Best Lightweight Sleeping Mat: Camping Awards 2024

WINNER – Best Lightweight Sleeping Mat 2024

Vango Thermocore XPD

£140

(photo courtesy of Vango )

Why the Vango Thermocore XPD?

For comfort and warmth at night on backpacking trips, the new Thermocore XPD is pretty hard to beat. Designed for all-year use, the Thermocore XPD has a unique vertical walled design to provide a larger sleeping area.

But its major USP is the use of what Vango calls Thermal Reverb technology, which, along with layers of strategically placed film, reflects heat back towards your body to keep you warm at night.

The top and bottom fabrics are made from recycled nylon with a TPU lamination that is lighter and more environmentally friendly than traditional PVC. The improved compressibility means you can have a smaller pack size without compromising on comfort.

Silent Sleep technology reduces the rustling noise when you move and the air-filled welded channel construction moulds to the contours of your body.

Our verdict

This new Robens three-season sleeping mat features three insulation layers – two of recycled polyester, separated by a foil layer. The central foil construction helps prevents noise while the horizontal baffle design makes the mat adapt, giving the body firm support.

Our verdict

We’re not sure how many of you would consider camping in temperatures as low as -28°C, but if you would then this is the sleeping mat for you.

It claims to have the highest warmth-to-weight ratio ever, featuring Thermal Mirror Insulation – four layers of metallised film suspended within each baffle. It also comes with a pump sack for speedy, moisture-free, inflation.