View Full Version : Alpkit Slim Eric deflating problem...
Prophecy
07-01-2008, 18:54
Me and a mate both bought a Slim Eric sleeping mat last week, and as advised, we planned on storing them inflated.
However, after blowing the mat up and storing them, we have found after 1 day that they had deflated to the point that they folded over.
It happened on my mates one first and then I just noticed that mine's the same! So, has this happened to anyone else? It's strange how it's happened both of them - there are no obvious signs of air being released and the valve seems fine.
Thanks!
My Regular Airic didn't fold, but I leave the valve open.
Maybe you inflated the mat with relatively hot air, closed the valve and stored it in a colder atmosphere? If so: the air would crimp...
If not, maybe you should send Alpkit an e-mail? They sound like friendly guys ;)
Prophecy
07-01-2008, 19:52
My Regular Airic didn't fold, but I leave the valve open.
Maybe you inflated the mat with relatively hot air, closed the valve and stored it in a colder atmosphere? If so: the air would crimp...
If not, maybe you should send Alpkit an e-mail? They sound like friendly guys ;)
Hmm...well I did blow most of it up. Because it was new and had been rolled up for a while before I opened it, hardly any air flowed into the valve. So that would explain the hot air, but do you not have to blow most of it up anyway?
gregorach
07-01-2008, 19:55
Store 'em with the valve open or you'll get condensation and mildew forming inside.
Gwhtbushcraft
07-01-2008, 19:56
I have a slim airic also and i normally give about three to fou puffs of air into the valve after letting it inflate. Mine does also go down eventually but i am not to worried about it.
George
I had a very nice Thermarest that also needed regular 'topping' up. Just thought they deflated over time anyhow... Or it might have been my tent mate undoing the valve!
Bigger issue for me was leaving it inflated in a hot tent during a trip to France... Arrived back in the evening to find that the outer had separated from the inner core. It was like trying to sleep on a beach ball mattress for the rest of the week. Found out after trying to claim on the warranty that it is best to leave the valve open... ;(
Prophecy
07-01-2008, 20:12
Surely they shouldn't just deflate over time? If the valve and material is sealed then why should they? Apart from air temp as Lasse has described.
So I'll store it with the valve open from now on.
I'm just worried that when using it I'll wake up on a deflated mat...
gregorach
07-01-2008, 20:33
Well, the way to tell if it's actually leaking is to inflate it, submerge it in the bath, then squeeze it and look for bubbles. Or if you don't have a bath, you could wet it down with soapy water - any leaks will be visible as a cluster of soap bubbles.
Prophecy
07-01-2008, 20:41
Well, the way to tell if it's actually leaking is to inflate it, submerge it in the bath, then squeeze it and look for bubbles. Or if you don't have a bath, you could wet it down with soapy water - any leaks will be visible as a cluster of soap bubbles.
I had thought of that, but I didn't know if it was totally waterproof or not, or would that not matter?
Shouldn't matter... Its how i found a leak in my old thermarest.
Prophecy
07-01-2008, 21:01
Ok, thanks. Think I'll give that a try.
... but do you not have to blow most of it up anyway?
I usually put the mat in my tent, wait a while. When I need to throw my sleeping bag on it, I add a few puffs, about 4 I guess, before closing it. Works like a charm :)
As stated above: you'd better keep the valve open when stored, or when you leave it in your tent, to keep temperatures from wrecking your mat...
An other good idea, I think, is to roll the mat with the colored side outwards. This way, it won't try to roll up again when you put it on the ground (black side to the ground) and thus will inflate slightly better/easier ;)