Gram-counter Gear Featherweight Evazote Foam Mat

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This closed cell foam mat is a whole new level of lightweight! The Featherweight is an impressively lightweight mat that has a good pack size and is super versatile. Whether you are a mountain marathon gram counter or simply wanting to add a layer warmth or protection to an existing mat this provides value in every sense. The colour has recently changed to black but it’s exactly the same mat as its yellow and orange predecessors.

Gram-counter Gear says

The Featherweight Foam Mat is engineered for ultralight backpacking enthusiasts. It’s the perfect option for minimalist backpacking adventures and is a super lightweight way of boosting your existing sleep system.

Our Verdict

Gram-counter Gear’s Featherweight Foam Mat has an impressive 74g weight for a mat that’s still 150cm long and 50cm wide. The depth of the mat may put some people off but this is where it’s versatility lies. Depending on what you want to use it for, we’ve found that it works really well providing a protective layer underneath a bivy on rocky ground, as an extra layer of warmth when paired with an ultralight air mat of for those hard core gram counters it can be used on it’s own and even cut down further to meet your specifics.

The Evazote Foam is really durable and although it won’t provide a massive amount of warmth on it’s own it certainly provides enough insulation for warmer months and is ideal for boosting the rating of an existing mat. I’ve used this on bivy trips under the bivy itself on herd, rocky ground, for stays over in bothies and to extend the conditions of my lightest 2-3 season air mats with great success. I’ve also seen mountain marathon elites cut down similar mats to their specific sleeping shape and size, although I’ve not been this brave (or desperate) yet. 

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

In-depth Reviews:

• Gram-counter Gear Featherweight Mat Review – Trek Scotland

Features

• Ultra-lightweight
• EVA Foam

Specifications

• Weight: 74g
• Dimensions: 150 x 50cm
• Thickness: 0.3cm
• Pack size: 50 x 8cm
• ASTM R-Value: Not Quoted

ASTM R-Value:

From 2020, there is a new industry standard for measuring the R-value (level of insulation) of sleeping mats – ASTM F3340-18. This new standard is the sleeping mat equivalent to the EN rating for sleeping bags.

You can now directly compare the R-value of mats rated using the ASTM F3340-18 with confidence that is a fair and accurate comparison between mats. In simple terms, the higher the R-value, the warmer the mat.

In general terms, an R-value below 2.0 is for summer use, 2.0 to 4.0 is for cooler 3 season use and 4.0+ is for winter temperatures. This will be also be dependent on your sleeping bag, how cold you sleep etc. Please contact our customer service team if you need advice on choosing the right mat for your activity.

Help and advice:

• The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an Ultralight Sleeping Mat
• Time-Saver Guide to Choosing a Sleeping Mat
• R-Value Explained