Therm-a-Rest

[Paul Rochdale]

I bought one of these, possibly the 'Exhibition' model, a few years as I was lead to believe these are the Rolls Royce of sleeping mats but I've never got on with it. Why?

1. It's far too narrow and perhaps I should have bought the large size. It's a bit like trying to sleep on top of a very low wall. It's dead easy to slide off the thing during the night.

2. It's hardly self inflating. I always add at least ten puffs of air otherwise I'd be laying on the rock hard ground.

I've just come back from two nights at a campsite at Rhayader in Wales. Froze to death the first night and no sleep. Second night using a 5-season sleeping bag was much better. My son's service sleeping bag wasn't quite warm enough although a liner might have done it.

I've seen sort of lightweight 'cots' for want of a better word, made with narrow section steel frame and legs and wonder if this is the way to go. At least it get's you a few inches off the ground.

Any recommendations please?

 

[Paul Rochdale]

That should read 'Expedition'. Just been reading about the Exped mat.

 

[Big Lee]

Hi Paul,

How do you store your mat? if you store it rolled up it won`t self inflate.

If you use a camp bed you`ll probably be even colder as you`re not insulated from the cold air around you as you`ve compressed the insulation in your sleeping bag by lying on it!

I`ve never had a problem keeping on my mat at night, it doesn`t take much to scoot back onto it if you come off

Your sons bag, is it the big snugpak style army issue or the old down filled one? Again if you store them rolled up they loose warmth. If its the snugpak one they are toasty, I`ve woken up nice and warm in one of those & a bivvy bag when the bivvy bag has been covered in hard frost!

 

[The Bede]

... Hmmm ... Did you buy a 'Therma-Rest' which advertise as 'self-inflating.'
A claim as self-inflated as the allusion to Royce like levels of somnabulant luxury for a paltry £40ish. I'd send it back as not fit for puropse, they're not nearly as good as the publicity.

... Or ... Did you buy a branded Exped Down filled mat, which are the true mutts nuts of sleeping mats? These do not claim self-inflatory prowess, you puff 'em up with the stuff sack.

... Can't understand any problems with a genuine Exped, (apart from Forry's which seems to suffer spontaneous deflation problems). I find mine warmer and more comfortable than many normal beds. They come at a hefty £100 for the <STRIKE>large</STRIKE> Tosser size, but well worth every penny IMHO

 

[Paul Rochdale]

Yes it is a genuine Therm-a-Rest 'Expedition sleeping mat, I'm afraid. Although I used to store it flat under a spare bed, the cats took a liking to it so I store it rolled up. Wrong, I know.

This is the type of folding bed that might do the trick, either a Royal Mac or a Royal Concertina bed. http://www.camperlands.co.uk/store/erol.html#11242X14198

I checked with my son this morning and the bag is a Snugpak Summer bag so that was my stupid fault for taking it. He's going to try to get me a Snugpak Winter bag which should do the trick.

Tell me about bivvy bags please. I guess these are like a large waterproof sack that surrounds a normal sleeping bag? Presumably it does the same job as a Mummy bag which is a sort of liner, and ups the seasons by one?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Rolf]

I have had a Thermarest for about 15 years - have to admit I too have always kept it stored rolled up and it has alway needed blowing up but still works fine despite fact that is the short lightweight version (I have mainly used it when running mountain marathons). To stop rolling off it I took a tube of Evostik and ran half a dozen lines of glue across the width of the top of the mat and let to set when blown up - have never rolled off it since!

As for bivvy bags, they are more than a mummy bag - cheapest version is to use one of the big orange survival bags you can buy in outdoor shops - ok if stuck but you will get sweaty inside one which will not be so good for your sleeping bag, especially if it is down. Top of the range are Goretex, with several companies making non-Goretex versions in between, different sizes also which mean you can get your kit inside as well - not sure of cost because bought mine years ago but try looking on Cotswolds' or Taunton Leisure's sites for ideas. Some of them have metal hoops which makes them into mini-tents - a good idea as can become very claustrophobic, especially Goretex ones which are breathable and can be zipped up - waking up in the dark enclosed in a bivvy bag to hear an avalanche across the valley is not an experience to be recommended!

http://www.tauntonleisure.com/products/standard-bivi/2196/ - £29.95
https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/ind...id_web_group_level2/22/group_level2/Bivi_Bags - four from £60 to £200

 

[Paul Rochdale]

I've been looking at the Royal 'Mac' and 'Concertina' camp beds but after visiting the local branch of Milletts, it seems that they are quite large when packed down. A bit too large to carry on the bike. Their ordinary camp bed at £10 seems neat though and packs down small. My son's RAF camping mat measures 10mm thick so that and camp bed might be the way to go? If that can't get me a good night's sleep, then I think it's B&B for the future.

