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Subject Topic: Vango or Thermarest SIM... or air bed? Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonGonnate
27/6/2016 at 3:58pm
 Location: Northants
 Outfit: Rapido Club32 caravan View Gonnate's Profile View Profile   Reply to Gonnate Reply   Quote Gonnate Quote  
Joined: 13/7/2008

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After years of excellent sleep on airbeds, we're thinking of trying SIM (Self Inflating Mattress)
Thermarest seems to get the most credits. Our local shop sells Vango. Last time I bought a Vango tent it lasted years, but I'm not finding comparative reviews of Vango SIMs yet.
Has anyone tried them?
Or would you advise a couple in their 60's, my wife with a back problem brought on by the last airbed deflating in the night and provoking sciatica, to still stick with an air bed, being thicker and less dependent on smooth ground?
The SIM would at least take up less space in the tent, (Not the Biscaya but a smaller one.)
Thanks for any comments!


PersonFrancais
27/6/2016 at 5:47pm
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We got a couple of ThermaRest DreamTime XL's back in 2008, they can be fastened together to make a double bed larger than the one that we have at home.

All I can say is that for our fortnight campings each year, they definitely do what it says on the tin!


PersonGonnate
27/6/2016 at 6:20pm
 Location: Northants
 Outfit: Rapido Club32 caravan View Gonnate's Profile View Profile   Reply to Gonnate Reply   Quote Gonnate Quote  
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Thanks for this, that's useful You have a very comfortable tent to keep 'em in, too


Personcamperclan
27/6/2016 at 8:33pm
 Location: West Sussex
 Outfit:  VW Camper & Vango Solace View camperclan's Profile View Profile   Reply to camperclan Reply   Quote camperclan Quote  
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I've just ordered a 10cm Vango sim as an upgrade on my existing 7.5cm one (not sure of the brand for that one though). Only changed due to a hip problem, but a broken nights sleep at home is bad enough, but I didn't want it to be worse on holiday.

I use it on top of a camp bed, so not worried about it deflating, but appreciate camp beds take up a lot of space to transport. Have read many good things about the Thermarest, which if you're using it directly on the ground, I suspect will give you much better insulation than a straight forward sim. Would have really liked to try the Thermarest, but pennys wouldn't stretch, and the Vango was only £54 plus postage.


Personseanfdh
27/6/2016 at 10:13pm
 Location: North Devon
 Outfit: Robens Fairbanks Coleman Phad X3 View seanfdh's Profile View Profile   Reply to seanfdh Reply   Quote seanfdh Quote  
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If you're happy with airbeds why change? I've never tried a Vango SIM so I can't comment on them. We use Thermarests and I'd recommend them highly. Best money we've ever spent in comfy sleep terms.


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Personthe vision
27/6/2016 at 11:43pm
 Location: liverpool
 Outfit: Zenobia elite 6 & Quechua 2 seconds XL View the vision's Profile View Profile   Reply to the vision Reply   Quote the vision Quote  
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I bought a vango starlight sim last year from go outdoors, only because my parents arrived and I needed something to sleep on while they camped with us.
It's not thick (2.5cm iirc) but my airbed got binned after sleeping on it. Really comfy, needs a bit of air from my lungs but for £15 it was a bargain!
I've just bought the Mrs & youngest daughter the equivalent sim (now hi gear) and both are happy with them. Personally I'd never go back to airbeds.


PersonHippyhayles
28/6/2016 at 11:40am
 Location: Staffordshire
 Outfit: Frontier 6 tent View Hippyhayles's Profile View Profile   Reply to Hippyhayles Reply   Quote Hippyhayles Quote  
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Hi,

After mabny years of camping we finally invested in these last year. Wow, I wish we had done it sooner. I suffer with a bad bad at times and an air bed cam be a pain!

We have these http://www.outdoorvalue.co.uk/99435-andes-explora-10-single-self-inflating-camping-mat.html

My daughter has the 5cm one which is great for her as shes only 14 and still light. The 5cm one is obviously cheaper so it depends on your budget. The 10cm one just gives that extra bit of comfort. Not one bad nights sleep since we have used them! They are not that wide but for us that doesn't matter.

I have been advised NOT to buy the really cheap ones from places like go outdoors as they fail really quickly (this is from a family member who hikes regularly).

Good luck and hope you invest in some!

:)


PersonGonnate
28/6/2016 at 2:49pm
 Location: Northants
 Outfit: Rapido Club32 caravan View Gonnate's Profile View Profile   Reply to Gonnate Reply   Quote Gonnate Quote  
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Thank you all for these really helpful replies!
I think that despite all, my wife still feels that the extra depth of the airbed is for her... but I may well end up getting a decent SIM for those occasions I go solo camping!

Best wishes,
Richard


Personpurplebean
28/6/2016 at 8:32pm
 Location: West Yorkshire
 Outfit: Karsten 350 CA FW RA :) View purplebean's Profile View Profile   Reply to purplebean Reply   Quote purplebean Quote  
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I suffer from a very bad back. I bought an Exped Megamat and it was so comfortable I slept on it for 4 months at home until we bought a new mattress


PersonGonnate
28/6/2016 at 9:57pm
 Location: Northants
 Outfit: Rapido Club32 caravan View Gonnate's Profile View Profile   Reply to Gonnate Reply   Quote Gonnate Quote  
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Another one worth looking into, then! Thanks.


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PersonJenks81
29/6/2016 at 6:04am
 Location: Cambridge
 Outfit: None Entered View Jenks81's Profile View Profile   Reply to Jenks81 Reply   Quote Jenks81 Quote  
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We have a 7.5cm Vango SIM and we absolutely love it. We had always used air beds previously but since getting the SIM we both sleep so much better. They don't lose air overnight, don't move around if one person gets up and goes to the loo and are warmer. I could never go back to an air bed now.


Personfoggers
01/7/2016 at 9:34pm
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: Cabanon Guadeloupe Zephyros3 View foggers's Profile View Profile   Reply to foggers Reply   Quote foggers Quote  
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Hello, I have had bouts of sciatica for years, and swapped to a 10 cm deep SIM. I have had Robens ones ( excellent quality but no longer made) Vango Comfort 10cm ( great value, cheaper than Thermarest). I had thinner Thermarests before then, and the quality was clearly superior to the Vango. Having a double was a bad idea for us as we need differing levels of firmness. So now we have two single Outwell Dreamboat 10cm ones, and link them with a fitted sheet.


Persondk168
03/7/2016 at 11:07pm
 Location: Devizes Wiltshire
 Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC View dk168's Profile View Profile   Reply to dk168 Reply   Quote dk168 Quote  
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I swear by my Therm-a-rest Luxury Map XL SIM and camp bed combination for a good night's sleep.

Been there, done that with airbeds, and no more!

DK

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PersonEwen c
03/7/2016 at 11:18pm
 Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
 Outfit: Tents View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
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The comfiest sleep I and wife have had are on backpacking air mats. We have two vaude norrsken for cold weather (they are insulated) and two cheapo gelert ones for warm weather.
They are like lilos but with larger outside tubes to stop you rolling off. They embrace you and are very comfy.
They also pack up to the size of 2 tins of beans.
I found that Sims didn't live up to their promise.

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