TL;DR - Didn't like this Exped as much as I hoped I would, but it has some redeeming qualities and I'm keeping it.
Not Exped's best showing.
I was hoping that I'd love the Exped Dura 3R just as much as we love the Exped Megamat that we use in the roof top tent. I don't, but it was still the best mattress on the trip - by a wide margin - so it's hard to complain too much.
These air valves differentiate Exped from the competition.
Pros
- I loved the ease of filling the matt. The supplied Schnozzel Pumpbag worked great, as did the small battery powered pump that I also use for the Exped Megamat and Exped Mega Pillow. This consistent system across the entire line makes it so that I only have to carry one air-up device, and that's fabulous.
- The air valves are flush with the surface. Unlike matts where they "stick out" of the pad, this means they don't get in the way, regardless of whether they are up or down on the matt.
- There was plenty of air. Even as a side sleeper, I never ended up with a hip or shoulder hitting the ground.
- The size and weight were fantastic. It was plenty long, even for my 6' 6" long Western Mountaineering Alder MF sleeping bag, and weighed just under 30oz. I was very glad I got the slightly more durable "Dura 3R" instead of the lighter weight "Ultra 3R," so I didn't have to worry as much about puncturing it.
- It was easy to get all the air out and re-fold-and-roll it so it would fit in the stuff sack. This isn't always the case, so kudos to Exped for making it easy.
Cons
- Arrangement of the air chambers. Exped states that "Air chambers run head to toe, fully supporting the body for an unrivaled night's sleep and giving maximum durability." It is true, they do run from head to toe, but that's the problem. By running the length of the mattress, it felt to me like I was on a pool float when I was sleeping. Solving this isn't as easy as changing the direction - cross air chambers wouldn't have been good, either. Really, I think the air chambers need to be internal, and in a waffle/block pattern. Only then would the matt feel like a nice flat surface.
In this Series
