Honest opinions...Exped megamat (3 Viewers)

[bhsdriller]

I've read a ton of reviews and i'm hearing that they are worth it but has anyone gotten one and regretted it? What do you really think about them.

Pad in question would be a megamat duo

 

[Mogwai]

I'm in your boat, and was also looking at the Duo, however heard feedback it's like sleeping on a waterbed, and you feel movement of the other person. So I think I would go with two single mats. Also curious to hear from those who have owned them for more than a couple years. I have started to hear about failures. Clearly they are super comfortable but if they fail (like my REI Camp bed 3.5 did after a couple years). So many failed "air" mattresses over the year I guess I never learn.

 

[murf]

I got the Exped 10 LXW and its the best thing Ive ever used. Many folks over here at Copperstate Cruisers swear by them. Best you can get IMO

 

[leucadiacruiser]

Game.Changer. I would imagine movement on the duo is going to depent on who is sleeping on it, but we haven't experienced anything but a good night sleep. Got the single and then scored the duo on Craigslist. Either way, duo or two singles, this is a comfortable pad.

 

[bj70_guy]

No experience with the Duo, but the single Megamat is right up there with the fridge as best camping buy ever.

 

[mrburlingame]

I have both the single and duo. Stellar. Best camping mattress I've owned. Also own the Thermarest Mondoking 3D, REI air mattress, Coleman mattress (poor quality), and Camp Time's Roll-A-Cot with air mattress insert (the cot is my second favorite but still a solid option that I'm very happy with).

 

[leucadiacruiser]

The only trick with the MegaMat I've found, is you need to give it plenty of time to self inflate, then top off with their provided hand pump. Even if you manually blow it up, it still wants time to max out. So rolling into camp, opening it up and going down for the night right away aren't the best option, at least from my experience. You want to give it at least an hour or two to self inflate.

 

[richardlillard1]

I have the Megamat 10LXW; it’s great and the trade offs for it are very small, in my opinion.

The only other mat comparable I would and have considered is the Thermarest MondoKing 3D. I actually bought one, laid it next to the Exped, tried it for a few hours, etc but found that while it’s every bit as comfortable, I didn’t care for the valves, which seem to be the biggest turnoff for that mattress, taking forever to inflate and deflate, compared to the Megamat.

The Megamat just has better valves, it’s easier to inflate/deflate and that was the winner for me. You can even speed this up by getting a $12 air mattress inflator from Walmart which works on 12v and completely fills the mattress (over inflates, actually, I usually find myself letting some out) in about 30-45 seconds.

For duo camping, I borrowed a friend’s Exped and used the coupler kit they sell to link the two together. This worked exceptionally well and gives you even more space than the duo (two 10LXWs next to each other is a queen size mattress equivalent), so you can also couple the mattresses and then throw a queen fitted sheet over them for even more posh comfort. I prefer the $15 one from Target (Threshold or something?) which has two sets of elastic and seems to stay on the best I’ve found. The twin also fits on a single nicely as well. Another huge benefit is being able to set each mattress to different firmness so you can each sleep peacefully, whether embracing or sleeping spaced apart; like a sleep number setup, but for the outdoors.

Other benefits might include setting the mattresses up like a futon for a ground couch when not in use as a bed (which I’ve seen but never tried myself), single use for solo trips which don’t include a partner, etc.

There’s also the fact that you can stack the mattresses to make a super cushy single mattress if you’re going solo and feel the need to treat yo self.

It costs more, but if I feel the two separate mattresses is a total win. Besides, they pop up for reasonable enough deals on various websites from time to time. I think I got mine for $160 or right around there.

 

[richardlillard1]

The only trick with the MegaMat I've found, is you need to give it plenty of time to self inflate, then top off with their provided hand pump. Even if you manually blow it up, it still wants time to max out. So rolling into camp, opening it up and going down for the night right away aren't the best option, at least from my experience. You want to give it at least an hour or two to self inflate.

I can’t say I’ve ever had this problem. I even went against the grain and stored it rolled up for the first year or so I owned it; never noticed a difference.

That said, if I inflate it with my pump, then go sit around the fire for a bit with the inflate valve open. By the time I head to bed, the mattress is incredibly firm and I need to let air out. Not a big deal though, since that’s easy enough with their valve system.

