Leaky sleeping mat

[emrock]

In a couple of weeks I'm heading off for a weeks solo canoeing and wild camping in sweden (my fist such adventure) and while sorting out my kit I have noticed that my Mountain equipement Helium mat is deflating raidly. I submerged it in the bath to try and find a hole with no luck, all I did notice was tiny bubble appearing on the surface as if there were hundreds of tiny holes.

Is there anything I can do to fix this? I was thinking spraying it with some sort of waterproofing might do the trick iof the holes are really that tiny?

Or alternatively should I simply buy a closed cell like the ridgerest or Z lite instead?

 

[Shewie]

I remember the original NeoAirs suffered with this too, I think they identified a dodgy batch in the end. Is it new or have you had it a while?

Is it still under warranty

 

[emrock]

had it about two years, bought form cotswold outdoor. Doubt it has a warranty and don't have a receipt or any documentation. It's only had very light use in the alps and sweden and I have been very careful with it, however I have inflated it with my breath which I know some producers advise against.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

id try writing to them. Ive always found the gear suppliers to be very good. if they dont replace they may offer a good discount on a replacement. I was in cotswold rock bottom the other week and you would not believe the stuff people return successfully. There was a pair of boots there that looked like they had 5000 miles on them and they had been returned successfully. They might surprise you. If you sleep well on CCF then its an option but for me on a long overseas trip i likes me comfort.

 

[jacko1066]

You could try filling a bottle with soapy water and spray small sections of the mat, you may be able to find the hole and repair it?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[emrock]

like I say I have submerged the entire mat and couldn't find anything apart from lots of teeny tiny bubbles almost like the surface itself was porous. So while I was all eager and ready with the seam grip, I had no obvious hole to repair hence my waterproof spray idea

 

[ozzy1977]

If the fabric is porous there isn't much you can do about it, best option is to contact the manufacturer

 

[Shewie]

It sounds like you've identified the problem, hopefully the manufacturer will sort you out.

 

[ged]

There are some products that you can put into pneumatic tyres which will seal leaks from the inside.

The only one I know by name is called 'Slime'.

http://www.slime.com/?p=faq

I don't know how well it would work on something that is inflated only temporarily, but it has to be worth a try if you get nowhere with the supplier.

 

[emrock]

I'm out of the guarantee and don't have a receipt so can't do a return. Not sure what to do, but tempted just to go for a closed cell. I can't afford a new self-inflating and honest I am now more than a little dubious about them

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

There are some products that you can put into pneumatic tyres which will seal leaks from the inside.

The only one I know by name is called 'Slime'.

http://www.slime.com/?p=faq

I don't know how well it would work on something that is inflated only temporarily, but it has to be worth a try if you get nowhere with the supplier.

Do not use slime under any circumstances you will have green goo everywhere lol

 

[ged]

I'm out of the guarantee and don't have a receipt so can't do a return. Not sure what to do, but tempted just to go for a closed cell. I can't afford a new self-inflating and honest I am now more than a little dubious about them

Some have had quality problems as I thinkRich said, but I've used the same 3/4 length Thermarest for over twenty years with no problems. I'm always very careful where I put it though, always check for thorns/brambles and always put something underneath it - never straight onto bare ground as even when you look carfully in full sun you can't always see tiny thorns, odd bits of broken glass otr whatever. Oh - and never inflate it by mouth.

Do not use slime under any circumstances you will have green goo everywhere lol

The voice of experience?

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Some have had quality problems as I thinkRich said, but I've used the same 3/4 length Thermarest for over twenty years with no problems. I'm always very careful where I put it though, always check for thorns/brambles and always put something underneath it - never straight onto bare ground as even when you look carfully in full sun you can't always see tiny thorns, odd bits of broken glass otr whatever. Oh - and never inflate it by mouth.




The voice of experience?

Ive used it a lot mountain biking and it will find its way out of any holes especially under pressure. Its not too bad in a tyre and works well but it stays liquid until exposed to airflow. the pumping up and down action will make it leak everywhere and eventually it will set into a brick that will do more harm than good.

 

[Tor helge]

This is why I still use closed cell mats.

 

[fluffkitten]

Do not use slime under any circumstances you will have green goo everywhere lol

And it'd get into every single air pocket in the foam matting taking away your insulation. Nasty, nasty stuff.

 

[emrock]

I'm heading to see friends in North Germany before going to Sweden so think I will just pick up a closed cell there. Bremen has three 'Unterwegs' shops which have a pretty good selection of stuff so will probably do.

 

[Teepee]

I've been driven mad by my airmat. A Pacific Outdoor Ether. I cannot find a leak anywhere and yet it goes down just inflated and not slept on. 10 or more dunkings in the bath and no bubbles.

Then I found out that 80% of the mats were sent back as the material was porous.

I'd send it back but PO, unsurprisingly doesn't exist anymore.

If you have no joy, there is a product that I'm going to try in my mat. It's an acrylic resin for sealing inflatable boats/ribs-you pour some in, coat the entire inside by shaking the inflated mat, wait for it to dry (pumped up) and that should be it. £16/bottle but worth it on a £50 mat and I don't like being beaten.

 

[ged]

... there is a product that I'm going to try in my mat. It's an acrylic resin for sealing inflatable boats/ribs ...

Do you have a link for that Pete?

 

[Teepee]

Do you have a link for that Pete?

Yes mate, here you go; http://www.ribstore.co.uk/shop/home.php?cat=14

I had a bad experience with Slime and 115psi.

 

[ged]

Yes mate, here you go; http://www.ribstore.co.uk/shop/home.php?cat=14

I had a bad experience with Slime and 115psi.

Cheers Pete. And I doubt that there's one percent of that pressure in my sleep mat.