R-value carries the warmth; thickness decides whether your hip lands
People buy a warmer bag when the cold is coming from underneath. The mat is what separates you from the ground, and its one decisive figure is R-value, a measure of resistance to heat flow. Since ASTM F3340 gave the industry a common test, R-values from different makers can finally be compared directly, so check that the figure is quoted against that standard rather than invented in-house. R-value adds up: a foam mat under an inflatable one gives you the sum, which is why the thin closed-cell mat still exists. The second figure is thickness, and it answers a different question — whether a side sleeper's hip reaches the ground through a compressed mat. Then come the trade-offs everything else hangs on: packed size against weight, and width and length, where the regular sizes leave broad shoulders on the cold floor. Construction changes the feel more than the specification suggests: air mats are light and noisy, self-inflating mats are heavier and quieter, closed-cell foam never punctures and never packs small. Denier on the base fabric is worth reading, since that is the face against grit. Note also whether inflation is by pump sack, integrated pump or lungs. We compare stated R-value and the standard quoted, thickness, packed size and weight, width and length, fabric denier and inflation method.
Foam mat · 200 × 200 cm (78.7 × 78.7 in) · double-sided aluminum foil · pearl-cotton core · no R-value, no thickness, no weight
A large foil-faced foam mat that publishes its two ground dimensions and nothing else: no R-value, no thickness, no weight.
Best for: A tent floor liner or a group ground sheet at a driven-to pitch, rather than a mat carried on a back.
Closed-cell foam · 72 × 19 × 3/8 in · 272 g · no R-value · straps included
The thinnest and lightest mat in this group — three eighths of an inch and 272 grams of closed-cell foam — published in five short bullets with no R-value at all.
Best for: A layer under an inflatable mat, or the lightest possible barrier against damp
≈ $22
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.
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.
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.
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.
0.55 kg (1.2 lb) stated · 40D nylon with TPU · 10 to 15 breaths to inflate · inflatable pillow · no dimensions published at all
The lightest mat here at 550 g (19.4 oz), and the one that publishes no length, no width, no thickness and no packed measurement.
Best for: Bikepacking and fast trips where 550 g (19.4 oz) is the number that decides, and the sleeping surface is taken on trust.
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.
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.
R 2.1, standard unnamed · XPE foam with aluminum film · 70.8 × 23.6 × 0.36 in · 0.7 lb
A folding XPE foam mat with a heat-reflective aluminum film and a published insulation rating of 2.1 — "tested to standard", with the standard never named.
Best for: A foam layer that packs flat rather than rolled, with a figure behind its warmth
≈ $25
Built-in foot pump · 40D nylon/TPU · 78 × 27 in · 3 in in one line, 8 in in the next
The widest mat in this group at twenty-seven inches, with a built-in foot pump, a built-in pillow and side buttons to join two together — and a thickness published as three inches and as eight.
Best for: Two mats buttoned into a double bed, with no separate pump or pillow to pack
≈ $30
R 4.3, standard unnamed · 1.5 in thick · 75D polyester · packs to 8 × 12 in · 35.2 oz
The thinnest mat in this group to publish a 4.3 R-value — an inch and a half of air-foam hybrid under 75-denier polyester, self-inflating and packing to eight by twelve inches.
Best for: Four-season warmth from the smallest self-inflating pack here
≈ $51
R 2, standard unnamed · 20D nylon/TPU · 3.35 in edges, 2.36 in center · 440 lb · pump sack
The lightest air mat in this group at 17.5 ounces, and the only mat here with a published variable thickness — three and a third inches at the edges, two and a third in the middle.
Best for: A side sleeper who wants the lightest air mat and will accept 20-denier fabric
≈ $32
R 1.7, standard unnamed · accordion foam, two densities · 72 × 20 in · 14 oz · USA
The classic accordion-fold foam mat: 1.7 R-value, dimpled to trap heat, softer on top and denser underneath, 14 ounces, folding to 20 by 5 by 5.5 inches.
