David Lintern tests a brand new sleeping mat market disruptor: the Highlander Nap Pak Arctic R11.
The Highlander Nap Pak Arctic R11 is a new inflatable mat that comes in two varieties – full size and mummy shaped, both at the same price, and both claiming a fairly staggering R value of 11.
David Lintern highly recommends
Overall, both the full size and the mummy are great winter options, but the 600g mummy, reviewed here, is perhaps a bit of a market disrupter, because of its lower weight.- warmth
- comfort
- price
- pump or inflation sack at extra weight/cost
| Quick specs |
|---|
| Price: £99.99 (available from Highlander Outdoor) Weight: mat: 591g, stuff sack 11g Type: insulated Materials: 20D ripstop nylon shell, 3 layer foil insulation, TPU valve. Dimensions: 183×50/ Packed: 24x10cm Thickness: 10cm Rating: R value 11 Sizes: one highlander-outdoor.com |
First, the science bit. Sleeping bag ratings are still aligning, but sleeping mat warmth ratings have been standardized for longer and are therefore a little more comparable. The test used measures thermal resistance and it’s called ASTM F3340. A mat is compressed between a warm plate and a cold plate and heat transfer from one to other measured. Anything around R5 or above is British winter ready – R11 should, theoretically at least, be usable down to nearly -50°C!
The shell is 20D ripstop nylon and feels reassuringly tough and durable. I’ve sat, knelt and slept on it – and so have my kids on an unforgiving bothy floor – and if they can’t break it, that’s a good sign! It’s also quiet to sleep on and relatively soft to the touch. The mat inflates via a chunky 2-way valve to a full 10cm depth. I prefer these big valves because they tend to fail less, longer term, and because the wide opening is more likely to allow any condensation to exit. It’s certainly not the narrowest mummy mat I’ve used.
My arms stay just on the mat, and the diamond shaped cells provide a more even surface, great for reducing ground contact as you turn over or sleep on your side. Inflated to just off full, I’m less likely to roll off – unlikely in the full-size mat but useful for the narrower mummy. Length wise, it’s more than ample for my 5’8”, plus a pillow. Those over 6 foot will need to pop their bag under their feet!
The mat uses heat reflective technology. Inside, there’s 3 layers of aluminium foil – 2 bonded to each outer surface, and one running through the middle. I can’t claim to have used either mat down to -50°C, but I have used both for all my trips this past winter, down to about -7°C. I had no issues with cold leaking through either mat, over multiple nights of testing, even without using a backup CCF mat underneath. The mat can be inflated with one’s own breath, which took me 2 minutes and 70 breaths. Note that this isn’t best practice as it introduces moisture inside, which can cause mildew and delamination longer term. Highlander sell an inflation sack (£17.99, 90g – it also doubles as a drybag) or a pump/light called the Wee Banshee (£34.99, 113g). I had the latter on test which inflates the mat to full in 1m, 20s. The warm light comes in 3 settings and there’s a mix of valve nozzles provided. It’s well named and sounds like a mini jet engine!
Overall, both the full size and the mummy are great winter options, but the 600g mummy, reviewed here, is perhaps a bit of a market disrupter, because of its lower weight. It’s now possible to own just one mat for use across the year, without carrying ‘winter weight’ in the summer, for around £100 – a single sleep solution with reliable warmth no matter what the conditions. Yes, one of those inflation accessories is pretty essential and that does add cost and weight, but the Nap Pak Arctic is comfortable, durable, light enough and very competitively priced, especially given the R value.
How we tested
David tested the Highlander throughout winter and spring in the Scottish Highlands on high and low-level wild camps and in an MBA bothy between +9 and -7 °C. He was able to compare both the mummy and full-size Nap Pak mats. Compare these with other options in our sleeping mat gear guide.
