Air mat dilemma

[HaYWiRe]

Right, so after getting two new sleeping bags last week my partner and I were eager to try them out, night temp was a low of 3c and it was a good old fashioned garden test to play it safe (and most of her kit was still up her place)

Earlier this year I got an Alpkit Numo in an effort to hopefully reduce pack size that I had yet to try, so out it came.
2 hours in I was absolutely boiling in my new bag and venting, and the mat under me felt quite warm too, all was good.

Twice that night I woke up to find the mat had deflated enough to leave me heels and hips on the floor and getting cold, I reinflated and fell back asleep only to wake to the same thing

Am I doing something wrong? Is this a limitation of (non insulated) air mats? Or have I got a dud?
Meanwhile she slept soundly on her bulkier self inflating mat, but I planned to buy a second Numo for her but after this I'm a little stuck

[Taylor]

Sounds like it may be a dud to me.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Air mats will sometimes 'soften' during the night due to the air within cooling down and the pressure dropping. Some mats suffer more than others but if it's actually going down, I'd say you've probably got a duffer ... time to blow it up and stick it in the bath

[Trail-rat]

word of warning.... my thermarest Xlite thing passed the bath test with flying colours.

what i ended up doing was putting a strong fairy/water mix into a mist spray bottle.... covering an area and then sitting on the mat looking at that area for bubbles.

found 3 seperate areas of leakage when i did that.

Some seam sealer on those areas and shes back good again....although im sure the seam sealer weighs more than the mat :D

[HaYWiRe]

Given its never been used before that night, and I'm quite delicate with my gear it could be a defect.

I understand a small change in air pressure but to go from firm to cold bum hitting the floor I was a bit disappointed, I'm only a featherweight under 55kg

Contacted alpkit to see what they say and what to do, something I hate doing as I'm far too polite* normally

I think ill just carry the bulk and go back to CCF

*read: Socially anxious

[Trail-rat]

i have to say my experiance with alpkit sleeping mats as been more than poor.

i wont bother again tbh.

they make some great kit but their mats are not one of them.

[HaYWiRe]

i have to say my experiance with alpkit sleeping mats as been more than poor.

i wont bother again tbh.

they make some great kit but their mats are not one of them.

Care to elaborate?
I've never had any other issues with their products myself until now, plus for me ill be honest and admit is can be the much cheaper option compared to most

[Chew]

I'd double check for user error and if the value was sealed correctly.

Inflate it again and then place some heavy objects on top (books n stuff) and leave over night.
If it deflates overnight send it back.

[Trail-rat]

i had some mats from them

they failed irreparably and absolutely unusably 2 weeks into a 6 month trip.

got told i needed to deflate them every day...which is fair enough although i don't think they fit in my panniers inflated ergo mines must have been deflated.

the replacement thermarests (thanks mat at queenstown R&R) lived to the grand old age of 10 and were retired from active service outside of winter camping due to weight not wear.

their current ones are bad science imo.

http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.co.uk ... esign.html

again i think they make some good kit how ever its not all great. - but it is cheap.

[HaYWiRe]

Save me starting a new thread...

After the disappointing night with the numo (still could be my error, who knows) I'm stuck on a mat for the other half, as if it went well for me I would have bought her one too.

What's the recommendations for a half decent mat? Pack size is more important than weight alone and of course reasonably good value

[brownie]

Another long term Numo user here, had no problems with mine going soft or deflating and I'm no skinny minny.

Sounds like your has a leak.

[richvs]

Thermarest Prolite 3 (Short) user here. Paid a lot but it was ten years ago last month and it gets used and abused. I balance my heels on clothes in drybag (or on empty rucksack if hiking) and don't tend to fidget.
Self-inflaters seems like the 'trad' option now but I won't be replacing it until it's at least 80% covered in repair patches. Currently at zero.

[rudedog]

Exped synmat is a great mat - do a search on here, loads of recommendations.

[ianfitz]

I like thermarest Neoair, have a short one, full length and an xtherm. the Full length one is over 5 years old now and has over 100 nights use between me, and family using it . It's stood up to considerable abuse too. the Xtherm is really warm - you can really feel your body heat being reflected back at you!

[Mariner]

After reading opening post I realised I had a numo as a back up in the cupboard for some months which has never been inflated.
So I blew it up and left it.
After several days its still inflated and supports my weight.
Think you got a duff one I'd send it back.

[whitestone]

I've a Klymit X-frame for when I want to go light in summer and an Exped Synmat Winterlite for the rest of the time. The Exped comes in at 400g, my wife has the Hyperlite which is about 340g (Stuart has a first look review on the reviews section of the site).

I did consider the Neo-air but was partly put off by the reports of them being noisy like a crisp packet and that no one had them in stock. I've since seen one in a shop and compared to the Exped they "feel" very flimsy and they do sound like a crisp packet

Have a search through the threads- I asked similar questions about six months ago.

[Pyro]

I binned both a Numo and a POE Ether, very similar mats, both massive delamination problems - what looked like hundreds of tiny pin-prick holes when dunked in the bath. Back to Thermarest type mats and probably staying that way.

[HaYWiRe]

Alpkit were very quick and helpful, and I sent it back for them to look at,

Quickly got back to me saying it was a puncture, which was odd seeing as it only had one night out inside a tent and I am quite delicate and precious with my gear.

They're repairing it and sending it back, not sure whether it was flaw, my fault or they're really easy to puncture but its making me have a second thought about getting a second one now, which was the plan to help my partner reduce her pack size.

Maybe it'll teach me to not be cheap and buy right first time , product aside I cant fault their customer service and speed in dealing with this

[Trail-rat]

Yep cannot fault them on that, they stand by their products.

My case was complicated by being half way round the world and moving on a daily basis :) but they at least tried.....more than can be said for vaude when the tent sub standard its self.