Thermarest or Thermalite???

[Chris1200]

Folks, I am looking for a self-inflating sleeping mat as I am planning to do a couple of months camping in Europe this Summer. I had heard of Thermarest and went to check them out. A full length one is around £60-£70. A friend said I should also look at Thermalite and when I checked it out on the web it looked very similar to Thermarest but at a third of the price. So for all you experienced campers, here is my question.....which is better? Are they similar? Will I notice a difference? Is there another brand that I should consider?

I have slept on ordinary mats in the past and they never worked for me. I have vowed not to do it again. Will an air bed make much difference? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Regards
Chris

[stevesawol]

Exped is another well worth a look.

As far as weather you will notice a difference between Thermarest "top brand" and the lower price one is up to you.... make sure have a good lay on both in the shop and see if you feel you could get a good nights rest on any of them...
I'm not familar with the other brand but try it in the shop as i said above... sometimes the difference between top end camping kit and "B" brand stuff is a big gap in quality and performance... and sometimes it's just the advertising budget and price that make the difference..

If as you say that you'll be camping for a couple of months; think long and hard about your sleeping kit... It will make or break the next days ride....

[Chris1200]

Yes, I reckon you are right. Im trying to do this trip on a budget and I dont want to be spending for a name alone. It could be called anything it wants to be as long as it works. I must make an effort to lie on them before making a decision.

Cheers
Chris

[Flyingdoctor]

Chris, Therma-rest are made in Co. Cork which may be a plus or a minus! IMHO they're really good kit. They're thin though, as their main advantage over other makes is they pack down to nothing. I think you'll need a thicker base by the sounds of it. There are plenty to choose from but they can get bulky to carry. I got a decent one from Aldi's a while ago but made the mistake of blowing it up too much and the internal foam seperated from the cover making it twist into some interesting shapes! Full on air beds pack up small and you can inflate them with a 12v pump, try one of those.

[maxwell123455]

If your planning on doing that long a trip im sure spending a little extra on comfort would not go a miss.

I have a Thermorest 3/4 mat and find it great. I didnt go for the full length one as i needed it for hiking so small as possible was needed. The 3/4 length is great you dont really need anything to hold your feet off the ground really if your in a hot enough climate, and he you do need the extra warmth use your motorbike jacket over your legs or trousers or wear a pair of socks in the sleeping bag.

as for the difference i think i remember reading about its the way the make up of the foam and air is. In the thermorest you get small pockets of air where as in other you just get one massive air pocket. Both work ok but on the one with only 1 massive air pocket if you push too hard in one place like your hips or bum will push the air/foam from here away and your body parts might even touch the ground. (depending on size and wieght of user) Where as with the other multi pocket idea the air only moves slightly from one pocket to the other still keep all body parts off hard ground.

Best way as most have said it try before you buy. Go in a shop and just tell the guy your looking at sleeping mats and need a good inflatable one for your biking hoilday, they should allow you to blow them up, lye on them etc etc

[Flyingdoctor]

I have a 3/4 therma-rest and it kills my knees when I sleep on it. I have to put something at the bottom to keep my feet level. Funny, we're all different. I sleep on my side and even that tiny amount of downward pressure gets me in the end. I just put my waterproof trousers at the bottom and it solves it. You can fold it in half longways before you roll it up and it packs down to a 11"x4" roll.

For long trips I carry my big mat as well which is 72"x25" and use the small one in my chair kit. It rolls up inside the big one so is no extra carriage. It's worth the effort for long trips. If it's raining at least you can sit up inside your tent using the chair kit, it's brilliant.

[SpitfireTriple]

Originally Posted by Flyingdoctor

... I got a decent one from Aldi's a while ago but made the mistake of blowing it up too much and the internal foam seperated from the cover making it twist into some interesting shapes! ...

I bought a cheap (£15) mat (sorry forget the brand, will check) from a camping shop and did exactly the same as you. I though I would be giving myself an extra bit of comfort by putting in a few lung-fulls after the mat had self-inflated. Once I lay on it, I started to hear a strange crackling noise which I eventually realised was the fabric separating. It still did the job though, and kept me snoozing for the rest of the 5-week tour.

Next tour, especially if I go anywhere cold, I am planning to treat myself to the Exped down mattress.

[STG06]

I've tried many options but after using the EXped 9 DLX, won't be using anything else...ever...Air and down, has it's own inflation bag - 2-3 minutes to full inflation, which keeps you about 4 inches off the ground less if you deflate a little - It's warm, comfortable, durable, smaller than Thermarest or thermalite - deflates in 1 minute or less - reasonably lightweight...

...if you haven't already spent money on something else, do yourself a favor and try/buy the EXped.....it really is good gear!!



(You can get a slightly smaller version if you are a smaller person - 7 DLX - I think)...

S

[treefrog]

Hi Chris. I recently bought man alpkit fat airic and it is like sleeping on a mattress. Quite large but who cares on a bike and beats the thermarests I have used in the past hands down. Link Down sleeping bags and down jackets, Alpkit outdoor gear for alpine activities including climbing, camping, mountaineering and trekking Hope this helps, Phil