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* Travel mats
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1. What is a caramel?
2. Thermal insulation and comfort
3. Manufacturing materials
4. Dimensions and weight
5. How to lay carpets
6. Care, precaution, recommendations
7. Where can I buy
No matter how warm your sleeping bag is, never use it without a mat .
1. What is a caramel?
This is a mat designed to provide thermal insulation between the soil and the camper's body, for the comfort of his sleep, as well as to prevent damage and moisten the sleeping bag. In connection with its main function - to isolate heat - it is also sometimes called isomat . But more often you can find the name karemat, which is attached to all tourist rugs because of the first samples produced by the English manufacturer Karrimor.
2. Thermal insulation and comfort of the mat
To understand how well the rug will protect from the cold of the earth, you need to know two of its parameters: the coefficient of thermal conductivity (how much heat passes through a meter section of material per second with a temperature difference of 1 kelvin at the ends of the section - the smaller the better) and thickness ( on the contrary, more is better).
They can be linked into one parameter - the thermal resistance of the layer (the ratio of the thickness to the thermal conductivity). A larger value of this parameter indicates better thermal properties of the product. If it is required to calculate the efficiency of several karemats laid one on top of the other, then their thermal resistances simply need to be added up.
Sometimes thermal resistance is translated into another indicator - the minimum temperature at which a person lying on an isomat in linen and a sleeping bag will not freeze. It should be remembered that this is the temperature of the soil surface. And under certain conditions, it can be much lower than that of air. Separately, it is worth warning against such a mistake by buyers: do not confuse the temperature range of operation of the product with this indicator, since it only indicates the conditions under which the material is not damaged and does not lose its strength characteristics.
It is very important that both elements of the sleeping system - both the mat and the sleeping bag - correspond to the temperature regime. It is impossible to compensate for the lack of insulation of one element with the excess "warmth" of another. In the Comfort Plus Olive WP sleeping bag, you can feel good at temperatures down to -7 C. The litter that makes up a couple for him should keep up with this indicator.
The thickness of the rug has not only a thermal significance, but also affects another component of sleep comfort - smoothing out uneven ground. For this sleep, the karemat should be soft enough to make it pleasant to lie down on, but also hard enough not to wrinkle from the body pressing on top and stones, roots and other things protruding from below.
3. Materials for the manufacture of tourist rugs
Absolutely all tourist rugs have their own heat-insulating effect, mainly due to the air encapsulated in them. However, such encapsulation is achieved in a wide variety of solid materials that also have thermal insulating properties.
Foam 
• Closed cell (polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate). Density: 25–70 kg/m³. The advantage is moisture and air tightness. The air “soldered” in the cells always remains in them, even if such foam is compressed. As for moisture, it can still penetrate into the surface layer, especially in case of damage, but no further. And this moistened surface dries pretty quickly. Such isomats , despite their cheapness, are in the "major league", characterized by a maximum of thermal insulation with a minimum of weight.
• Open-porous (polyurethane only). Density: 12–40 kg/m³. The structure of the cells is leaky, so there is an air exchange between them and the external environment. Thanks to this, self-inflating mats are possible, which release air when compressed and suck it in again when there is no pressure. Since they are also able to easily absorb moisture, the polyurethane foam is placed in a nylon shell, which also prevents the human body lying on top from squeezing out air.
And although polyurethane foam itself is more wear-resistant than polyethylene or ethylene vinyl acetate, due to the presence of a shell, such hiking mats last longer. However, they lose to urethane with a similar thickness in terms of thermal insulation, and if a surface puncture occurs, then you can practically say goodbye to the insulation. 
Additionally, to increase heat, aluminum particles are introduced into the foam isomats or a continuous layer of foil is applied to the surface, for example, as in the Max Fuchs Oliva model. This provides a reflection of thermal radiation.
Polyester, nylon, rubberized cotton or PVC
• Single layer mattresses. It's just a shell filled with air. Due to the intense convection in such mattresses (due to the large volume of air and human movements during sleep), they are only recommended for summer use.
•
Multi-cell mattresses. Due to the barriers created by numerous cells, the air in the mattress almost does not mix, so such models can be used even in cold weather.
The disadvantage of all inflatable mats is the vulnerability to punctures, as well as a decrease in the volume of air inside with significant temperature drops. Advantage - light weight. Although you still need to add the weight of the pump to it (inflating by mouth is not recommended for many reasons: from the risk of hyperventilation of the lungs to the moldiness of the product from breath condensate).
fluff
A down mattress is an inflatable mattress with down inside. Such products are very warm - with a thickness of 9 cm, you can count on the soil surface temperature of minus 38 degrees. At the same time, they are relatively light. However, the filler is afraid of moisture and dries for a long time.
microfibers
The principle is absolutely the same as in the previous type of mats , but instead of fluff - synthetic microfiber fillers, and thermal insulation is 20% less. But they are more moisture resistant, dry faster and partially retain heat even when slightly wet (the fluff immediately strays and loses its properties).
