Exped MegaMat 10 Sleeping Pad Review

The Exped MegaMat 10 is a luxurious full-size self-inflating sleeping pad best suited for car camping at a campsite or inside your car or truck. Available in a one-person or two-person (Duo) size, the MegaMat is 3.9″ thick and has an R-value of 8.1. I picked up the one-person model this spring to outfit my Subaru Crosstrek as a mini-camper because I’m driving all over New Hampshire on a quest to climb the 500 highest mountains in the state. While I try to backpack or basecamp when I’m climbing several peaks near one another, it’s convenient to have a thick air mattress in the back of the car for those times when I’m in the middle of nowhere and the sun starts to set.

Specs at a Glance

• Best use: Camping
• Type: Self-Inflating
• Shape: Rectangular
• Depth: 3.9″
• R-Value: 8.1
• Inflated Dimensions: 72″ x 25.6″
• Packed Dimensions: 26.4″ x 7.1″
• Packed volume 21L
• Includes: small foot to top-off pad, carry/storage sack
• Weight: 73 oz

Sizing

The Exped MegaMat 10 is 72″ long x 25.6″ wide so you have plenty of space to stretch out at night. The mattress is 3.9″ thick and has vertical sidewalls like a bed, and not tapered like most inflatable or self-inflating camping mattresses. That alone is an impressive feat of engineering on a self-inflating pad. Those vertical sidewalls make it feel like you are sleeping on a real bed, which is the point.

The Exped MegaMat 10 is available in several sizes, which I list here because it can be confusing to dig up this information:

• MegaMat 10 MW: 72″ x 25.6″ x 3.9″ (reviewed here)
• MegaMat 10 LWD: 77.6″ x 30.3″ x 3.9″
• MegaMat 10 Duo M: 72″ x 40.9″ x 3.9″
• MegaMat 10 Duo LW+: 77.6″ x 52″ x 3.9″

Self-Inflating

The MegaMat 10 is self-inflating, which makes sense when you have a sleeping pad of this size because you’d be at it all day if you had to blow it up from scratch.  It has two flat valves, one for topping off the inflation with a small foot pump that’s included, and a second, larger valve used for rapid deflation.

I’m not a fan of the foot pump because it doesn’t move much air. I just top of the pad by blowing into it a few times. You could also use an Exped-friendly inflation sack like the Exped Schnozzel to top off the pad.

Exped uses flat valves on all of their sleeping ads because they’re so much more durable than stick valves and they don’t require any extra room. I can just fit the MegaMat 10 into the back of my Crosstrek lengthwise with the front seats pushed forward as far as they can go because the valves are flush with the sidewall. If they stuck out like a stick-valve, the pad wouldn’t fit.

Insulation

The MegaMat 10 is insulated with open-cell foam which traps and retains heat and brings the pad’s R-value to 8.1, so it’s warm enough that you can use it year-round, including in winter. Does that make it too warm for use in summer? No, it’s a non-issue. Your bed at home has a high R-value too.

Comfort

What’s the MegaMat 10 like to sleep on? It really feels like a bed because it retains its flatness as you move around on it. It has a soft tricot covering that’s comfortable to lie on but you’ll probably want to sleep in sleep clothes are inside a sleeping bag to keep it clean. I believe you can also buy fitted sheets for the MegaMat 10. What will they think of next?

I sleep incredibly well on the pad when I’m sleeping in my car or in a tent with it, in part due to its width, but also because it provides a moderately firm surface for me to sleep on. It’s completely different from sleeping on a regular backpacking-weight mattress, but then again it’s not trying to be one.

I also find that the MegaMat 10 is the perfect height for sleeping in my Subaru Crosstrek because it’s 3.9 inches high and easily adapts to the unevenness and irregularities of the back of my car when I fold the rear seats down. I’ve tried other inflatable and foam sleeping pads back there and just hated them. The MegaMat 10 makes sleeping in my car something to actually look forward to.

Recommendation

The Exped MegaMat 10 is a self-inflating sleeping bag intended for camping. In addition to comfort, it’s very portable and easily carried, unlike a giant inflatable travel mattress that requires a motorized pump to inflate. I also like the fact that the MegaMat 10 is self-inflating and can be used in a tent or a car/truck. But the bottom line is that I sleep like a baby when I use it, which is all the justification I need.

As a side note: I bought my MegaMat 10 Used from REI at a steep discount. It’s worth checking there if you want to save some money. Exped USA also has the best selection of Exped products if you want to buy it new.

Disclosure: The author purchased this air mattress.