Rab Ionosphere 5.5 Sleeping Mat Firecracker Regular

What is the Ionosphere 5.5 Sleeping Mat?

The Ionosphere 5.5 is an insulated sleeping mat built for alpinists, mountaineers and explorers who are adventuring in hostile environments. It's made especially for tackling wintry conditions, with a technical design and insulation that offers fantastic warmth, which is then enhanced with advanced TILT technology.

What is it made of?

The outer comprises 20D recycled polyester, which is super light yet durable enough to endure lots of use with a lesser impact on the planet. The material is coated with a TPU coating, and a fluorocarbon-free DWR (durable water repellent) that helps any light rain or coffee spills simply bead away instead of soaking in. Fluorocarbon-free DWR's are much healthier for the environment than conventional treatments, as they do not use harsh per-fluorinated chemicals.

The inner is lined with a TILT Scrim (TILT meaning Thermo Ionic Lining Technology). This technology is a heat reflective fabric treatment that reduces radiant heat loss by, for this product, up to 15%. It adds next to nothing in terms of weight, pack size and breathability, offering optimum performance without compromise. The scrim is a protected, fine internal mesh layer to which the TILT technology is added. This layer is positioned as closely to the body as possible for maximum efficiency, making a significant heat saving that can be extremely valuable, even life-saving, in freezing conditions.

Stratus™ R recycled polyester insulation keeps you warm. This high-performance synthetic insulation is made of 100% recycled fibres, including post-consumer materials. Developed by Rab, Stratus™ R helps to reduce the product's carbon footprint by minimising waste and energy consumption and keeping valuable materials out of landfill. It has a high warmth-to-weight ratio as it traps warm air and reduces heat loss caused by convective currents. It's also exceptionally good at retaining warmth when wet (unlike down insulation) and dries quickly, wicking away moisture if it's humid or when condensation is building up inside the tent.

What are its features?

The hybrid rectangular shape of this mat allows you to sleep comfortably in various positions, and the larger outer chambers help to keep you centralised, perfect for wriggly sleepers. Tried and tested by the Trekitt team, we can safely say this design works a treat!

The upper material is printed with a graduated grip finish to help reduce the amount your sleeping bag slips around on top of the mat, and when inflated, it runs around 8cm thick.

A pump sack is included, which helps speed up the inflation process in a more hygienic way. These pump sacks are designed to minimise moist air getting inside your mat as you blow it up, which can cause it to rot from the inside after heavy use and decrease the product's longevity. You blow a small amount of dry air into the bag, roll it and push the air through. It sounds like a long process, but it's surprisingly quick and easy!

The process is made even easier with the low profile, two-way valve that eliminates the chance of air escaping as you pump it up yet allows fast deflation when needed.

A repair kit is included for emergencies, alongside a roll-away stuffsack for storing the mat.

Features:

• Stratus™ R insulation traps air and reduces heat loss from convective currents
• TILT reflective film within the insulation helps reduce radiant heat loss
• Thickness: 8cm
• Lightweight construction uses air and insulation for superb warmth-to-weight ratio and minimal pack-size
• Oversized outer chambers helps keep you centralised on the mat
• Graduated grip print finish on upper fabric reduces sleeping bag slip
• Hybrid rectangular shape allows various comfortable sleeping positions
• Low profile two-way valve for easy inflation and deflation
• Pump sack included for rapid and hygienic inflation
• Roll-away stuff sack with repair kit included