Comparison Bestway Mondor Camp Mat vs Isolon Camping 16

— Rug (karemat). Travel mats of classic design, not related to self-inflating; it is these products that are usually called “karemats” (from the Karrimat trademark). The size of such a rug is usually sufficient for a person to fit on it in a prone position; there are even double models, although rarely. Anyway, the main advantages of karemats are low cost, ease of use (such products do not require inflation) and almost absolute insensitivity to damage. On the other hand, such rugs are much stiffer than inflatable and self-inflating ones, they are somewhat inferior to them in terms of thermal insulation quality, and when folded, they are rather bulky and usually require carrying on the “external suspension” of a backpack.

— Seat (karemat). Rugs of small sizes, designed exclusively for sitting and designed, usually, for one person. Such products will be convenient in simple conditions when you do not need to organize an overnight stay — for example, seat covers can be a good addition to a picnic rug. Some models even have a belt that allows you to constantly wear the seat on yourself. Note that in this case we mean non-inflatable seats made of dense porous material; they are tougher than inflatable and self-inflating counterparts, but they are cheaper and are not afraid of damage.

— Inflatable mat. Models resembling air mattresses of small thickness; in...fact, it is the thickness that is the main difference between such a product and a mattress. In addition, camping mats are usually made of denser and more durable materials, which allows them to better endure the troubles associated with being outdoors. Compared to self-inflating mats (see the relevant paragraph), inflatable mats are easier to roll up and take up less space in luggage. On the other hand, they are more sensitive to punctures: a small damage, not critical for a self-inflating product, can completely disable the inflatable shell.

— Self-inflating mat. Products in the form of classic rugs (see p. "Rug (karemat)"), made of a material with the so-called open-porous structure — like foam rubber, but more rigid. When compressed, such material is significantly reduced in size, which makes it easy to transport such equipment; and when the mounts are removed, it is filled with air, "inflating" (hence the name). It is worth noting, however, that the “self-inflating” of such products is rather arbitrary — they are unable to take in the right amount of air on their own, and it has to be added by inflating or pumping up the shell. However, when unfolded, mats of this type turn out to be much thicker than karemats, which provides comfort and a high degree of thermal insulation, sufficient even for use on expeditions (see "Intended Use"). Their main disadvantages include higher cost, as well as the fact that it takes some time and effort to expand and collapse.

— Self-inflating seat. Small seat mats made of self-inflating material. The features of this material are described in detail above in the "Self-inflating mat" section, and the features of the seats — in the "Seat (karemat)" section.

— Self-inflating pillow. A product made of self-inflating material (for more details, see "Self-inflating rug" above), intended for use as, in fact, a pillow. In terms of length and width, such models are comparable to seats (see above), but they have a much greater thickness, which is necessary for the normal placement of the head.

— Inflatable pillow. Pillows of a classic inflatable design — that is, in the form of a shell filled with air to the desired rigidity. Such pillows are noticeably simpler and cheaper in design than the self-inflating ones described above, and when folded they take up less space. In addition, by changing the degree of pumping, you can adjust the product in terms of stiffness to your own preferences. On the other hand, even a small puncture or cut makes the airbag unusable.

— Inflatable seat. Small seating mats having an inflatable shell. For details on the features of such a shell, see "Inflatable Mat" above; Seats differ from floor mats mainly in size. If we compare them with non-inflatable counterparts, then this type of seats is noticeably softer, smoothes out bumps better, but is sensitive to punctures and cuts.

— Picnic mat. Rugs designed for use at picnics and other similar events. They are quite large and can be used not only as a place to sit, but also as an impromptu tablecloth. In other words, these rugs are an analogue of ordinary bedspreads, which are often used during picnics. The key difference is that specialized rugs are made of dense waterproof material with improved thermal insulation, which allows you to comfortably place even on cold or damp ground.

The weight of a tourist rug depends both on the materials of manufacture and on the geometric parameters, type (inflatable or self-inflating) and the purpose of the model. It can increase due to the presence of an additional thermal insulating layer based on aluminium foil, etc. Note that this parameter is of priority when transporting on oneself (on foot, especially in difficult conditions) — for such cases, models with a minimum weight are best suited. In situations of tourism in transport, or going out into nature, the convenience of the product will play a greater role than its weight.

The maximum weight that the rug can carry without consequences. This parameter is relevant primarily for inflatable and self-inflating products (see "Type"), because mats, due to the dense structure of the material, are highly resistant to loads, and it is almost impossible to overload such a mat during normal use.

