HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
I wonder.....
Does the placement of the foil blanket make a difference?
Is it better between ground and pad or pad and me?
Do you have problems keeping it on the mat? I can't even keep myself on the mat at times?
Inflatable trekking mattress
- Thread starter Spoked Wheels
- Start date
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Does the placement of the foil blanket make a difference?
Is it better between ground and pad or pad and me?
Do you have problems keeping it on the mat? I can't even keep myself on the mat at times?
Jackslad
Active Member
- Location
- Lancashire
Can you recommend a suitable pump sack for the Trekology ul80.
Vantage
Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
- Location
- Behind everyone else, Bolton
I wonder.....
Does the placement of the foil blanket make a difference?
Is it better between ground and pad or pad and me?
Do you have problems keeping it on the mat? I can't even keep myself on the mat at times?
I've tried both ways @HobbesOnTour
Between mat and ground is useless. Any body heat (I presume) is lost through the cold mat.
Between body and mat I found works well. Your body heat is reflected off the blanket back to your body as it was designed to do.
It can be........slippy
The raised edges of the UL80 help in that respect but like the rest of mat, are full of air and will still be squished when sir rolls over etc.
I've not fallen off the mat using this technique however so I must be doing something right.
An extra safe guard against slippage that I use when bike touring is a bit of anti slip mat. This stuff is brilliant. I use a "10 square of it between the mat and ground sheet. Stops the mat wandering around the tent and weighs almost nothing. Rolls up small too. Probably one of the best investments I've made in my camping inventory.
@Jackslad not really I'm afraid. Trekology released their own sack for the mat but it received very poor reviews due to its small size and limited air volume.
Other folk, I've read use a sack from Thermarest and some other big name companies.
Personally, last year I invested in a little battery powered air pump by Flexgear and haven't looked back. Having bought a smaller model today which has a built in camp light I tested them both for inflation times on the UL80.
Old model did it in 34 seconds.
New model did it in 1 minute 24 seconds.
It's extra technology and gizmos to drag around but at 80g for the new one, I can live with that. Better than getting to the site/camp spot and almost passing out from blowing up a damn air mat.
Trekology’s first pump sack was too small. They since re-released it early 2021 as a 30L size which is actually brill!! It’s made of the same fabric as the mattress so quite sturdy but supply can be tricky. I set up an Amazon alert using CamelCamelCamel and jumped on it when it came back in stock.
I’ve also used the eXped Schnozzel (medium) pump sack which is a thing of beauty, very well made and likely a smidge lighter - but hard to justify at double the cost of the Trekology 30L.
I find myself nodding in agreement with @Vantage with all these experiences. I have an eXped Fleximat M bought to pair with the UL80 to offer some additional installation. Found almost no improvement with the foam mat underneath the UL80 but massive improvement and stark difference with it on top. The anti-slip mat is a brilliant one too.
Inflating with a pump sack is generally pretty good, but imagine it’s only a matter of time before seeing sense and getting a flexgear pump too. I don’t know why, but more than anything the noise puts me off, besides only being on for a couple of mins max. Same reason the stove I use burns alcohol rather than a gas stove - irrational hatred of the noise. I should just get some ear plugs and love the convenient life!
OP
OP
Spoked Wheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bournemouth
Having used these mats for a few nights, I've ordered another one for my daughter, I'll keep an eye on Lidl's camping mats though.
Cheers
uphillstruggler
Guru
- Location
- Half way there
and expensive to replace where as individual layers are cheap if they break and mostly won’t need urgent replacement on a multi night trip until you have a chance instead of being a show stopper
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
Well you pays your money and you makes your choice.
You do have to be a bit more careful with the lighter stuff.
And keep an eye on what's going on underneath, but you'd do that for your tent groundsheet too right?
I've not had one go down on me yet
(quiet at the back there)
In hundreds of nights out.
I have had one come back damaged from a lend out, but I guess the person in question didn't clear their site so carefully..
And if it's lighter there's definitely less of a struggle going up hill
Both my teenage sons have these and say they are very comfortable. Decent material and they actually go back in the supplied bag without too much swearing
uphillstruggler
Guru
- Location
- Half way there
Well you pays your money and you makes your choice.
You do have to be a bit more careful with the lighter stuff.
And keep an eye on what's going on underneath, but you'd do that for your tent groundsheet too right?
I've not had one go down on me yet
(quiet at the back there)
In hundreds of nights out.
I have had one come back damaged from a lend out, but I guess the person in question didn't clear their site so carefully..
And if it's lighter there's definitely less of a struggle going up hill
agreed about pay your money, I tend to try to find middle ground with my kit as I’m not the most careful camper - my basha is ex army and bombproof but heavy compared to the lightweight tarps available. My sleep matt is hard wearing, cheap and comfortable, sleeping bag is cheap, lightweight and small when packed. The bivvi bag is reasonably light, hardwearing but mid priced as I wanted a mozzie mesh.
this is a flexible sleeping arrangement, and is my favoured set up, although I have been know to use a small one man tent too
and I’ve never had one go down on me either (insert snigger here) but I do tend to line the ground first if I have remembered to pack a couple of re-cycling sacks.
a couple from my recent trip
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
Nice
I think for me the thing is that most of my gear doubles up for backpacking, which I do as much of, as bike touring.
And when you're carrying it up and down moontins all day long, on your back, then every few 100g really does make a difference.
I do have to get into a different mindset about how I treat things though
On the farm it's all fairly rufty tufty boshing stuff about.
With lightweight fabric you have to be a little more dainty.
But you also get to access, and sleep in places like this ..
Without having to be built like the proverbial brick sh*t house, to get all yr gear up there so worth taking a bit of care over.
uphillstruggler
Guru
- Location
- Half way there
Nice
I think for me the thing is that most of my gear doubles up for backpacking, which I do as much of, as bike touring.
And when you're carrying it up and down moontins all day long, on your back, then every few 100g really does make a difference.
I do have to get into a different mindset about how I treat things though
On the farm it's all fairly rufty tufty boshing stuff about.
With lightweight fabric you have to be a little more dainty.
But you also get to access, and sleep in places like this ..
View attachment 602065
Without having to be built like the proverbial brick sh*t house, to get all yr gear up there so worth taking a bit of care over.
when people ask why I do what I do, I say the same - why wouldn’t you want to sleep and wake upthere?
my bike isn’t lightweight so the additional weight of the gear really doesn’t make too much difference
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
You're right.
Tbh if I was only bike touring I'd probs not be so bothered, weightwise.
I will usually take a few extra 'luxuries' if I'm biking, plus I'm not carrying up to six days food at a time, as is often the case with hiking .
On a bike you're rarely that far from a shop or café
Thread resurrection!
camelcamelcamel alerted to a good price for the Trekology UL80 today on Amazon, £33.99. Couple of quid off their pillows too if needed.