Patching Sleeping Pads & Air Mattresses

uintahiker

uintahiker

Adventure Guru
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Jan 20, 2012
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So earlier this week, I found myself kneeling next to the bathtub doing my best to drown my sleeping pad. Murder scene gone wrong? Nope. I had just found myself waking up on the ground one time too many so was finally getting around to looking for leaks and pinholes. I found a couple, marked where they were, and applied a liberal amount of adhesive after the pads had dried to fix the problem. It just got me thinking about how much of a pain it is to try to find holes in sleeping pads and wondered if anybody else had a better way to do it. If so, I'd be glad to hear it!
 
I would love to hear a better way too. I have a few that I need to fix now, and don't have a way to do it. (no bathtub or spray bottle).
 
Step 1. Buy 50 gallon barrel of glue.

Step 2. Fill bathtub with glue.

Step 3. Submerge pad. You're sure to get the hole!

But seriously, I rarely have any luck finding the hole. Big Agnes has been kind enough as to full out replace a pad when that has happened. But the last few years on the NeoAir XLite and NeoAir All Season have been amazing. Not a single hole on either of them and at least 50-60 nights, maybe more. I've been very impressed.
 
tried and failed using the bathtub method several (4-5) times with a Big Agnes pad. I never was successful. I've slept 5-6 days on the ground with the damn thing deflating all night. They replaced two for me already, I feel bad about getting them to replace it a third time. I love the pad (insulated aircore-mummy), but can't decide what to buy next.

Need
-Mummy cut (use a quilt often in the shoulder seasons)
-Insulated, at least 4+
-Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't know if I could get used to the sound of the crinkly neoair's
-Lightweight.

I haven't decided yet what to get next.
 
I'm sure it'll change as soon as I say this, but the only people I've ever heard that were really unhappy with the crinkly noise were not people who actually used that pad. Try one out and see. You're welcome to take mine for a weekend sometime.
 
i have truly LOVED closed cell foam since i made the switch, and never having to worry about holes. i grew up with inflatable pads, but never had one that didn't eventually develop a leak. i use a thermarest z lite short. 10 oz. i've had it for more than two years. interesting note on the topic, i talked to an older gentleman i came across in the grand canyon two weeks ago who had a neo air and had loved it for the last 3+ years, but said that he had had to patch leaks a couple times.

i think the biggest selling point for me about the z lite is the peace of mind. not even having to worry about a pad going flat.
 
I did closed cell for a year or two. I got by okay with a thermarest ridge rest deluxe but I couldn't do the Z Lite. The one thing I really loved about having closed cell is being able to use it as a chair/pad wherever I wanted, especially around the fire. I got to where it just hurt too much though and went back to air pads. Sometimes when I'm backpacking with dogs I'll bring a small section of my z-lite for a seat and for them to sleep on.
 
Nick said:
Big Agnes has been kind enough as to full out replace a pad when that has happened.
Click to expand...

Just went through this warranty process myself. The company at least stands behind its products.
 
ben cowan said:
i have truly LOVED closed cell foam since i made the switch, and never having to worry about holes.
Click to expand...
Maybe I'll give closed cell pads a try. How well do they insulate in cold weather? I think that's more of a concern for me than comfort.
 
slc_dan said:
tried and failed using the bathtub method several (4-5) times with a Big Agnes pad. I never was successful. I've slept 5-6 days on the ground with the damn thing deflating all night. They replaced two for me already, I feel bad about getting them to replace it a third time. I love the pad (insulated aircore-mummy), but can't decide what to buy next.
.
Click to expand...
I've had similar issues with Big Agnes Pads. I like them, but they always leak on me. I had one last me all summer last year, then it leaked. I exchanged it at REI, only to have the new pad leak within a few weeks. I did another exchange at REI, and had the same result.

I went with an Exped pad next, which I've used before and love. This pad lasted me a few weeks before developing a slow leak. It will hold air a few hours, but deflates by morning. With summer weather, it hasn't been too much of an issue.

I have a hard time believing I should have to patch something I spend a hundred bucks on, especially when it leaks within a few weeks of purchase.
 
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I bought an Exped 7 mat almost 4 years ago. I have had 1 leak. I have used it maybe 100 nights. When it did leak patching was easy, and it has held for over 2 years.
 
I hated paying the price for my NeoAir Xlite, but it hasn't leaked in 3 years of regular use. This year I bought a Xtherm and didn't mind the cost.
 
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Joey, i've slept on top of snow in november before with mine. probably below twenty degrees that night. i used my regular bag with a second much lighter sleeping bag in side, and i was fine.
 
No leaks in my old Prolite (5years). No leaks in my NeoAir (5 years).....and I use them in rough places.
 
Ive never had to find a leak in a sleeping pad, But finding that tiny POS pin hole in a semi tire is simple... a spray bottle full o water with a little sudsy detergent in it to help the Bubbles show up...inflate it to the max. and spray the crap out of it 4 square inches at a time... like a tire, I would think hanging the pad vertically while doing this would help.... start at the top an work down... the leak will likely show b4 you actually spray the spot from the "run off"...the suds (like dish soap) will make the bubbles show up better than straight water
 
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