UKC

Is there any benefit to using the pump bag to inflate this mat as opposed to simply inflating with your mouth? Does inflation by mouth trap moisture in the mat and does this affect its R value?

In reply to Flinticus:

It can't be nearly as problematic as downmats, but still. Without a way of the moisture escaping it's going to get pretty gross right?

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

That's prompts another question: is there a way of getting the moisture out!?

In reply to Flinticus:

If it's hot and inflated, the moisture is probably mostly vapour, so you can just push it out when deflating. Not 100%...

As for grossness. Well inflating and deflating valves are seperated...

In reply to Flinticus:

Just buy one of their pump pillows and use that to inflate it. Solve two problems with one bit of gear!

In reply to Flinticus:

A build up of moisture in Alpkit Numo led to the insulation delaminating and the mat not working as well in cool conditions. Alpkit didn't seem to be able to work out a solution to this as it happened to a number of Numos I have, and in the new version they seem to have just taken the insulation out. See http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/physics-you-can-sleep-on-de... for pics and more.

In reply to Flinticus:

I've had two yellow Synmats (not the down ones). I inflated the first one orally, it didn't take long for specks of mould to appear, visible through the thin translucent fabric. It ended up with a lot of black specks, which I didn't fancy breathing in when deflating it. I got a pillow pump for the second one. No such problem.

One problem I have had with both is the baffles delaminating. The first one happened within a year and Lyon replaced it with no fuss. The second one also popped but this was after a couple of years and I'd been a bit over-exuberant (drunk) while inflating it so my own fault. It does appear to be a weak point though so I'd hold back on the pressure you put into them. I'm buying another one, I've never slept on anything so comfortable.

In reply to Removed User:

What happend when the baffles delaminate?

In reply to Flinticus:
You get cold sleeping on it when it's cold (or cool). See my blog post above.

In reply to Flinticus:

On the first one instead of several equally sized tubes to lie on I had three of the air tubes form a massive sausage in the middle of the mat which was impossible to get comfortable on. In the second one the same has happened but at the end of the mat so for now it forms a pillow, but each time I use it it gets a little worse. I'll need to buy a new one soon.