Motorcycle Explorer November 2016 Issue 14 | Page 33

Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Mat
For a sleeping mat, Pau opted for Sea To
Summit’s lightest mat. This model comes in
three sizes including a short version, ideal for
Pau at 5’4”. It packs down even smaller than
the NeoAir, but is slightly thinner when
inflated; this, coupled with the quilt-like
design, results in a little less insulation than
the NeoAir. But for ease of use it trumped the
Thermarest. Coupled with the very clever Air
Stream Pump Sack - a lightweight dry-bag
with a sealable valve - the mat can be inflated
quickly and effortlessly. Then pull out the
mat’s valve from its seat and it deflates
almost immediately. If you do need to blow it
up by mouth, the interior of the mat is treated
to prevent the inevitable moisture which will
build up over time from turning to mould. All
very innovative, which Sea To Summit do very
well.
COOKING and EATING
Being old school, I usually favour a stainless steel pan and mug as my cooking setup.
But this time we opted for something very different.
Sea To Summit’s X-Series offers a really
innovative solution for the camp kitchen. We were http://www.seatosummit.co.uk/products/camp-
kitchen/
familiar with it, since Pau has been using one of
their silicon collapsible bowls for several years now.
What really caught our eye, though, was the X-Pot -
a collapsable cooking pot with a metal base
allowing it to be used on camping stoves. It comes
in three sizes - 1.4 litre for solo travellers, 2.8 litre
for pairs or even small group, and a big 4 litre
option. We chose the 2.8L pot, which nests
perfectly in the X-Pan - an 8 inch frying pan. We
also took two X-plates and two X-Bowls - the latter
fitting inside the X-Pot to make a really compact
solution and ideal for stowing in panniers.
I was very impressed with this system and am now a
convert. It’s high quality, compact, will last the test
of time - and it works. They also do collapsible
cups, kettles, 10L washing bowls and a whole lot
more. Check out the link below to see the full
range.