10 best camping mats, tried and tested in the great outdoors

For all-round performance in all seasons, we really rate Therm-a-Rest’s neoair xlite camping pad. This bright yellow mat is very lightweight at 377g, packs down small and offers solid quality, night after night. The surface of the pad is firm yet supportive, and we found this mat provides excellent insulation, even in cold weather, with an R-value of 4.5.

The xlite comes in a range of sizes, with models available to suit taller, shorter and wider campers. The price means this is an investment for dedicated wild campers and multi-day hikers – if you’re a casual camper, you may want to opt for something cheaper.

Many of the best air mats on the market are painfully expensive – not so in the case of NHOWIN’s self-inflating mat, which is a bargain at less than £30. This inflatable design has clocked up 4.9 stars on Amazon, and, after testing, we’d have to agree with its fans. This comfortable mat is lightweight (950g) and compact when rolled up. Once inflated (using the built-in foot pump), it provides an effective bed (although, side sleepers may need something thicker) with a brilliant pillow included. Poppers enable you to attach another of these mats to one side, to create a double mattress.

Roll mats may not be quite as comfy to sleep on as inflatable mats, but they do have one redeeming feature: they’re nigh-on indestructible (unlike air mats, which, if pierced, will immediately deflate and be rendered useless). This means roll mats are great for use on rocky, uneven ground or for popping under an air mat for extra protection. Roll mats are also far more affordable than air mats: Mountain Warehouse’s simple but effective model costs less than £10, and is tough, insulating and long-lasting. For colder conditions, try Mountain Warehouse’s trek mat (£12.99, Mountainwarehouse.com), which has an aluminium layer that reflects back body heat.

Big Agnes’s distinctive yellow divide mat boasts the excellent combination of being lightweight, well-insulated and pleasantly thick, while also packing away neatly into a compact storage bag. This makes it a good choice for multi-day hikes, when you don’t want to add too much weight to your backpack but also need a comfy mat to ensure you’re well rested on your adventures. It took a bit of puff for us to get this mat inflated, but the 9cm thickness combined with Thermolite insulation kept us warm and comfortable out on the trail, even in temperatures that hovered around freezing. With an RRP of £120, it’s pretty great value for a high-performing three-seasons camping mat.

A comfy night’s sleep is built in to Snugpak’s XL mat. Extra long and wide, this design will make you feel like you’ve got plenty of space to stretch out, and a handy inflatable pillow (so you’ll never forget to bring one again) also helps to make this mat a treat to sleep on. While it isn’t quite self-inflating, despite its name, it does only take a few puffs to get Snugpak’s XL mat ready, and a foam layer adds welcome comfort and warmth as well as protecting you if you stretch out on rockier terrain.

Free yourself from the faff of footpumps on your next camping holiday with a self-inflating double mat. Open a valve and Vango’s comfort mat fills with air and is ready to go in seconds, or you can top it up quickly if you prefer a firmer sleeping mat. Once inflated, this design stays in shape all night long. We also love the soft-touch upper of the comfort mat, which helps sleeping bags stop sliding off in the middle of the night. However, it is worth mentioning that this mat isn’t as thick as some premium double designs, so, if you’re looking for an alternative to your bed at home, pick a thicker pad.

If you’re cosying up with a fellow camper in a big family tent or fancy recreating your double bed, a self-inflating double mat is a clever choice. We rated the camp star double from Outdoor Revolution on test – it takes only a minute or two to inflate and combines a warm foam core with inflatable panels for a very comfy night’s sleep indeed, with plenty of support for two adults sharing. At almost 7kg, this mat is bulkier than most, so it’s best used on longer car camping holidays.

Sea to Summit isn’t messing around when it sticks “comfort” and “deluxe” in the name of this rather sumptuous sleeping pad. A plush, mattress-like knit topper, four-season warmth and 10cm of thickness make this self-inflating single mat feel like a more portable version of your mattress at home. We also like that you can attach a Sea to Summit pillow to the mat, so that it stays put during the night. The comfort deluxe is ideal for tents but was actually designed with campervans in mind – it’d work brilliantly in both.

If you’re taller than average, tend to be a restless sleeper or just hate the restrictive feeling of some barely there camping mats, treat yourself to an extra-large design. Our pick of the pack is Outwell’s Dreamcatcher, which is a generous 200cm in length and 75cm wide, suiting most body types. It also has 10cm of depth, which keeps you well off the ground, even if you sleep on your side – no more achy shoulders or hips here – and stays inflated until morning. A treat for solo campers, the high R-value means you’ll only need one mat for year-round trips.

A lot of mats that offer reliable warmth and pillowy comfort end up being heavy and hard to cart about, but that’s not the case in Roben’s new iceshield camp 35. At 1kg, it isn’t prohibitively heavy and it also deflates easily before packing away into a backpack. The iceshield also stood out on test for its great quality – the outer fabric is tough yet comfortable and the mat keeps its shape once inflated and feels like it’ll withstand years of sleeping under the stars. Be warned, light sleepers: the iceshield is slightly squeaky when you move.