If you are a person who does a lot of tent or car camping, then you know it’s important to be comfortable when sleeping. Having a good sleeping pad like the Exped MegaMat Duo will give you enough support, helping you to feel fresh in the morning, instead of feeling like you’ve just aged 10 years.
The Exped MegaMat Duo 10 is the bigger version of the Exped MegaMat 10 and can fit up to two adults comfortably. It is a popular sleeping pad because of its “at-home” like comfort, making it an excellent choice for multi-day campers.
The sleeping pads size and comfort also make it a good fit for home visitors. Lay it on the floor in a living room or office and your guests will sleep better than they expected!
While the Exped Megamat Duo might have some great things going for it, is it for everyone? Read on as we dive deeper into the mat’s durability, comfort, portability, and costs. In addition, we will compare similar sleeping pads on the market.
Exped MegaMat Duo 10
The Exped MegaMat Duo 10 is one of many large sleeping pads that are available to consumers. While the Duo was made with couples in mind, it is still a great choice for one person.
This type of sleeping pad is perfect for the car camping nomad and the drive-up tent site-goer. What is appealing about the Megamat Duo is its overall comfort, warmth, and versatility. However, depending on what you need, a sleeping pad for the Megamat Duo might not be a one-size-fits-all choice.
Comfort
Comfort is where the MegaMat excels, and is why you might spend so much on a camping pad.
When you are tent camping you are supposed to be uncomfortable, right? Well, maybe back in the day it was a common thing to sleep on the hard ground. However, with great sleeping pads like the MegaMat Duo, you can sleep just as well on the ground as you can at home.
The comfort and support of the MegaMat make it appealing to outdoorsy people who have body aches or pains. In addition, it’s extremely quiet compared to the other sleeping pads. So don’t worry about waking your partner if you are a restless sleeper. In this respect, just like a good camping pillow, with the Megamat you are investing in your sanity — and being well-rested the next day.
The 3.9-inch pad is insulated with foam and serves you well when sleeping in rockier areas. The pad does a good job supporting the specific pressure points that would normally sink on other sleeping pads.
We, and others, have found that the pad is at its best with a little air taken out of it. With a slight deflation, it has more balanced support. That is the case for many camping pads, and definitely holds true for the Exped as well.
Lastly, the velvety material is smooth to the touch and can be slept on without a sheet or sleeping bag. The pad itself is quite warm and will give you some extra insulation when sleeping in colder climates. So if you have an unexpected visitor, you can just throw them a pillow and blanket and they are good to go! Speaking of the velvety material, there is another nice by-product of having it: It doesn’t squeak. A squeaky, creaky mat can be a problem with cheaper products, creating a little noise every time you reposition or move during the night. The MegaMat is quiet. That is worth huge bonus points if you or your camping mates are a light sleeper.
Durability
The Megamat Duo is far from the cheapest sleeping mat on the market. However, its higher price tag is justified by its reliability and overall longevity.
Made with 50-Denier polyester, the sleeping pad is made to last. The pad’s surface is smooth to the touch but has a non-slip feature keeping you on the pad throughout the night.
The polyester material is tough and has been complimented on being able to withstand pets. In addition, the pad is humidity-resistant keeping it from having that wet feeling from the morning dew.
Portability
When it comes to portability, the MegaMat Duo kind of lacks. This is due to it being almost 10 lbs and kind of bulky when it is packed up.
The weight and bulkiness aren’t ideal if you plan on doing a backpacking trip. It also takes quite a bit of time to deflate so if you do a lot of one-nighters, it may get exhausting having to deflate it every morning.
On the other end of the spectrum, the pad is efficient when being inflated. The MegaMat Duo luckily has a self-inflation system. The pad also comes with a hand pump if needed.
This pad is for the people who like to camp multiple nights and also want something for home visitors. It does come with a nice carrying bag to make its size more manageable. The carrier bag is said to be comfortable and convenient by consumers.