 

[davegs]

Campbeds

Yes thermaests can be a prob when it comes to sliding off, airo stich brought out a very nice camp bed that folds up very small but have not seen one in
the flesh. Get a "Mountaneering ground sheet" aluminium foil in a palstic cover and put this under your thermarest this stops the cold comming up through the ground and it works!!. I brought a foil blanket (like they put around injured people ) and this works well but a bit delicate and needs carefull handling have used this in Wales (Rhino Rally) and it works!.
dave gs.

 

[Slowdown]

I just dobbed a bit of sllicon rubber on my thermorest - I don't slither no more

And in extreme circumstances, blowing up your thermorest can be a bad idea. I've seen them after a freezing night where they've been blown up so much there's quite a bit of water from your breath inside the thing. It was

1. Very cold to sleep on
2. Impossible to roll up again.

Mine's under the bead, inflated and has never been 'blown up'

Anal, perhaps. But my anal stays warm and cosy at night.

 

[rocks]

Down mat..

Therma-rests are good, I have had one for many years and its been a staple
sleep over mat, but since buying an exped down mat9 my self that has become my trip mat..

Costly, but the Exped Down Mats are the warmest and the DLX's are the widest I have seen so far. I rate these as the rolls royce of the mat world..

My therma-rest never self inflated from day one, not fully as it were, always had to give it a couple of puffs of air. Which is not good for the foam inside as it introduces moisture that gets trapped and builds up..

I would have a look at the DLX range of down mats by exped, they also still pack smaller than therm-a-rests, despite being thicker, warmer and wider.

Have a gander HERE for down mats Yes this is my own shop. They are also available from numerous other places too...

 

[Bonnie Tyler]

Therma-Rests are being replaced by a new phenomenon that is now sweeping europe.

They are called b-e-d-s and can be found in buildings known as hotels.

You should try it !!

 

[Paul Rochdale]

Feck me, a motorcyclist from Guernsey. Do you ever get into top gear? Isn't their a really low islandwide speed limit?

 

[Grimster]

I've been looking at the Royal 'Mac' and 'Concertina' camp beds but after visiting the local branch of Milletts, it seems that they are quite large when packed down. A bit too large to carry on the bike. Their ordinary camp bed at £10 seems neat though and packs down small. My son's RAF camping mat measures 10mm thick so that and camp bed might be the way to go? If that can't get me a good night's sleep, then I think it's B&B for the future.

Might as well add my thrup'ny bit's worth !! Your son's RAF issue mat will be the bog standard green 'Karrimat' type. Not much more than foam. The issue bivvy bags are designed to have the mat and sleeping bag thrown inside allowing you to climb in and get a dry night's kip (assuming you've also got the shelter sheet yada yada yada... you get the picture. Not really designed for use inside a tent (a bit like wearing your best waterproofs in the car !)

It's worth trawling round outdoor shops and looking at the alternatives to Thermarest. There's loads these days, thicker, wider, cheaper etc etc. As another chap said... "campbeds are an option" but you end up with cold air underneath you so lose the insulation qualities of a decent mat.

Personally my preference is Thermarest in the winter, or the hills, and the trusty double airbed in the summer

I'm off to boil my head now

 

[spm0912]

IMHO camp beds are just not comfortable enough and has been said you will probably be colder.

I use an expedition therma rest which I unroll well before I need it, but it does still require a couple of puffs to inflate it fully.

Sliding off is a pain, what I do is place the mat inside a bivvy bag and spend a fair bit of time ensuring I'm sleeping on flat ground if possible.

Cold, sleepless nights in a tent are not fun but it really doesn't have to be like that. With the right kit and careful prep it is possible to get a good nights sleep. Honest!

 

[davegs]

Thermo rests

I am a fan if you read the instructions they reccomend you give it a few breaths to inflate it to suit you. As I stated in a previous epistle if you get a foil ground sheet under the mat it will make a great improvement. I went to the Elephant rally many years ago, all I had was a very thin sleeping bag and somone lent me a mountaineering ground sheet. Alloy foil in plastic sheet and this made one hell of a difference and this was COLD! inspite of a high(very)
acohol blood level it worked.
dave (thermo fan) GS.