 

[bhsdriller]

Nice thanks for the info everyone.

@richardlillard1 I didn't know there was a coupler to put two together...maybe i'll look into that.

 

[OB-1]

Same as previous comments. Best mat I've slept on.

 

[richardlillard1]

Nice thanks for the info everyone.

@richardlillard1 I didn't know there was a coupler to put two together...maybe i'll look into that.

There’s a couple universal couplers out there too, but I liked the Exped one the most, despite its quirkiness. Best piece of advice I can offer for the coupling kit is to set it up a time or two at home and make sure it’s ready to go. Lie on it, move around, etc and get it exactly where you want it. This will makes setup out in the sticks a lot easier and trouble free.

When I set it up for camping we would lay out a bunch of those puzzle piece anti fatigue mats from harbor freight on the ground, then put the mattress on top of that. Since they interlock together, it provides an added layer between the ground or whatever you’re putting the mattress on which isn’t super uneven and adds even more padding between you and whatever hard surface you’re sleeping on. I also use them in my truck camping solo and find they have a bunch of great uses; put a couple on a bucket for a makeshift stool that’s reasonably comfortable, use them working under the truck, things like that.

 

[landlexus]

I have two of the Megamats I purchased about 6 years ago, they’ve probably been slept on 150-200 nights. I’ve taken them down many rivers via canoe, beat them to hell sleeping on gravel bars and they are still as comfortable as when I first purchased them. When I purchased mine each one came with half of the coupler kit so if you purchased two you had the full coupler and a queen bed.

 

[cruiserpilot]

I've got Megamat Duo which I got for my RTT. I'm not that happy with it, as I got to reduce
pressure points on hips and shoulders. Getting the pressure just right is a difficult. I find air mattresses
tend to push back, so it's that too much vs not enough air. I'm sure if you arent' shifting every night, and
not setting up every night it would be better, or not having pressure points. I think they could have a better
adjustment process. It's very difficult to let out 'just a little bit' of air with that huge release valve. Kinda lame in
in my opinion.
This is just me, everything I read is how comfortable they are and 15 yrs ago I slept on 1/2" Thermarest for
days on end.

 

[MACFJ60]

As others have mentioned, game changer. My wife and I love it as does everyone we lend it to.

 

[richardlillard1]

I've got Megamat Duo which I got for my RTT. I'm not that happy with it, as I got to reduce
pressure points on hips and shoulders. Getting the pressure just right is a difficult. I find air mattresses
tend to push back, so it's that too much vs not enough air. I'm sure if you arent' shifting every night, and
not setting up every night it would be better, or not having pressure points. I think they could have a better
adjustment process. It's very difficult to let out 'just a little bit' of air with that huge release valve. Kinda lame in
in my opinion.
This is just me, everything I read is how comfortable they are and 15 yrs ago I slept on 1/2" Thermarest for
days on end.

You realize you’re not supposed to use the deflate valve for adjustments, right? The inflate valve has a catch, so you can bleed just a little bit of air out at a time. This is also why the newer versions of the mattress have different sized valves; it makes it easier to differentiate the two and also makes deflating quicker.

 

[cruiserpilot]

You realize you’re not supposed to use the deflate valve for adjustments, right? The inflate valve has a catch, so you can bleed just a little bit of air out at a time. This is also why the newer versions of the mattress have different sized valves; it makes it easier to differentiate the two and also makes deflating quicker.

Nope, did not know that. Thanks. Wish I had. Mine does have the two different size valves.

 

[richardlillard1]

Nope, did not know that. Thanks. Wish I had. Mine does have the two different size valves.

You have to push in on the inflate valve ever so slightly, that weird nipple on it is to pull it back and close it up. I’ve found that can be a little hit or miss, so I just close the lid on that valve and it’s usually fine.

Hope it helps you enjoy the mattress!

 

[FJ60Seth]

Another option is a Paco Pad from Jack’s Plastic Welding (JPW). Mine is indestructible and extremely comfortable. You might throw a rod when you see the price though.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Try to find a used one ....that in itself should tell something.

I have about 200 nites on a Megamat 7.5LXW