Exped - MegaMat Max

I just bought the MegaMat the Plush 6” thick one! I finally fucking slept the night without tossing and turning every 30 mins and waking up groggy Get the mini electric pump, just turn it on continue with your camp setup and come back in ten mins or so and your done Rolling it up there’s a technique people moan about it but it’s doable just takes 5-10 mins

I won't talk you out of it... My partner and I between us have 5 Expeds. 2x Megamats LXW for car camping, 2x Megamat M for a camping trailer we recently bought and a Megamat Queen that was used during moving and now is there as a guest bed. I'm now considering swapping my LXW for a Megamat Max. I got the Queen for a really good price from Bob Leisure (seems like a sketchy website, but totally legit).

I’ve used the megamat and even the megamat max and can’t seem to dial in the comfort. It’s either rock hard or a waterbed for me.

I switched from an [Exped Megamat Max](https://www.rei.com/product/244272/exped-megamat-max-sleeping-pad-long-x-wide) to a [Zempire Monstabed](https://www.rei.com/product/241305/zempire-monstabed-single-air-bed). You'd need the space in your tent for the taller bed, but it's incredible for sleeping, and is nice for getting in and out of bed, too. It packs smaller than the Megamat Max, but I'm not sure how ideal it is for backpacking unless good sleep is worth the weight. IMO it is the single best car camping option, though! I'm also a side sleeper and I finally have a place for my hips to go. It has two independent air cavities which I like from a redundancy perspective. The 12" bottom does most of the heavy lifting (I fill it to hard as a board then let air out for a quarter second) then the 4" foam can be separately adjusted for more or less cushion.

Yeah so far I've been comfortable with the build quality! I have the duo/twin version because it's usually me and at least a dog, and it has withstood (trimmed) dog nails with ease. I do make a point of never laying on it with clothing that has zippers, but I do the same with my Exped. The bottom is a much thicker material than the sides and top. It ships with a patch kit which looks perfect for small punctures, but I don't think the patches are enough for a tear. I do use a footprint and my newest tent has a heavy-duty tarp bottom though so I don't know that I've exposed the mat to any real risk.

Check out the [Exped Megamat Max](https://www.expedusa.com/products/megamat-max). It’s very comfortable and durable, with a functionally equivalent R value (not that you should put much stock in them due to the vagaries and inconsistencies of how they’re calculated—you should believe what your own body feels) as the one you linked. They also make a [Duo version](https://www.exped.com/en/products/sleeping-mats/megamat-max-duo-15) but I don’t recommend due to how unwieldy it is to roll up. They are bulky and spendy, but so very comfortable! If you’re feeling decadent, get 2 of the 30” version to make a queen bed; although there would be a seam/gap between you, the motion of the other person isn’t transferred to you, but you could hold them together with a fitted queen sheet. I even take mine winter backpacking sometimes, putting it on top of my pulk, and in the off season it makes a great spare bed for when you have overnight guests at home. Recommend you also grab a [Flextail pump](https://www.flextail.com/products/tiny-pump-2x) or similar, both for convenience and so you don’t have to use your breath or wonky stuff sacks to inflate your pad; this prevents any possible mildew inside the pad, and, by using ambient air, means the pad won’t deflate a bit from cooling/shrinking as it would if you filled it with warm air. I also use [something like this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PPWJSYW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) on the floor of the tent, they’re very light, easy to clean, and offer an extra bit of insulation and thermal break. Those are sold out but I bet AliExpress has something similar. Sounds like you’ve got it dialed in but I also want to plug down booties (Feathered Friends, Western Mountaineering, and 40 Below all make great versions, depending on your preferences), handwarmers (including experimenting with butane versions to see what works for her), just the right gloves (try Dachstein boiled wool mittens, Outdoor Research Alti mittens, or even fur mittens), and above all (assuming you are car camping and don’t have to carry all this) an electric blanket you run off a Jackery or similar. You don’t have to run it all night, just until things get warmed up and your body heat can keep up. It’s funny how people are, I regularly complain the Cascades don’t get cold enough haha! Hope she stays warm and you make some good memories!

Megamat Max or Dometic Highrise 15. Like someone else said, you can buy two and place next to each other for maximum width. I purchased a cot from Helinox and still placed a mattress pad on top, but in my opinion, the two mattress I mentioned are much more comfortable.

I also recommend the exped mega mat. After owning the mega mat 10 and duo I bought a mega mat max and have never regretted it. Warm, comfortable, and massive.

Agreed! The max is a solid move, kind of bulky to store - I end up using my shop vac to compact it

Don’t buy that one. Buy the megamat max. 1000x better. Also are you planning on sleeping on it alone or with a partner? If you are planning on sharing it I would 100% recommend two skinnier maxes instead. Megamats transfer a ton of motion, and if one person is heavier than the other the experience can be greatly diminished for the lighter person as the mattress will feel significantly harder for them. Looking at your $500 price tag you were probably thinking the max anyway, which is the right choice even if you don’t say max. Buy the purple one 100%.

Go with a thicker EXPED. You bought one of the thinnest car camping mat they make.

I have the megamat and it’s amazing. They have a thicker one too.

Unless you are only ever going to use it at +10c or warmer, go 5R Edit: if mostly used inside a tent and on relatively "gentle" ground, ultra is fine, if you are like me and like to use it as a chair/couch in far from ideal conditions to, get dura or versa. Edit2: and unless you are really narrow, get MW or LW

Exped Mega Mats. Pricey, but worth it. REI has a similar one that some speak highly of, but never tried it.

