Mountain Equipment Helium 3.8 Mat

Bought a couple the other week which replaced some Thermarest Mats that the kids will now use. Excellent sleep and noticeably better that the ones they replaced (they are 8 years old though)Good price and although I've used them only once I'm very pleased. Very compact when rolled in the supplied stuff bag. Recommended.

Just bought this and tried it out over the last couple of days. Its superb value and just what I want - well done!

I bought the smaller, shorter and thinner mat to save weight, but soon realised it was too flimsy for a proper big person. I can't sleep if I'm cold and uncomfortable, so I ordered this mat while it was on offer. What a difference! I rolled it out, got it inflated and lay down on my tiled floor, it was as comfy as a mattress. This should keep me warm and snug and sleeping like a baby. Brilliant comfort for the extra 400 grammes!

bought after my previous self inflating mat developed a leak through the valve and it provided an excellent nights sleep. Far more affordable than the "bigger" brands such as thermarest yet there is no difference in quality. Best £45 i have spent this year

Amazing product used it on several camps already this year from forest floors to fields even in a hammock and it's performed admirably in all situations. Inflates easily although it does loose a star for being at least slightly self-inflating. Good tip though about not storing it rolled up as it allows the cells to expand quicker when you do pack and take it away.

Excellent item. Received this item very, very quickly so well done cotswold outdoor on that!

As for the item, I have yet to find any real fault at all. It packs up very small and compact so is ideal for light hiking. It takes about 20/30 breathes to get it inflated first time round but less after the first inflation. The valve is sturdy and strong so it would take a lot for the valve to leak.

I used this mat in the Brecon Beacons in 0 degrees c. I was very warm and very, very comfortable. I would even go as far as saying it is more comfortable than the Thermarest prolite 3 I have, which is a very bold statement as I that mat despite its short life due to a puncture.

I would highly recommend this item. I would have been very pleased with it even at £80 RRP but at £45 its not far off day light robbery. Very pleased and can see why everyone raves about them! MUST BUY!

I've used this mat regularly for over a year and can confirm what the other reviewers say. Easy to inflate, packs up small and very light. And amazing how much comfort it gives for such a relatively thin mat, on hard or uneven ground. I agree that a repair kit would be useful, but especially at the offer price of £45, would definitely give this 5 out of 5. Don't go for the 2.5 Mat - the extra fiver for the 3.8 is the better buy.

Bought this recently and am impressed by a few key things. Apart from being one of the comfiest sleep mats I've ever owned, it packs down to a small, compact form, which means packing it in a rucksack is a doddle. Despite being a self-inflater, it is quite robust and incredibly comfortable. I got it for 45 quid, which enabled me to buy some other goodies, so one totally chuffed customer!

Highly recommend it. Great mat at great price.

This mat finds the sweet spot between comfort and weight/pack size. I use a Therm-a-rest Prolite reg for lightweight adventures and Wolfskin Base mat for longer, slower outings but I think this mat may replace both. It feels very durable, inflates quickly, is reasonably comfortable, cheap, light and small. What more could you want?

Just Taken this mat to the Himalayas for a month, can't really fault it, it's hard wearing, packs up pretty small and is comfy/warm. Doesn't come with a repair kit which would have been a nice touch.

For the last 8 years I have been using a standard foam roll mat, then decided to ask for this inflatable one for my Silver DofE Award, and I am so grateful I got it. It packs down really small, doesn't slip in the night or deflate and inflates itself up to a point, meaning I only need to blow into it a few times to fully inflate. It is also very warm and very comfy. We were camping in -2 degrees and I didn't even notice, woke up feeling warm and comfy! A great investment.

Nice and compact. Great buy on special.

Got this mat and was really pleased with how comfortable it is, i was also a lot warmer when using it which really surprised me. Brilliant mat in all.

This sleeping mat is great for all year camping. If you only camp in the warmer months the 2.5 should be enough but combine this mat with a 4 season sleeping bag and you should be cosy and warm all year round.

I am thrilled with this new inflatable mat from Mountain Equipment. It is very quick and easy to use – with a simple air value and self-inflating inner. The Helium 3.8 offers great comfort (far superior to my previous foam roll mat) - which is both greatly appreciated after a tough day’s trekking and gives a far better nights’ sleep – essential when on multi-day treks. It’ solid inflated thickness provides comfort even on fairly uneven and rocky ground, means a greater range of camp areas can be used and provides a considerable extra layer of warmth and insulation against cold and even frozen ground.

The base grip layer really works and means that the matt remains stationary all night – rather than slipping around, disturbing sleep and/or resulting in weird, cramped sleeping position in the morning.

Additionally, the mat additionally packs down very easily (and thus saving time on morning starts) and fits into a very small stuff sack. This means I can now store my roll mat inside my rucksack (rather than strapped to the outside), which means it remains dry whatever the weather and my trekking profile is greatly reduced – especially useful when trekking through thick vegetation or endless gates in National Parks.

I would highly recommend this new inflatable roll matt from Mountain Equipment.

Very comfortable and the grippy underside actually works. Best of all is the pack size and the ease it rolls up back into it's stuff sack. Other products need factory vacuum packing to get back into their sacks. Again excellent service from Cotswolds who even inflated one to test on the shop floor!

