i have a alpkit numo which is not very winterproof. is a exped ul 7 a better winter choice?

That's what I use.

All year.

Neoair x-therm here. Expensive but worth every penny. Warm enough I can use a lighter bag too.

Be fine Tony. As Colin says, no problem all year round ... buy a Schnozzle bag for it too, makes inflating so much easier and helps prevent condensation forming in the mat.

Aye. Schnozzle is a must.

Be aware that they 're available in various lengths.

i think i may need the long and wide version.

and just watched the vid of the bloke blowing it up with the bag........vaguely exciting that

Depends if you feel the cold. I find it OK for summer use, but then I'd be just as happy with a full on winter mat in the summer.

I’ve been out to -2 on mine and was toasty

Cath's got the Exped Hyperlite which is very slightly better rated (R-value of 3.3 vs 3.1) but she's used it at minus silly with no problem (probably about -10/12C). It's worth noting that unlike a sleeping bag which has a definite temperature range in which you'll be comfortable, sleeping pads only really have a lower limit, anything above that and you will be fine.

The Schnozzle bag is well worth it - I think the mat's come with one now, it used to be just the Downmat series that had them. The first time I inflated my Synmat by my breath there was an obvious patch of condensation just down from the valve. I've the standard length/width which is fine for me as I'm a fairly static sleeper and under 6ft in height but it can feel a bit like you are perched on top of it at times!

I had to send my original mat back as one of the RF welds failed, quite a disturbing sound as it unpeeled the length of the mat! The trick is to fully inflate the pad then let a bit of air out so that when you kneel/sit on it the air inside doesn't stress the welds with the increase in pressure in any particular tube.

I like mine Tony. V comfy. Used it for maybe 80-90 plus nights over last 3-4 years. As said careful not to sit on it to heavily. I popped one of the baffles doing that but exped replaced under warranty after 26 months (just outside warranty period ). I have had 3 or 4 punctures which are easy to repair with the supplied kit, and now use it with a Tyvek groundsheet. I got the Medium which I find plenty long enough and medium schnozzle from OutdoorGB.

Got the Synmat 7 Hyperlite myself. Used it in -8 this week with a Rab Ascent 700 sleeping bag and was nicks and toasty all night long, so no complaints here. Like many of the others, I use it all year round as well.