Exped
Exped Flex 3R foam mat (M, 185 x 52 cm)
Where it fits
- Also works for
- Backpacking and wild camping
- Not for
- Bikepacking, Winter mountain
Why these labels
- Backpacking and wild camping: Light to carry: 0.5 kg
- Bikepacking: Bulky for bike bags: packs to 15.6 litres
- Winter mountain: R-value 2.8: too little insulation on frozen ground
From the maker's stated use and the published specs.
- Summer wild camp: 4/10 UK, roughly May to September, nights above about 8 °C, sheltered pitches.
- Three-season hills: 4/10 UK hills in spring and autumn. Wind, rain, and nights near freezing. Capped at 4: needs warmth 5+ (R 3 or more).
- Winter camp: 4/10 UK winter or high ground. Below freezing, strong wind, possibly snow. Below this trip's minimum: needs warmth 7+ (R 4 or more).
- Weight: 7/10 How much it adds to your pack, compared with the whole market.
R-value 2.8 (ASTM).
No shop we checked has it in stock
Extra warmth and puncture protection under an air mat on cold or rough ground
- Type
- Foam
- R-value
- 2.8 (ASTM)
- Weight
- 515 g (M)
- Thickness
- 3.1 cm
- Size
- 185 x 52 cm
Packed size 15.6 L, 52 x 20 x 15 cm Compare with a 2-litre bottle
About one and a half 2-litre bottles long and about twice as wide. Drawn to scale.
Where to buy
Exped £50.50 Out of stock. Exped UK's own shop; £6.00 DPD under £75 (free over £75). Named Flexmat 3R in its address.
View at shop: ExpedUltralight Outdoor Gear £44.99 Out of stock. Page marks the M as out of stock; the shop's RRP is £50.49.
View at shop: Ultralight Outdoor GearPrices checked 8 Nov 2026 on each shop's own page; shops can change them. We earn no commission on these links; shops are listed by price. More
Our ratings (out of 10)
1 to 10, compared with the whole market. Each says what it's based on. How we score
Warmth
From maker's figures 4/10How well it stops the cold ground chilling you. 4: A bit below average.
Exped's R-value of 2.8 sits in the R 2–2.9 band: summer and mild shoulder-season nights, or an extra layer under an air mat. Exped says it rates its mats to ASTM F3340.
Thickness
From maker's figures 3/10How deep it is. Deeper is comfier, above all for side sleepers. 3: Below average. Fine for some trips, not others.
3.1 cm thick.
Quietness
Estimate from maker's specs: foam mats make no noise 8/10How little it crinkles or squeaks when you turn over. 8: Clearly better than most.
A foam mat makes no noise when you turn over.
Weight
From maker's figures 7/10How much it adds to your pack. 7: Better than most.
Exped UK lists 515 g for the M, in the 400–549 g band (Ultralight Outdoor Gear lists 456 g, the same band).
Packed size
From maker's figures 1/10How much room it takes in or on your rucksack. 1: A real weak point.
Folds to 52 x 15 x 20 cm, a box of 52 x 15 x 20 = 15,600 cm³, so 15.6 L, in the 7 L+ band.
In short
Good for
- Extra warmth and puncture protection under an air mat on cold or rough ground
- A mat that cannot puncture for summer and mild-night wild camps, bothies and bivvies
- Hikers who prefer to strap a foam mat outside the pack and unfold it in seconds
Strengths
- 3.1 cm thick closed-cell IXPE foam, thicker than a standard foam mat
- R 2.8 (Exped's figure), enough on its own for mild nights and a real boost when stacked under an air mat
- Cannot puncture or leak, so there is nothing to blow up or repair
- Folds in sections and opens in seconds
Weaknesses
- Bulky: 15.6 L folded (52 x 15 x 20 cm), so it has to go outside the pack
- R 2.8 is just under the R 3 line for spring and autumn, so on its own it is capped for three-season hill trips
- Firmer than air or self-inflating mats
- Figures differ by source: Exped UK lists 515 g for the M and 3.1 cm thick in its text but 2.2 cm in its size table; Ultralight Outdoor Gear lists 456 g
Sources
We haven't tested this ourselves. Every score comes from these specs, tests and reviews.