EXPED pays special attention to every high quality detail in order to produce mats that are warm, comfortable, lightweight, durable and pack small.

The R-value is the insulation value of a mat. EXPED carries out R-value tests since more than 10 years with an independant governmental testing institute in Switzerland. It is called EMPA, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology.

A EMPA research has shown that common mats lose 3 times more heat towards the bottom than towards the top. The conclusion: A warm mat is much more important than a warmer sleeping bag. Thus, expeditionists often report that they could save 20% weight of the sleeping bag with a DownMat! But how is the warmth or insulation of a mat determined?

R-Values are indicated in ft²·°F·h/BTU which is the customary unit in the US whereas the SI norm is m2·K/W. US R-values are 5.678263337 times the SI R-values.

Seams are high-frequency welded (most secure method of fusing fabrics and materials) to ensure mat integrity.

100% airtight: Each individual mat is tested for 72 hours prior to leaving the factory! The mats withstand 5x the pressure usually generated during pumping. But the mat should be protected from thorns, heat sources, fire sparks, humidity in the mat and rough treatment. There is a compromise between low weight and durability. But this can be compensated by care.

Our camping mats includes  ...

EXPED has made it much easier to understand the entire backpacking mat range and has distilled the decision process for buying mats to two considerations: intended use and warmth (lowest-use temperature, season or warm/cold sleeper).

Our backpacking mat range is intended-use oriented Ultra, Dura and Versa families. Ultra, for when weight and pack size are of utmost importance; Dura, where durability is paramount; and Versa, an entry level mat offering great value.

Foam mats are 

Foam mats are