The Exped SynMat Winterlite 7 Long Wide is a brand new mat from the Swiss masters of techy stuff. It does exactly what it says on the box, it is suitable for winter conditions and is very, very light. This particular model is suited to taller users or for those wanting the ultimate in lightweight comfort. The Winterlite mats are not just for winter, they work equally well all year round for cold sleepers.
The mat has been designed to be the lightest insulated air mattress...in the world! Exped have used a tapered design to reduce weight and to allow for an efficient use of space inside a tent when using a pair of mats. The 7cm deep air chambers are filled with 160g/m² Texpedloft Microfibre which provides warmth down to -17°C yet is easily compressed for a tiny pack size. The really clever bit is how Exped have laminated the filling to the top and bottom fabric of the mat so when it is inflated the filling is automatically pulled apart to achieve maximum loft which lasts for the life of the mat. Another really clever thing about this mat is that Exped have made the two side air chambers larger than the others, this creates a concave profile that acts to keep you centralised on the insulation and also acts to stop you rolling off the mat in the night...genius!
A honey-comb embossed slip resistant 20D polyester is used for the top of the mat and the base is made from standard 20D polyester, both fabrics have a TPU Polyether film laminate to prevent air loss and stop water ingress.
Inflation is simple using the two way Flat Valve (watch the video), this valve sits nice and flat against the face fabric so it is far less susceptible to damage. We thoroughly recommend the use of an Exped Schnozzel Pumpbag to inflate the mat, not only is it a lot easier than blowing it up yourself but it will not introduce moisture into the mat that could freeze and dramatically reduce the mats performance.
Getting the right mat to suit your needs is far more important than the sleeping bag, you should be looking at the mat and sleeping combination to give you the temperature rating you need for the least weight and pack size. Bear in mind that your sleeping bag is only as good as the mat it lies on, once you get in your sleeping bag you compress all the insulation that’s underneath you, rendering it practically useless. Therefore it is essential to have a good insulating mat to protect you from the cold ground. An efficient insulating mat will enable you to choose a lighter sleeping bag keeping your pack-size and weight to a minimum.
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Top fabric: 20D Polyester, TPU Polyether Film Laminate, Hydrolysis resistant, Honeycomb embossed
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Bottom fabric: 20D Polyester, TPU Polyether Film Laminate, Hydrolysis resistant
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Insulation: 200 g/m² Texpedloft Microfibre
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Concave profile
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Flat valve technology
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Tapered shape for minimal pack size and weight