The best camping mat for a beginner is the NEMO Eclipse All-Season. R-value (resistance to heat flow) is 6.2, thickness 10cm, weight 460g, and the price JPY 25,300. One mat covers you from autumn into winter. I ranked 5 mats on R-value, including WAQ's new model shipping in late October 2026 and Therm-a-Rest foam mats that keep the price down.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
Choose a mat by R-value, not thickness. The mat, not the sleeping bag, stops the ground's chill, and a low R-value keeps you from reaching the bag's rated temperature. The Eclipse All-Season has an R-value of 6.2 at JPY 4,081 per R-value point, the cheapest among the air mats. So for someone buying a first mat, this is my pick.
Key points
- The Eclipse All-Season has an R-value of 6.2, weighs 460g and costs JPY 25,300. That is JPY 4,081 per R-value point of 1, and 74.2g per R-value point of 1
- The Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic has an R-value of 2.0 and costs JPY 7,150. At JPY 3,575 per R-value point of 1, it is the lowest of the 5 mats in this article
- The WAQ CampMat PLUS (single JPY 17,500), shipping in late Oct 2026, trades inflating at the push of a button for an R-value of 4.8. Good as a 1-mat answer up to the edge of winter
What is in this article (14 items)
- A camping mat is decided by R-value, not thickness
- I looked at R-value, weight, then how you carry it
- What R-value is enough for a camping mat?
- The 3 common stumbling points with mats
- Quick table of 5 mats for beginners
- What decided the order of the 5 mats
- No. 1 NEMO Eclipse All-Season | R6.2 in one mat
- No. 2 WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS | A new model that inflates at the push of a button
- No. 3 Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic | R2.0 for JPY 7,150
- No. 4 Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL | Folds up, easy in and out
- No. 5 NEMO Switchback | A foam mat made for stacking
- Weight per R-value point, and stacking two mats
- Who is it for?
- FAQ
A camping mat is decided by R-value, not thickness
The mont-bell U.L. Air Pad 180 is 7cm thick with an R-value of 1.4. The mont-bell Foam Pad 25 180 is 2.5cm thick with an R-value of 2.3. The thicker one loses.
R-value is a number for resistance to heat flow, and the higher it is, the less heat escapes into the ground. For a beginner's first mat, choose by whether the R-value reaches the season you'll sleep out in, before thickness or comfort. I ranked on R-value, weight and price.
I looked at R-value, weight, then how you carry it
First I looked at R-value. Then I worked out price per R-value point and weight per R-value point, to put mats of different sizes on the same footing.
When you sleep in a tent over half the year, the cause of a bad night is usually the cold from below. So I check a mat's R-value before the sleeping bag.
What R-value is enough for a camping mat?
My guide: 2 to 3 for spring through autumn, in the 4s for when frost falls, and 5 or higher for winter without snow. If you can't decide, take the higher one. In the makers' words, R-value 4.5 is "into part of winter", 5.4 is "all-season", and 8.5 is "harsh winter".
R-values can be added. Lay an air mat on a closed-cell foam mat (foam with sealed bubbles) and you get the combined R-value. I laid out the sums for 12 mats in my article on mat R-values.
The 3 common stumbling points with mats
- R-value: is it a number that reaches your season? 2 to 3 for spring through autumn, 5 or higher for winter.
- Type: air mats are light and thick, but lose air if punctured. Foam mats are hard to break but bulky.
- Pairing with a sleeping bag: NANGA explains that it measures a bag's temperature with the bag on a mat. Decide together with Best Sleeping Bags for Beginners: 5 Picks.
Quick table of 5 mats for beginners
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | R-value | Weight | Official price | Price per R-value point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 NEMO Eclipse All-Season | 6.2 | 460g | JPY 25,300 | JPY 4,081 |
| No. 2 WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS Single | 4.8 | 2.5kg | JPY 17,500 | JPY 3,646 |
| No. 3 Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic | 2.0 | 400g | JPY 7,150 | JPY 3,575 |
| No. 4 Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL | 2.0 | 410g | JPY 11,550 | JPY 5,775 |
| No. 5 NEMO Switchback | 2.0 | 415g | JPY 10,450 | JPY 5,225 |
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
NEMO Eclipse All-Season
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 24,035 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 30,881 between shops. Prices change daily.
What decided the order of the 5 mats
| Rank | Model | Why it ranks here |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eclipse All-Season | R6.2 from just 1 mat, at 460g. Reaches into winter. But JPY 25,300 |
| 2 | CampMat PLUS | Setup in about 1 min 30 sec, R4.8, JPY 17,500. At 2.5kg, not enough for midwinter |
| 3 | RidgeRest Classic | At JPY 7,150, the lowest price per R-value point of 1. A 1-mat answer for spring through autumn, or a 1 mat to lay under another |
| 4 | Z Lite SOL | Folds up, so it goes in and out easily. The same R-value of 2.0, at JPY 11,550 |
| 5 | Switchback | 2.3cm thick, and it can be stacked with other three-season mats. At 415g, the heaviest of the 3 |
No. 1 NEMO Eclipse All-Season | R6.2 in one mat
I'll say it with some heat. 10cm thick and 460g, with an R-value of 6.2. JPY 4,081 per R-value point of 1 is the lowest figure among the air mats. One mat (1) reaches from the chill of autumn to a winter without snow, so you don't need anything under it.
