I bought a Thermarest Ridgerest sleeping pad to replace my old inflatable that wore out after a couple years. I almost bought a non-inflatable as I was irritated that my last one developed leaks all along the seams, but I really wanted the extra cushion because I sleep on my sides. I found a $40 Thermarest on craigslist and snapped it up. It worked like a dream until a little ember from a beach fire burned a pinky diameter hole in the top. I tried tent repair tape (nope), superglue and a bicycle tube (nope), superglue and bike tube under tent tape (nope), and an official Thermarest repair kit (which at least I could return to REI when it didn't do jack). Thermarest will supposedly repair it for $20, but I have to take it to them in Seattle or play a 4-6 week shipping game which is no fun when you have no address and no bed except the Thermarest. There's got to be something heavy duty enough to keep that patch on there even under pressure. Ideas? The surface is nylon, I believe.
Ideas for Repairing Sleeping Pad
I've used a Thermarest repair kit with success on a small hole in the front. Searching online, I found this:
I patched a substantial hole made by a pointed stick in my first thermarest. It was actually too big for the patches in the patch kit. I just overlapped a couple patches, slathered on the glue and it was good as new. I used it for several years after with no leaks.
Maybe the unofficial fixes made the official fix not work. Would a thorough cleaning around the hole help?
Of course mine now has a slow leak from me sleeping on a buried piece of cactus. I can't even find the leak using the bathtub method, I just wake up in the morning with a flat sleeping pad.
I patched a substantial hole made by a pointed stick in my first thermarest. It was actually too big for the patches in the patch kit. I just overlapped a couple patches, slathered on the glue and it was good as new. I used it for several years after with no leaks.
Maybe the unofficial fixes made the official fix not work. Would a thorough cleaning around the hole help?
Of course mine now has a slow leak from me sleeping on a buried piece of cactus. I can't even find the leak using the bathtub method, I just wake up in the morning with a flat sleeping pad.