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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Sleeping Pad Storage
 
Author Message Text
boonie
10/19/2018 08:35AM
 
I don't know what Thermarests you bought, but the Neo Air X-Therm can be deflated, rolled tightly, and stored in the stuff sack with the valve open.
 
joeandali
10/19/2018 11:01AM
 
I have a PVC pipe that hangs in an out of the way place in my garage. I hang my pad and sleeping bags over it and leave the value open on the pad. I am not sure if this is as good as storing flat but I believe the pad inflates faster than when I stored rolled up and with the value closed.
 
HowardSprague
10/26/2018 07:36AM
 
Since it takes like, less than ten puffs and about 20-30 seconds to blow a regular Thermarest up, I don't worry about the "self-inflating" thing. Besides, blowing into it gets it more fully inflated than "self-inflating" anyway.

 
dex8425
10/23/2018 11:52AM
 
Most of mine are upright behind a chest of drawers, which holds backpacking/canoeing stuff.


However, if the pad doesn't have insulation or foam in it, I don't think there's any harm in storing rolled up, as long as moisture is out of it.
 
ducks
10/28/2018 08:18AM
 
butthead: "I have no place to lay them flat so out come the clip style pants hangers. Hang them in a closet with the valves open.



butthead"



same here.......
 
johndku
10/23/2018 03:07PM
 
They're self-inflating foam cores, so I'm hesitant to roll them back up......
 
pamonster
10/19/2018 08:57AM
 
I have a model from 1979 that I inherited from my grandfather. I actually traded several e-mails with Jeannette at Cascade Designs last May and we were able to date it as a 1979 model. It's almost 40 and spent 39+ years rolled up and stored when not in use. Zero issues with it and it gets used! It hasn't even needed a patch!
Not sure if/how things have changed with the newer models but based on my experience I'm not worried about packing them away.
 
MReid
10/19/2018 09:33AM
 
"Or have you got a better idea?"


Behind/under a sofa, in the back of a closet upright? Luckily I have room to store my 5 pads!
 
ozarkpaddler
10/19/2018 09:43AM
 
MReid: ""Or have you got a better idea?"



Behind/under a sofa, in the back of a closet upright? Luckily I have room to store my 5 pads!"



I have one under the bed but the other is stored behind the armoire....you'd never know it was there.
 
HowardSprague
10/19/2018 09:57AM
 
I have had my thermarests rolled up in bags for an extended time with no issues. I've also had them stored inflated, with the valves closed so they'd stay rigid against a wall or against my gear room ceiling (supported by a couple of ropes) for long periods, with no issues. Do what works for you.
If I stored every sleeping bag, sleeping pad, & tent in recommended open-air, spread-out uncompressed manner, I'd have to get rid of half my stuff and/or rent a big storage unit.

 
TominMpls
10/19/2018 10:39AM
 
I think if you want them to "self inflate" quickly in the woods, you'll get better results if you store them flat with the valve open. I have a few that are about 20 years and for years I stored them rolled up; I found I needed to inflate them myself if I didn't want to wait forever. But last year I finally started storing them flat, and it might just be in my head, but it seems that they self-inflate faster now. Regardless, storing them rolled up for a long time doesn't seem to have damaged them in any way.


I now use a Nemo Tensor air mat and I store it flat, valve open just like the self-inflating ones. I figure it's less likely to mold on the inside that way.
 
butthead
10/25/2018 11:00PM
 
I have no place to lay them flat so out come the clip style pants hangers. Hang them in a closet with the valves open.


butthead
 
johndku
10/19/2018 08:30AM
 
Purchased 3 new Thermarests for this years trip, still haven't put them away for long term storage yet.

Thermarest recommends storing unrolled, flat, with the valve open. I'd love to do this, but frankly we've got so much stuff already stored under our beds, etc., I've got no reasonable place to do this.

Anybody have trouble with their pads after just deflating them and rolling them back up and putting in their storage sleeves? (This is the way they came in original packaging). Or have you got a better idea?
 
BuckFlicks
10/22/2018 04:59PM
 
I hang them up in my closet with the sleeping bags.