Campman Outdoor Gear & Apparel

If you wanted to spend your away weekend feeling hungry, uncomfortable, and exhausted, you’d go backpacking. While that might be what you’re looking for from time to time, there’s no denying that sometimes, it’s nice to throw off the restraints of the ultralight trend and indulge in a little comfort. That’s where the Exped MegaMat lineup comes into play.

The Exped MegaMat has long been a staple of the car camping community, and for good reason. With a plush recycled top fabric, inches of core channeled foam, and an intake valve that inflates most of the pad for you, what’s not to like? Exped has since grown the family into five current models, giving you a MegaMat built for nearly every trip, from solo basecamps to two person van life setups.

We put the thickest of the bunch, the Exped MegaMat Max, through its paces to see whether six inches of foam is overkill or exactly what your weekend away has been missing. Below, we also break down how the whole current MegaMat lineup compares, so you can find the right pad for your rig and your trip.

Quick Answer

Need the short version? If you want the plushest possible sleep on solo trips, get the Exped MegaMat Max. If you're sharing the tent, the MegaMat Max Duo delivers the same six inches of foam for two. Want that same comfort at a lighter weight and smaller packed size, choose the standard MegaMat or MegaMat Duo. If your rig has wheel wells eating into your cargo space, the MegaMat Auto is shaped to fill those gaps. Every pad in the lineup self inflates and uses the same plush recycled fabric, so the real decision comes down to thickness, group size, and how much room you have to pack it.

The Current Exped MegaMat Lineup

Campman currently carries five MegaMat models. Here's a look at each one, along with a direct link to shop it.

Exped MegaMat Max Sleeping Pad

The thickest pad in the lineup at six full inches, the MegaMat Max is built for basecamp and winter car camping alike, with a 10.6 R value that keeps you insulated from cold ground.

Exped MegaMat Max Duo Sleeping Pad

The two person version of the Max, this pad brings the same six inches of foam and 10.6 R value to couples and friends sharing a tent or the back of a van.

Exped MegaMat Sleeping Pad

The original MegaMat is still nearly four inches thick, but it packs down smaller and weighs less than the Max, making it the easiest of the bunch to load in and out of a smaller vehicle.

Exped MegaMat Duo Sleeping Pad

Available in Medium, Long Wide Plus, and Queen sizing, the MegaMat Duo is the most flexible two person option in the lineup, scaling from a snug fit to a genuinely huge sleeping surface.

Exped MegaMat Auto Sleeping Pad

Shaped specifically to slip in around wheel wells, the MegaMat Auto is purpose built for sleeping in the back of an SUV or truck, filling space a rectangular pad would otherwise waste.

Exped MegaMat Lineup Comparison

Pad	Best For	Thickness	R Value	Packed Size	Weight
MegaMat	Solo camping, easiest to pack	4in	8.1	26.4in x 8in to 39.1in x 9.8in	4lb 9oz to 5lb 11oz
MegaMat Duo	Two person camping, most size options	4in	8.1	22in x 11in to 31.5in x 12in	7lb 5.8oz to 11lb 14oz
MegaMat Auto	Wheel well shaped fit for SUVs and trucks	4in	8.1	27.6in x 11.8in	7lb 16oz
MegaMat Max	Solo basecamp and cold weather comfort	6in	10.6	29.5in x 13.8in	7lb 6oz
MegaMat Max Duo	Two person basecamp and cold weather comfort	6in	10.6	31.1in x 11in	13lb 2oz

First Look At The MegaMat Max

At first glance, you might wonder if the MegaMat Max is actually a camping pad, or if it’s just a deluxe version of an air mattress. Truth be told, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

You’ll also notice that Exped used an undeniably comfortable recycled fabric on the top, making for a plush sleeping surface whether or not there is anything between you and the pad itself. This gives you the option to pair the pad with a traditional sleeping bag, or to simply curl up with a blanket on warm summer nights.

Features

If you’re familiar with Exped sleeping pads, most of the features of the MegaMat Max will be familiar to you, which isn’t to say this pad doesn’t bring a lot to the table.

Starting with materials, Exped uses recycled Tricot Polyester on top and recycled Polyester on the bottom, both laminated for durability. In normal speak, this translates to a highly durable material that won’t start to leak the first time it encounters the sharp side of a rock under your tent.