I am 1.85 high, used to own a Vango Adventure mat (still there, no problems and lovely mat) until I needed a fearly lightweight one, arrived just today and thrilled by the quality and the packing size! this is definitely a mat to enjoy! 3.8 thick and spacious to allow me to rest with no compromises, yes this is the mat I was looking for and for a unbeatable price!

I bought the Helium 3.8 for my D of E bronze in the Chilterns (it's not quite Everest but was great for a weekend away!) and I was the envy of all my friends. We were all meant to be up and walking at 8am and I was the only one! I had a smile on my face due to the warm night’s sleep, even in the rain, and due to its small pack size I had more than enough space for; tent, clothes, jacket, sleeping bag, food, 2 trangias and plenty of other kit. Feels strong and could last a while. For the price it's an amazing product. Would recommend for any D of E, or camping trip.

Three peak challenge here I come!

I'd been using karrimats previously, but got really cold when I was camping out in Aberdeenshire in February. A night without much sleep. So I decided to get a sleeping mat, but I had no idea there were so many to choose from. With advice from the staff at the Rose Street, Edinburgh, store I selected this model as meeting my needs, and I must say that having now used it, it has definitely met my expectations and "ticked all the boxes" insofar as I am concerned.

I used this mat in the Brecon Beacons and it kept me warm all night. A great pack size and weight for such a well insulated and comfy mat! And at such a good price!

Picked this mat up as a winter sleeping mat and it's done the job through many an expedition and many seasons. Its dealt well with rocky bivvies, emergency bivies in the rain (!), tent and tarp work come wind, snow, rain or shine! Lovely and comfy, low pack size and a reasonable weight for a mat of this season rating; and at the price you can't complain!
My valve has given up the ghost after over a year of use, so it now relies pretty much purely inflating with lung power, which is a bit of a let down but nothing major, and no different from any other major brand self inflating mats i've used. Highly recommended!
(Given four stars thanks to the valve.)
Great stuff, will certainly buy again when the current one expires!

Ordered online and arrived within two working days which is fast!

Upon removing the Helium 3.8 mat from its stuff sac the quality is good. Non slip backing to the mat stops it sliding around on the tent floor and its quick to inflate. Simply twist the valve in the direction of the arrow and pull out slightly to inflate. Deflating is quick and easy. Packing away is effortless and the size is fine.

Very happy with my purchase and at only £45 its excellent value for money. Thanks Cotswold!

i recently used this product on a two week expedition to mt. Kenya and the Masai Mara. I felt the product was exceptional, light weight with no compromise to any comfort or insulation. I would definitely use this product again, even for more demanding expeditions, and i feel confident that it would meet all the requirements without any issues or limitations. I strongly recommend this product.

Have had this Mat for just over a year now and problably only used it 4/5 times. It kept well the first few times I used it and made for a very comfortable nights sleep, but recently has started to deflate very slowly overnight, can only assume a fault in the material as can't see any visible punctures.

This mat is extremely comfortable to sleep on, has an anti slip finish so as to prevent sliding, tough construction, while remaining light weight, compact and self inflating.
After rolling back up it popped back into it's stuff sac with ease.

Can't fault it - Light and small and inflated with no problems.
Just come back from five nights at Glastonbury and was much more comfortable than my old blow up airbed.
It also deflated easily and fitted back into it's bag with no problems.

Really like this as it is very compact when folded(and very easy to fold), but very comfortable once inflated...only one problem: at the price I had assumed it was self-inflating, but that is not the case, so I needed to lie down on it once I had finally blown it up to my required level of hardness, as I was a little puffed out! That affects my rating...it would have been at least 4*.

very comfy and easy to use

Having put up with the typical camping roll/matt for so many years - I eventually decided to go for a self-inflating matt! Why hadn't I done it sooner is the question I ask myself - really great product, fits neatly in its own bag for easy storage, certainly makes the difference and offers a decent nights sleep :-)

I've always used just a foam mat before, but with age creeping on I decided to go for these mats for all the family. Very comfortable and warm for adults and small children down to 3 degrees C - and at this price there's no point buying a mini-self inflating mat for children. Definitely converted.

This was the first sleeping mat I have tried and I was very impressed with the value and performance.

The green top surface was easy to wipe clean of mud etc. and the grey flock finish on the underside did very effectively prevent the mat moving around during the night.

It was quick and easy to inflate / deflate thanks to the simple and durable air valve.

For such a large mat it packs down surprisingly well in to the carry bag included. As it states in the description it is a fairly weighty 750g so I suppose this could be a concern if weight was critical. The packed size given on the website is accurate and if anything a little larger than the actual size.

In use the matt is very comfortable and sufficiently deep to offer excellent insulation and protection from small stones etc.

Overall I am very happy with this product and would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone except those more concerned with size / weight than comfort.

Really comfortable nights sleep even on lumpy ground. Squashes down well and is fairly lightweight. A great buy at £45 ! Shame it can't block out my other half's snoring .

fantastic 4 season sleeping matt., great for sleeping on when in tent on the snow covered floor in winter time.