Show me your CCF mats

[DaleFTW]

Anyone using one when touring? Which one? How are you packing it?

[meic]

I roll mine around my tent poles and then put it in an old tent bag (polybag inside if wet weather).
The string of the tent bag closure goes around the seatpost at the collar and a string with a draw cord lock on goes around the rack and bag near the back to hold it in place along the rack.

I can, if I want, put the rackpack on top of the rollmat using some cut to length string loops tied to the rack to connect the velcro straps to. This is too much hassle for wild camping but I used it for riding to places were I am setting up camp for a few days and then riding without camping gear.
Now I use a saddlebag to avoid that hassle but I have a large bike with lots of room between rack and saddle.

[pjclinch]

Easy to store in a pannier... all you need is a recumbent with special recumbent-specific looooong panniers!

Hmmmm. That probably didn't help much. But these days my wife and I use Neo-Air mats which are much more comfortable, lighter and much, much, much more compact. Downsides are having to blow them up and the cost, but once they're bought they should last for years and the discomfort of blowing them up lasts for a couple of minutes weighed against teh several hours you lie on them. And you can turn them in to chairs too, another comfort trump for folk like me who can't stay comfy for long on the ground without some back support.

Pete.

[DaleFTW]

Easy to store in a pannier... all you need is a recumbent with special recumbent-specific looooong panniers!

Hmmmm. That probably didn't help much. But these days my wife and I use Neo-Air mats which are much more comfortable, lighter and much, much, much more compact. Downsides are having to blow them up and the cost, but once they're bought they should last for years and the discomfort of blowing them up lasts for a couple of minutes weighed against teh several hours you lie on them. And you can turn them in to chairs too, another comfort trump for folk like me who can't stay comfy for long on the ground without some back support.

Pete.

They should, I agree, but they don't.

I've ditched the airbed/SIM when walking and use my CCF mat. Easy enough to just strap to the outside of the pack. But on a bike, the bulk is putting me off.

[meic]

I am sticking with CCF mats.

Cheap, light and nearly indestructible (I still have and use the one that I bought around 1980 and used traveling the world for 18 months, it has even been chewed by rats!)

The bulk is a problem but I have found an answer to it on my bikes.

I could take quite a few of them when I toured with my daughter in the trailer.
I have carried one in my extra large panniers before but I can not remember if that was stood up and poking out the top or under the top poking out to the front and rear but it was certainly poking out quite a bit.

[pjclinch]

Yeah, I suppose my old Thermarest only dates back as far as 1991 so it's practically a new kid on the block... It does have one puncture hole (from a drifting spark), which was easy enough to fix.

Pete.

[hufty]

Last tour I got a cheapo one from a charity shop as a groundsheet and synmat protector. I rolled it up and bungeed it lengthways on the back rack. No need for a cover. Great for impromptu siestas, better than nothing if the main mat punctures, cost nothing so no worries about ditching it.

[andymiller]

You might want to consider one of these:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/a100-ultrali ... 29334.html

Reasonably priced, reasonably light and compact and pretty durable (and yes I've had bad luck with blow-up mats that became self-deflating rather than self-inflating). The construction is different from the self-inflating mats. IME the blow-up mats go around the welds.

Otherwise people do put foam mats on the top of the rack with the tent.

[DaleFTW]

Yeah, I suppose my old Thermarest only dates back as far as 1991 so it's practically a new kid on the block... It does have one puncture hole (from a drifting spark), which was easy enough to fix.

Pete.

Try one of the newer 'lightweight' versions. You post on OM, yeah?

[hamster]

I have an ancient Karrimor one, circa 1980. It's only 2/3 length and wraps around my tent on top of the rear rack. It's clearly visible below...somewhat yellow!

[pjclinch]

Yeah, I suppose my old Thermarest only dates back as far as 1991 so it's practically a new kid on the block... It does have one puncture hole (from a drifting spark), which was easy enough to fix.

Try one of the newer 'lightweight' versions. You post on OM, yeah?

My "Ultralight" is, I suppose, only a bit over a decade old, and in that time has also managed a single puncture. Again, easily fixed.

We've had the original Neo-Airs for about 3 years, during which time our camping schedule is down enough from family commitments that I wouldn't particularly feel we can either confirm or deny lack of staying power. But my experience of self-inflaters over many, many years is if you look after them they work and last well. While I wouldn't expect them to come out of a fight with a Stegosaurus well, they're beds typically used in tents.

(yes, I post on OM)

Pete.

[DaleFTW]

It's not puncturing, it's delamination and failed seams that are the problem on the newer versions.