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Subject Topic: mats Post Reply Post New Topic
06/4/2009 at 7:08am
 Location: north-east-lincolnshire
 Outfit:  5m bell tent and several cabanons
View gillychick's Profile View Profile   Reply to gillychick Reply   Quote gillychick Quote  
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morning all

some of you may have read my barmy idea that me and hubby are off camping on our bikes...... dont know the first thing about it but think it will be fun!!!! lol

anyway i need a bit of advice on sleeping  mats, i have never used them and dont know the first thing about them! we need a lightweight one, that we can carry with us.

i dont know if we need a self inflating one and are they comfy to sleep on?

i need to add i am not sure about price but we cant really afford the themarest ones.

thanks in advance



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A tent is like a newborn born baby..... to some they all look the same..... but if its yours it's beautiful.


:o) gillychick
Willows - Laceby March
Lee Valley - London May
Nanctol Wales June
Croatia September
undecided October


06/4/2009 at 8:49am
 Location: Letchworth Garden City
 Outfit: Conway Cruiser
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The self inflating ones are a lot more comfortable than the standard inexpensive foam mats - although, they are heavier and bulkier.  ours are made by Gelert, not too expensive and we found them much more comfortable than the airbed they replaced.

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Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional


06/4/2009 at 9:52am
 Location: Lancashire I hate it.
 Outfit: None Entered
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I'd say you definitely want one which is filled with air at least (i.e. not those rolls of foam you can get!). Self inflating is nice, but not essential.

The self inflatingness works purely by the mat restoring itself to its normal shape when unrolled, and thereby sucking most of the air to fill itself in as it restores its shape. This means you need to store them flat when not using them so that they conform back to that shape when unpacked (thermarest suggest under your bed or behind the sofa).

Even if you didn't store it properly and it wouldn't self inflate, you could blow one up in about a minute I think.

Thermarest are good and incredibly light, the copies from other manufacturers I've not used but they do seem much better value though heavier of course. To put it in perspective, the thermarest prolite is about 500g, the others are around 1kg, so double. 1 litre of water weighs 1kg, so you are adding a half litre weight of water to your packing - not the end of the world by any means.


06/4/2009 at 10:55am
 Location: Bergamo Italy
 Outfit:  ESVO Pyramid & Ridge
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Therm-a-rest offer a life time warranty.
Here it is

I still use my Therm-a-rest, bought in 1993, for a guaranteed good nights sleep when camping.
Was pleasantly surprised when a I was informed last year that it was still under guarantee.

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Are we there yet?


06/4/2009 at 11:42am
 Location: Bergamo Italy
 Outfit:  ESVO Pyramid & Ridge
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p.s. Here is a very interesting quote from the Therm-a-rest website:

Is it OK to leave my mattress inflated in my car or tent?
No. Don’t leave your mattress inflated in your car or tent on a hot day! The air trapped in the mattress will expand, and the heat can lead to fabric delamination or a burst pad and will not be covered by your warranty. You don’t have to roll it up as long as the valve is left open.



How many of us are guilty of leaving our mattress inflated in the tent all day long?

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07/4/2009 at 12:31pm
 Location: Bristol
 Outfit: Vango Tigris 800
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That's interesting, spudz - thanks for posting that up.  I know we're guilty of doing it.

 



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Trixie75 and family x


07/4/2009 at 9:33pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
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If you are on a bike you want to keep the weight down.  Go for a simple foam mat.  Don't worry about sleeping all night on the hard ground - it is impossible to sleep all night on the hard ground!

Steve.



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Steve.


07/4/2009 at 10:06pm
 Location: Hayle Cornwall
 Outfit: Honda CRV Bailey Bordeaux + tents
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I have in the past when away with my Scouts just used a ½ inch foam mat which offers no support but evens out the ground. It surprising but you can sleep on this without needing the comfort of an airbed or self inflating mat.



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Nigel

March 2012 - Dove Meadows
6th July Moving to Hayle


08/4/2009 at 3:50pm
 Location: Lancashire I hate it.
 Outfit: None Entered
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Foam is useless, you may aswell not have anything at all. Take a duvet cover and fill it with all your clothes and lie on that, it would be about 50 times more comfortable and lighter than a foam roll. In fact, a decent flat bit of grass would be.



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