Exped UL7 medium wide!!!

That would be great! I love a wide mat but I'm 5'5". Getting something that's made for a 6'6" man is crazy. My Big Agnes Q Core SL Wide/Long is super but I did wish at the time that I could special order one in something like 5'6". However, my dog made the extra length justifiable as she's figured out she can take up the extra space at the end as her personal dog bed. *Shrug* It saves me having to bring in an extra short-cut z-rest just for her, I suppose.

"I was about to pull the trigger on a short exped synmat UL7 to supplement my downmat (not too much need for the downmat here in Texas…) and I saw that REI has listed a medium wide synmat!!"
Been debating the same thing(though there's been a surprising amount of need for the Downmat in AL and TN this past month or so).
I'm 5'7" on a good day, and the LW seems huge to me. but a MW…might have to check that out!

I would randomly add that I use a UL7 S at 5'7" and it totally works super well. In fact, I was expecting it to be truly short (as in, more of a torso pad), but it basically fits my whole body minus some of my feet. I'm super happy with it!

BUT, if you think about it, is a few extra oz. that big of a deal if you want a bit more space? Probably worth it!

Many have been waiting for something like that.

Dena :
"However, my dog made the extra length justifiable"
I think that you are ahead two ways like that.
One is less bulk and two your dog is probably adding heat to your mat.

It is interesting that REI has this pad size listed as an option, while at the same time I do not see this size on Exped's official products page. They have a regular SynMat 7 in a Medium Wide size, but not a SynMat UL 7 in Medium Wide.

I wonder if this is for real, or if REI has made a typo?

Derek, good point. However, the Synmat 7 MW is listed at 36oz on Exped's website. The one listed on REI's website is 19 oz (which is consistent with the other mats on the Synmat UL 7 series).

Since my last posting several hours ago, I went back to Exped's website and, lo and behold, the Medium Wide SynMat UL 7 is listed!!!

I literally hit the refresh button on my web browser and the new size just appeared like magic. Pretty awesome.

I'm really excited about this pad. There have been many discussions on BPL in the past about whether or not a lightweight sleeping pad this size would be popular, and this Exped MW SynMat UL 7 should settle the debate.

I personally think that it will sell like gangbusters and that we will enter into a new era of ultralight sleeping pads that are actually wide enough to support both arms while sleeping on one's back… In other words: sleeping pads that are actually wide enough.

I actually think manufacturers will slowly move away from nominal 20" wide sleeping pad widths as "standard." If we're honest, the consumer has never really had a choice before (Regular vs. Long/Wide is not an apples to apples comparison). The "standard" 20 inch pad was always too narrow, IMO.

Just imagine the average REI customer who goes into the store and lays down on a Medium size Exped SynMat UL 7, thinks it feels alright, then lays down on a Medium Wide size and realizes how much more comfortable it is.

Then that same customer learns that it will cost him only $5 more [edit: it's $15 more now that REI raised the price, grrrrr…] to get all that extra comfort at a weight penalty of only 3 ounces (which, let's be honest, sounds like nothing to the average REI customer)! Seems like it's gonna be a no-brainer to me.

Again, I think this size will be super successful and force other companies to consider medium wide sizing as well, but we shall see.

its backordered but I might pick it up anyway with the 20% off coupon code 126TAKE20… hmmmmmm…

It looks like this Exped Synmat UL7 MW pad is no longer on back order at REI. Has anyone gotten their hands on one yet and tried it out?

I just picked one of these up courtesy of REI dividend and coupon… it's brilliant. I suspect it's the pad many of us have been waiting for, and per Derek, I really hope it leads to an industrywide adoption of the size standard. I'm 5'10" with wide shoulders, and it's like it was made for me.

20oz by my scale, which jibes with Exped's site (but not REI, who say 19, tsk).

Apologies for the artsy angle; not enough room in my apartment to get the whole pad.

Will,
What are the inflated dimensions like? Is it really 26 inches wide? Do your arms fit on it nicely while back sleeping?

Man, I wish you hadn't made me measure that. I want to say 24.5 – 25" wide dependent on inflation and pressure from above; 26" only if you measure the protruding half inch of sealing flange material on each side at the center seam. So perhaps slightly smaller than the proper LW model? Seems like less exaggerated edge baffles, as well, but I don't have an LW handy to compare.

Comfortable for me while lying on my back but YMMV. On the regular width Expeds my arms just fall straight to the floor from the shoulder joint.

Thanks for the measurements Will!
If it fits you well, then why fret, right?

Ironically, a 25" width would probably work better for me as I would use two of these pads side-by-side for my wife and I in our TarpTent Double Rainbow (which will be a tight fit anyway for two wide pads).

I'm gonna have to drop by my local REI and try one of these bad boys out.

I just wanted to give everyone an update.

I finally got a chance to go to my REI and try out the Exped UL7 Medium Wide size, and I have to say that I'm super impressed. Here is what the pad looks like with an Exped air pillow (size Large) on it:

Here is the pad being compared to a standard 20" wide z-lite sol:

Please note that the z-lite is truly lined up with the inflated edge of the UL7 pad, even though it doesn't look like the it. The z-lite is taller, and closer to the camera from this angle, and hence looks like it's not lined up exactly. Trust me, it is.

And here is the key picture, noting the space that my arm has when I'm laying naturally in the center of the pad:
My arm rests right in the first baffle groove on each side of the pad. It's basically perfect.

I've never laid on a more comfortable pad before. It's kind of a revelation to lay on a pad that is actually wide enough for an adult human being to not have to struggle to stay on top of it.

I would urge anyone on the fence about these pads to just give one a try. You will be pleasantly surprised by the comfort in not having to fight to keep your arms on the pad while sleeping on your back.

I have no idea why the 20" width became standard, but it's just not wide enough for me, and I'm even a skinny guy. Back sleepers will love this medium wide sized pad.

What might the R value be?

The R-value on this pad is 3.1

By the way, I forgot to mention that I measured a 24" useable pad width when inflated. The 26" width stated by Exped is bogus because it's not measuring the actual width of an inflated pad. I'm sure they are measuring the deflated width (and can I just say that I'm completely tired of this practice by pad manufacturers).

Either way, as I said earlier, I found the pad to be the perfect useable width in the end.