Biking & Camping - Test: So, how do you sleep in an Exped tent, sleeping bag & sleeping mat?

Exped has long been a household name for camping enthusiasts. The Swiss outdoor expert stands for high-quality and very lightweight equipment - but this often comes at a price. We picked up a 1-person tent, a summer sleeping bag and a sleeping mat for warm temperatures to test out on a bikepacking adventure, big or small, and set off. The short escape from everyday life: Friday evening, pack your bike, ride to the next but one campsite by the lake and hopefully spend a peaceful night there. The decisive factor for such a short trip is how uncomplicated the equipment is. And this is our result:

Exped Mira I HL 1-person tent

The Exped Mira HL is a very light tent for one person with the classic connected pole set. The pole elements have a length of 42.5 cm, which is too wide for most Gravellenker, but should fit in many arse rockets. Or they can be attached to the top tube with straps. The inner tent, which can also be used without the outer shell, was erected in 7:52 minutes during our first test, and the complete set-up was completed in 14:24 minutes. The quick-release buckles and holders that connect the flysheet and inner tent help here. The whole concept is very similar to the one we tested. Big Agnes bikepacking tentespecially as the poles come from the same supplier, namely DAC. The only difference is that the pole elements are significantly shorter in the Big Agnes: 30.5 cm instead of 42.5 cm. The Exped pegs are light, but not quite as delicate in direct comparison, which is an advantage when using them.

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Part of the inner tent consists of a fine-mesh mosquito net. In the lower third, denser ripstop nylon provides protection against the wind or prying eyes from outside. The outer tent extends quite far down to the ground, so that the inside is well protected against splashing rain.

Lots of air in the tent - little storage space

With a height of one metre, the Mira HL offers plenty of headroom. The tent has a large vestibule facing the large front door. A second door, albeit without a mosquito net, leads out to the other side. The space between the inner tent and the outer wall is minimal and hardly usable.

The material makes a fairly robust impression, although it is very fine and thin. Exped therefore recommends a tarpaulin ("footprint") as protection for the floor of the tent. This means that the outer tent can also be used as rain protection in combination with the footprint. Price: 500 euros >> e.g. at Mountain friends or Mountain time available at a reduced price.

Conclusion on the Exped Mira I HL 1-person tent

In terms of weight, the Exped Mira I HL is quite light at just under 1200 grams. On the other hand, there is a relatively large amount of space inside, above all you can sit quite comfortably in it and have room to change clothes, for example. At 500 euros, it's not a bargain, but the author's experience with Exped is that the equipment is quite durable if you look after it and take care when handling it.

For comparison: Last summer we already tested bikepacking tents: These 3 lightweight tents with a small pack size fit well on the bike. For references on sleeping bags and sleeping mats, click here:

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Exped Trekkinglite Summer sleeping bag

When it comes to sleeping bags, one thing is very difficult to assess: the feeling of comfort at different temperatures. Where one person starts to freeze at 15 degrees, another is happy that it is just getting comfortable for sleeping. The Exped Trekkinglite Summer sleeping bag has a comfort zone of 10 °C - at which the author would not have spent the night without trousers and socks. At 16 degrees it was comfortable, 14 would certainly be ok too. Just subjective perception.

The Exped sleeping bag can also be used as a blanket as it has an all-round zip. Due to its low volume, the manufacturer even recommends it as an inner sleeping bag for better insulation at very low temperatures. It is definitely an advantage that the Trekkinglite does not come with a preformed hood, but can be pulled together with a drawstring. This means you can easily use the sleeping bag with a pillow that neither slips out from under the sleeping bag at night nor has to be squeezed into the hood. A big plus!

As you usually come into contact with the material, it is important that, according to Exped, the outer and inner materials are PFC-free and that only RDS-certified down is used for the filling.

Conclusion on the Exped Trekkinglite Summer sleeping bag, size M

At 647 grams and 200 euros, the Exped Trekkinglite sleeping bag is quite light and, considering the actual retail price, also reasonably priced. Compared to the Big Agnes Fly Creek, which we tested last: For 500 euros and a good 50 grams more, you get ISO comfort of 2 °C instead of 10 °C.

In our test, however, it slept very well in the Exped. The material is pleasantly soft and quiet - especially in combination with the Exped sleeping pad - only the space in the size M sleeping bag is perhaps too tight for people with a wider build, especially when used as a summer sleeping bag where insulation is not so important. The pack size of 33 x 18 x 15 cm is given by the pack sack, but can certainly be significantly reduced by compression, for example with straps or in a saddle bag. Exped specifies 23 x 12 x 13 cm.

Exped Ultra 1R Mummy sleeping pad

The Ultra 1R Mummy sleeping mat from Exped has the term "Mummy" in its name because it is not rectangular, but rounded and becomes narrower towards the bottom. This saves material and therefore pack size and weight - specifically 390 grams including the cover in an approx. 18 x 9.5 cm roll. It is also designed for warmer temperatures (R-value 1.3). Nevertheless, you still lie comfortably on the 7 cm of trapped air. Raised side chambers keep you centred on the mat. As already mentioned with the sleeping bag, the materials used work perfectly together in terms of noise and rustling development. Nothing squeaks and the friction between sleeping bag and mat sounds "silky" quiet.

The Ultra 1R Mummy Mat is inflated with the so-called "Schnozzel Pumpbag" - perhaps because of the small trunk? What is certain is that pumping is quick, efficient and moisture-free. About 4-5 fillings are necessary until the sleeping pad is firm enough. In addition - typical Exped - the Ultra 1R has two valves: one for inflating, one for deflating, which makes the process simple and, above all, efficient when packing up later. Simply pull the plug and roll up from the back. Price: 150 Euro >> at Mountain time or Mountain friends available at a reduced price.

Conclusion on the Exped Ultra 1R Mummy sleeping pad

150 euros for a sleeping pad sounds like a lot - but the Exped Ultra 1R sleeping pad's 400 grams and feel are worth the price. The 7 cm thickness of the mat is certainly only suitable for warm nights. In terms of lying comfort, it could reach its limits for very heavy people. In direct comparison to the less functional valve system of Big Agnes, Exped's established system, which works perfectly with the pump bag, should be emphasised once again in a positive light.