I don't think any of them have real memory foam. It doesn't compact as much, etc. I have used Thermarest and REIs. But the best IMHO is the Exped Mega Mat. Not cheap but well worth it since you want non backpacking size.

I've used Thermarest, REI house brand, and Exped. All have worked great and I'd recommend any of them; they've all been super reliable. For pure lux comfort though, the Exped Mega Mat rules that particular roost.

Exped Mega Mats. I bristled at all the hype about them until I got one. I liked it so much I got one to replace a mattress in the apartment, since it works especially well when my back issues flare up. Cots alone are not that comfortable, and are considerably cold. So most use a mat on top of one much of the time.

If you have an rei near buy you could buy it and simply return it no issues if you don’t like it. But I have one and love it as well

Exped mega mat. Mine is 10cm of orthopedic hedonism.

when I’m at home I like a thin wool pad on the ground, I love an extra firm sleeping surface. the exped mega mat is nice. You can inflate it quite hard. Unfortunately it deflates through the night so it doesn’t stay as firm

We bite the bullet and bought two MegaMats. They have a Duo pad for couples, but we sometimes camp separately.

2x megamats with a coupler is the luxury option.  2 pads are more comfortable than 1 because you can properly adjust the inflation of each to match its occupant and one person moving doesn't upset the other's sleep.

Been sleeping on an Exped Mega Mat and a cot for 3+ months, and an Exped on top of an overly soft mattress for a year before that. I have lower back issues, and this has been one of the best mattresses I have slept on in years.

I find the cot/Exped combo more comfortable/supportive than the Exped/mattress, so it seems to help in that regard. Possibly just better firmness match for me. I have used the Exped on the floor or in back of a car a handful of times, but didn’t notice a big difference between that or the cot (as far as I remember).

If you want something that’s still somewhat portable and packs down a bit exped mega mats are genuinely great. We went through 3 air mattresses in as many years. Got these and never had a leak in 3 years now and I sleep through the night. If your strictly car camping and don’t mind more bulk I’ve heard the Hest systems are unbelievably comfortable like taking a nice comfy hotel bed camping with you. Good luck!

Super comfortable. I got an exped mega mat too and this one is way more comfortable. You should get the pillow and the comforter too. They are both fantastic.

Exped mega mat with the mega pump to inflate and deflate well. Slept without being able to feel the floor. No pain except for some issues from how I slept on the bus lol.

Have you ever spent the night in a crash pad? It's pretty awful... REI will let you lay on pads. If you have one near by, go try the Megamat out. You'll understand.

Own and tried several other sleeping pads, megamat is the best (unless you backpacking)

XPed mega mat makes a solid mattress for cold car camping.

Yes. Air mattresseds suck. The megamat is 10000% worth it's price.

If you aren’t needing to carry it long distances go with the exped megamat. Comfiest sleeping pad you can get.

The Nemo Roamer, if it’s not sold out, is the best car camping pad. I’ve had that and the megamat and the Nemo is much better than the megamat in every way. Plus it’s a smaller company with a zero questions asked warranty. On a different Nemo pad that I tore on a sharp rock I was out in the middle of nowhere Wyoming they said I had 2 options. They’ll send me a new pad free of charge to any address or they located the closest Nemo dealer and to purchase the same pad (they had already made sure it was in stock too) and send them the receipt and I would be reimbursed.

Expend Megamat is the best. I put it over the EO mattress and it’s like home. Stay away from the iKamper one.

The MegaMat is just a self-inflating mattress. It’s filled with foam, so when you release the compression straps and open the “in” valve, the foam expands which draws in air. Most camping self-inflating mattress are cored out, they have channels or holes cut through the foam to reduce bulk and so they pack down smaller. If you puncture one, it’s not a disaster like an air bed. Your body weight pushes air out but the foam is constantly trying to draw air back in. Any decent camping shop will sell self- inflating mattresses. I have a Zempire one.

Another vote for Megamat. Wife and I share the biggest one they make and we're both more than happy with it.

We bought the Exped air mattress that really fits well in the back and made our own mosquito net window covers. Love it!

I also love my megamat! It's more comfortable than my bed.

I have limited experience since we only started camping last year but I cannot recommend enough the Exped Megamat camping mattress. We used the Exped Megamat Auto mattress since we were sleeping in the car and it’s got the tapered sides for the wheel arches but the normal Megamat would be ideal for your situation. Great for side and back sleeping. It can be super firm or you can let out some air and adjust it to your preference. Definitely worth considering if funds allow 👍 Will be taking our dog on a car camping road trip this year so will soon find out how dog proof they are! We’ve got a couple videos showing the mattress set up and in use. Edit - don’t listen to me, others have provided much better solutions 🫡

Just splurged on a megamat for car/tent camping and had the best sleep in a long time while camping.

Might still be worthwhile for grip but realistically, putting an 1/8" pad underneath you air mattress will not protect it from anything that would otherwise cause a puncture. Anything sharp enough to actually puncture an air mattress (sharp rock points, stick ends/etc) will poke right through that 1/8" foam without any trouble. This has happened to me once in \~50 Sierra nights from a small sharp rock end stick out that was embedded into the ground (impossible to see beforehand), it went right through both my tyvek groundsheet and DCF tent floor. I think the only true ground protection would be a thicker CCF like z-lite or megamat (which is what I use now), and I also prefer this since they double as camp sit pad/yoga mat/nap mat/etc.