UKC

I've been trough a couple of sleeping mats now, and after a while of use I find they develop slow leaks and by halfway through the night I'm basically sleeping on the hard ground.
My first mat was an Alpkit Dirtbag and more recently I've had a Vango trek 3 compact. Both of these are now effectively useless.
I probably use them on a monthly basis and each lasted approximately 2 years before starting to deflate.
Friends of mine have had their mats for 5+ years with no issues. Have other people experience similar problems to me? Anyone found a solution?
Is there something I am doing wrong in they way I'm using/looking after the mats?
Is there any way to re-seal them once they start leaking.
Can anyone recommend a mat that will last a bit longer?

Thanks for your help.

Lee

In reply to SuperLee1985:

Run a wet 'fairy liquid' soaked sponge around the edges of the inflated mat whilst sitting on it to find the leak (or put in bath). This can be tricky... but when found, cover in glue and patch until not leaking anymore.

It's often the inflation valve - again, glue can help.

Sometimes the whole sheet of nylon gives up the ghost on one face - at which point you're toast.

I have a thermarest - purchased in 1989 - still going strong 27 years later. Heavy but indestructible.

b

In reply to SuperLee1985:

Thermrest seem to last well.

In reply to SuperLee1985:

What are you doing to them?!

I can recommend therm-a-rest, I've had one for at least 10 years (of admitted fairly light use) and never had any problems. They have a lifetime guarantee regarding manufacturing faults and I know people who've had them replaced many years after their original purchase because they delaminated.

You can get repair kits for them if they get a hole although I believe the traditional way is to put keep a bit of gaffa tape stuck to it and if you get a leak use that to repair it.

In reply to SuperLee1985:

Do you snore?

It has been rumored that snorers mats often mysteriously deflate at night, especially when there is a vengeful light sleeper in the tent.

In reply to davidbeynon:

I like that very much!

In reply to SuperLee1985:

Haha, no I don't snore. Someone mentioned to me that some mats are only rated for sleeping on your back and not your side (I am a side sleeper). Is this true?

In reply to SuperLee1985:

Pretty much.

force = pressure * area, so the larger area you put on the mat the more weight it can hold at a given pressure.

I'm a side sleeper as well, and this is why I tend to use a foam mat, or foam mat under a thermarest when car camping.

Z-Rest is a good option for this.

In reply to SuperLee1985:

I had this problem with an ex Girlfriend of mine, the present model works fine.

In reply to L.A.:


Deflation mainly, I did have a problem after I bought it, I blew it up and it had a cock. I took it back to the shop to complain and the chap said "sir you've got it inside out".

In reply to SuperLee1985:

If trying to mend a sleeping mat puncture whilst camping on a glacier remember to take your front pointed crampon off first! I know someone who forgot.......

In reply to SuperLee1985: Thanks for the advice guys, I went for a Thermarest.

In reply to SuperLee1985:

Not had a problem with any of my Thermarest mattresses deflating, but second the bath-full-of-water approach to find the hole and a dab of SeamSeal to fix it which I used on another brand.

When I was working in a gear shop, I once chatted to a chap who had, in the dark, inadvertantly put his Thermarest down near what turned out to be a thorn bush and had effectively tea-bagged the bottom of it. Being a carpet fitter by trade, when he got home he'd given that side a coat of glue to seal the holes and dusted it with French chalk to stop it sticking to itself and was stil happily using it in it's repaired state!