Exped downmat vs. Stephenson’s DAM

[Sven Klingemann]

Hi,
do you guys have any insight as to how the exped downmat 7 and 9 compare to Stephenson's DAM in terms of warmth (insulation) and packed size?
Thanks,
Sven

[Steven Evans]

Sven,
I can only comment on the DM7 as I use the short version for winter. I purchased it with the understanding that I could return it if I needed more warmth…and I don't. This thing is warm. I tend to sleep cold, and bought the DM7 after freezing my bum one night doubling 2 Z-lites @ -12C in a WM Versalite (gives you an idea of how I sleep). I use it in a tent and have had it down to about -15C with absolutely no problems. I stick my pack under my legs and sleep like a baby. My DM7 weighs in at 24 oz. with the stuff sack/pump. It's tricky to get the inflation down, but a cinch once you do. Not sure what temps you want to get down to, but IMO the DM9 would be overkill for all but the coldest nights.
Hope that helps,
Steve

[Sven Klingemann]

Thanks Steve for your insights. Don't your legs get cold? I used to only take the Torsolite (down to 45F) but my legs would get cold even with a pack underneath, so I switched to a full-length pad. I guess I should consider the full length Downmat. The nice thing about Stephenson's is that it comes in the mummy-shape, whereas the downmat does not.

[Mitchell Keil]

I, too own the DM7 shortie. Love it and find that it is incredibly durable more so than my BG insulated AC. You truly can run over it with a car, I believe. Confirm that it weighs in at 24oz with the inflation sack. I usually use the sack as a pillow stuffed with my down jacket and pants and use the straps at the top end to secure it. In this way you can extend the length to about 65". Then I use a small piece of evazote foam for under my feet. The foam adds about 1.5oz to the total weight and makes a full length pad from the combination of the sack, DM7 and the foam pad. I have found that I can sleep very warmly down into the teens which is as low as I have gone. Also, I don't have to inflate the DM7 as much as the BG AC pad to achieve warmth. The down provides plenty of warmth even partly inflated thus making for a more comfortable sleep.

Can't comment on the DAM but I have read that it uses higher quality down and is thicker than the DM7. Also that it has a much thinner covering. Mor like a cheap pool float. But I have not read of any failures.

[Steven Evans]

Sven,
I too was surprised to find out that I needed no extra insulation for me feet. I use a GG Alpine Vapour and just slide it under my feet…no cold toes. My only explanation would be that the down under my legs/feet don't get compressed as much as the down under my torso…and therefore still provides adequate insulation? If you do require the added comfort/insulation of a full length pad, you should try the above posters suggestions with a thin closed cell under your pack for the legs….save you a bunch of weight over the full length.
Steve

[Richard Nelridge]

Hi Sven,

My Stephenson's Warmlite Dam is the 60" size with which is 70" in length and 24" wide. It has 3-4 inches of loft (I believe the Warmlite may use 800 or 850 goose down fill while the Exped may use a lesser 700 loft), weighs 20.2 oz and the pump sack weighs 2.8 oz. I have to put it into service. I had initially ordered one of the Exped 9 as I recall and returned it unopened because of the extreme weight difference. The Stephenson's should weigh considerably less and be warmer than the Exped 7 and probably about as warm as the Exped 9 which as I recall for the same size weighed about 32 oz or 10 oz more than my Stephenson's. I put the Warmlite Dam and pump sack in a .5 oz #3 Granite Gear Stuff Sack.

Rich

[Christopher Burden]

I have the exped downmat 7. I can say that I've used it in temps as low as -5f and it has helped to keep me nice and toasty warm inside of my bag. I can't comment on the Stephenson's.

[Ethan A.]

Richard, how has the Stephenson DAM 60 held up for you? Ever have any leaks?

Can anyone comment on the durability and ease and speed of inflation of the Stephenson DAM 60 compared with the Exped Downmat 7 or 9?

