Don't buy the REI Flash Sleeping Pad!!!

Caleb Schwarz wrote: Just to echo everyone, the thermarest x-lite and x-therm can't be beat. Incredibly easy to patch and the valve can be replaced for $6 in minutes.

My personal favorite is my size large x-lite (25" wide) cut down and resealed to 3/4 length. I'm 5'9" and have wide shoulders so it's perfect. Weighs in at 11.8oz.

How did you reseal it? With the ironing-method?

FrankPS wrote:

How did you reseal it? With the ironing-method?

Yep. But I realised that one of the irons I had wasn't hot enough. The other worked ok, but I had to leave it in place longer than I would have thought. I then started pressing harder (I figured this is how it works commercially) and that really made it work well. 

So in the end I ironed the whole length together, then went back and pressed much harder and left the iron in each spot for a few seconds before moving on.

Caleb Schwarz wrote:

Yep. But I realised that one of the irons I had wasn't hot enough. The other worked ok, but I had to leave it in place longer than I would have thought. I then started pressing harder (I figured this is how it works commercially) and that really made it work well. 

So in the end I ironed the whole length together, then went back and pressed much harder and left the iron in each spot for a few seconds before moving on.

I tried it with my Neo-Air Uberlight and had numerous small leaks where I ironed it. Re-ironed some of the spots. Still more leaks. I suspect because that material is so thin, maybe the iron shouldn't be at max heat. It has been a real pain to chase down the leaks. Using sealant and Tenacious Tape, I have almost got all the leaks.

Edit: You said you didn't think your iron was hot enough, where I thought mine might have been too hot. I'm conflicted! Seems like the super-thin Uber material would need less heat, but who knows.

FrankPS wrote: Edit: You said you didn't think your iron was hot enough, where I thought mine might have been too hot. I'm conflicted! Seems like the super-thin Uber material would need less heat, but who knows.

This sounds likely to me

FrankPS wrote:

I tried it with my Neo-Air Uberlight and had numerous small leaks where I ironed it. Re-ironed some of the spots. Still more leaks. I suspect because that material is so thin, maybe the iron shouldn't be at max heat. It has been a real pain to chase down the leaks. Using sealant and Tenacious Tape, I have almost got all the leaks.

Are the bubbles coming out at the very end or the proximal part of the seam that touches the inflatable portion? It is fairly easy to burn a pinhole right where the insulation ends (ie where both sides of the nylon aren't touching each other anymore) if you press too hard with the point of the iron. Should be easy to fix with a dab of Seam Grip though. For bubbles on the distal end of the seam another couple of passes from center to edge usually fixed it for me. I've not done an Uber, just XTherm and XLite. 

jdejace wrote:

Are the bubbles coming out at the very end or the proximal part of the seam that touches the inflatable portion? It is fairly easy to burn a pinhole right where the insulation ends (ie where both sides of the nylon aren't touching each other anymore) if you press too hard with the point of the iron. Should be easy to fix with a dab of Seam Grip though. For bubbles on the distal end of the seam another couple of passes from center to edge usually fixed it for me. I've not done an Uber, just XTherm and XLite. 

They were coming from everywhere the iron touched! Mostly, the pinholes were coming from between the end of the material to the next inflatable baffle.

After cutting the pad to the length I wanted, I cut the extra internal baffle/material out, like the video showed. That left me with an inch, or so, of nylon (whatever the external material is) to iron. I tried to not let the iron touch the adjacent usable baffle.

I tell ya, Jdejace, this was a disappointing modification due to the continual chasing of leaks in the seam after ironing. Fortunately, it was only a $200 sleeping pad (ha ha). Seemed like such a good idea, initially.

Sorry to hear that. I've got an XLite and XTherm that both pass the bathtub test. The XLite has one small dab of adhesive, the XTherm I managed without any adhesive touch ups.

Did you eventually get it to hold air?

jdejace wrote: Sorry to hear that. I've got an XLite and XTherm that both pass the bathtub test. The XLite has one small dab of adhesive, the XTherm I managed without any adhesive touch ups.

Did you eventually get it to hold air?

Not completely, but I think it will hold close to a full night, before deflating. I bought a Thermarest Prolight and discovered that one reason the NeoAirs don't work well for me is because of how tall they are (2.5 inches). I roll off of them! I never roll out of my bed, but it is much wider. :) I thought wider would be better, and still think it is, but the Prolight is only an inch tall and seemed to work well.

When I get motivated again, I'll do another bathtub test of my Uberlight. Note that I also cut down a regular NeoAir Xlight and ironed it, but haven't even bathtub tested it yet. I'm afraid of what I'll find.

This has been The Year of the (wasted and expensive) Sleeping Pad. I have bought four since last September. Three Thermarests and a Klymit.

Edit: I'm past my limit on number of posts on this thread, so:

My Prolite is only 20" wide, so I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get some sleep on it.

My biggest problem backpacking, combined with altitude, is getting a good night's sleep. So I am forever looking for ways to improve it. Ambien helps.

Have you seen this pad? It looks positively luxurious, but I can't get past the 27 oz.

https://www.klymit.com/static-v-luxe-sleeping-pad.html

Agreed "wide" width is more important with the NeoAirs. They're tall and the horizontal baffles collapse, I think the functional width of the 20in pads is more like 18in. I can't deal with the elbow drop feeling plus they get cold. Some of the other major brands are a little better in this regard with their inflatables, S2S regulars are 21.5in wide and the sides don't collapse as much. I still think TR makes the best pads in terms of weight/warmth. Plus 'Murka! :-)

Prolites have been harder to shorten for me. Definitely had to attack the seams with adhesive on those. I like them functionally, definitely less fragile than NeoAirs. Unfortunately I just don't get the same quality sleep on the 1in ones, and the thicker self inflatables are getting pretty heavy/bulky.

FWIW quite a few backpackers have complained of allegedly unprompted leaks in their relatively new (and uncut) Uberlites. Those things are just fragile. 

Buck Rio wrote:

I consider this a PSA....thanks.  How about the Big Agnes sleep pads? I am in the market for one.

Big Anges pads are great! I bought mine used on ebay to save a little money. 

Is there some way you can think of to fix the seam issue?

a beachwrote: Just want to throw my 2cents for exped pads. They aren’t the lightest but super firm and durable and have a built in hand pump. Mine has seen lots of abuse and is still rocking.

I've seen a few of those come back with blown out internal baffles, and they don't have a lifetime warranty so it's not always covered.

Update: I was able to shorten both the Neo Air X light and my Uberlight using the ironing method (and a spot or two of adhesive). 

I wanted a wide mattress but didn't need 72" of length. Besides saving me a few ounces in weight, the shortening saves 20+ breaths for inflation.

Mine failed in that manner on it’s first use in the backcountry.