UKC

A lot of gear threads are understandably moans about something not working as it should, or not lasting very well. So just nice to be able to report the opposite. I bought my first 3/4 length ultralite Thermarest in 1991. It is still working well now 25 years on. In 2000, in Argentierre, I bought a second one, myself and my partner had been sleeping up on the glacier for a few nights and, being a gentleman, I had given her the thermarest while I slept less comfortably on a thin and cut down karrimat. This second one being 9 years newer was marginally smaller and lighter so became my number one mat for the next 15 years.

The 2000 vintage mat has over the last year developed a bubble where the cover was delaminating from foam inside. Some here said it was worth sending it back to Thermarest as they stand by their guarantee. This is completely true, I sent it off a week ago and today a brand new Prolite mat arrived as a replacement.

They clearly do expect their mats to last a lifetime. I reckon I got my money's worth with 15 years and hundreds of nights of use, from -25 to probably +25, but now have a completely brand new one to carry on using!

In reply to TobyA:
I have sent two back (one this year) and one maybe five years ago, both because of a bubble and swiftly got a new one sent through, too. Excellent service.

In reply to TobyA:
Yes me too. Had a huge bubble on one that was about 10 years old. Got a new one straight away. Been used the last 10 years

In reply to TobyA:

Yup, can echo their superb service. I sent one back once because it kept on going down and had a hole in it which I couldn't find. They mended the hole and send it back with a lovely note- all for free. Amazing customer service.

In reply to jezzah:

I sent mine back because it had a hole in it which I couldn't find. They repaired it and charged me £17. Good customer service

In reply to Pedro50 and Jezzah:

Didn't you do the normal thing of getting in the bath/lake/swimming pool/sea/etc. with your thermarests to spot the bubbles and find the leaks?

In reply to TobyA:

Tried everything, couldn't find it, it was very small but would go down overnight. Was happy to pay.

In reply to Heike:


Excellent service perhaps
( but evidence poor quality control as it would seem from the replies it is an ongoing issue)

In reply to Jim C:

I don't think 4 replies equals evidence of poor quality control, it's probably completely the opposite. No one will reply to a thread like this saying I've got a thermarest and it's been faultless, I think you'll find hundreds if not thousands of customers that fit into that bracket. The sign of a good company is not that things never go wrong occasionally because that doesn't happen with any company worldwide, it's how they put the wrongs right that counts.

In reply to Jim C:

Actually, considering the heavy usage and the age of the thermarests I don't think it's bad quality at all.

In reply to TobyA:

I'm now regretting not getting a Thermarest! Instead, I got a Vango Trek Compact, which delaminated within a few months. Can I get anyone to sort it out? Not a chance. Neither the retailer not manufacturer. Seems Thermarest is the way to go.

In reply to TobyA:

Wish I'd known that when my 25 year old mat failed a couple of years ago, instead of throwing it away and buying another!

In reply to Heike:


I kind of agree, it depends on what your expectations are of a lifetime guarantee.

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:

>No one will reply to a thread like this saying I've got a thermarest and it's been faultless,

I have had a Thermarest for 7 years and its been faultless

(but I will be looking out for this known problem, and I will send it back if I find it, thanks for the heads up)

In reply to TobyA:
From their website :-
"LIMITED Lifetime Warranty
What is covered:
• Your mattress is warrantied for the life of the product against defects in materials and workmanship.
• Should the mattress be found defective under this warranty, Therm-a-Rest, at its option, will repair or replace the mattress. Mattresses older than two years from the date
of manufacture may be replaced with a cosmetically irregular mattress. • Normal wear, puncture, abrasion, misuse, alteration, abuse, or taking apart of the product is not
covered.
• Therm-a-Rest will not be liable for incidental or consequential damages. Some states do not allow this exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so
the above limitations may not apply. • Shipping charges to an Authorized Repair Center for a damaged mattress are not covered and are the responsibility of the customer.
Return shipping charges for the repaired mattress are covered.

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:


I had two, both bought in the early 90s. One developed the bubble a couple of years ago.

The other has been faultless.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

and like I said, my oldest one (1991) is still fine (if a bit grubby). I took it round the world with me for 7 months - what I bought it for, but then it went off to uni with me and lots of camping in Glencoe and up by the CIC etc for the next four years. Then it came to Finland when I first moved there, and got used (with a ridge rest) in Arctic winter conditions. Later it's been used for changing nappies on, and once out of nappies, the same child took it off to cub camp with them! So yeah, really rather good value for money I guess.