Questions about Xtherm

[hobbitle]

Hi all

So I was all ready to buy my Xtherm but the only one they had in the shop was the display mat. No problem, I'll take that one I guess. So the guy starts to pack it up. It took at least 5 full minutes, maybe closer to 10, for him to deflate it of air (whilst wrestling with it, lying on it, pushing the air out etc) and roll it up because the air does not escape the valve fast enough.

I was so put off by this that I left the store to reconsider....

Am I the only one who doesn't want to wrestle with their mat in a cramped tent for 5-10 minutes every morning? What do people think of this? Are there strategies that make it less annoying such as opening the valve, then sitting on it whilst you pack everything else up?

Any other thoughts on the Xtherm would be great, I am coming from an Exped Synmat UL7 which is heaps more comfy than the Xtherm, I know. But it isn't quite warm enough for the snow, and seems very vulnerable to punctures (I had 3, and couldn't figure out the cause of any of them, not to mention they were all on the top of the mat! Weird). I don't mind the noise of the Thermarest. Are the Xtherms a bit tougher than the Exped ULs?

What are peoples thoughts about blowing it up by mouth and making it susceptible to moisture/mould inside? I always used the schnozzle bag inflater for the Exped...

Thanks everyone for your thoughts

[Son of a Beach]

Best mat I've ever used by far! Great on snow, even. (Although prior to the XTherm, I had a 3/4 length not-very-thick self-inflating Themarest, and prior to that, I had a thin closed cell rubber mat).

I have no trouble with deflating it. Doesn't take 5 minutes. Is a little slower than the old self-inflating mat, but not that much.

Inflating is a little time-consuming and tedious with the bag, but I would never blow into it. It would be very difficult to dry out (as opposed to the self-inflating mats, which don't need much breath to finish the inflation, and can remain open in your wardrobe for very slow air exchange to dry out eventually.)

[Tortoise]

Hi Hobbitle,

I'm very happy indeed with my Xtherm - used for maybe 30 nights so far.

I'm happy with my technique, though there's probably still room for improvement.

1. I undo the valve while still lying on it. This makes it easy to get rid of most of the air, and stops me procrastinating over getting up.

2. Fold into thirds (crosswise), kneel on this till most of the remaining air it out.

3. Fold into thirds long ways and roll up, pushing the tiny bit of remaining air out before closing the valve.
This is a bit awkward in a one person tent, but I manage ok.

Re inflating without mouth air:
Some adapt a garbage bag, but I find the easiest way (thanks to a forum member for the idea) is to use my pack liner dry bag.

I use the little rubber tube that comes with the Xtherm. Gather the fabric about 20cms below the roll top, after 'floofing' the sac to fill with air. Gather it around the rubber tube, which you've attached to the open valve. Then lean on it, carefully keeping the seal. It took me a bit of practice, but now I usually have my mat inflated with 2 or 3 sacfuls of air.

I love my Xtherm.
Wish it wasn't as noisy when I'm sharing a tent, though, as I toss and turn a lot.