Vango Dreamer Self Inflating Mat
The Vango Dreamer is a lightweigth self-inflating camping mat.
Review Score
Our Score: 8.2/10
We've given the Vango Dreamer Self Inflating Mat the Thumbs Up award.
The good
- Lightweight
- Despite just 3cm thick, not bad to sleep on
- Includes insulation
- Can be bought for a good price
The not so good
- The mat is quite long when packed
- No R-Value to compare insulation levels
- Doesn't self-inflate fully (which is to be expected)
This was a hands-on product review. The product was supplied to us to test and conduct the review.
Price Guide
Vango Dreamer Self Inflating Mat has a recommended retail price of £42.
The best price we've found so far is £17.99. That's £24.01 off the RRP of £42.
Vango Dreamer Self Inflating Mat Videos
Vango Dreamer Self Inflating Mat Photos
Vango Dreamer 3 Mat Info (2023)
Mat Thickness
Inflating the mats
Inflating the mats
SIM rolled up
Not Self Inflating
Our Review
Vango kindly sent us a couple of their Dreamer Self-Inflating Mats (SIMs) to test out while we try non-car camping adventures, such as bike packing and backpacking.
Vango Dreamer 3 Mat Info (2023)
These are the single Vango Dreamer SIMs that are 3cm thick and weigh less than a kilo (0.89kg, to be precise).
My backpack packed with the two Vango Dreamer SIMs attached
We've used these SIMs several times now, including by our daughter on her Duke of Edinburgh expedition, but I wanted to try them myself in what they were intended for: backpacking or bikepacking.
You immediately notice from the photo above that although they are lightweight, they are not small when rolled up, and take up a similar amount of space as a rolled-up foam mat. Maybe a little less, but they were too big to fit in my backpack.
This is the Dreamer SIM rolled up. It comes with two elastic straps, a bag, and a repair kit.
Being such small self-inflating mats, I wasn't expecting them to magically self-inflate. Very few mats that call themselves self-inflating inflate themselves, we found.
Inflating the Vango Dreamer mats
The mats didn't self inflate
After leaving the SIMs, I blew air into them to get them properly inflated.
These use standard SIM valves, and not the large inflate/deflate valve that you can find on the massive Vango Shangri-La Grande sleeping mat.
Once inflated, the Vango Dreamer is about 3cm thick.
The thickness of 3cm may not sound like a lot, but it's about twice the amount you get on a foam roll mat. So, despite taking a similar sort of space to carry, you get a more comfortable sleeping mat.
Although this is firmer to lay on than the thicker sleeping mats, I didn't find it too hard.
Vango state that the mat contains open cell foam insulation to provide additional warmth.
Verdict
Don't expect a luxury mattress or a SIM that magically self-inflates. That's near impossible in a mat designed to be lightweight for backpacking.
This SIM is good at being lightweight, simple, and does the job. Yes, I'd like it smaller when packed as I haven't worked out how to fit it on the bike for bike-packing.
It also did well on the D of E, which is also what it's designed for. So, we're happy to give it the Thumbs Up award.
Details
| Attribute | Vango Dreamer Self Inflating Mat |
|---|---|
| RRP | £42 |
| Best Price | £17.99 |
| Product Info | Brand Web Page |
| R-Value | Not specified |
| Number of Valves | 1 |
| Re-Inflation Prevention | No |