This is a weak point. It is held up by air, so a puncture lets it down. Keep the supplied repair patch in the stuff sack. In freezing cold, moisture from your breath can freeze inside, so avoid inflating it by mouth.
No. 2 WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS | A new model that inflates at the push of a button
Slide the pump at the end of the mat and air goes in; setup takes about 1 minute 30 seconds. The single is about 203×80×10cm thick, and packs to about 40×30×30cm. The R-value is 4.8, 46% of the 10.5 of the older 10cm mat (4.8 ÷ 10.5).
This is a weak point. I read an R-value of 4.8 as good until the frost season. A full charge of the pump covers about 3 rounds of setup and pack-down. It is open for pre-orders and ships in late October. It suits people who drive in during spring and autumn and want a shorter setup. I wrote more in my CampMat PLUS review.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS
No. 3 Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic | R2.0 for JPY 7,150
If you want cheap, this is it. R-value 2.0 at 400g and JPY 7,150. JPY 3,575 per R-value point is the lowest of the 5. It has no valve, so it won't go flat overnight from a puncture. It packs by rolling into a tube of 51×20cm.
This is a weak point. An R-value of 2.0 suits lowlands in spring through autumn, and one mat won't get you through winter. Put it under an air mat and it adds 2.0 to the R-value.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest Classic
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 7,150 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 10,550 between shops. Prices change daily.
No. 4 Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL | Folds up, easy in and out
It folds like a screen and packs to 51×13×14cm. The top is aluminum-coated, and Therm-a-Rest says it insulates 20% better than the same mat without the coating. It suits people who take it out and put it away at every rest stop.
This is a weak point. Its R-value is the same 2.0 as the RidgeRest, and it costs JPY 4,400 more.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 9,999 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 12,750 between shops. Prices change daily.
No. 5 NEMO Switchback | A foam mat made for stacking
At 2.3cm it is the thickest of the 3 foam mats. NEMO says that stacked with other three-season mats, it can be used even in harsh winter. It suits people who own a NEMO air mat to lay under it.
This is a weak point. At 415g it is the heaviest of the 3, and its R-value alone is 2.0.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
NEMO Switchback Regular
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 9,927 (as of 10/20). Prices vary by up to JPY 16,544 between shops. Prices change daily.
Weight per R-value point, and stacking two mats
Dividing weight by R-value gives about 74g for the Eclipse All-Season (460 ÷ 6.2), 200g for the RidgeRest, 205g for the Z Lite Sol, about 208g for the Switchback, and about 521g for the CampMat PLUS (2,500 ÷ 4.8). The Eclipse earns its R-value at about one-seventh the weight of the CampMat PLUS.
R-values add up, so stacking a RidgeRest under the CampMat PLUS gives an R-value of 6.8 (4.8 + 2.0), JPY 24,650 (17,500 + 7,150), and 2.9kg. For the R-value of 5 or more I use as a winter guide, only the Eclipse gets there with a single mat.
Who is it for?
Who it suits most: someone looking for a first mat who plans to camp from autumn into winter. The Eclipse All-Season, which reaches that on its own, fits. If you only drive in during spring through autumn, you could start by putting the RidgeRest Classic underneath.
For winter sleeping bags, choose from my winter sleeping bag picks. Once the mat is settled, you'll misread a bag's comfort temperature less often.
FAQ
What is the best camping mat for a beginner?
The NEMO Eclipse All-Season. R-value 6.2, 460g, JPY 25,300. 1 mat covers you from autumn to a winter without snow.
When stacking two mats, which goes on the bottom?
The closed-cell foam goes on the bottom and the air mat on top. The hard foam protects the air mat from pebbles and sticks on the ground.
Is an air mat or a foam mat better?
For comfort and light weight, an air mat. For durability and low price, a foam mat. In winter you can stack both, and the R-values add up.
How much should a beginner spend on a mat?
For flat ground from spring to autumn, the RidgeRest (JPY 7,150, R-value 2.0) is enough. The Eclipse (JPY 25,300, R-value 6.2) costs JPY 18,150 more and adds 4.2 to the R-value, which is about JPY 4,321 per R-value point of 1.
Gear in this article
Ads & images: Rakuten IchibaSources (7 official pages)
- NEMO Equipment Japan official: Eclipse All-Season
- Therm-a-Rest Japan official: Ridge Rest Classic
- Mochizuki official: Z Lite SOL
- NEMO Japan official: Switchback
- WAQ Official Online Store: WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS
- WAQ Official Online Store: RELAXING WIDE MAT, 8cm thick (comparison table with other mats)
- Sea to Summit UK official: The new ASTM R-values for sleeping mats