Exped includes two separate valves for inflation and deflation to make your life easier when trying to get camp set up in a hurry. With two, one way valves, gone are the days of blowing up your sleeping pad by mouth and having to press your tongue onto the valve to stop air from escaping while you take a breath.

In fact, you shouldn’t have to use any of your precious lung power to get this pad to full capacity. Instead, all you have to do is pop open the inflation valve, insert the included toggle, finish the rest of your camp chores, and come back to find a sleeping pad that has mostly inflated itself. Once you top it off with the included Top-Up Pump, you’re ready for bed.

Once inflated, you’ll notice that there’s something different about this pad. You might not be able to put your finger on what it is until you lay down, and that’s when you’ll notice that the MegaMat Max is six inches thick, keeping you from feeling the ground underneath you no matter how you sleep. True, you might find yourself uncomfortably close to the tent ceiling, but that’s a small price to pay for waking up without a stiff back.

At The Campsite

While a good sleeping bag will do wonders for getting you some much needed shut eye in the wilderness, a sleeping pad is what really makes the difference between a cozy night spent under the stars, and a sleepless night spent fidgeting and swearing off camping for good.

Inflation

Plenty of camping mats self inflate, and with one over six feet long, six inches thick, and 30 inches wide, you might, justifiably, wonder just how much work you’ll have to do to make this pad sleep ready. The good news is that the MegaMat Max exceeds expectations. After just 10 to 15 minutes, the pad is mostly inflated and ready to be topped off to your preferred level of cushion using the included Top-Up Pump.

Durability

Enough can’t be said about the toughness of this pad. Built from the same tried and tested materials found across the MegaMat lineup, the MegaMat Max can handle run ins with rocks, sticks, and unruly pets, without coming out worse for the wear. I can’t say I actively tried to put a hole in the pad, but having enough experience doing so with other foam sleeping pads, I can tell you it would take some effort. Exped also includes a repair kit in case you need to patch it up in the field, but this pad is tough enough that you likely won’t ever need it.

Comfort

Having slept on a lot of sub par sleeping pads over the years gives me a real appreciation for when something is truly plush, and if the MegaMat Max is anything, it’s comfortable. The same core channeled foam that made the original MegaMat so popular, with two added inches of thickness, makes this pad verge on overindulgence. But hey, you’re car camping, it doesn’t hurt to enjoy the good life when you don’t have to carry the weight for miles on end.

Having built a platform into the bed of my truck, I usually sleep in the back while car camping. As my partner will tell you, the wooden platform tends to create pressure points on your hips and shoulders throughout the night, especially if you sleep on your stomach or side. That is until I put the MegaMat Max in the back.

Even when actively trying to create pressure points on this pad, I never once felt the platform underneath. What’s more, I couldn’t even tell there was a platform under me, which is a first.

Size

This is the first place where the MegaMat Max came back with mixed results.

On the one hand, it's a great sleeping pad for tall campers or folks with broad shoulders. Measuring 77.6 by 30.3 inches means that it can accommodate most sleepers without anyone having to deal with their feet dangling uncomfortably off the end of their pad all night long.

On the other hand, you’ll want to make sure to check the dimensions of your tent before buying this pad. It will fit in most standard 2 person models, but you’ll be taking up more than your fair share of room inside. Even when rolled away in the included stuff sack, the MegaMat Max might be hard to find space for with a packed size of 29.5 by 13.8 inches. In other words, it’s not going to fit in your backpack, even the really, really big one you only use when you move.

Being unapologetically comfortable might come with a downside of a large size, but what you could do is opt for the MegaMat Max Duo instead. Yes, it is the two person version of our new favorite sleeping pad, and yes, it fits in most two person tents.

Similarly, with its extra long, wide size, it doesn’t fit well in standard hatchbacks or trucks with beds shorter than six and a half feet unless you plan to sleep with the tailgate down. This means the Max is best suited to full sized truck beds and vans.

If you’re looking for something that does fit into most hatchbacks, SUVs, and compact truck beds, the standard MegaMat and MegaMat Duo are a better fit, and if wheel wells are eating into your available floor space, the MegaMat Auto is shaped to work around them.

