Storing Self Inflating Mattresses rolled up?

[Bru9]

Because we have so many they are all stored rolled up tight so they take a bit of time to inflate when first used after extended storage, a warm tent, a short time in the sun or on the bonnet of the car does assist in inflation. We have always used a few breaths to top up the air and have never had any issues. One thing we have found is in the hot weather it is best to open the valve during the day as the air in the mats can expand and put a lot of pressure on the cover seams, this is particularly important on the thicker mats.
OJ.

So it sounds like this is no problems for overall usage with some brands, storing flat & open is simply impractical. My Nomad 5cm mattress is ruined, it won't self inflate no matter how long. You must blow extra air inside or else you will feel the ground, it quickly flows out the valve unless you tighten quick. So I wonder if this extra pressurized situation will damage seams? I'm careful not to stand on the matts.

My Black wolf mattresses are 10cm thick & the foam is alot more softer. Unrolled they are massive. I must take the risk & hope they stay comfortable.


What about eva foam matts? I have glued a few 1cm matts together with contact glue & they have held up well for knelling matts but they permanently thin out over time quite quickly with any weight on them.

[old Jack]

Foams aren't Foams!
The quality varies as does the quality of the outer covers, valves and manufacturing processes.

Karrimat was the original closed cell foam mat, I still have quite a few pieces still in service as sitting and kneeling mats and in other insulation roles, these have been cut out of my original hike mat that dates back to about 1976 ish?? which was well used when it was retired from service when I brought my first Thermorest self inflating mattress.

OJ.

[Pwoffey]

Back in the 60s we would dig hollows for our hips and shoulders and try and find some grass or leaves to cushion them. A plastic ground sheet on top and that was our "sleeping mat". Got my first closed cell foam mat in the early 70s, sad to say left much of it in little bits in the forests of Tasmania. Sold my girlfriends's right kidney in about '76 to afford the new fangled Therma-rest. Had the best sleep ever on several cold nights up at Carnarvon Gorge, in the days when you could camp out right up the gorge near the rock paintings. Graduated up to Down-mats for really cold nights up on the Central Plateau in Tassie. Unbelievable comfort. Now have to get serious with weight on the ageing back so trying out "winter" rated ultra-lightweight synthetic mats. Not sure about their longevity, but if I treat it carefully it might yet outlast me. Just look at Snowys or Bogong or WildCamp - the range of bushwalking mats these days is mind boggling.