djb

The few times we've camped on tent platforms I've noticed how the wood floor made for a less comfortable night on my older self inflating camparests.

3speed

With the self inflating pad I had, I found a definite need to top the pad up with some air after letting it sit and inflate itself. On it's own inflation, it was more comfortable than no pad, but I could still feel myself laying on the ground. I had to put some air into it for it to support my weight fully off of the ground. Then it was comfortable. An air mattress style pad is sill better, though. Thicker mattress, more insulation/temperature regulation, and packs smaller and weighs less? Yes, please!
I don't think you'll be disappointed. Mine is the insulated light version and I've been very happy with it. I really think it's the best pad you can get at it's price point.

djb

To the original poster
IMPORTANT
Do not leave any inflatable pad like the one you are getting, in the sun or even in a closed tent, when is hot, as the pad will become over inflated and can and will cause damage to the inside sealing points from too much pressure.

Just release a bunch of air or simply open the valve completely to be safe if leaving the tent alone for hours and hours even if your tent is in shade, when the sun moves during the day, the tent will get very very hot inside.

Just a heads up.

kansascity 

Good thinking. On my next trip, I won't spend more than 1 night at the same location, but I have in the past.

djb

well, I hope you find this mat comfortable enough. Im sure it will be fine.

Tourist in MSN

I have never heard of having a problem with leaving a pad in a hot tent, but then I almost always try to camp in cooler climates. I did a bike trip in Florida Keys in Feb 2017, that is the only hot weather bike trip I have done. But I think that the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures was a pretty tight range on that trip. I will try to remember to partially deflate my pads during daytime if I do any hot weather trips.

Nobody is saying much here about storage, a friend of mine left his Thermarest self inflating pad tightly rolled up for a year and after that he concluded that it lost some of it's ability to self inflate. That surprised me because they are sold tightly rolled up, but I had no reason to disbelieve him. Thus, at home when not in use I always store my self inflating pads fully inflated, they are standing up behind a door so completely out of the way.

djb

Ive personally seen thermorests balloon all up from being in a closed tent, in the sun during summer, or people leaving them out in the sun on the grass. On days off during summer trips, Ive noticed fairly quickly how my thermorest (old ones or inflateable ones) can build up pressure from the tent getting really hot, and so have always let some air out, or if going away for a while, simply opening the valve to be safe.
Given how expensive the newer type ones are, I reckon its worth a bit of caution, not to mention of course the impracticality if a real problem happened during a trip.

Ive always kept my self inflating ones stored open, with the valve open, as I too have noticed that ones kept rolled up for ages, self inflate very slowly and not fully, and Im sure its cuz the baffles inside that "spring" up on their own and drawn air into the mat, have lost their "spring".
We were given a mat once and it clearly had spent years rolled up tightly, and doesnt self inflate well--but does work fine when inflated by mouth.

but then I also store my bikes over the winter in the small granny gear and the 11 tooth at the rear, so that the derailleur springs are in the lax position, I figure its a small thing, but taking care of stuff like this does pay off over time, and some people arent concerned about details like this. With derailleurs, my theory is that it helps shifting snappiness over the years, but then who knows, it could be a miniscule difference....hey, it keeps me out of the pool halls .

robow

I lost a self inflated mattress in my van one time because of the heat, unfortunately it was due to the afternoon sun and not for more youthful pursuits.

Tourist in MSN

Since this thread is being resurrected after a year and a half, I will just quickly comment that self adhesive patches for inner tubes can work well on air mattress leaks.

Swampthing 

i worked up there in the late 90s. Most of the time I used a Hennessy hammock, but when I did use a tent in cooler weather a closed cell mattress was the way to go for me.
we were typically on the trail for two weeks, off for a week, repeat as needed. I think there were a few years I spent more time in my hammock or tent than I did at home.

Wilfred Laurier

I carry a 2” thick self inflating seeping pad. It’s probably the bulkiest and heaviest item I carry. I’m sure it’s a kg or so heavier than closed cell foam or a yoga mat, but that kg will slow me down much less than getting zero sleep, or waking up with a stiff neck that only turns in one direction.

saddlesores

in my experience, a seeping pad is indicative of a slow leek...