GEAR CHOICE - Sleeping Mats - Inflatable or Foam?

So, when i venture into the outdoors and want a good nights sleep. I almost always sleep on the ground. For this reason i always take a sleeping mat. This cuts down on my set-up time and is easy to configure. I could make my own bedding and insulation from natural materials (spruce and tree boughs or even grass), however there is never a guarantee of finding such suitable material and energy conservation is always a priority in the wild.

Inflatable vs Foam? With a huge range of products out there it can be a brain-numbing task trying to choose which type of sleeping mat to take with you. I will not drill down into facts and figures, that will go into one ear and out of the other, for they may not be relevant in the real world and out in the woods... A simple comparison will do.
Thermal Properties of a sleeping mat will ultimately be the deciding factor for insulation from the ground, throw in the added atmospheric conditions, including wind and it forms a small chunk of the equation. Foam mats tend to be thinner as they have better condensed thermal properties and can afford to be thinner. This is why i have found the inflatable mats to be upto two to 6 times thicker in order to achieve the same level. Thinner mats however will not provide the comfortable 'mattress' feel many people may be after.
Speed When it comes to setting up your bed for the night you may be tired, especially after a day of movement/work. The easier and quicker the set-up becomes, the quicker i can administer myself before sleep. When it comes to speed, the foam mat wins always... unroll and you are ready. The Inflatable has to be taken out of its bag, unrolled and ultimately inflated, Setup time around 2 minutes.
Durability - The mat will be used every night and may even be used during the day for kneeling on or sitting whilst resting/cooking. I prefer all my gear to be robust, so this is a priority.

The Foam Mat

• Can be flexed and 'scuffed', over a variety of surfaces and still maintain great integrity.
• Water immersion will not affect it and it can be easily cleaned.
• The mat is large. The increase in surface area, when on the outside of a rucksack, increases wind resistance.
• Internally, it can be folded and increase padding, but will reduce internal available space.
• To avoid 'feeling every bump' Some people require a thicker pad for their size/weight.
• Cost is cheap - This one cost me £8.
• I have trimmed this down - weighs 12 ounces (11mm thick).
• Can be trimmed down to size to suit your requirements AND can be used as an improvisation materiel/substitute for a whole array of items, including replacement insoles, axe head protectors and even cut out to make an emergency neck brace/limb immobiliser.

The inflatable mat

• Not as easy to clean - I find that the outer fabric layer can absorb moisture and take a lot longer to clean than the foam mat.
• The inflation tube is no doubt the single point of failure - should it be crushed or have a valve failure, it would render the mat useless.
• My particular model of mat does have an inner foam core, that continues to support the shape and depth of the mat should i have a 'hull-breach'.
• Packs down into a very small volume and is lightweight.
• Can be very expensive.
• Very light, my mat is 14 Ounces and measures 10 inches x 5 inches when packed.
• 2.5 times thicker than the foam mat.
• Far superior to the foam mat when used as either a flotation aid or to boost the bouyancy of your pack.
• Punctures are a threat, although some mats do boast a self-sealing feature - Mine does not, but it does come with a puncture repair kit.
• Trapped moisture from inflation can lead to storage issues and mould build-up.
  My opinion? Really it comes down to functionality, price and durability....
  The Foam mat wins every time in these areas, but the inflatable mat really does add the convenience of a small packable size. However, the foam mat is my first choice for improvisation. Does it really matter at the end of the day? It boils down to price and space. For me i would have to opt for the Foam Mat, not only becuase i have used one since the 1980's and it's part of my camping/treking ethos, but because of its huge versatility (and price) - So long as it is robust, it will work for me.
  What are YOUR preferences?