Balloon bed

[Riverman]

Can't find any threads on this so thought I'd make one.

http://www.balloonbed.com/Index.htm

Anyone have any experience using these? Neat idea and 100g is insanely light. I'm just wondering how comfortable they are.

 

[nigelnorris]

Am I right in thinking that it is stuffed with just ordinary party balloons? Blurb says it comes with enough balloons for three days.

The example picture on the front page isn't even inflated.

[haha yes it is, the ones clowns use to make stuffed animals out of.]

They can't be serious? It's just some polythene tubes stuffed with party ballons. No insulation, hardly any pressure, doesn't sound like a good night's sleep.

 

[chris667]

You have to replace the balloons after you've slept on it?

 

[nigelnorris]

Can you imagine the squeaking when you roll over at night?

 

[snorri]

Can you imagine the squeaking when you roll over at night?

Read the reviews.."I woke to the sound of bagpipes"

 

[PpPete]

Read the reviews.."I woke to the sound of bagpipes"

Product was designed for use at KIMM/OMM where bagpipes are traditional wake up call.

Have a look at the OMM forum I'm sure there are some reviews in there somewhere. Some people OMM competitors really rate them.

AFAIK they don't squeak when you move - but yes you pop the balloons in the morning and use fresh the next day.

 

[snorri]

Product was designed for use at KIMM/OMM where bagpipes are traditional wake up call.

..but if you look at links from the MMM, there is definitely some leg pulling going on. They recommend ditching your tent and taking along a Wendy House instead.
I'm just a little suspicious.

 

[PpPete]

from OMM forum ....

Re: Balloon Beds...a new angle!!!
« Reply #45 on: October 29, 2007, 10:39:26 am »
Balloon beds are amazing!!! Had a really miserable weekend and paying for it now but for the first time ever I was warm at night...due to the balloon bed. Really comfortable and light, amazing! Thanks guys xxx

Re: Balloon Beds...a new angle!!!
« Reply #46 on: October 31, 2007, 06:38:30 pm »
I totally agree, balloon beds are the best morale boosters out there, this was my 3rd event this year and just when i'm feeling, tired and needing a lift i'll hear a loud POP followed by various swearing

. Then suddenly i feel all warm and content for another 10 minutes until it happens again!!!

What you have to remember is that, in order to save weight, some of the OMM competitors will take a piece of bubble wrap as their ground insulation, or maybe some 3 mm thick Karrimat. (Thermarests and the like are considered way too heavy - the top guys are looking for pack weights, including food, stove, tent, sleepng bag, waterproofs, emergency gear to come to around 4 - 4.5 kgs) In that context balloon bed, at 100g, for all it's faults, is a serious contender.

Do they attract a lot of pisstaking from other competitors ? Absolutely.
Everybody....and I mean everybody.... as many as 1800 people on the OMM midway camp will laugh if they hear a POP in the night. But there are those who would not take anything else.

 

[Arch]

Can you imagine the squeaking when you roll over at night?

Or waking up and finding you've inadvertantly made a model of a poodle, tossing and turning in your sleep?

 

[Riverman]

I wonder if you could buy some reuseable ties for the balloons so you're able to reuse the baloons.

 

[andym]

And I thought I had too much time on my hands..

 

[andrew_s]

I wonder if you could buy some reuseable ties for the balloons so you're able to reuse the baloons.

For a one-nighter, any tie or clip is pointless extra weight, and for a two-nighter any leakproof clip would likely weigh more than the balloon for the next night.

 

[hubbike]

These are designed to be used in mountain marathons (such as LAMM and OMM) as the weigh very little. I've seen one but not slept on one. Takes a while to blow up and not really practical for more than one night.