My wife and I are trying to decide between the two. We're leaning toward the Stephenson after Joshua B. pointed out the nice weight to warmth ratio and the mummy shape (24 in. wide at top and 18 in. at foot edge), which will fit both our winter tent (Hilleberg Allak at 51 in. wide) and 3 season tent (Big Sky Revolution 3P with 46 in. tapered foot-side width).

[Steven Evans]

Hi EJ (again),
I know I have a reply earlier in this thread stating that I have only used the DM7, but that was a while ago and since then, I acquired a Stephenson DAM aswell…so I have used both.

I had Stephenson make me a custom DAM which was 48" long. To be honest, I felt it was not as warm as the DM7…again, there isn't any testing done about it other then when I took it out I just thought, hmmm, my DM7 is warmer. With that said, it was a custom length so maybe one of the standard ones would be better. Not trying to throw you off, the DAM is a great product but IMO it was slightly cooler to sleep on then the DM7…oh, I guess I should mention that we're talking ~0*F temps which may be pushing the temperature range of the pads.

[Richard Lyon]

I have used both, and can't tell them apart as to warmth. Both work really well. I used to have to carry a bag rated 15 F degrees colder than the anticipated minimum, but not with a down pad. Exped gets the nod thanks to its new pump; my only criticism of the Stephenson's is that it is really a pain to get it inflated.

[John Frederick Anderson]

Hi,
I have the Stephensons DAM 60. I haven't used it in the field due to illness/ injury yet, but I seam sealed the pump sack, and can inflate the mat in 6/7 pumps, no problem.
I haven't used the Exped, but it weighs a bit more, and isn't as wide at the shoulders, which were both important for me.
YMMV
cheers,
fred

[Ethan A.]

Hi Richard, do you use the Exped now just because of the pump? What is difficult about inflation?

[Ethan A.]

Hi Fred, speedy recovery! Feel better soon. Was it necessary to seam seal the DAM 60? Or did it just improve pumping performance? What did you use for the seam sealing? Do you find inflation difficult in any way?

[John Frederick Anderson]

Hi E J,
Thanks for the best wishes- I'm getting there!
I found seam sealing the stuffsac/ pump more than halved the times I had to fill the bag with air. I also makes it waterproof (except for the hole), I pack the mat rolled up in the stuffsac with a gooseneck knot to try make it relatively waterproof. It's a very compact package- for me, a real advantage than a bulky pad.
I seam sealed the pump sac with normal seam sealer McKilnett- It didn't take long and makes a huge difference.
I don't find inflation at all difficult- I just sit down crossed legged, put the head end with the hole for the pump sac in my lap so it is off the ground, and insert the pump sac hole thing into the mattress hole thing. The big stuff sac is easy to gather and trap a good load of air, and then just squeeze the air into the mat. The instructions from Stephensons are really useful and describe very well the 'how to do it' part.
Six or eight sacs is enough.
I hope this helps.
cheers,
fred

[Ethan A.]

Thanks Fred, very helpful. Did you also do any seam sealing for any potential weak points on the pad, and do you do anything special to protect the pad?

[John Frederick Anderson]

Q/ Did you also do any seam sealing for any potential weak points on the pad, and do you do anything special to protect the pad?

A/ No, I didn't seam seal the pad itself. I spread some around to make it less slippery, but nothing anywhere else.
I'll use a more robust ground cloth (or plan to when fit) made by Integral Designs, underneath just in case.

cheers,
fred

[Ethan A.]

Stephenson customer rep just emailed that their pads are made from the same material as the Therm-a-rest Prolite pads, and I never had a leak with one of those. They also said they'd repair their pads at any time if needed, though the person who responded said they hadn't seen a puncture in 30 years (wow true or not that's a heck of a long time for that person to be in the business!). They said the only problems that ever pop up are people opening the valves on the mats with one hand instead of two (which can damage the valve bond on the Prolites as well).

Thanks all for pointing us toward the DAM 60 – seems like a very good fit for width for our tents and for our uses. Light enough or us to use all year so we can skip buying a NeoAir. Like the Ether 6 as well.