Best for: A mat that cannot fail, under an inflatable or on its own in mild weather
≈ $50
EVA foam · title says 0.5 in, three other lines say 1 in · 72 × 24 in · 0.6 lb
An EVA foam pad with a carrying strap and a non-slip face — on a listing whose title calls it half an inch thick and whose bullets, details line and description all call it one.
Best for: A cot, a tent floor or a mattress topper, where thickness is read off the right line
≈ $22
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.
R 4.3, standard unnamed · 2.6 in · 75D polyester · 72 × 25.2 in · 3.2 lb · repair kit
The thickest mat in this group to publish a 4.3 R-value, with a reversible valve, a body-mapped core, a field repair kit and patches to lock a pillow to it.
Best for: Cold ground and a wide rectangular bed, carried by car rather than on a back
≈ $99
This family belongs to the sleeping out kit — see everything that has to work with it.
The R-value measures the mat’s thermal resistance. It, and not thickness, decides cold nights.
Packed size decides what still fits in the pack once the mat is rolled.
A measure of thermal resistance: the higher it is, the less heat leaves towards the ground. It is published on every entry.
Because it fixes the method by which the R-value was measured. Figures obtained otherwise do not compare.
No. A thick but poorly insulating mat lets the cold through; the two figures are published separately.
R-values add approximately. Makers publish their own guidance on the point.
The published construction says so. It explains packed size, weight and what happens after a puncture.
It describes yarn thickness, and so relative fabric toughness. On an inflatable mat, that is what separates a night from a hole.
Whatever hangs off is no longer insulated. Published width is compared against shoulders, not against the sleeping bag.
The kits and methods are the maker’s. This site prescribes no repair.
The R-value decides the cold, weight decides the pack, packed size decides what fits beside it. Thickness only decides comfort — which is not nothing after fifteen nights.
The table keeps only what four items in five declare. A half-empty column hands an advantage to whoever kept quiet.
| Model | Price | Inflation method | Standard quoted | Fabric denier | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stansport 503-B Pack Lite foam pad | $22 | None. Closed-cell foam, stated puncture-proof | None — as on all eight mats in this group | Not applicable — bare closed-cell foam, with no face fabric | 72 inches — about 183 cm (72 in) |
| Wakeman 75-CMP1009 EVA foam pad | $22 | None. EVA foam | None | Not applicable — bare EVA foam, with no face fabric | 72 inches — about 183 cm (72 in) |
| fitply Folding XPE foam pad | $25 | None. Closed-cell XPE foam, stated not to deflate | None. The listing states only that the pad "has been tested to standard" — the hedge this shelf's introduction warns about | Not applicable — XPE foam with a heat-reflective aluminum film, no face fabric | 70.8 inches — about 180 cm (70.9 in), the shortest in this group |
| FUN PAC 01 self-inflating mat with pillow | $30 | A built-in foot pump, stated at 30–60 seconds to inflate and one second to deflate, through an upgraded two-layer valve | None | 40D nylon with TPU, stated resistant and hard-wearing | 78 inches — about 198 cm (78 in), the longest in this group |
| Gear Doctors Ether ultralight air mat, 17.5 oz | $32 | A small detachable foot pump sack with an anti-leak valve system, stated at under 90 seconds to inflate, adjust, seal and deflate | None | 20D nylon with a water-resistant TPU coating — the thinnest fabric in this group | 76 inches — about 193 cm (76 in) |
| Therm-a-Rest 2302 Z Lite Original | $50 | None. Closed-cell foam | None | Not applicable — molded closed-cell foam, no face fabric | 72 inches — about 183 cm (72 in) |
| Gear Doctors Oxylus self-inflating mat, R 4.3 | $51 | Self-inflating: unroll, open the valve, let the foam expand, then adjust with a few breaths and close the valve. An elastic band is supplied for repacking | None | 75D micro-coated polyester, stated UV-, moisture- and abrasion-resistant and leak-proof, with a hypoallergenic outer layer | 72 inches — 183 cm |
