View Full Version : packin up the air mattress
This is my least favorite job in the morning. But I'm thinking it might be unnecessary. What if I just squeeze the air out, close the valve, and cram it in the bottom of the pack? Do any of you guys do that? Any problems?
I squeeze out the air by rolling it up, close the valve, put it in my sleeping bag stuff sack, let it unroll, stuff the sleeping bag in the center tube created by the mattress.
that sounds good too. thanks!
I squeeze out the air by rolling it up, close the valve, put it in my sleeping bag stuff sack, let it unroll, stuff the sleeping bag in the center tube created by the mattress.
I'm guessing that both your air mattress and sleeping bag are in the 1.5 - 2 season category, or the stuff sack belonged to a winter bag. While that approach obviously works for you, it won't work for my low double digit tested gear.
Wayne
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Jeff,
What if?
You roll the air mattress very tightly. Like using your knees to compress the mattress as you roll. Then spread the mattress out and fold it so it fits the width of your pack and slide it in. Or fold it to fit the bottom of the pack?
Wayne
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You are complaining about rolling up an air mattrress? I just roll it up as tight as I can, then fold it in half and stuff it in my pack, on top of my quilt. Then, take my sleeping clothes in the exped schnozzle bag on top then fold the trash compacter bag down on top of it, tent/tarp, food bag, and stove go on top of that.
It takes but two minutes to pack up everything.
Slo-go'en
02-26-2017, 16:15
I guess it depends on the kind of air mattress you have, but I would suspect it would take a up a lot more space crunched into the bottom of the pack the if neatly rolled up.
Foam filled mattress like a Prolite have to be knelled on as their rolled up to get the air out. A NeoAir you just have to open the value while your still laying on it to get most of the air out. The rest comes out when you roll it up.
I have a NeoAir, so it is a two part process to get it ready to be packed. Let most of the air out, then roll it up. Unroll it, fold it in half width wise and then in half and half again. Then it sits in the bottom of my pack nicely.
You are complaining about rolling up an air mattrress? I just roll it up as tight as I can, then fold it in half and stuff it in my pack, on top of my quilt. Then, take my sleeping clothes in the exped schnozzle bag on top then fold the trash compacter bag down on top of it, tent/tarp, food bag, and stove go on top of that.
It takes but two minutes to pack up everything.
Yeah, this is kinda a variation of what I'm thinking. The part I don't like is rolling it up to fit in its little sack. You're not doing that, and that's also what I'm trying to get away from.
I guess it depends on the kind of air mattress you have, but I would suspect it would take a up a lot more space crunched into the bottom of the pack the if neatly rolled up.
Foam filled mattress like a Prolite have to be knelled on as their rolled up to get the air out. A NeoAir you just have to open the value while your still laying on it to get most of the air out. The rest comes out when you roll it up.
I have a NeoAir, so it is a two part process to get it ready to be packed. Let most of the air out, then roll it up. Unroll it, fold it in half width wise and then in half and half again. Then it sits in the bottom of my pack nicely.
This sounds good too. Thx!
Jeff,
What if?
You roll the air mattress very tightly. Like using your knees to compress the mattress as you roll. Then spread the mattress out and fold it so it fits the width of your pack and slide it in. Or fold it to fit the bottom of the pack?
Wayne
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So I gotta be like trying to roll this thing up while, squeezing it tight, while walking on it in my knees? I think, when I get thru with that step, I'll be ready to blow it back up and take a nap!?
Yeah, this is kinda a variation of what I'm thinking. The part I don't like is rolling it up to fit in its little sack. You're not doing that, and that's also what I'm trying to get away from.
That sack is extra weight and the frustration of trying to fit the mattress back into the sack is just not worth it.
illabelle
02-26-2017, 17:39
I make no attempt to make my mattress tiny. It weighs about the same whether it's fully deflated or mostly deflated. I open the valve before I get out of the sleeping bag, and expel most of the air by laying on it. Later I roll it up, but not taking any pains to get it perfectly flat and tightly coiled. Then I just strap it on the outside of my pack. If I'm going to be hiking through a rough area - sliding on rocks, fighting through overgrowth - I'll put it inside my pack.
