Roamer Self-Inflating Mattress

The Nemo Roamer is a self-inflating sleeping pad and camping mattress built for comfort first: a deep layer of foam and air under a soft stretch-knit top, a valve that lets you set the firmness exactly, and four sizes from a Single to a Double Wide. It is the mattress for camps where you would rather sleep like you do at home.

Who it's for

Anyone setting up a proper camp for a few nights: a family week at a national park campground, a long weekend on the Sunshine Coast hinterland, a festival, a base camp in the high country where you head out walking each day and come back to a real bed. It also makes an excellent spare bed at home.

Side sleepers get the most out of it. Hips and shoulders sink into the foam rather than bottoming out, and the top fabric stretches with you instead of pulling tight. Couples can clip two Singles or two Single Wides together with the built-in toggles and loops, or go straight to a Double or Double Wide.

What R-value means for you

R-value is how well a mattress stops the cold ground drawing heat out of you overnight. Higher is warmer, and what you lie on matters as much as your sleeping bag. The Roamer's insulation is its deep foam core: foam traps air in small cells, and a thick layer of it between you and the ground holds warmth in.

That makes the Roamer a mattress for camping well into the cooler months: frosty autumn mornings in the Grampians, a winter weekend at Girraween, a crisp spring night in the Victorian high country.

Comfort and noise

The Roamer is all about the cushioning. The foam fills out rocks, roots and uneven ground, and the stretch-knit top is soft enough to sleep on directly. A foam-filled mattress is also quiet: no crinkle and rustle every time you roll over, which your tent-mate will appreciate.

Inside, Nemo's Flow Core construction cuts channels through the foam in both directions. You do not feel them; they are there to move air in and out quickly.

Inflation and packing

Unroll it, open the valve and the foam draws air in by itself while you set up the tent. For a firmer bed, the included Vortex pump sack tops it up without you breathing moisture into the foam. The Laylow valve sits flush with the mattress and lets air out in small taps, so you can lie on it and soften it until it is just right.

To pack, open the one-way dump valve and roll from the far end; the air rushes out and stays out. Strap the roll and it goes into its stuff sack.

Weight

The Roamer is built for comfort rather than for carrying on your back. It suits camps where the mattress does not go in a backpack. The Single is the lightest and most compact of the four sizes, the Double Wide the heaviest, so pick the smallest size that sleeps you well.

Durability and repair

The base fabric is made to take the ground, and foam gives you a backup an air mattress does not: pick up a thorn and there is still cushioning under you that night. Repair patches are included, so a small hole is a quick fix at camp.

Looking after it

At home, store the Roamer unrolled with the valve open, under a bed or on a shelf. Foam kept tightly rolled for months is slower to spring back. Wipe the top with a damp cloth, and make sure it is dry before it goes away.