Thermarest Evolite - Sleeping Mat

[psmiffy]

I'm sure that I have seen a post on here bigging up the Thermarest Evolite that they used on a recent tour - can't find it tho

Just wanted to know if they had used it again and how durable it has been

(my 25 year old self inflating thermarest is time expired - very tatty, punctures and probably got all sorts of nasty biological pathogens inside from me blowing it up - never ever self inflated - but by the time I got back to the shop I had used it for 35 nights - has been used satisfactorily now for well over a 1000 nights)

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

?

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/thermarest-evolite.178163/

 

[psmiffy]

merci beucoup - I must have mi-spelt something when I did the search

 

[psmiffy]

however there there wasn't a lot of feedback - so bump

 

[andrew_s]

Compared to your old Thermarest (assuming that 25 years is old enough that it has a small aluminium valve rather than the newer, larger, plastic valve), the Evolite will be more comfortable (i.e. thicker), but a bit less warm (all the perforations in the foam of more recent, lighter self-inflating mats have a noticeable impact, and there are large gaps in the foam of an Evolite).
I'd expect it to be inadequate if it gets down to freezing (but YMMV). My experience is that R=2.5 is about on the limit at zero - noticeably cool, but not so cool as to prevent sleep.
An Evolite Plus will be would OK at freezing, but it's heavier, and presumably more expensive.

I switched to Neoair.
A pump or pump sack is lighter than the foam in a self-inflator, and you save on bulk too.

Evolite: 2.1R, 520g
Evolite Plus: 3.2R,690g
Neoair Xlite: 3.2R, 350g
ProLite: 2.4R, 510g
(for regular size)

 

[psmiffy]

Im not too fussed about weight - the existing mat is 700g - the Neoair struck me as being a bit too flimsy but I will go and have another look

 

[RobinS]

After using old style thermarests for many years my wife and I got new Evolites late last year. Initial impressions were good, easy inflate, comfortable, warm enough, and easy to pack away, as well as being acceptably small packing and light. We then set off on a 90 day tour around Europe this spring. My Evolite delaminated after just 6 days, and I had to replace it in Nantes. My wifes was more successful - it lasted a whole 20 days! She had to replace hers in Arcachon! My replacement is a Nemo Atom, and it has been comfortable, light, small packing and lasted the trip with no problems. My wife got the top of the range Decathlon air mattress it was equally successfully.
We sent the Evolites home, and having just now got ourselves I am about to take the issues up with Thermarest.

 

[psmiffy]

thanks for that - seems to be lots of problems with delamination - regardless of what brand you pick

 

[rich p]

thanks for that - seems to be lots of problems with delamination - regardless of what brand you pick

I've got a 3/4 length old style thermarest if you want it, Smiffy.

 

[psmiffy]

I've got a 3/4 length old style thermarest if you want it, Smiffy.

Thanks for the kind offer - However, ive never found the 3/4 suits me - and I fancy an upgrade to a thicker one than my twenty something year old one - it is just all this talk of delamination is making me even more paranoid than I usually am

 

[rich p]

Thanks for the kind offer - However, ive never found the 3/4 suits me - and I fancy an upgrade to a thicker one than my twenty something year old one - it is just all this talk of delamination is making me even more paranoid than I usually am

Well, pardon me for offering, you ungrateful bastard....

 

[Kosong]

having just got back from a 4 day trip across England, I have realised the single biggest fark up was not having a sleeping mat Now in the market to get one, problem is I move about a lot in my sleep and the ones online seem a bit narrow, even if I slept still. Anyone else have the same issue?

 

[Crackle]

Well, pardon me for offering, you ungrateful bastard....

Yeah, you're privileged, Smiffy. The grumpy bugger made me buy one off him.

 

[andym]

I've been touring with a Multimat Summit 'five-season' mat, which has been thicker and warmer than my old Decathlon self-inflating mat. Mind you the extra thickness does mean that it is also bulkier.

http://www.multimat.uk.com/store/t/range/expedition

If you are worried about the reliability of inflatable mats and prefer a traditional self-inflating mat then these are worth considering.

 

[steveindenmark]

I have the thermorest evolite and I really like it. If you get one, get the pillow as well as it acts as a pump for the mattress. I dont like blowing moist air into the mattress as I believe it has a material inside it that will hold onto the moisture. Using the pillow means you are pumping dry air in.

They are both very small and light when packed.