its worst point: No R-value and no standard, so the mat cannot be compared on the figure that decides a cold night
For walks that: Lightweight trips where 531 g (18.7 oz) and a 190 cm (74.8 in) sleeping length are the specification, and warmth comes from the bag.
Its best point: Publishes the flat and the inflated dimensions separately, which is the honest way to describe a mat that shortens as it fills
Its worst point: No thickness at all, so how far a hip sinks towards the ground is unpublished
$25 – $50
4 models
$51 – $99
2 models
What shifts across the bands: Width — Entry level 24 · Mid range 25 · Upper range 25.2
Two items compared directly, where that page is already published.
The gear here comes from the catalog of this site. Specifications are those the maker and the Amazon listing publish; prices are what Keepa recorded on the date below, and both move. The order rests on declared specifications, on stated strengths weighed against stated limits, and on price. None of it has been carried on a walk by us, and nothing here suggests it has.
Last checked on
Prices in these summaries were read on the dates each review gives. The live figure sits beside every product.
