The WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS is a mat with a built-in electric pump, made for people who drive to the campsite from spring to autumn and want faster setup and takedown. What decides it: about 1 min 30 sec to set up and a bag only 40 cm long. The R-value is 4.8, less than half of the old 10 cm mat (10.5). The official store is taking pre-orders, shipping late October: JPY 17,500 single and JPY 23,800 double, incl. tax.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
With the pump built in, the bag shrinks to 40 cm long and the body gets lighter. The price of that: the R-value drops from 10.5 to 4.8. Sleep in a tent half the year and you inflate and fold the mat dozens of times a year. So I read this as my main mat for spring through autumn, and leave the winter bed to a separate mat with a higher R-value.
Key points
- By WAQ's own measurement, setup takes about 1 min 30 sec for the single and about 2 min 30 sec for the double. The electric pump fills only about 80 to 90%; you top it off with the included air bag.
- Divide the body weight (pump excluded) by floor area and the PLUS single comes to 1,447 g/m² against 2,143 g/m² for the old 10 cm single. That's about 32% lighter.
- At the same 80 cm width, the Relaxing Wide Mat 8 cm has an R-value of 8.5 and costs JPY 13,800. It's the candidate if you camp in winter too.
In this article (10 sections)
- When does the WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS come out? The new model with the R-value cut from 10.5 to 4.8
- How I judged it
- CampMat PLUS size, weight and R-value
- What changed with the PLUS: pump, width and bag
- Same 10 cm, so why is the R-value half?
- The weak points
- PLUS vs. Wide Mat 8 cm vs. the old 10 cm
- What else you need, and what's sold separately
- Who is it for?
- FAQ
When does the WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS come out? The new model with the R-value cut from 10.5 to 4.8
The WAQ official online store lists it as 'Pre-orders open, ships late Oct'. Prices incl. tax: JPY 17,500 for the single, JPY 23,800 for the double.
A buy if you drive out from spring to autumn and want shorter setup and takedown. For the winter bed, pair it with a separate mat that has a higher R-value.
The dividing line is the R-value (how poorly a mat conducts heat). The official figures are 10.5 for the old 10 cm mat and 4.8 for the PLUS.
How I judged it
The first thing I looked at wasn't the electric pump but the 4.8 R-value. Against 10.5 on the old 10 cm mat, that's 46% (4.8 ÷ 10.5).
What gave me pause: the Wide Mat 8 cm, same 80 cm width and R-value 8.5, is JPY 3,700 cheaper. I still recommend the PLUS to spring-to-autumn campers because the bag is only 40 cm long and a button does the inflating.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS
CampMat PLUS size, weight and R-value
| Item | Single | Double |
|---|---|---|
| Official price (incl. tax) | JPY 17,500 | JPY 23,800 |
| In use | About 203 × 80 × 10 cm thick | About 203 × 134 × 10 cm thick |
| Packed | About 40 × 30 × 30 cm | About 60 × 35 × 35 cm |
| Weight (incl. 150 g pump) | 2.5kg | 4.6kg |
| R-value | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Setup time | About 1 min 30 sec | About 2 min 30 sec |
| Takedown time | About 1 min 30 sec | About 2 min 40 sec |
| Materials | Top 30D polyester / bottom 109T polyester / urethane foam | |
| Shipping | Pre-orders open, ships late October | |
Split between 2 sleepers, the double's 134 cm works out to 67 cm per 1 person (134 ÷ 2). That's 26 cm narrower than 2 singles side by side (160 cm), and JPY 11,200 cheaper (17,500 × 2 − 23,800).
What changed with the PLUS: pump, width and bag
First, the electric pump. Slide the pump at the mat's end one way to inflate and the other way to deflate. The pump fills about 80 to 90%; you top it off with the included air bag.
Second, width. The single grows from 70 cm to 80 cm, 10 cm wider. Third, the bag: the single's length goes from 74 cm to 40 cm, and WAQ says the packed size is 40% smaller than the old 10 cm mat.
