Anyone use a foam mat instead of a air one

[jay91]

I was talking to a chap at work today he was telling me he's never use a air mat just always a thermarest foam mat made me wonder if anyone else dose? He was more of a backpacker than a bikepacker

They must be a bit bulky for bikepacking unless you keep in the bars

[voodoo_simon]

(Have the Z packs one)
Wrapped around your bar bag can work or folded in half seems a good compromise for under the bars or on the rear rack if you’re that way inclined.

They’re super reliable, not a lot to go wrong bother than keeping them clean during the day and relatively cheap.

They’re comfortable enough, nothing luxury but you’ll get through the night. Can bed down anywhere as you’re not worried about popping them, so good for a bivi if your mat can’t fit in the bivi bag.

I’ve only used them in the winter purely for being reliable and at the time, it had a better R value than my blow up mat (and I did a race that stipulated a foam mat).

Would I by choice use one for over night trips in the UK, not really

[jameso]

Interested. I'm getting fed up of fixing holes in mats and never really liked the air mattress roll/bounce. A foam mat could make a useful base or support to a bar roll / bag etc. I was thinking that picking a spot with softer, grassy ground might make it ok. I do like a decent sleep on rides these days though. Maybe not an option for every trip but one to try next year.

[jay91]

Thanks for the replies Simon and James.
I've been reading that there good for side sleepers which I am.
The alpkit one looks the same as the thermarest but cheaper sadly it's out of stock

[Mart]

I used to when climbing/walking prettyindestructable, but it’s the bulk that puts me off on the bike.
I do have a bit of Karrimat cut to the righ5 size for a rucksac, for use as back padding/sit mat

[whitestone]

Pretty common for winter fat bike racing where you would be sleeping on snow (which is a surprisingly good insulator) - essentially zero setup time plus you don't run the risk of puncturing your mat on hidden cut sapling stumps. The downside is that they are bulky - most either have a mat that folds up concertina like or one that they roll into a tube and shove their sleeping bag inside then strap the whole thing on the top of a rear rack.

I used to have a three section mat that I stuffed down a sleeve in the back of my rucksack then used it for bivvies on alpine routes. Main problem with that setup was that it was very narrow and you just had to get in your sleep position and stay there.

Definitely less comfy than an air mattress, hardly surprising since they are less than 5mm thick, but about a tenth of the price.

[Taylor]

If I'm walking I recently tried out a Z-lite which was surprisingly comfy, the same weekend though, I woke up in the middle of the track whilst having a break so I think I could've slept anywhere I was so tired.
On the bike is use a Klymit air mat in the summer and an Exped down mat in the winter