I'm guessing that both your air mattress and sleeping bag are in the 1.5 - 2 season category, or the stuff sack belonged to a winter bag. While that approach obviously works for you, it won't work for my low double digit tested gear.
Wayne
Big Agnes insulated Air core short mummy pad, 20 degree Warbonnet quilt (though I've used a variety of 10-40 degree bags with success). This approach only works with down bags. You can also do the same with the pad by lining your pack with it - same concept, no stuff sack.
Morning routine.
1) realization I have to get up.
2) commitment - unscrew the valve, now I have to. air is 90+% gone.
3) get up, fold in either 1/4s or 1/6th. (Short xlite is 1/4s and full size xtherm is 1/6s)
4) put it directly against my back in pack.
no sacks or rolling or stuffing or other gymnastics.
saltysack
02-26-2017, 19:25
Morning routine.
1) realization I have to get up.
2) commitment - unscrew the valve, now I have to. air is 90+% gone.
3) get up, fold in either 1/4s or 1/6th. (Short xlite is 1/4s and full size xtherm is 1/6s)
4) put it directly against my back in pack.
no sacks or rolling or stuffing or other gymnastics.
+1 that simple
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Malto included that very important and logical step that we often forget to describe :
you open up the valve when still laying on it...
That is also a good way to motivate yourself to get up.
BTW, after you have let the air out laying on it , CLOSE THE VALVE, then get up.
Now you can roll it up and only open the valve right at the end of your rolling to let the last bit of air out.
I do that in two steps . First roll up and open the valve, then close it again , fold the pad in half and repeat the rolling and letting air out. Works on the self inflating too (for me) without having to kneal on them.
Try that at home, faster to do than it sounds when described.
So I gotta be like trying to roll this thing up while, squeezing it tight, while walking on it in my knees? I think, when I get thru with that step, I'll be ready to blow it back up and take a nap!?
Trust me. Way easier to do than tell and read about. I'm also working with a mattress with about 50% more volume than yours.
Wayne
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colorado_rob
02-26-2017, 21:05
Morning routine.
1) realization I have to get up.
2) commitment - unscrew the valve, now I have to. air is 90+% gone.
3) get up, fold in either 1/4s or 1/6th. (Short xlite is 1/4s and full size xtherm is 1/6s)
4) put it directly against my back in pack.
no sacks or rolling or stuffing or other gymnastics.+1 again, except I lay there for 5 minutes more enjoying the warmth and comfort and THEN make that commitment of the unscrew thing. I kinda stuff the loose fold/roll down with my sleeping bag. It's all trivially easy, zero fuss required.
Slo-go'en
02-26-2017, 21:11
Ah, I didn't realize anyone was trying to fit it back into a silly little sack. Yea, that's not easy and not necessary.
Traillium
02-26-2017, 21:12
+1 again, except I lay there for 5 minutes more enjoying the warmth and comfort and THEN make that commitment of the unscrew thing. I kinda stuff the loose fold/roll down with my sleeping bag. It's all trivially easy, zero fuss required.
Works with my Klymit in my hammock as well.
I'm about to start making an underquilt however — so I'll just stuff that loosely in the bottom of my trash compactor bag along with my sleeping bag.
Morning routine.
1) realization I have to get up.
2) commitment - unscrew the valve, now I have to. air is 90+% gone.
3) get up, fold in either 1/4s or 1/6th. (Short xlite is 1/4s and full size xtherm is 1/6s)
4) put it directly against my back in pack.
no sacks or rolling or stuffing or other gymnastics.
+1 that simple
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Another plan that sounds good.
So I gotta be like trying to roll this thing up while, squeezing it tight, while walking on it in my knees? I think, when I get thru with that step, I'll be ready to blow it back up and take a nap!?
Trust me. Way easier to do than tell and read about. I'm also working with a mattress with about 50% more volume than yours.
Wayne
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Ok. When we go on that hike, I'm gonna film you doing this!
Ah, I didn't realize anyone was trying to fit it back into a silly little sack. Yea, that's not easy and not necessary.
Anen. A real pain. Somethin nagging at ne tho, if you don't use that sack, you probably need to be a little careful packing it, so as not to wind up with a bunch of weight on that valve...