Inflatable Sleeping Mats

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PH
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by PH »

I haven't used a NeoAir, what is the noise?
On mats I have used, the squeakiness has been the mat moving against the groundsheet, easily cured by putting it in a light fabric bag, if like me you use a quilt rather than a sleeping bag, that also gives a nicer surface to sleep on. In iandusud's case that would also be a good way to keep two mats together.
willem jongman
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by willem jongman »

The better insulating Neoairs have reflective foil inside, and that is a bit noisy. But they are wonderfully warm.
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pjclinch
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by pjclinch »

Missus and I use NeoAirs (the originals in our case, which rather falls between the various current offerings), they're great.

I don't have a problem with my 30 year old Thermarest in terms of side-sleeping comfort, to be honest, but the NeoAir is more comfortable, lighter and much less bulky.

Pete.
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iandusud
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by iandusud »

PT1029 wrote:+ one for the sea to summit.
NB. Inflating with it's bag NB, there is a certain knack to it, but better than lung power, and better than the 2 handed pump in Exped down filled sleeping mats which needs quite a precise knack to pump efficiently.
We used ours for a short trip last August, and for about 3 weeks on the patio in the really hot weather last spring/summer.

After following (on line unfortunately!) friends cycling overland to NZ, we got a camping quilt which we use with a double silk sleeping bag liner.
https://www.thermarest.com/ie/sleeping- ... 13174.html

Not cheap, and they do a warmer version as well. We used it last August and were fine, I suspect the one we had might be chilly in spring/autumn though.
The logic is that most modern camping mats are well enough insulated that you don't need any sleeping bag insulation underneath. In essence we cut out a chunk of volume out of our tandem camping luggage. I think that some of the volume saving was (possibly) partially due to a less warm quilts compared to our warmer normal sleeping bags, but we gained quite a bit of volume.
Edit:
Space Packer Plus! How old is that now? Most things I buy once - when you wear them out, something better has come along. Over a few decades I have had 3 Space Packer Plus tents (1 stolen, 1 ripped due to UV degredation - it had had a lot of sun). My partner who has shorter arms tham me didn't like it though (long reach to the zips), so now wallow in Hilleberg design, though I still use the Space Packer Plus on my own.


I love my Spacepacker Plus. I bought it in 1988 and it was used for three cycling camping holidays in 88, 90 and 91. Then a few subsequent holidays until kids came along. After that it didn't get any use for quite a few years as we were using family tents that got bigger as did the family! But over the last 10 years it has been back in action every summer and it is a wonderful tent. I used it at a rally a few years ago where it rained and rained and the groundsheet was letting water in (the site was flooding). I have used it subsequently without any problem but nonetheless the groundsheet does tend to feel damp on the inside now if there's much rain. I think a tarp footprint is probably in order now. However after over 30 years of faithful service I have no complaints and look forward to using it again for what I bought it for in the first place.
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pjclinch
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by pjclinch »

Spacepackers...

I got one in about 1990, was stolen in a burglary in '97 and I replaced like for like. As I usually used it solo it wasn't the Plus (my dad has one of those), and it is a bit tight for two, plus the inner-in-your-face-when-lying isn't to everyone's taste and my wife isn't a fan. I still use it solo though (she has an MSR Hubba for solo use).

It's been in some pretty outrageous places and some testing conditions, a great tent.
Image

Tarptent Scarp is a good possible replacement, but the porches just aren't so good...
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iandusud
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by iandusud »

pjclinch wrote:Spacepackers...

I got one in about 1990, was stolen in a burglary in '97 and I replaced like for like. As I usually used it solo it wasn't the Plus (my dad has one of those), and it is a bit tight for two, plus the inner-in-your-face-when-lying isn't to everyone's taste and my wife isn't a fan. I still use it solo though (she has an MSR Hubba for solo use).

It's been in some pretty outrageous places and some testing conditions, a great tent.
Image

Tarptent Scarp is a good possible replacement, but the porches just aren't so good...


Nice photo. I see you are of a Bent persuasion :)
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pedalsheep
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by pedalsheep »

pjclinch wrote:Spacepackers...

I got one in about 1990, was stolen in a burglary in '97 and I replaced like for like. As I usually used it solo it wasn't the Plus (my dad has one of those), and it is a bit tight for two, plus the inner-in-your-face-when-lying isn't to everyone's taste and my wife isn't a fan. I still use it solo though (she has an MSR Hubba for solo use).

It's been in some pretty outrageous places and some testing conditions, a great tent.
Image

Tarptent Scarp is a good possible replacement, but the porches just aren't so good...

My Spacepacker is still going strong, bought in 1989 I think. It did suffer from a bent pole after a windy night camped high in the Mamores which Saunders replaced free of charge.
'Why cycling for joy is not the most popular pastime on earth is still a mystery to me.'
Frank J Urry, Salute to Cycling, 1956.
bohrsatom
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by bohrsatom »

I’m a fan of the Exped Synmat UL7, it packs down nice and small but most importantly is really comfortable to sleep on. Sadly I’ve also suffered from the mat delaminating (two of the air pockets that run lengthways joining together) but this was within the warranty and I got a replacement.

I would question the reliability for a longer trip but a 3 or 4 weeks a year touring cyclist will get many years of comfortable sleep from the UL7.
willem jongman
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by willem jongman »

Mine delaminated in year three and out of the warranty period. It also meant a week of increasingly uncomfortable nights. We similarly had an Exped Downmat delaminate (after warranty) and another Downmat that started to spew down (replaced under warranty).
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andrew_s
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by andrew_s »

Bear in mind that the roof angle on a Spacepacker is such that you'll lose about 4 inches of effective sleeping length with the extra inch and a half thickness of a Neoair over the current self inflating mat, so what's tolerable at present may become too in your face with a thicker mat.
iandusud
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by iandusud »

andrew_s wrote:Bear in mind that the roof angle on a Spacepacker is such that you'll lose about 4 inches of effective sleeping length with the extra inch and a half thickness of a Neoair over the current self inflating mat, so what's tolerable at present may become too in your face with a thicker mat.

You are quite right and for that reason I have found a modern flock type airbed to be not ideal (note not used when cycle camping!). However I'm prepared to loose a little bit of clearance to the inner tent for a good night's sleep. As it is the inner tent touching my head has never really bothered me that much.
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pjclinch
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by pjclinch »

iandusud wrote: 2 Apr 2021, 8:55am Nice photo. I see you are of a Bent persuasion :)
Thanks, it's on a site in Thurso, with Orkney as the backdrop.
Love the 'bents for touring. My arms/neck stop having fun after about 50 miles on anything with a bit of forward crouch but recumbent I can keep on until my legs run out of fuel.

Pete.
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iandusud
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by iandusud »

Has anyone here tried the Trekology UL80? https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07 ... _qh_dp_hza
Not the highest R rating but the reviews are good and the price is right as they say.
willem jongman
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by willem jongman »

Summer only I would say.
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simonineaston
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Re: Inflatable Sleeping Mats

Post by simonineaston »

The old engineering maxim, "you can have light, well-made and cheap - but only 2 from the list at the same time..." probably applies as much to camping mattresses as much as cycles. Presumably Trekology get round this issue by describing the decidedly portly 750g as "ultralight" and keeping their fingers X'ed behind their back...
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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