Versatility
The MegaMat Duo may not be an optimal choice for taking on backpacking trips, but it does have several other uses. Since the pad is so comfortable and supportive, it will give whoever sleeping on it a good night’s rest.
Instead of buying an air mattress for your guest room, you can just throw the MegaMat Duo in there. Looking for a pad for car camping? The Duo can be loaded up with the other gear and inflated when you hit your destination.
Finally, it can withstand campsites that have a lot of rocks in the tent areas. That rock that normally would be digging into your back is now cushioned by the MegaMats foam insulation.
The versatility of the MegaMat Duo brings value to its price tag. However, if you want a pad that you can use for backpacking or need a quick setup or pack up a sleeping pad, then it may not be the best choice for you.
Value
There is no doubt that the Exped MegaMat Duo is an expensive purchase. So if you are considering purchasing a sleeping pad, you really need to ask yourself what you will be using it for.
If you and your partner are once-in-a-while campers, whether that be tenting or car camping, then it may not be worth the price. What about a guest room bed? Yes, it can make a great guest room bed, but how often do you have guests?
If you don’t camp or have home visitors often, then it’s hard to justify the price. This is because there are several great pads out there at a reasonable price that will serve the occasional camper well.
However, if you camp often then it may be worth investing in the MegaMat Duo. Plus, you then don’t need to buy another air mattress for your guests.
Exped Megamat Duo vs. Nemo Roamer
The Megamat Duo isn’t the only two-person sleeping pad on the market that is offering a good night’s rest. The Nemo Roamer is the new kid on the block, but is quickly being recognized by consumers as a top choice. Let’s take a look at the two sleeping pads pros and cons.
Comfort
When it comes to comfort, both sleeping pads are going to feel luxurious. Both offering a 4-inch pad, they have plenty of support and cushion to handle the weight of two adults.
However, there is some difference between the overall comfort of the two. The air to foam ratio is different between the two with the Nemo having more air in the middle of the pad.
While this does have some benefits such as being lighter and more portable. The added air isn’t as comfortable and supportive giving the Duo an advantage.
Portability
One big difference between the two pads is their portability. Both are large pads, but the Nemo is lighter by almost 5 lbs! That is a significant difference if you plan on a lot of one-night trips.
The Nemo also self-inflates faster than the MegaMat Duo. This can be convenient if you want to pull over on the side of the road for the night.
There was a slight difference when it came to packing size. The MegaMat has complaints of being bulky, but the Nemo isn’t that much different. When packed the MegaMat has dimensions of 28” X 12” and the Nemo 26” X 12”.
Value
When it comes to overall value, the Nemo Roamer and MegaMat Duo are pretty similar. In other words, neither are cheap! Both pads offer comfortable sleep for two adults and serve multiple purposes.
The Megamat is definitely more comfortable of the two due to its increased foam insulation. However, while you get more comfort and warmth, the Megamat Duo is heavier, bulkier, and has a slow inflate and deflate time. (find the Nemo here on Amazon).
MegaMat Duo 10 Vs MegaMat 10
The MegaMat and MegaMat Duo might as well be siblings because they are pretty much the same pad except for one is bigger. The big brother MegaMat Duo is twice the weight and fits twice the people.
The original MegaMat 10 is perfect for one person who wants to use it in a car or a tent. Even though it is only for one person it still would make a quick and easy guest room pad.
The only other difference between the two besides the size is the price. The MegaMat is a fraction of the cost and that is mainly due to it being meant for one person and not two.
Overall, whichever you choose your quality of sleep won’t suffer. Who knows you might end up sleeping on the MegaMat more than your bed at home!
Our Conclusion on the Exped MegaMat Duo
Overall, we are big fans of the MegaMat Duo and we recommend it for campers who need a two-person mat. Its comfort is second to none.
If weight is of primary concern, then you might want to consider the Nemo Roamer. You give us just a little comfort, but in return you have a lighter mat to carry around.
