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Thermarest or Thermalite??? Thermarest or Thermalite???
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Camping Equipment and all Clothing Tents, sleeping bags, stoves etc. Riding clothing, boots, helmets, what to wear when not riding, etc.
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland




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  #31  
Old 3 Jun 2008
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alpkit fat airic
just to add, i started off with a lightweight 3/4 thermarest on the basis of packed size and lightness, at which it excels.

BUT i never slept properly on it! Too thin by far. and if i dont sleep well i dont have too good a day either!

so having researched the thicker thermarests and big prices, i bought a fat airic. this is sooooo comfy! packed size is pretty damn big, but across the panniers its no big deal, and still hardly weighs anything.

another point not mentioned, i was talking to a young climbing mad dude who said he'd been up much of the alps, himalayas, NZ etc etc, and pointed out if any thermarest type bed gets a puncture its useless. not sure what temp the patch kit glue works down to, but the original closed cell mats are cheaper still even for a posh one, and hard to break!!!
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  #32  
Old 3 Jun 2008
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Alpkit gets my vote I have a wee aric and a thermarest and the Alpkit product is just as good but way cheaper. If you havnt already then look them up I just ordered a ti mug, so will report back on how it performs, again it was way cheaper than the competition. Good point about the closed cell foam mats they dont break.
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  #33  
Old 6 Jun 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ukiceman View Post
BTW that little MinieXpresso coffee thing is wicked and it only cost 10 quid coz the packet was mashed a bit, picked it up from a store in town.

Shaun
Ahhh I LOVE my little espresso machine... it's a totaly luxuary and I can't defend taking it... but... well it's just so bloody nice in the morning!

(sorry for the off-topic post!)



Back to mats.... can't praise Alpkit enough either... really nice bunch of guys...

m
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  #34  
Old 22 Jun 2008
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Afternoon,

I've just returned from a camping trip, where I used my Therm-a-rest, self inflating mat and found it to offer little more comfort than a basic foam pad!

So I need to find an alternative. Mine's around 5ft 6inch in length but's only thin, at around an inch (when inflated).

I'm looking for something that doesn't take up too much space but gives plenty of comfort for my old bones and I'd really like to pick one up from one of the vendors at Ripley.
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  #35  
Old 26 Aug 2008
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Hey Everyone!

I know there's a lot of replies about this but.....

I used to work for a camping equipment company and can tell you that camping mats are NOT designed to provide comfort - they are designed to insulate you from the cold ground. If its comfort you want get yourself an air matress. I brought mine from Millets in the UK - it cost £10, folds up to about 15cm x 25cm and hasn't let me down in 4 years of use.

You do have to blow it up yourself though!
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  #36  
Old 21 Sep 2008
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Alpkit better than thermarest.
Hi Chris. I recently bought man alpkit fat airic and it is like sleeping on a mattress. Quite large but who cares on a bike and beats the thermarests I have used in the past hands down. Link Down sleeping bags and down jackets, Alpkit outdoor gear for alpine activities including climbing, camping, mountaineering and trekking Hope this helps, Phil
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  #37  
Old 21 Sep 2008
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[QUOTE=NRH30;203929]Hey Everyone!

I know there's a lot of replies about this but.....

I used to work for a camping equipment company and can tell you that camping mats are NOT designed to provide comfort - they are designed to insulate you from the cold ground. If its comfort you want get yourself an air matress. QUOTE]

You don't want to use an airmatress if its cold. The air inside can circulate so it doesn't insulate.

Thermarests are made for different purposes: The 1.5cm 3/4 long for survival, maybe when climbing and the 5cm wide and long, for comfort, so: is a Thermarest comfortable? that depends which one you choose! Is it small and light? That depends !

I have a "light" for backpacking and biking, a "normal" for kayaking etc. and a 5cm for camping with a car

I've had them for 8-16 years and they are still OK. I had 2 holes, at the same time, about 12 years ago, when I erected my tent in the dark on top of some thorns. I've patched it and I still use it.
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  #38  
Old 22 Sep 2008
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Exped Down Mats
I use an EXPED Down Mat. It's an airbed filled with down so you get the comfort of an airbed coupled with the insulation of a mat. The one I've got is the 9DLX, which is the top of the range and can be found for about £100 in the UK. It's expensive but I value my sleep.
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  #39  
Old 8 Oct 2008
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Originally Posted by Flyingdoctor View Post
... I got a decent one from Aldi's a while ago but made the mistake of blowing it up too much and the internal foam seperated from the cover making it twist into some interesting shapes! ...
I bought a cheap (£15) mat (sorry forget the brand, will check) from a camping shop and did exactly the same as you. I though I would be giving myself an extra bit of comfort by putting in a few lung-fulls after the mat had self-inflated. Once I lay on it, I started to hear a strange crackling noise which I eventually realised was the fabric separating. It still did the job though, and kept me snoozing for the rest of the 5-week tour.

Next tour, especially if I go anywhere cold, I am planning to treat myself to the Exped down mattress.
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  #40  
Old 8 Oct 2008
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Sleeping Well
I've tried many options but after using the EXped 9 DLX, won't be using anything else...ever...Air and down, has it's own inflation bag - 2-3 minutes to full inflation, which keeps you about 4 inches off the ground less if you deflate a little - It's warm, comfortable, durable, smaller than Thermarest or thermalite - deflates in 1 minute or less - reasonably lightweight...

...if you haven't already spent money on something else, do yourself a favor and try/buy the EXped.....it really is good gear!!



(You can get a slightly smaller version if you are a smaller person - 7 DLX - I think)...

S
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