[sheila o]

Thumbs up on the DM 7, regular. Have the #9..over kill.
I was also able to go lighter on the sleeping bag when finally getting a warm enough pad for all my seasons uses.
Not noisey either like the Neoair is.
EJ, If you got two older models, you only need one pump.
Good luck.

[s k]

Hi, EJ,

My date and I have a pair of Stephenson DAM 60's, have used them sixteen nights, to a lowest temperature of 25F, without CC foam, and slept quite comfortably. We share a Nunatak Dual ARC Alpinist and fasten the pads via self adhesive hook and loop applied to the 1/2" flange on the perimeter of the pads

I am slightly smaller than you at 5'11'+ and 175-180. I considered purchasing the 64, but chose the 60 so that my heels could fall off the end of the mat and relieve back pressure on my bum knee when back sleeping. My knee feels better and we saved a few ounces.

From a width stand point, however, I would choose the larger 64 for comfort. I would appreciate an extra inch per side when back sleeping for arm space/ledge. I have slept singly at 13 to 15F with a 1/4" CC pad from Oware, on top of the DAM. The 1/4" pad is a couple of inches wider than the DAM and gives my arms a bit of support when back sleeping. The extra width is much more comfortable.

Also, and this is conjecture, I think that the extra width of the 64 would help to cradle a sleeper of my size in the center of the mat. When the mat is properly inflated, body weight is biased in the center of the mat, so the mat perimeter naturally bulges upward. Again, an additional couple inches of width would enhance this centering effect.

My date is 5'7", and the 60 fits her very well. She is not interested in the least in her feet dangling off of the end of the warm pad!

[Ethan A.]

Thanks sk, that was very helpful. For my wife I'll definitely get the DAM 60 – I would probably enjoy the extra width of the DAM 64 at 26 in. at the top, and the extra length at 74 in. would probably keep my heels/feet warmer, but it's 4 oz. heavier and I'd like to use this 4 seasons. I'm wondering:

1) at a 42 in. chest, 6 ft height and fairly long arms (34-35 in. shirt size), and 190 lbs, do you think I could get away comfortably with the DAM 60?
2) to keep the area under my heels warm with the DAM 60, do you think I could get away with just rolling up some clothing under the edge of a foam pad at the foot of the DAM 60?

Whaddaya think? 60 or 64 for me?

[s k]

EJ,

1. Yes, these mats, (also Exped I'm sure), imo, are so comfortable compared to CC, OC, SI, that you'll be happy with either size.

2.Easily.

Whaddaya think? Buy both sizes, planning to send one back.

By the way, I have a recollection of Richard Nilsey posting about the BA pump bag as the lightest, and working on any of the mat brands. I haven't pursued this.

Enjoy your decision!

[Ethan A.]

That's exactly what I was planning to do.

No wonder Stephenson makes such warm pads – they're in New Hampshire – they get seriously cold winters.

Thanks for the tip on the BA inflation bag – I'll check it out.

[Ethan A.]

Jolly Green Giant reported that his largest size Stephenson DAM weighed much more than advertised. Anyone weigh their DAM 60 or 64 for themselves?

[John Frederick Anderson]

Mine comes in at 26 ounces. That includes seam sealed stuff/ pump sack. Stephensons weight is 19 ounces without stuff sack.
I use a Rab Top Bag, and have had cold nights on a RidgeRest, and a TR Womens Prolite 3- cold from below, not above, in temperatures around 1/2 degrees Celcius above tree line. I'm hoping the Stephensons negates this cold from below. 5 minutes on the mat at home confirmed that it's like sleeping on a warm radiator- we'll see next season when I start using it.
I have some Exped stuff, which is consistently heavier than the advertized weight. YMMV.
cheers,
fred

[Hendrik Morkel]

Can someone please post a link to the mentioned Stephenson DAM mat? I tried to go through their archaic website and catalogue but didn't find the mentioned DAM mats.

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