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CAMPING MATS | | |
Camping Mats come in all shapes and sizes. Needless to say, we only stock the best, but the best will last you many many years and seldom let you down. There are broadly speaking two types, Foam Mats and Inflatable Mats. Both sorts come in different thickness and made of different materials and as always the customer has to choose between mountaineering's ever conflicting parameters of efficiency, weight, bulk and cost.
Typically used in the British textile industry, one Tog corresponds to the heat insulation capability of clothing etc which maintains a temperature difference of 0.1°Kelvin while passing a heat flux of 1 Watt/m2*. Some manufacturers (mainly US ones) give an R Value for the insulation properties of their mats. By this they mean an imperial equivalent (°F-ft2-h/Btu). To convert Imperial R values to Togs, multiply by 1.76228. To confuse matters there is also a metric R value, more properly called an RSI value (10 Togs = 1 RSI).
The higher the Tog or R (o RSI) value the better the insulation provided.
If you aren't totally confused by the above you should add to the mix that testing for R/Tog/RSI ratings is not by any means an exact science and that it is also expensive so, it is alleged, some figures that are given may be acquired by doing little more than taking a competitor's figure and adding a pinch for good measure. Of course, who is a alleging what about whom is also not easy to ascertain!
*NB One Tog was originally a war time measurement of the amount of warmth retained by a typical male wearing a three piece suit - it originated from research done in the north of England - hence the term tog! | | |
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Closed Cell Foam Mats : | | |
Karrimor were marketing closed cell foam mats when many of you were in nappies. Alas, the firm is now defunct, but the Karrimat (which was made by Beacons Products), will last a lifetime and appears indestructable (unless you attack it with a knife or chew it).
Top tip: Puncture a hole in the centre of one end of your mat and tie half a metre of elastic cord to it. Now tie a loop of suitable size in the other end of the cord. Now you will always have something to roll your mat up with, and always have something to anchor it with on a windy day.
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Inflatable Mats - Thermarest : | | |
Inflatable mats are much comfier than foam mats and offer better insulation against cold. However they are heavier, more expensive and are vulnerable to puntures, not all of which are easily mendable. On a long expedition it is wise to take a foam mat as well, and we would not recommend an inflatable mat for alpine type bivis where they may be easily damaged. It is best to store inflatable mats unrolled, and with the valve open so as to prevent condensation forming internally.
Thermarest invented the inflatable mat, and in our opinion, with the possible exception of Exped (see below) their products are the best available. All their mats come with a stuff sack. | |
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Inflatable Mats - Exped : | | |
What could be better than a Thermarest? Well for Arctic and similar use, a down filled air mattress. This is a new innovative concept that we can personally vouch for as superb. Voted European Outdoor Award Product of the Year 2002/3. | |
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Tent Underlay : | | |
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| | Prices: Please note that all our prices are in UK Pounds Sterling (£) including VAT (see below). An approximate price in US$ is shown in brackets. To work out a more accurate price please click for a Currency Convertor.BMC Members: We regret that we cannot offer a free UK postage service to all and do BMC discount as well. BMC discount is available only to personal callers at the shop. VAT: Included in the price shown is European sales tax (VAT) of 17.5% on most items, which non-European Economic Community (EEC) buyers should not have to pay. Click for our notes for Overseas Buyers. Stock Levels: Stock Levels are now indicated for many items - please click to see why these will not always be 100% accurate and why a zero stock level does not mean you can't order - Stock Levels more.... *Postage: is FREE for most UK Orders (some particularly heavy low profit items are excepted - this is clearly indicated for those items - they are mainly books). Overseas buyers please follow the ordering process through the first two stages for an estimate of postage costs - you can then cancel the order if you wish. NB Parcels will almost certainly have to be signed for, and are likely to be sent by a Carrier who may not have a depot near where you live. It is worth including a trusted neighbour's details, or having your goods sent to your work address. Please click for more details on UK Deliveries and Overseas Deliveries. Sizing: All our boot sizes are in UK (7, 7.5, 8 etc) or European Sizes (41, 42, 43 etc). Click for a Boot Size Conversion Chart. For assistance with UK women's clothing sizes, click for a Clothing Size Conversion Chart. Web order not worked? Please email info@needlesports.com or ring 017687 72227. Please rest assured - we will not use your email address for any reason other than to contact you regarding the order you have placed, and we will never pass on your email address to a third party.
This means that if you wish to receive notification of special offers and other news, then you need to opt in and Register. Also, your credit card details are only obtained on a secure server - this is notified by the golden padlock symbol that appears when you reach this stage of your order. |
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