Some of you may have read my review of the Exped Downmat UL7 with some interest, then dismissed it because it is simply too expensive. While it may be more expensive than many competitive products, the old adage that “you get what you pay for” comes to mind. Quality is rarely cheap, but usually worth the cost in the long run. Regardless of value or worth, it may just be beyond your budget for a sleeping pad.

Enter Exped’s newest product, the Downmat5, with the insulating properties of down, at a more reasonable price. To reduce the cost Exped had to cut a few corners. Instead of 700 fill down, they are using 650; a noticeable change for price, a miniscule difference in loft, but hardly noticeable for warmth. Instead of using I-beam construction on the baffles, the baffles are sewn through. And the channels on the outside are without down, just air. The bulk of the mat channels have 650 fill down that delivers an overall R value of 4.5. Not quite as good as the 5.9 you get with a regular Downmat7, but still better than most mats on the market. Plus it is still a solid 3cm thick for plenty of comfort.

Here’s the clincher – the small size comes with an external hand pump, and stuff sack, for the price of a Franklin. So the overall performance remains above what other inflatable mats with foam or synthetic can deliver, for about the same price. If you’re in the market for a new mat, this should be on your short list of contenders.
 
 
 

Exped
Downmat Lite5

Size	Dimensions Open	Dimensions Packed	Weight	Price
Small	64″ x 20″ x 2″ (163 x 52 x 5 cm)	4″ x 9″	1 lb. 5.1 oz. (600 g)	$ 89
Medium	72″ x 20″ x 2″ (183 x 52 x 5 cm)	4½” x 9″	1 lb. 6.6 oz. (640 g)	$ 99
Long Wide	77½” x 26″ x 3″ (197 x 65 x 7 cm)	4½” x 10½”	1 lb. 13½ oz. (830 g)	$ 139

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Exped’s DownMat

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