Same 10 cm, so why is the R-value half?
R-value isn't set by thickness. At WAQ, the 8 cm Wide Mat is 8.5 and the 10 cm PLUS is 4.8.
Excluding the 150 g pump and dividing by floor area, the PLUS single is 2,350 ÷ 1.624 = 1,447 g/m². The old single is 3,000 ÷ 1.4 = 2,143 g/m², so the PLUS is about 32% lighter. WAQ doesn't explain how the urethane inside differs, but I read it this way: a lighter fill that folds smaller gives up some insulation.
My R-value rules of thumb are collected in the mat R-value article.
The weak points
One is the 4.8 R-value. The maker says it's 'comfortable from spring through autumn' and 'reliable when it gets cold.' My rule of thumb is 4 for frosty nights and 5 or more for winter without snow, so 4.8 takes you to the edge of winter.
The other is the pump battery. A full charge covers about 3 setups and takedowns; from the 4th you need to recharge. Also: don't leave the pump running more than 5 minutes, let it cool for about 10 minutes after use, and don't leave it in a hot car.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS
PLUS vs. Wide Mat 8 cm vs. the old 10 cm
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | In use | Weight | R-value | Packed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLUS single | 203×80×10cm | 2.5kg | 4.8 | 40×30×30cm |
| Old 10 cm single | 200×70×10cm | About 3.0 kg | 10.5 | 74×21cm |
| Wide Mat 8 cm | 210×80×8cm | About 3.1 kg | 8.5 | 82×20×20cm |
| PLUS double | 203×134×10cm | 4.6kg | 4.8 | 60×35×35cm |
| Old 10 cm double | 200×134×10cm | About 5.6 kg | 10.5 | 77×37cm |
If you want 1 mat that covers winter too, get the Wide Mat 8 cm. Same 80 cm width, official price JPY 13,800. It's 600 g heavier, packs into an 82 cm-long tube, and has no pump.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
WAQ Relaxing Wide Mat 8 cm
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 13,800 (as of 10/14). Prices vary by up to JPY 15,249 between shops. Prices change daily.
The old 10 cm double is still in the official store as a B-grade item (JPY 18,980). The listing says the valve is loose and the unit is outside warranty, so I'd take the PLUS or the Wide Mat, which come with a 1-year warranty.
What else you need, and what's sold separately
In the box: mat body, air pump, Type-C cable, air nozzle, storage bag (with air bag), compression strap, repair patch and instruction manual. You supply the USB power source yourself.
I wrote about hauling gear from the parking lot in my WAQ Outdoor Wagon DX review.
A mat for people who want a 10 cm-thick bed ready in 1 min 30 sec, spring through autumn.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
WAQ Relaxing CampMat PLUS
Who is it for?
Best for people who drive to the campsite from spring to autumn and want shorter setup and takedown. It inflates at the push of a button and packs down to 40 cm long. It's a new model full of ways to cut the hassle.
If winter is your main season, there's another way to go: the Wide Mat 8 cm with an R-value of 8.5.
FAQ
When does the CampMat PLUS come out?
WAQ's official online store is taking pre-orders, with shipping listed for late Oct. Prices incl. tax: JPY 17,500 for the single, JPY 23,800 for the double.
What is the CampMat PLUS R-value?
4.8. The old 10 cm mat is 10.5 and the Wide Mat 8 cm is 8.5, so for winter the Wide Mat comes first.
Can I still inflate the CampMat PLUS if the battery runs out?
Yes. Open the auto air valve and it draws in air by itself.
Can I detach and use the CampMat PLUS pump on its own?
Yes. Attach the included air nozzle to the detached pump and it also works on your other air mats and pool floats.
Is there a gap when I put two CampMat PLUS side by side?
Unlikely. It's a box-type build with urethane filled all the way to the edge.
