Best for summer use

Plusses: Affordable, well made, quick to deploy and pack away
Minuses: Limited three-season use

535g / R2.9

Features: A light 20D ripstop nylon fabric encloses Texpedloft microfibre insulation and 7cm-thick vertical air chambers on this R2.9 mat. Slightly fatter chambers at the sides prevent you rolling off. The large pump bag is seam-sealed and has a roll-top so it can be used as a dry bag. The repair kit includes instructions, glue and patches but no instant repair patches.

Shape: This rectangular mat is available in small, medium and long wide. We tested the medium; at 52x183cm it’s a fraction wider than the other mats in this review.

Comfort: Although Exped claims 7cm thickness for the air chambers, they measured closer to 6cm, making it the thinnest mat in our review. I bottomed out when sitting on it if the pressure wasn’t firm, so there’s less scope to vary the pressure than with other mats. But overall it provided a sufficiently comfortable sleep and was plenty wide and long enough.

In use: The pump bag inflates this low-volume mat quickly. Dual valves are located beneath the mat at the centre top. They were easy to reach for bleeding air, but slightly more hassle when adding air. This was the quietest mat we tried and was quick to deflate and pack up, but it’s relatively big and heavy for its R-value. At R2.9 it is more suited to summer use, extendable to the low end of ‘three-season’; at sea level in late autumn I noticed the chill through it. The light 20D fabric feels puncture prone, but overall it’s an excellent mat for lighter duty summer use at a great price.

Value: Like other Exped mats, the 3R is very good value for a high quality product.

Verdict: An excellent mat for summer use, at a great price, but it’s not as comfy as thicker mats.