Naturehike Sleeping Mat Review

Hey folks, today on the blog we’re going to be taking a look at a Naturehike sleeping mat. There are quite a few sleeping mats out there from Naturehike, and it can be tricky to tell the difference between them, but for reference, we’re focusing on this one specifically.

I recently had the chance to try this sleeping mat on an overnight trip, where I paired it with my 3F UL Gear Solo and Aegismax Down Sleeping Bag. So, let’s see how things turned out!

Overview / Specs

There are approximately 70 bazillion sleeping mats out there to choose from, both on Ali Express and beyond. What really drew me to this one was that it seemed like a really good balance between a comfortable night’s sleep, minimal pack weight, and small size. And, maybe most important of all – it wasn’t going to break the bank!

Size & Weight

The size of the mat when fully inflated is 185 x 54 x 3cm. The 3cm thickness is for the mat itself, but it also has a pillow section which is a little bigger at 6cm. The mat tapers at the foot end, presumably to save on weight, but I’m 6 foot – and not as slim as I used to be – and I found there was ample room (more on that later).

Packed down, the mat is a compact 25.9 x 9.9 cm (10.2″ x 3.9″). I even managed to shave roughly another couple of centimeters off the short end of the pack size just by rolling it up a little tighter.

The stated weight on this mat is 460 grams (just over 1lb). However, when weighing this on my scale – bag included – I found it came in just under, at just 420 grams. Bonus!

Materials & Construction

This mat is made from a 20d ripstop nylon with TPU coating. It has an ‘eggshell’ inflation design, which I worried might make it less comfortable – but more on that later. The mat has an R-value of 1.5, which isn’t the best insulation level in the world, but again is a trade-off in terms of size, weight and price.

Naturehike Sleeping Mat Review

So, having paired this mat with my Aegismax bag and 3F UL Gear Solo on a recent overnigther, how did it perform? The short answer is, pretty well! Let’s get into it below.

Inflation & Deflation

Inflation was pretty easy – I got it up to full whack after maybe 7 or 8 breaths. Your mileage lung capacity may vary. When it came to deflation however, it was a little trickier. There is a bit of a knack to it – fold it into thirds on the long side, then roll it up with the valve open. However this was a minor negative, and it was easy to intuit after I failed to fully deflate it a couple of times!

Warmth

On my overnight trip, the temperature dropped to around 10 Celsius in the night, but I never felt chilly sleeping on this mat. How much of that was down to my sleeping bag versus the mat is anyone’s guess. But it certainly seems like this would be a viable mat for 3 season use.

Comfort

I was a little worried that I would slip off the mat in the night, or that side sleeping would be uncomfortable given the fairly meagre 3cm air cushion. However, I didn’t really find that either of these issues reared themselves. It’s true to say that if you’re side-sleeping you almost touch the floor, but not quite. For me, it was comfortable, and I am definitely a side sleeper.

If you’re also a side sleeper, and you need a lot of comfort, this may not be the best mat for you. Then again, if you’re after lots of comforts, maybe going truly ultralight is not the best avenue for you! On my trip, I slept like a log. When I awoke the next morning, I was pleasantly surprised to find the mat still underneath me, rather than halfway out of the tent.

Naturehike Sleeping Mat: Verdict

So, my final thoughts on this Naturehike Sleeping Mat? Overall, my thoughts are that it’s awesome. This mat will set you back a fraction of the cost of an equivalent western-branded ultralight sleeping mat and it should offer very comparable performance. It held up just fine on a chilly Autumn night in the UK, and I was warm & comfortable throughout. In terms of gripes about this sleeping mat, the only ones I can see are:

• Maybe not the best mat for comfort-loving side sleepers
• Slightly fiddly deflation at first, but this is easily mastered

Well, that’s all for now folks. We hope you enjoyed this Naturehike Sleeping Mat review. Got questions, or comments!? Get in touch below to let us know your thoughts! And don’t forget to check out the rest of our blog for more money-saving tips, tricks and gear reviews from the trail. Until next time.

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