MegaMat Auto

Exped mattress with r value of 8. Best $500 we've spent for car camping.

I have two expeds- a Megamat duo and a single. They’re the most comfortable and warm pad I’ve tried. I’ve been using them for 5 years and camp at least once a month. Our Duo sprung a leak a few years ago, which I patched, and it still works great. Pro-tip: Get the widget air pump or a Flextail Gear mini air pump. Don’t use your breath to finish inflating because it will introduce moisture into your mattress.

Exped megamat.

Buy once, cry one. I have a dozen different sleeping pad/cot/mattresses stored because I kept thinking that *this* is the one that will finally work. You know what finally worked? Dropping $500 on an Exped Megamat. I’ve been using that one for 5 years. No regrets.

1. Ditch the air mattress. It will work against you trying to stay warm. 2. Get something like an Exped Megamat (or equivalent). Don’t forget to bring some sort of inflator. I have a reachable mini air pump off Amazon but Exped makes one called a Widget. 3. Bring a couple of Hot Hands body/feet/handwarmers. 4. Pee before you get inside your bag for the night. 5. Wear a beanie to bed.

We camp with an Exped Megamat down to -10F. Regular air mattresses allow for the cold ground to circulate cold air. If you don’t want to shell out $$$ for an Exped or equivalent, put whatever you have for insulation underneath the air mattress to insulate from the ground and an extra sleeping bag opened up on top of the mattress. Put a sheet over the sleeping bag to help it stay put. Then lay your bedding on top. You’re still probably going to be cold so make sure that you and your toddler wear fresh base layers or a onesie and fresh socks before going to bed. Add a beanie to keep your heads warm. As an adult I sometimes affix Hot Hands body warmers to the outside of my base layer top when it’s really cold but that is not advisable for a child. Good luck!

I tried long term sleeping on an Exped. They're a seif inflating pad. It did not last a full year. The fabric in those is glued to the foam, and as it turns out tossing and turning can eventually break that bond, and the fabric blister.

Yes. They were going to honor the warranty, but it was less than a year so just easier to drop it at REI where I bought it and get a refund. Definite bummer; great mattress even at home. If they ever do a long lasting home version I'll be all over it...literally. :)

I liked the Exped Megamat so much camping I even use one at home sometimes. Everyone's back problems are different, but it helps me, with herniated discs, better than even some of the fancy back-relief specific ones for home use. And what helps me as well is a cot, so I'm higher up. Squatting and bending and slouching in a small tent can be hell if you've got back problems; it's not the padding when actually laying down as much as getting to that, dressing, etc etc. Cots can also be cooler in heat. And just nice.

I don't have a tempur pedic but do have a screwed back. My solution, even at home at times, is the Exped Megamat in various sizes. Adjustable firmness, consistent out to the edges.

Gotcha. I was thinking maybe that, but didn't want to assume. I would think it would be very similar to Mammoth, but maybe warmer. I think the perfect solution for the bedding is those bags and self inflating mattresses, the kind that inflate but that also have foam inside. So they insulate well. The killer ones are the nice big Exped Megamats, but there are other smaller ones too. Look at all the ones at REI since I think they list R values. Heating the tent doesn't do much; I wouldn't bother. Butt pads for the chairs outside, some extra blankets or a quilt for hanging around, and odds are you'll be fine. I assume if an early snow storm blows in you can just head for home.

Exped is the current king of the semi self inflating mattresses but there are other worthy considerations which are more affordable, especially on sale. I went with a Lost Horizon I found on clearance for half price. Probably not as bomb proof as the Exped, but after about a dozen trips this summer it’s going strong without issues. The bottom line is these type of mattresses are exponentially more comfortable than anything else on the market. I will never go back. The only drawback is they don’t roll up small.

I'd say Exped but the "self-inflate" part is a lie. Otherwise they're the best

I can't remember if ours is an exped or not, but it's a double size one for my wife and I. I remember kind of cringing at the price initially, I think I paid double what our sleeping bag cost. Total game changer. We sleep so comfortably, even in 30 F temperatures.

You are off to a great start and almost anything you need is gonna just depend on your activity. It doesn’t look like you have a sleeping pad. I would highly recommend a thick self inflating type, like an exped, if you are car camping. If you are interested in backpacking, you could get a more compact style, but I find the self inflators pretty bombproof and very comfortable. I sleep better in my hammock than I do at home, but that is gonna require a tarp, hammock, and under quilt; all of which can be pretty expensive.