| Sea to Summit 006306 Camp Plus SI, rectangular regular | $99 | Self-inflating, through a multi-function reversible valve for fast inflation, one-way deflation and fine pressure adjustment, updated with an xpel valve for tighter rolls | None | 75D polyester face fabric — the joint-thickest in this group | 72 inches — about 183 cm (72 in) |
| Alpenwert grey | — | By mouth — stated as a few puffs; a repair kit is included | None named — no ASTM F3340 reference appears in the listing | 40D — stated as the material; the fiber itself is not named | 190 cm (74.8 in) inflated, from a 225 cm (88.6 in) flat length — both stated |
| JATEKA LD-SBL | — | Integrated foot pump — stated at about 80 seconds to inflate, with a double-walled valve at the head end that deflates in about one second | None named — no ASTM F3340 reference appears in the listing | 50D spring nylon — stated, with a waterproof TPU coating | 200 cm (78.7 in) — stated as part of a 200 × 83 × 12 cm (78.7 × 32.7 × 4.7 in) inflated size |
| Mirenko | — | None — a closed foam mat with foil faces; there is nothing to inflate and nothing to puncture | None named — no ASTM F3340 reference appears in the listing | Not published on the listing — the mat is a foam core faced with aluminum foil rather than a coated fabric, so no denier applies | 200 cm (78.7 in) — stated as part of a 200 × 200 cm (78.7 × 78.7 in) size |
| Naturehike NH20DZ003 | — | Self-inflating through two valves — stated to reach about 80% on its own in a few minutes, then topped up by mouth; the first inflation is stated to take longer | None named — the 4.8 is published without an ASTM F3340 reference or any other test beside it | Not stated as a denier — the fabric is given as 190T polyester, which is a thread count | 200 cm (78.7 in) — stated as part of a 200 × 63 × 5 cm (78.7 × 24.8 × 2 in) inflated size |
| NORDMUT SLB-PREMIUM | — | Integrated foot pump — stated to have the mat ready in one minute | None named — no ASTM F3340 reference appears in the listing | 40D ripstop nylon — stated, with a TPU coating described as making the mat water- and weather-resistant | Not published on the listing |
| Realky HW-SDC006 | — | Integrated foot pump — stated at 60 seconds to inflate and one second to deflate, through a double-layer valve | None named — no ASTM F3340 reference appears in the listing | 75D nylon — stated, with an inner TPU sealing coating | 195 cm (76.8 in) — stated as part of a 195 × 70 × 9 cm (76.8 × 27.6 × 3.5 in) inflated size |
| TRINORDIC YYSD | — | By mouth — stated at 10 to 15 breaths; an inflatable pillow is included | None named — no ASTM F3340 reference appears in the listing | 40D nylon — stated, with a TPU coating | Not published on the listing |
| WARMTUYO 55066 | — | Integrated foot pump — stated at 60 seconds to inflate; the deflate valve sits apart from the inflate valve and empties the mat in about 10 seconds | None named — no ASTM F3340 reference appears in the listing | 40D nylon with a TPU composite — stated, with a maximum load given as 500 kg (1102.3 lb) | 200 cm (78.7 in) — stated as part of a 200 × 68 × 12 cm (78.7 × 26.8 × 4.7 in) open size |
| Yuzonc 1 | — | Integrated foot pump — stated at 30 to 60 seconds of pedalling to inflate and one second to deflate | None named — no ASTM F3340 reference appears in the listing | 40D nylon — stated, with an inner TPU sealing coating | 195 cm (76.8 in) — stated as part of a 195 × 68 × 10 cm (76.8 × 26.8 × 3.9 in) inflated size |
$32 – $99
4 models
Gear Doctors Ether ultralight air mat, 17.5 oz, Therm-a-Rest 2302 Z Lite Original, Gear Doctors Oxylus self-inflating mat, R 4.3
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for camping and hiking gear and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: October 23, 2026.
Prices in these summaries were read on the dates each review gives. The live figure sits beside every product.