Combined
There are various combinations of materials within a single travel mat : foam + airbags, two different types of closed-cell foam, closed-cell + open-cell foam, foam + airgel, etc. d. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, due to the respective properties of each individual component.
4. Dimensions and weight of the mat
The heaviest isomats are winter ones, designed for low negative temperatures. Their weight can exceed a kilogram. The only exceptions are down models, but their cost is quite high. However, there is a great way out - you can simply put two lighter mats one on top of the other. Paradoxically, such a combination can be lighter, more compact and even cheaper than one winter product. For example, if you take two Max Fuchs OD , then together they will weigh only 460 grams!
The standard for the width and length of tourist rugs has always been 50-52 cm and 180-183 cm, respectively. However, half a meter is not particularly convenient for people who are accustomed to spinning in their sleep. Therefore, there is now a trend towards making wider beddings. So is the Bundeswehr OD .
Thickness varies from 3 mm to 10 cm. The latter indicator is typical, of course, for fully inflated inflatable mats. Otherwise, such equipment would be non-transportable on a hike.
The size of the folded mat is also important. To a large extent, it also depends on the installation method, which will be discussed in the next section.
5. How to lay carpets
There are two main options here: roll or flatbed (fold in straight lines).
The roll is very convenient to attach to the outside of the backpack, if it has the appropriate fittings. For example, the Max Fuchs Operations Molle Olive backpack has a special open pocket that can also accommodate a sleeping bag.
Isomat folded into a rectangle, in principle, can also be fixed from the outside. But it can also be packed in a backpack close to the back, which will give it extra cushion. Also, the advantage of line-folding rugs is that they do not try to return to the shape they took up when folded, as is usually the case with rolls. In addition, flat laying with a small thickness of the rug allows you to give a comfortable flat shape to the bottom or back of the backpack .
6. Recommendations for the use of caremats, precautions, care
Beginner tourists sometimes have doubts where to put the karemat : inside the tent or under it. The answer is clear: inside. Firstly, if the bottom of the tent suddenly leaks, you will still be protected by a thick waterproof lining. Secondly, it will be easier to control your presence on it, and not on cold ground. Although, given the property of rolled rugs to return to a rolled up form, it is sometimes more convenient to place them under the tent, but only in dry weather and in the absence of sharp branches, cones, tree roots and similar objects on the soil surface that could damage the mat. You can choose a tent according to the season and the number of beds here .
Polyurethane foam can be easily cut to fit your needs. It is also convenient to use it as a wind protection when using a camping gas burner, placing a vertical wide cylinder around the latter.
To protect the isomat from damage, dirt and reduce slipping, special polyester or cotton covers can be used. In their head part there are wide pockets for a pillow that can be made from clothes .
It is recommended to wash the rugs with a mild warm (not hot) soapy solution using a soft cloth. No harsh chemicals are allowed here. Dry (and generally store) away from heaters, open flames. Even a heating battery can sometimes melt the material.
A variety of inflatable models must be placed in a case during transportation from the outside, but preferably inside. If the dimensions allow, then it is better to place it inside the backpack, reducing the risk of damage. 
Any karemat should be mounted on the outside of the backpack preferably in a vertical position, and not in a horizontal position - in order to avoid damage from branches, etc. obstacles. In addition, if you travel by public transport on some section of the road, it will be much more problematic to turn around with horizontal masonry, especially if there are a lot of people.
Can be stored unfolded or folded. However, in the second case, the laying should not be dense so as not to shorten the service life of the product, because slow but irreversible destruction (permanent deformation) can occur at the bending points.
7. Recommendations for choosing a karemat
When choosing a travel mat , consider four main factors: thermal insulation, weight, comfort and packed size. There is no perfect combination (very warm, super light, soft like a feather bed and fits in your pocket), but you yourself must build your own priority scale. For a summer hike, for example, you can focus on light weight and body comfort.
When choosing such a thing for yourself, it should be borne in mind that its optimal size will depend not only on your height and build, but also on your sleeping habits (on your side / back, with bent / outstretched legs, etc.). P.). Stretched sleepers can choose a cocoon-shaped bedding, which will significantly reduce its weight.
8. Where to buy a quality karemat inexpensively
In the Sheriff store you will not find dozens of varieties of karemats, because we have specially selected those units that optimally combine high quality indicators and affordable prices . You can buy everything you need for tourism in Dnepropetrovsk at the address: st. Artema, 9, or online. We are ready to carry out delivery across Ukraine, send your orders to Sumy, Chernihiv, Krivoy Rog and other settlements. By calling 063-798-9999 and 0562-318-600 you can ask our managers about the current discounts, as well as consult about any characteristics of the goods.
(068) 798-0000 (063) 798-9999
