I grew up on closed cell foam pads and thought I had reached the ultimate when I got my first self inflating Thermarest pad -- I have three, the ultraight 3/4, a full length, and an extra thick pad, and would select which pad I would use, based on how far and how long.
The Exped SynMat UL7 is the one pad to rule them all. It's lighter and smaller than my Thermarest ultralight, and it's more comfortable than my extra thick pad. So, the Thermarests have been idle since I got this one.
The pad has good insulation with an R value of 3.1, and properly inflated feels like you are sleeping on a mattress at home. I do suggest the EXPED Schnozzel PumpBag, which doubles as a dry bag, and is great for packing clothes, for example, but will keep your moist breath from filling the pad with water vapor, which can foul the insulation.
The pad takes a little more effort to deflate than a Thremarest, partly because the deflation port includes a check valve that keeps the pad from re-inflating, i.e., inhaling, if you let go of it during deflation.
The pad rolls up to smaller than a watter bottle and weighs in 15.2 oz.
I give it is 9 out of 10 only because I worry about it puncturing, and don't have a sense for how readily that will happen -- it does come with a repair kit -- and because it is not self inflating, so it is a little more fussy to set up and take down than a Thremarest.
Have you looked into the Big Agnes Q-Core or the Thermarest NeoAir X-Lite? I looked into the SynMat but can't see an appreciable difference for the price point. Thoughts Tom?
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