Our thicker sleeping mats (Exped Downmat) began to age and one was completely broken. Time for new ones. Before, we were seven cm thick, but we thought we could go up a bit in thickness, because we have become older, more comfortable, and because we sleep outside less often. We did not want a built-in pump as we perceive the pump as a place around which the sleeping mat breaks. We also thought that down pads are overkill for our use. Furthermore, we felt that a little wider would do nothing and neither would a little longer.
It then became the Exped Synmat 9 XP LW, which are nine cm thick and 197x65cm in length and width. We bought two from Milrab autumn 2021. So far, we have used them for maybe ten nights and are satisfied so far. Can't say anything about the durability yet, but it will be in a few years. The extra width does a lot, there is less risk of cool air from below and from the side and you can spin around more and easier. Before, we thought the standard width of around 50cm worked fine, but we have started to spin around and move more in our sleep and then the extra 15cm makes a big difference. The length makes the most difference for the old man in the family, who does not have to have his toes or head outside the sleeping pad. The length also provides less cool air from the ground. The thickness also makes spinning easier and nine cm learns to pick up/remove quite substantial cones or unevenness.