Pros

• Comfort - Unless you’ve been dragging your mattress along on every car camping trip, you won’t get a better night’s sleep on any other pad. You could throw this sleeping pad down in a talus field and still wake up feeling refreshed and renewed.
• Self Inflation - The MegaMat lineup inflates to about 80% capacity by just leaving the intake valve open, which is more than enough to give you a good night’s sleep without topping it off.
• Foam To Air Ratio - Some sleeping pads make you feel like you’re in one of those bouncy houses from your seventh birthday party, where if you move just right, you’ll be catapulted into the side of the tent. The MegaMat Max on the other hand maximizes foam support, while still holding enough air that you can customize the cushion to fit your needs.
• Quiet Fabric - Ultralight pads tend to be made of materials that crunch in the middle of the night, startling you awake and making you wonder why your partner is sleeping on a bed made of aluminum foil. With the Max though, the only noise coming from your tent will be that of you sawing logs all night long.
• Lineup Options - With five current models, there’s a MegaMat sized and shaped for solo campers, couples, and nearly any vehicle.

Cons

• Investment - This is a premium sleeping pad, and it’s priced like one. But, as they say, you get what you pay for.
• Size - While a bigger, wider sleeping pad can be good for many reasons, you might have trouble finding a two person tent or car that the Max fits in without hogging all the floor space. This also makes it a bit unruly and time consuming to put away, making camp cleanup take longer than normal.

Conclusion

This is a sleeping pad lineup for someone who values sleep above all else. In many ways, the Max is almost too comfortable and could easily ruin plenty of morning hikes, early starts, and beautiful sunrises. As such, it’s probably not the best choice for someone who wants to go camping once or twice a year.

It is, on the other hand, a great choice for someone who spends more weekends in their tent or in the back of their car than they do in their own bed. Especially if their partner regularly tells them how uncomfortable the wooden platform is in the back of the truck.

In short, if you ever want to watch the sunrise from the campsite again, the Max might not be the pad for you. But if unrivaled comfort is what you’re looking for, and the current Exped MegaMat lineup has a size and shape to match your setup, this family of pads is undeniably some of the best sleeping surfaces out there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Exped MegaMat and the Exped MegaMat Max?

The Max is two inches thicker. The standard MegaMat is four inches thick with an R value of 8.1, while the MegaMat Max is six inches thick with a higher R value of 10.6, making it warmer and plusher at the cost of a larger packed size and heavier weight.

How thick is the Exped MegaMat Max sleeping pad?

Six inches thick. That’s two inches more foam than the standard MegaMat, making the Max the thickest pad in the current lineup.

Does the Exped MegaMat self inflate?

Yes, every current MegaMat self inflates. Opening the intake valve gets each pad to roughly 80% capacity on its own, and the included Top-Up Pump stuff sack finishes the job in a few extra minutes.

Which Exped MegaMat fits in the back of a truck or van?

It depends on the length of your bed. The MegaMat Max needs a full sized truck bed or van, roughly six and a half feet, to lay flat without the tailgate down. The standard MegaMat and MegaMat Auto pack smaller and fit more compact trucks, SUVs, and hatchbacks, and the MegaMat Auto's shape is built specifically to work around wheel wells.

Is the Exped MegaMat Duo good for two people?

Yes, and it comes in three sizes to prove it. The MegaMat Duo is available in Medium, Long Wide Plus, and Queen, so two campers can pick the exact footprint that fits their tent or vehicle.

What is the R value of the Exped MegaMat lineup?

8.1 for the standard pads, 10.6 for the Max pads. The MegaMat, MegaMat Duo, and MegaMat Auto all share an R value of 8.1, while the MegaMat Max and MegaMat Max Duo step up to 10.6 for colder conditions.

Do Exped MegaMat pads need a sleeping bag?

Not necessarily. The plush recycled top fabric is comfortable enough to sleep on directly with just a blanket on warm nights, though a sleeping bag is still recommended for colder trips.

What is the Exped MegaMat Auto sleeping pad designed for?

Car camping around wheel wells. Its shape slips in between the wheel wells of an SUV or truck bed, filling space that a rectangular pad would otherwise leave uncovered.

About the Author

Dan Goodman

Most of the year, Dan can be found chasing the best climbing conditions he can get his hands on, and in the dead of winter, he’ll settle for chasing powder on his snowboard. He’s constantly seeking out better gear, testing new climbing shoes, backpacks, sleeping bags, and more to make his life in the outdoors a bit more comfortable. When he’s not outside putting his gear to good use, he’s writing about the products that he knows best.