Synmat7 or downmat7

I have a Downmat 7 (the older one with the stuff sack pump) and love it. It is a bit on the heavy side, but has a R value of 5.9 and keeps me warm down to 0*. It almost is like it has a built in heater. I also have a BA IAC and it is very comfortable but not nearly as warm as they claim. It is only good down to about 30* for me.

Troy…. How cold are you needing to go? The NeoAir will be good down to around freezing ground with it's R value of 2.5.

Zero d F

DM7 takes me to 0*F with no problems. Best winter pad ever.

Anybody actually use a synmat 7 ??

Seems like the way to go to me. Built in pump and R4.9 should take me down to 0 dF. 31 oz. I think I can live with the extra #.

Absolutely love my Downmat… 9… DLX. Especially when the mercury plummets. Love the extra width. Love the warmth–but it's not "warm" in the warmer months, either. Super cushy, great for side sleeping, R-value of 8. I sleep cold, glad I went with the mondo thick one. Re: Syn vs. Down, the Down versions are about 4oz lighter comparably… I suppose if you were trying to be uber light winter you could get the DownMat 7 Short at 20 oz and count on your pack under your feet or something, but I feel that since feet tend to get cold anyway, the full length makes sense… especially if you're planning on nixing an extra pad. Now if I could just cut about 2 pounds off the weight of the pad…

I know I want a long for sure.

From what I can tell the 20×70 comparison of the synmat7 vs the downmat7, both weigh 31 oz.

The DLX configuration, the downmat is about 2 oz heavier.

38.4 vs 40.2

Troy, my bad. I was going off last year's dealer workbook. The DownMat gained 4 ounces this year with the pump integration. If you can find one without the internal pump, it's easy to make your own pumpsack using the tube/fitting from the factory stuff sack. Factory pump sack weighs about 4 oz for std DM 7; a sil dry sack w/fitting weighs about 1.5 oz. I prefer the DM, but could potentially see myself getting annoyed with the built-in pump and wanting to mouth-inflate the pad, in which case the SM could be preferable. Feedback I've heard, though, has been that people have actually preferred the built in pump… don't know.

I'm not an expert on insulation breakdown but I would very much think that the insulating values of the down would last much longer than the synthetic insulation. Down bags last for years and years, synthetics lose their loft comparitvly quickly, especially when compressed, which is what the mat will be a large portion of the time, (unless you store it inflated)

I have a Synmat 7 DLX which I use for canoe tripping. The mat is very comfortable and warm at freezing temps (which is as low as I have used it).

It is on the heavy side for backpacking. I use a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core for backpacking (NeoAir looks great). I purchased the Synmat for its comfort and durability on long trips in the far north.

Dan

P.S. the way the Synmat is constructed, the synthetic insulation is bonded to both the top & bottom inside the mattress. This spreads the insulation when inflated. B.A. & POE don't have this type of construction.

I was thinking of a downmat, and ended up with a Stephensons Warmlite DAM. My 60 inch model weighs 23oz with the pump sac, and is wider than the Exped 7 at the shoulders, and has better down insulation. Worth a look IMHO.

cheers,
fred

I returned the Synmat b/c I didn't like the way it rolled with the integrated pump. I have a Downmat 7 (with the pump sack) and it's very comfortable, although it's unnecessarily heavy for a summer pad.

I very much prefer the Exped integrated pump. The pumpsack takes too long and air is lost when I remove it at completion of inflation or when it slips off (which is frequently).

I do have a half-length DAM from Stephenson's that REALLY takes a long time to inflate. Once inflated it's great for my new Arc Ghost.

I've heard good things about the Synmats though.