Gram-counter Gear XL Featherweight Foam Mat

Jump to: Our Verdict / Features / Specifications

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 XL 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. This XL version provides an extra 45cm in length compared to the standard version.

Our Verdict

Gram-counter Gear’s XL Featherweight Foam Mat still has an impressive 104g weight for an XL version of the mat that’s 195cm 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

Features

• Ultra-lightweight

Specifications

• Weight: 104g
• Dimensions: 195 x 50cm
• Thickness: 0.3cm
• Pack size: 50 x 8cm
• ASTM R-Value: Not Quoted

Material & Construction

• EVA Foam

Help & advice:

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