View Full Version : Self-inflating mats
I was having a chat with a big believer in these last night and we were wondering how well they would cope with being bent in half longways, before being rolled up, this is mainly as a space saving move. Or, could they be folded?
My feeling is that it would be asking for trouble to fold one for transport, but that a single fold may be feasible. Is it?? ;)
Sharribee
05-05-08, 08:19 PM
Steve if you mean the thermorest type mats, I have one that has been folded, rolled, folded and rolled and it seems to cope just fine with it, in fact mine came folded longways and rolled when I bought it.
Steve if you mean the thermorest type mats, I have one that has been folded, rolled, folded and rolled and it seems to cope just fine with it, in fact mine came folded longways and rolled when I bought it.
That's the one! It sounds as if they will take some abuse then :-)
I know mine is too wide to go in the dry sack as it is and I have tended to go for the dustbin bag approach for protection from the elements, but if they can be folded.....
Thanks.
Sharribee
05-05-08, 08:42 PM
Mine certainly has taken some abuse, the only thing I have been careful with is making sure it doesn't come into contact with sharp objects.
Folding, rolling, twisting mine has taken it all.
I have a thermarest micro-- got it 14 years ago.. i fold it in 1/2 then roll it up.. never and issue... just remember to store it flat uncompressed and with the valve OPEN.. and it will last you years!!!
Mine certainly has taken some abuse, the only thing I have been careful with is making sure it doesn't come into contact with sharp objects.
Folding, rolling, twisting mine has taken it all.
This is a family forum!! :rolleyes:
I have a thermarest micro-- got it 14 years ago.. i fold it in 1/2 then roll it up.. never and issue... just remember to store it flat uncompressed and with the valve OPEN.. and it will last you years!!!
I suspect the cheapie lookalikes have a shorter shelf-life than the pukka items :-) But if it will cope with the occasional bit of abuse, that'll be fine.
I have a cheapie copy and it takes the abuse very well. Many copies have brass valves instead of the genuine Thermarest nylon ones. Fortunately this makes the valve very hard-wearing.
Just don't ever be tempted to "assist" the self-inflation by blowing in the valve inlet. This can make the skin of the mat de-laminate from the foam core, and then the mat doesn't work any more - it deforms like an air bed when you lie on it.
z-weiser
07-05-08, 07:38 AM
thermarest - the way forward - takes all kinds of abuse and is easily repaired if you do comeinto contact with something sharp!
they will take any manner of abuse!!
Z:D
Just don't ever be tempted to "assist" the self-inflation by blowing in the valve inlet. This can make the skin of the mat de-laminate from the foam core, and then the mat doesn't work any more - it deforms like an air bed when you lie on it.
that is one of the advantages of paying the extra for the thermarest.. you can "assist", the instructions even say you can "add extra firmness by inflating by mouth"...AS my mat is only about 1.5cm thick i have been doing this for years with no problems at all... although this may have change in the last decade and a half....(Wow i feel old)....
I have a cheapie copy and it takes the abuse very well. Many copies have brass valves instead of the genuine Thermarest nylon ones. Fortunately this makes the valve very hard-wearing.
Just don't ever be tempted to "assist" the self-inflation by blowing in the valve inlet. This can make the skin of the mat de-laminate from the foam core, and then the mat doesn't work any more - it deforms like an air bed when you lie on it.
Interesting, the gelert instruction do say to put a little bit of extra air in for a firmer bed. It also has a brass valve, though I suspect that there is a factory in China turing out zillions a year which are then badged by the wholesalers.
that is one of the advantages of paying the extra for the thermarest.. you can "assist", the instructions even say you can "add extra firmness by inflating by mouth"...AS my mat is only about 1.5cm thick i have been doing this for years with no problems at all... although this may have change in the last decade and a half....(Wow i feel old)....
The problem comes when you ARE old!! :-) Like you, I like a bit more support to get the hip bone away from the ground. A sleep mat under it for luxurious comfort.... :D
Zenarchy
07-05-08, 03:28 PM
Interesting, the gelert instruction do say to put a little bit of extra air in for a firmer bed. It also has a brass valve, though I suspect that there is a factory in China turing out zillions a year which are then badged by the wholesalers.
I'm on the look out for a mat at the moment, and I came across:
http://www.campmania.co.uk/Item--0-cat-0-brand-450-Adventure_Self_Inflating_Mattress.aspx
which seems to be a good price for the gelert ones. The advert seems to suggest that they're made in the same factory and from the same materials as the thermarest ones (they don't declare that outright but seem to hint at it).
Which gelert one have you got and how have you been finding it?
Been using a Thermarest and that was great however I've swapped over to an Exped 7 - These differ from the Thermarest in that they have a layer of either down and now a synthetic fibre that adds extra comfort and insulation - Okay they are not self inflating but I'm very happy with it so far.
There's a review of a down version of an exped 7 on my trip website - the bloke in it is Matt and he's found it very comfortable he's a big bloke and struggled in the past to find something comfortable see here:www.journeytorussuia.co.uk (http://www.journeytorussuia.co.uk) my one is smaller and has an inbuilt pump - worth a look as it packs down qwuite small will be doing a video review of it soon.
:)
Been using a Thermarest and that was great however I've swapped over to an Exped 7 - These differ from the Thermarest in that they have a layer of either down and now a synthetic fibre that adds extra comfort and insulation - Okay they are not self inflating but I'm very happy with it so far.
There's a review of a down version of an exped 7 on my trip website - the bloke in it is Matt and he's found it very comfortable he's a big bloke and struggled in the past to find something comfortable see here:www.journeytorussuia.co.uk (http://www.journeytorussuia.co.uk) my one is smaller and has an inbuilt pump - worth a look as it packs down qwuite small will be doing a video review of it soon.
