Sleeping Mat Guide

Part 2 of our, well, my ramblings on which kit to buy. I say 'my' as [cue disclaimer] this may not necessarily be the view of Barton Scout Group, and so, just take this is just my opinion.

Tests have shown that you loose 3 times as much heat to the ground (conduction) as you do to the air (convection). As your sleeping bag is compressed under you it is less effective that when it is properly lofted, so its your mat that keeps you warm. If you are cold at night, buy a better mat not a bigger, bulkier sleeping bag, it will be cheaper too. The second thing a mat does is make it comfortable to sleep. It's no good being warm and having a stone in your shoulder blade!

Below is a run through of the pros and cons of the mattress choices out there:

The Airbed.
The modern airbed is an excellent choice for the bedroom.
Take them on camp and they take up room, you have to blow it up yourself (Leaders will not do it for you), and if they puncture, you end up sleeping on a hard cold floor.
We do not encourage scouts to bring airbeds to camp. Bring one for an indoor sleepover, but you will have to blow it up yourself.

The Cot-bed type mattress
These are great in your bedroom as occasional mattresses for guests. Don’t bring one to camp or an indoor sleepover.

The Camp bed
These can take up a large portion of the tent, which is fine for the person sleeping on it, but not so nice for the poor scout squashed under the legs.
They are reasonably cheap, but are bulky, heavy to carry and are not suitable for inside our tents. They are perfectly acceptable for an indoor sleepover, but you will have to put it up yourself.

The foam mat (or closed cell sleeping mat)
This type of mat is the cheapest option. They are light and durable, but are the least comfortable to sleep upon and offer only small insulation from the ground.
The foam mat rolls down reasonably small and can be used for seating outside, as they don’t absorb water easily.

The self-inflating mattress
This is the recommended choice for anyone who wants a comfortable nights sleep.
A self-inflating mat is basically a layer of compressible foam sandwiched inside an airtight envelope with a sealable valve. When you open the valve the foam expands and sucks air into the mat. After a couple of minutes the mat will be semi-firm and you will have to add a few breaths of air to make the mat firm enough to sleep on.
They cost from £20 upwards, offer excellent insulation properties, are easy to clean and pack down small.
These mats do come in varying thicknesses, lengths and widths. They will last you throughout your scouting years and beyond, so invest in a decent mattress and sleep comfortably!