Van Life: The Exped SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat

Van Life: Our sleeping system

Update: We’re now using a new sleeping system – a DIY van life bed.

This post is for those of you who have been asking what we decided to do for bed cushioning since we elected not to order the cushions from Wayfarer Vans. To make a long story short, we started out using the cushions from our old vintage motorhomes. We had two cushions that we saved from the 1976 Toyota Sunline that we owned, three from the 1976 Chinook we owned and an old red sleeping bag that we used to prop our feet up. In other words, it was a situation. Neither of us slept well with that kind of configuration but we figured it was a way to save a little bit of money up front and eventually get into the comfort sleeping system that we wanted.

Van Life: SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat
This is how it was shipped.
Van Life: SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat
This is the size of a new, compressed mat.

Caroline did a lot of research and found this mat called the SIM Comfort Duo 7.5. It’s out of Switzerland and though it was hard to track down and actually purchase, we finally found one and had it delivered!

The Exped SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 mat

We bought this mat for sleeping in our Ram ProMaster City cargo van. We realized that it would play really nicely with the Wayfarer Van Conversion kit (You can read more about why we chose the Wayfarer kit if you like). The reviews were really good online and the videos were helpful as well. It was a little hard for us to purchase something sight unseen but we crossed our fingers and remained hopeful.

Turns out that our bet was a good one!

Van Life: SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat
It self inflates!

The mat came delivered in a bag that has a strap for carrying it. We kept it with the thought that maybe it could double as a laundry bag. The first time we unrolled the mat from the bag it was really compressed and cold.  But in about 30 minutes of being laid out flat, it was ready to go!

Van Life: Our sleeping system
The hand pump helps with inflation.

The SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 mat is thick and self-inflating. It also comes with a pump in case you want or need for it to be ready faster. Goodbye to almost passing out from trying to inflate a sleeping pad. As far as deflation it has two durable FlatValves that allow the mat to lose air rather quickly.

Van Life: Our sleeping system
The exterior of the FlatValve
Van Life: Our sleeping system
The interior of the FlatValve

The valves are a nice feature because once we wake up we like to fold the mat in half so that we can access the other storage boxes. It’s takes a lot less time to do this than it does to move all of the cushions around like before.

Some more details about the SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat:

And now for the nitty-gritty details about the mat. One of the reasons this information was so important to us was because we wanted it to fit our van perfectly. We wanted to make sure it was wide enough and that we would both fit on it. In addition, we wanted to make sure that when it was folded in half that it wouldn’t be so thick so as to make us bump our heads on the ceiling. Turns out that it met both of those requirements.
Thickness:

7.5 cm

Length:

197 cm

Shoulder Width:

125 cm

Foot Width:

125 cm

Weight Mat:

3320 g

Weight Pump:

45 g

Weight Packsack:

160 g

Packed height:

67 cm

Packed diameter:
23 cm
MSRP:

259.00

Product No.:
7640147769700
Top Materials:
50 D Tricot nylon, TPU Polyether film laminate, hydrolysis resitant, honeycomb embossed, Oeko-Tex® 100 certified
Bottom Materials:
75 D Polyester, TPU Polyether film laminate, hydrolysis resistant, Oeko-Tex® 100 certified
Insulation:
16 kg/m² opencell PU foam, Oekotex 100 certified
In addition to the mat and the carrying bag, the box also included a repair manual and an instruction sheet.

Where to Purchase the SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat

We tried to buy this at REI but it wasn’t in stock. They told us that they could order it but that it would take us another 2 months to receive. We finally found the Exped SIM Comfort Duo Self Inflating Air Mattress – 7.5 on Amazon and received it within about a week from ordering it. Purchases come with a 5 year warranty.

This mat has been a game changer for us. It allows us to get a really comfortable night’s rest. I’m not sure we could ever go back to the mismatched cushion situation we had before. It’s comfortable no matter which way you like to sleep. We both usually start on our sides and end up on our backs or stomachs and the mat performs no matter what position we pick. It’s actually more comfortable than some beds we’ve slept in!

One thing we don’t recommend is letting your pets on this mat. The instructions make it really clear that toenails and other sharp objects will lead to a shorter life of the mat. In addition they recommend keeping it away from heat. Both of these are pretty common sense but worth remembering so you don’t end up having to buy another one.

Van Life: Our sleeping system
The Exped SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat

The Exped SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat Recap

We recommend this mat for anyone who values a good night’s rest while traveling. While it’s much too heavy for backpacking trips, it’s an excellent choice for van lifers and weekend car campers. We could see also see it doubling as way to host friends when they come to visit at your house, not just someone sleeping in a van.

What do you use for a sleeping pad or mat when traveling? We’d love to hear your thoughts about van life and camping gear. Please leave them in the comments below!

To purchase, click here:

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Published by Erin McGrady

Erin McGrady is a filmmaker, photographer, and writer exploring Asheville and beyond. My work focuses on sharing about LGBTQ safe spaces, camper van life, and the outdoors.

9 thoughts on “Van Life: The Exped SIM Comfort Duo 7.5 Mat

  1. Meh… I prefer the $20 4″ foam camping pads from the big box stores, wrapped in one of those flannel sheet type summer sleeping bags. One for the seat, one for the back, and pulled out to make a double bed. The sleeping bags are easily removable for laundering. As comfortable as any bed I’ve ever slept on. Warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. Cheap and easy to find are added bonuses.

  2. Be VERY CAREFUL with those plywood edges and your blowup mat. I tell you this from experience. Pinholes are easy to patch, large slices from the mat sliding around are not.

    1. Thank you!!! Yeah, we’ve been concerned about this and are worried about it getting punctured. Do you think sanding the edges would do the trick? I really hope this didn’t happen to you!!!! What are you using now?

  3. Hi! How has this mat held up for you? I also have a Wayfarers kit and am debating between purchasing this mat or the MegaMat. However, I am worried about the width of the MegaMat at 52 inches, especially around the wheelwells. Do you have any wiggle room with the SIM or does it fit snugly?

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