Camping mattresses for couples · Vs review
Exped MegaMat Duo vs. REI Camp Dreamer Double: I Bought & Tested Both
I bought both mattresses with my own money and put them head-to-head across 14 side-by-side tests.
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The short answer
The Exped is the better mattress. The REI has been discontinued.
The Exped MegaMat Duo beats the REI in comfort, inflation, deflation, portability, insulation and quality. REI has since discontinued the Camp Dreamer Double, so you can’t buy it new any more — which makes the Exped the one to get. I’m leaving this comparison up as a record of how the two measured against each other.
Side by side
Where they actually differ
| Measured | Exped MegaMat Duo | REI Camp Dreamer Double |
|---|---|---|
| My score | 9.2 / 10 | 8.1 / 10 |
| Thickness | 4.0 in | 3.75 in |
| Bed size | 73.5 × 42.5 inFits any 2-person tent | 81 × 54 in8 in longer, 12 in wider |
| Weight | 7.2 lbs | 11.6 lbs |
| Packed size | 23 × 11 × 10 in | 29 × 15 × 12 in |
| R-value | 8.1 | 6.5 |
| Comfort | Flatter, plusher, softer surface | Almost flat, slightly less plush |
| Pump top-off | ~30 seconds1 s per stroke; 1.6 oz mini-pump | ~1 minute3–4 s per stroke; 11.8 oz pump |
| Deflate + pack | 2 min 45 s | ~5 min |
| In the box | Pump, stuff sack, repair kit | Pump, carry bag |
| Valves | 2 FlatValvesSeparate inflate / deflate | 2 hi-flow TPRNeed aligning + cap-tightening |
| Materials | 50D nylon top, 75D bottom, welded seams | Polyester; my unit came with 2 factory holes |
| Stuff sack | Softer, higher quality | Carry bag, less soft |
| Price | Premium | ~15% less at full priceSales a few times a year |
✓ = the better measurement, from my own testing of both mattresses. Both self-inflate in about 10 minutes, and both sacks have shoulder straps.
Which applies to you?
Get this one if…
Get the Exped MegaMat Duo if…
- You want the plusher, flatter, more comfortable sleeping surface.
- You camp with a 2-person tent — it’s exactly the size of 2 regular sleeping pads.
- You carry your gear: it’s 38% lighter and packs to about half the size.
- You camp cold — R-value 8.1 is rated down to −40°.
Where the REI Camp Dreamer Double won
- It had the biggest sleeping surface — 8 in longer and 12 in wider.
- It was the cheaper of the two: about 15% less at full price, and I paid $100+ less for mine in an REI sale.
- Car camping, not carrying — the extra bulk didn’t matter.
In the Box
For the Exped, I got the MegaMat inside a stuff sack, a mini-pump, some instructions, and a repair kit. For the REI, I got only the Dreamer Double inside a carry bag, and a pump, with no repair kit.
Thickness
The REI Camp Dreamer Double gets me about 3 and three-quarter inches off the ground. In contrast, the Exped MegaMat Duo gets me 4 inches off the ground. But with either mattress, my body does not touch the ground whether I’m sleeping on my back, stomach, or side.
Dimensions
The REI Dreamer Double is much bigger, and measures about 81 by 54 inches. On the other hand, the Exped MegaMat Medium Double is much smaller, and measures about 73.5 by 42.5 inches.
I really like the sizing of the Medium Double. Because it’s just the size of 2 regular sleeping pads put together, it fits nicely into all 2-person tents — and you can fit 2 MegaMats in a 4-person tent. I couldn’t fit 2 Dreamer Doubles into this Coleman 4-Person Dome Tent.
Comfort
I found both very comfortable — vertical side walls, minimal bouncing — but if I have to pick one, the Exped MegaMat is slightly more comfortable. Its sleeping surface is flatter, and it feels plusher and softer.
Inflation
Inflating both the Exped MegaMat Duo and the REI Camp Dreamer Double took about 10 minutes for the self-inflation, and about 1 minute of pumping after. The Exped comes with an attached toggle you can push into the Inflation valve for a faster inflation; the REI has 2 valves that can both be flipped to the Inflation side.
Pump
Each pump of the Exped takes only 1 second, while each pump of the REI takes about 3 to 4 seconds. Topping the Exped off takes closer to 30 seconds, while topping the REI off takes closer to a minute. I also found it easier to attach the Exped’s mini-pump to its Inflate valve.
Deflation
Because the Exped MegaMat Medium Double is quite a bit smaller, it takes me only about 2 minutes and 45 seconds to deflate the Exped on my own and pack it back into the stuff sack. As for the REI Dreamer Double, it takes me closer to 5 minutes.
Packed Size
The smallest packed size I could get the REI down to is about 29 x 15 x 12 inches, while the Exped packs to about 23 x 11 x 10 inches — slightly less than half the size.
Weight
The REI Dreamer Double weighs 11.6 pounds for just the mattress alone, while the Exped MegaMat Medium Double weighs 7.2 pounds — about 38% less. The Exped has only 29% less sleeping surface, 38% less weight, yet it compacts down to more than 50% smaller. In terms of portability, the Exped has the REI beat. (The Exped mini-pump weighs 1.6 ounces vs the REI pump’s 11.8 ounces; the Exped stuff sack weighs 5.3 ounces vs the REI carry bag’s 11.5 ounces.)
Insulation
The Exped is slightly more insulated with an R-value of 8.1, while the REI sits at 6.5. I used both in summer temperatures between 60 and 80 and never felt too hot — but I’m a cold sleeper, and I like it warm when I sleep.
Material Quality
The top of the Exped is made of 50D nylon with a polyester laminate, while the bottom is 75D polyester for added durability, with welded seams that feel high quality. The REI is made of polyester with similar welded seams — but my REI actually came with 2 small holes in the mattress, a manufacturing defect. I also used the Exped more frequently and mistreated it more, and it’s still holding up great.
Valve Quality
I prefer the valves on the Exped — low-profile FlatValves with separate valves for inflation and deflation, and the deflation valve is slightly larger for a quicker deflation. The REI’s hi-flow TPR valves aren’t too shabby either, but they’re a little higher maintenance: I usually have to align them properly and tighten the screw-on caps so they don’t leak.
Stuff Sack Quality
The stuff sack that came with the Exped feels slightly softer, smoother and overall higher quality than the carry bag of the REI Dreamer Double. But I do really like both, and they both come with shoulder straps for easy carry.
Price
At full price, the REI Dreamer Double cost about 15% less than the Exped Medium Double, and about 27% less than the Exped Long Wide Double. I personally got my REI at 30% off during one of REI’s sales — on price, the REI beat the Exped hands down while it was still being made.
My recommendation
Overall, I think that the Exped MegaMat Duo is the better sleeping pad, because it beats the REI Dreamer Double in comfort, inflation, deflation, portability, insulation and quality.
The bottom line is that REI has discontinued the Camp Dreamer Double, so the Exped MegaMat Duo is the one to buy today. I’m keeping this comparison up as a record of how the two measured against each other.
Bonus: to find out how these two compare against 8 other camping mattresses for couples, check out this post where I bought and tested 10 of the best camping mattresses for couples.
Every figure on this page comes from my own measurements of the two mattresses I bought.