:)
These are tempting and good, I have used them in "snow" conditions.. but find that they take up about 1/4 of a pannier. So prefer the smaller thermarests, dont use the big ones for the same reasons...
I know what you mean - the down ones are quite bulky, however the one I have is consderably smaller. Hoping to do a review soon as poss - they are cheaper too. (I am not on commission:))
I'm on the look out for a mat at the moment, and I came across:
http://www.campmania.co.uk/Item--0-cat-0-brand-450-Adventure_Self_Inflating_Mattress.aspx
which seems to be a good price for the gelert ones. The advert seems to suggest that they're made in the same factory and from the same materials as the thermarest ones (they don't declare that outright but seem to hint at it).
Which gelert one have you got and how have you been finding it?
The expedition "big fat dude" size. IAH, it is not wunnerful, but that is me rather than the mat. Miles better than a foam mat though. ;)
I would say that it is wider by about 4-5" than the adventure model. I paid.... I think, 18 quid earlier this year
tendays
07-05-08, 07:25 PM
I'm on my second Thermarest. Always gone for the thinnest (lightest, smallest) possible full-length jobs. Both have been regularly folded lengthways before rolling up, and inflated with a couple of breaths. Stored like Xander says, open & uncompressed.
The first one died when I was wild camping in the Pyrennees. I collapsed the tent on top of it & weighed it down with a rock on a hot day. I forgot to open the valve. Came back after being out climbing all day to find it with a huge delaminated bubble where the rock had been.
Thorougly recommend them, but must admit this gelert jobby looks like a bargain - you could get through 4 of them and still have change from my thermarest so could forgive a bit of quality difference.
/td
The first one died when I was wild camping in the Pyrennees. I collapsed the tent on top of it & weighed it down with a rock on a hot day. I forgot to open the valve. Came back after being out climbing all day to find it with a huge delaminated bubble where the rock had been.
Thorougly recommend them, but must admit this gelert jobby looks like a bargain - you could get through 4 of them and still have change from my thermarest so could forgive a bit of quality difference.
/td
Good timing on killing the mat! :rolleyes:
You are not a million miles from Shrewsbury, try a run out to Charlies Stores on the north of the town. They have quite a bit of camping gear, sometimes a bargain is to be had if they have dropped on a cheap container load of something. They are also at Welshpool, Coed y Dinas, on the west end of town on the old main road. Again lots of gear there as well as assorted tat, but a nice run out though at the weekend. (take the left by the Green Dragon and use the "old bypass" for a nice few little sweepers before dropping back to the Welshpool bypass)
Zenarchy
08-05-08, 01:07 AM
The expedition "big fat dude" size. IAH, it is not wunnerful, but that is me rather than the mat. Miles better than a foam mat though. ;)
I would say that it is wider by about 4-5" than the adventure model. I paid.... I think, 18 quid earlier this year
Thanks mate. I was looking at the expedition ones as well (they have them on that site for £20 at the moment though they may not be the big ones). I think they're made from lighter materials, but figured that wouldn't be so much of an issue considering the bike's pulling a big lump like me anyway, and I probably wouldn't be going hiking with it.
I've heard that some of the cheaper self inflating mats can have problems with airbubbles and the foam inside becoming detatched, so was a bit wary of these but that advert does seem quite tempting.
I think I might give one of them a try.
I swapped my (still working) thermarest for an Exped 7 a couple of years ago. More hassle to inflate (using a drybag), but sheer luxury in comparison.
iswoolley
08-05-08, 06:23 PM
I picked up a thermarest clone at the Horizon's Unlimited weekend a couple of years ago. I fold down the middle before rolling up, and can pack my tent, matt, sleeping bag, clothes, etc. into a 35l Zega pannier, leaving the other pannier for the pillion. :thumbleft:
...take the left by the Green Dragon...
That'll be opposite my office then!
I picked up a thermarest clone at the Horizon's Unlimited weekend a couple of years ago. I fold down the middle before rolling up, and can pack my tent, matt, sleeping bag, clothes, etc. into a 35l Zega pannier, leaving the other pannier for the pillion. :thumbleft:
That is some good packing I have to say.
That'll be opposite my office then!
Bit of a daily commute! Well it is for us rural folks :-)
Are you on the Tech Park?
NZTransalp
11-05-08, 09:43 AM
As long as its a genuine Thermarest, you'll be fine. I slept on mine for 6 months solid in the jungle (with frequent folding) and when it finally de-laminated, Thermarest replaced it gratis.
Magic!
Extremist
11-05-08, 10:48 AM
That is some good packing I have to say.
I'll say, there's no way I could fit my Mrs into a 35L pannier. She's going on a diet now!
I'll say, there's no way I could fit my Mrs into a 35L pannier. She's going on a diet now!
Mine seems to be self inflating.....
FX...ducks............... INCOMING!!!!!! :iconbiggrin::iconbiggrin::iconbiggrin:
Zenarchy
12-05-08, 01:54 AM
Have you seen this:
http://www.balloonbed.co.uk/
I'll go for a self inflating mat myself I think, but that looks like a great idea all the same. Looks like it'd be small and light enough to fit in the toolbox even!
Zenarchy
12-05-08, 02:13 AM
P.S. Just a quick heads up incase anyone else is looking for camping gear at the moment - lidl have a sale on next monday. They have a cheap self inflating mattress and a self inflating pillow for about £3 which seems a bargain (though the matress at £15 I'm not sure about as it seems you might be able to pick up others that might be better for not much more).
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