Monday 1st June 2009…1220 hrs.
Since the arrival on UK soil of the Thermarest NeoAir (short) mattress there have been many and varied reports about its capacity to perform in anything like a satisfactory manner. My comments included – here.
However having discussed my concerns with Bob at BPL.co.uk, I followed his instructions and returned said mattress. Friday afternoon the delectable voice of Rose graced my mobile phone with the information that a new batch of NeoAir mattresses had arrived and she was sending one post haste by courier. This has now duly arrived and is at present lurking fully inflated in a spare room.
With such service I feel I should also include a section of my report accompanying the returned item as the ‘fault’ was tenuous to say the least…..
Basically the problem lies with retention of air. I can inflate fully, close the valve and leave the NeoAir for about 1.5 to 2 hours (without use) and it has softened slightly (as outlined in the ‘Pro Tips’ No.4 which accompanies the mattresses). This I understand and it causes me no concern.
However, when I use the mattress, I would estimate that I lose about 50 – 60% inflation in the course of a nights sleep. The loss is not to the point where the mattress is anything like deflated as in deflated for packing, and neither does it make for sleeping discomfort. There is still sufficient air remaining to allow a soft and comfortable sleep, but immediately I reduce my body area in contact with the mattress as a whole, as in sitting up, I am then ‘dumped on the floor’. If I return to a prone position the mattress is again comfortable.
I have tried using the NeoAir for two or three consecutive nights without ‘topping-up’ and still it remains partially inflated and is comfortable for prone position sleeping.
I have also tried inflating the mattress, immersing it in a bath, laying on it and sitting on it in the bath and I can see no telltale bubbles to suggest that there is neither a puncture nor an immediately obvious faulty valve.
However, and this is chiefly where my concern arises, I have tried another NeoAir (short) belonging to a family member (weighing in at about half my weight) and with similar usage as outlined above these effects do not occur when either she or I use her mattress, but when she uses my mattress the same effects I experience do occur with her. This rules out one possibility that I had considered, that of my weight causing the valve to leak to a certain point.
As you will appreciate I am now put in a position where I do not feel I can trust my piece of equipment. At least not without some convincing reasons why one NeoAir in the family has the above mentioned peculiarities and another behaves ‘normally’…..
Later…2000 hrs
The new NeoAir is still as hard as when first inflated so I’m sleeping on it tonight to give it a further test.
Tuesday 2nd June 2009…0630 hrs
Magnificent night’s sleep even on a cold and unforgiving solid concrete floor. I turned in about 2200 hrs and slept like a babe.
This morning the NeoAir was still and firm as when first inflated so this has to be an acceptable result. Now I can have confidence in this piece of kit.
I think as a final comment in this saga I should applaud the patience, understanding and help I have received from Bob and Rose at backpackinglight.co.uk. They have accepted my moans and acted instantly they had the opportunity. I think from the tenuous and still undefined problems with the original they acted well beyond the call of duty.
So, a big ‘thank you’ to Rose and Bob!