Of course, the permissible load must not be exceeded — this can lead to damage to the rug. However, it should also be borne in mind that its value is usually indicated for situations where the weight is distributed more or less evenly over the surface; under point loads, the product can be damaged even by a weight that is less than indicated in this paragraph. To put it simply, if a full-size “sleeper” model (see “Type”) has a load capacity of 100kg, a 95kg hiker can comfortably lie on such a mat, but trying to stand up with their feet can end up sad, since the load at the point of contact will be much higher than calculated.

The number of valves for inflating and releasing air provided in the design of an inflatable or self-inflating product (see "Type").

— 1. One valve used for both inflating and deflating the mat. The advantages of this option are simplicity and low cost. On the other hand, the throughput of valves is in most cases low; this is not a serious disadvantage when filling the mat with air, but can greatly slow down the folding.

— 2. The features of this option depend on the number of seats (see above) for which a certain model of the rug is designed. So, in single equipment each valve has its own specialization. One is designed to inflate and is often designed to prevent air from escaping even when the plug is open; the other, which is responsible for the release of air, has a high throughput and allows you to quickly blow off and roll up the product. However such models cost more than similar single-valve ones. And double mats usually consist of two separate halves, each of which provides its own universal valve; in terms of inflation / deflation, they are no different from the single-valve models described above.

- 4. Four valves can be installed in two-seat models: each separate half of these mats has an inlet and outlet valve, similar to single-seat two-valve products (see above).

A material used as a covering for the top of a rug.

— Polyethylene. Foamed polyethylene is a traditional material for mats (see "Type"), however, for a number of reasons, it is practically not found in self-inflating mats.

— Polyester. Synthetic material, characterized by good strength, resistance to moisture and adverse effects, including temperature fluctuations and ultraviolet radiation. Due to this, it is very popular in models of all purposes (see above).

— Nylon. Classic nylon is considered a fairly simple material, inferior to polyester, but the situation is reversed in tourist rugs: they use specific varieties of this material, which are highly durable and reliable and suitable even for expeditionary use. However such a coating is quite expensive, and therefore it is mainly used in expeditionary models.

— Polyamide. Polyamides are a whole family of synthetic fabrics, including nylon as described above. Actually, this term can mean both nylon and some similar materials. They are mainly used in tracking models (see "Purpose").

- Fleece. Synthetic material based on polyester microfibre. It is pleasant to the touch and provides good thermal insulation, but for a number of reasons it is found mainly in picnic products (see "Type") and is practically not used in other types of tourist rugs.

A material used as a covering for the underside of a rug.

— Polyethylene. Foamed polyethylene is a traditional material for mats (see "Type"), however, for a number of reasons, it is practically not found in self-inflating mats.

— Polyester. Synthetic material, characterized by good strength, resistance to moisture and adverse effects, including temperature fluctuations and ultraviolet radiation. Due to this, it is very popular in models of all purposes (see above).

— Nylon. Classic nylon is considered a fairly simple material, inferior to polyester, but the situation is reversed in tourist rugs: they use specific varieties of this material, which are highly durable and reliable and suitable even for expeditionary use. However such a coating is quite expensive, and therefore it is mainly used in expeditionary models.

— Polyamide. Polyamides are a whole family of synthetic fabrics, including nylon as described above. Actually, this term can mean both nylon and some similar materials. They are mainly used in tracking models (see "Purpose").

According to the density of the filler, a general conclusion can be drawn about the strength, weight and level of thermal insulation of the tourist rug. With an increase in the density of the filler, the resistance of the tourist rug to mechanical wear increases, but at the same time, the mass of the product increases. Also, rugs with a denser filler have worse thermal insulation — this is due to the structure of the filler itself, because the lower its density, the more air-filled cells that limit heat loss. To simplify: high density — higher strength, but worse heat retention; low density — lower strength, but better heat retention. In general, the density directly depends on the type of filler. So, for foamed polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate, it can be 25-70 kg / m³, but the density of polyurethane foam is usually 12-40 kg / m³.

Possibility of connection with other rugs in a single design. Thus, for example, you can create a family bed from two products, or an impromptu game table for the company. However not all models with this function are compatible with each other — by definition, quilting is available for the same rugs, but the compatibility of different models should be clarified separately.

The presence in the design of the mat (see "Type") of two separate layers of material. This arrangement is considered more reliable and practical than a single layer; in this case, the composition of the layers can be exactly the same.