Alpkit kip mat

[tommy the cat]

Right was about to order a kip mat form these peeps, when a mate of mine started talking about mats. He has just come back from France and found the inflatable mats cold?
Now it wasn't an Alpkit one but when looking at their site cant seem to find out any thermal properties to them? How cold has anyone used theirs to?
Cant stump to a thermarest and couldn't fit it into my suitcase when in Canada which would have saved me quite a bit of money so Alpkit look the way to go if they are warm enough. I intend to use it in my hammock and when really cold on the floor on top of my german flat mat with a bivvy bag.
Muchos Dave

 

[Bozle]

Hi Dave

I've used my wee airic to about -2 and it was fine.

A word of warning though, both thermarest and alpkit advise not to use the mats on soft deforming sufaces- using mine in a hammock was probably what did it in...

 

[Paganwolf]

Wee eric is pukka, i have 3 thermorests and the eric knocks them in to a cocked hat for price and function.

 

[Variant 13]

My wee airic is as good as my ultra light 3/4 Thermarest and about a quarter of the price.
I've used it inside my bivvi bag with my Rab sleeper in snow and ice, prob -10, and it was great.
That said, I would highly recommend all Alpkit kit as being hugely good value and top quality and it's a small friendly company not a big corporate entity.

 

[FGYT]

mate of mine has used his therma rest in - 30 directly on the ice of a lake
on one of many arctic warfare training trips to Norway
hes still using the same mat after 15+yrs and never had a puncture

 

[leon-1]

I have used therma rest in -15, the trick is in inflating them. if you blow them up they can get thinner as the air from your lungs cools in them.

I have just replace my therma-rest that I bought in 1991 with a slim airic and I wouldn't go back to a foam matt.

 

[dwardo]

I have used therma rest in -15, the trick is in inflating them. if you blow them up they can get thinner as the air from your lungs cools in them.

I have just replace my therma-rest that I bought in 1991 with a slim airic and I wouldn't go back to a foam matt.

Dya know i never thought about the air cooling and reducing in volume !

I have a cheaper highlander and several times i have found it mostly deflated in the morning and several times i have checked it for leaks and found nothing ...

Do you recommend leaving it out for a while and keep topping up before sleeping or..... ?

 

[leon-1]

My old therma rest I used to let inflate itself as much as was possible, wating around an hour for it to inflate, i then inflate it a little more by blowing into it and then just before getting my head down I just give it a quick top up.

The slim airic inflates itself pretty well and quickly in comparison to the therma-rest so there is not really a lot to do.

 

[tommy the cat]

Well had decided on the regular Airic but non available to next year doh!
Can decide whether to go for the slim or the wee (i think thats what its called, the half length one) I do like my comfort you know. But I guess the longer one would be better in the hammock for warmth?
Flippin' useless at making decisions me Dave

 

[leon-1]

Well had decided on the regular Airic but non available to next year doh!
Can decide whether to go for the slim or the wee (i think thats what its called, the half length one) I do like my comfort you know. But I guess the longer one would be better in the hammock for warmth?
Flippin' useless at making decisions me Dave

As a little bit of info, the Slim Airic packs down to the same size as my old Therma rest ultra lite 3/4 length. So if you are trying to keep the size and weight down then the Wee Airic will be your man, but if as you say you like a little bit of extra comfort then the Slim Airic does the job well enough.

I will at some stage get a Fat Airic for when I am travelling, but staying in a house.