EXPED Synmat Basic 7.5 (£60)
EXPED Synmat Basic 7.5 (£60)

By Chris Townsend

August 30 2010

Rating

By laminating synthetic insulation to the upper and lower sides Exped has produced an airbed that is warm enough for winter camping while still being very comfortable and compact when packed – though not as small as airbeds with no insulation. The weight is high compared with the NeoAir and Ether Elite airbeds too but they are only suitable for three-season use. The Synmat Basic has a textured matt base that grips well on slippery groundsheets. Inside the mat there are I-beam baffles that help keep it stable and prevent cold spots. There are separate valves for inflation and deflation. These lie flat against the mat and have large openings, which does make blowing the mat up a little awkward, though as the valves are one-way you can pause without letting air out. The mat can be deflated very quickly. I wouldn’t choose the Synmat for summer backpacking but for winter and for base camp use it’s excellent.

Technical Spec

Type: airbed with synthetic insulation
Materials: synthetic shell with 150 g/sq.m microfibre insulation
Dimensions: 182 x 48cm
Thickness: 7.5cm
R-Value/Temp. rating: R4/-11ºC
Weight: 650g
Likes: very comfortable, good insulation, compact
Dislikes: slightly hard to inflate

Lyon Equipment
0153 962 5493
www.exped.com

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