instalflator

[ninjapuppet]

was noticing my neoair weighing more than what it used to when new. I dont care for a few grams here and there but was wondering whats happening to the moisture trapped inside, so i got me one of these little gadgets
http://www.themillair.com/index.html



its basically works in the same principle to the older exped downmats. I dont really get light headed but any less effort at the end of a long day is appreciated.
I think Franco suggested something similar in some thread a while back, but this is $3.99 US. for a gadget i'm not really sure i 100% need, cant go wrong at this price..

when it arrives in the mail, will give a more thorough review.

[Ent]

Hi

I have the older style Exped mat in XL size and using the supplied bag means it is a long process to blow up. Looks good, all depends on weight and reliability so looking forward to the review once it arrives. Hopefully not another useless product from Crap-tell to borrow from Paul Hogan.

Cheers Brett

[tasadam]

Looks pretty good to me...

[Franco]

If it does work for you, yes you are correct, I did mention that.
If it does not , it could have been another Franco.
In Italy every guy not called Maria was called Franco in the Fifties.
Yes do let us know...
A picture would be nice and please measure the weight if you can, even if you need to go to the Post Office for that.
Franco

[Ent]

Looks pretty good to me...

Some people just do not know how to behave themselves with photo editing tools Now do behave

Cheers Brett

[Orion]

According to some folks on Backpackinglight it weighs 1.7 ounces, 0.3 ounces of which is an adapter for the valve. How much heavier is your neoair and how much of that is lost when you bring it home and dry it out?

Are there other untapped sources of "free air" for a walker? Dehydrated food certainly results in a quite a bit of it, although that would only worsen your troubles with the neoair. And the adapter would probably be a little uncomfortable.

[north-north-west]

In Italy every guy not called Maria was called Franco in the Fifties.

*snigger*
Been reading some war memoirs lately, have we?

[Franco]

I miss Spike...
Franco

[sthughes]

Really? Think I'll just stick to blowing it uup the old fashioned way - 18 breaths looks way easier! Bet that tube will work well when it's wet and sticking together, love to see someone demonstrate it's use in a Microlight during a storm :-p

[walkinTas]

I miss Spike...Franco

Itsa me Mario.... Mario itsa me

[north-north-west]

I miss Spike...
Franco

Spiek. The well-known typing error . . .
*sigh*
So do I.

[ninjapuppet]

just an update on this.

personally, i wouldnt recommend it. too much of a gimmick i reckon. but hey it was cheaper than an hours parking at my uni so nothing lost.

the idea is great in theory but i had abit of trouble attaching it to my neoair. required a fair bit of effort. and secondly i couldnt do it in my tent because you need a fair bit of space to roll it out. so wouldnt be ideal in wet / windy weather. weights about 87 grams

The only good use i can think of, is when someone borrows my theramrest. I will make them use this as i dont like others putting their mouths on my blow valve. maybe also good for a packraft because it gets air in quicker than the included one in the packraft. i bought about 3 of these (dont know why....) but if someone wants one for five bucks delivered then PM me.

dissing a product and then trying to sell it - sales is obviously not my speciality.

[north-north-west]

The only good use i can think of, is when someone borrows my theramrest. I will make them use this as i dont like others putting their mouths on my blow valve.

*snigger*

[ninjapuppet]

I just weighed my neoair, and noticed it gradually getting heavier and heavier after only a few uses ... maybe blown up 6 times.

thought my scales were out so i weighed a few other items and that confirmed my neoair had increased by 6 grams.
i put this down to the moisture in my lungs being trapped inside and this worries me abit.


I took the instalflator out today for another test, after watching Mike Miller's video and it took me 1.5 pumps of the installflator to pump up the neoair.
its dead easy to use: it comes with a plastic connector for all neoair type of valves.
just roll it out, use your hands to expand it up or blow into it once. then start rolling. air gets transferred into the mat.

GOOD POINTS:
- I found this much quicker than blowing in.
- i could do it in my Akto tent, so its possible to still use it if raining outside.
- virtually no moisture gets into the neoair. (its accumulated 6 grams already!)
- I do not feel light headed from hyperventilating.
- the thing weighs 44 grams, and is dirt cheap (about $4 + 6 postage each)

Ive decided that whenever neoair comes with me, so does this.
so maybe i shall drink 44ml less water to make up for this additional weight. to put it into perspective, 44 mL ~ 1 gulp of water.
If i arrive at camp, and i am knacked from a hike, having this is a definite luxury worth carrying 44 grams for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJLVYfg88TE&feature=player_embedded

This is a demonstration video above.

Attachments

[Orion]

"i put this down to the moisture in my lungs being trapped inside and this worries me abit."

What are you worried about?

[ninjapuppet]

this is unconfirmed, but I have heard of stories where mould builds up inside blow up matteresses.
others have had delamination of the insides, possibly caused from moisture build up.

These are probally just chinese whispers. but my old thermarest prolight could be left with the valve open and moisture given a chance to escape. with the neoairs valves open, they just flatten out. and some moisture wont be able to escape

[Orion]

I have left mattresses stored rolled up with the valve closed. My car camping mattress is one of the fat thermarests, 2 1/2 inches thick or something like that. It takes at least 20 full breaths to fill it and I ALWAYS store it rolled up. No problem and the thing is probably 10 years old now.

Thermarest addresses your concern about moisture on their website:

"NeoAir mattress can be inflated directly without the added weight of a pump, or worrying about exhaled moisture wetting insulation and decreasing performance."

"Will moisture build-up and ruin my mattress if I blow into it?

No. We have spent decades refining our coatings and fabrics to withstand such things and this assurance of lasting quality separates Therm-a-Rest mattresses from every other competitor. However, minimizing moisture is always a good idea. Always allow self-inflating mattresses to inflate on their own as much as possible, then just top them off with a few breaths at the end for added firmness. We also recommend storing your mattress unrolled and with the valve open. This keeps the foam core at maximum loft and allows any moisture build-up to evaporate slowly."