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  1. #1
    New Member
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    Packing away inflatable pad

    For those who use an inflatable pad - what are your tips and tricks for rolling it up in the morning?

    I recently acquired an inflatable pad for use in my hammock and I知 a bit... perturbed? confused? on the best way to put it away in the morning. I知 leery of rolling it up on the ground, but I don稚 think using the hammock as a surface would work very well.

    How do you do it?


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  2. #2
    Member IcyThunder's Avatar
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    May 2016
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    I don't use an inflatable pad and prefer an underquilt. However, if you bring along a piece of tyvek or plastic material as kind of a groundsheet, you could do you rolling on that. It also is nice as a spot for your pack, shoes, etc.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    Hammock tip: sit in the hammock cross-legged facing the foot end of the hammock. The hammock will suddenly become a steady platform on which you can roll a pad, drink tea, write stuff, or study your map.

    For the pad: Start by folding it half, then again, then again. Bear-hug and close the nozzle.

    Then unfurl it with the nozzle still closed. Start rolling it from the bottom until you get a little bubble of air trapped at the top. Then open the nozzle and squish the rest out.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by leiavoia View Post
    Hammock tip: sit in the hammock cross-legged facing the foot end of the hammock. The hammock will suddenly become a steady platform on which you can roll a pad, drink tea, write stuff, or study your map.

    For the pad: Start by folding it half, then again, then again. Bear-hug and close the nozzle.

    Then unfurl it with the nozzle still closed. Start rolling it from the bottom until you get a little bubble of air trapped at the top. Then open the nozzle and squish the rest out.
    Thanks! I値l have to try that!


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  5. #5
    New Member Tigger's Avatar
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    I use an inflatable mat and deflate it in the hammock if everything is wet or on the tarp laid on the ground if dry. Works ok with little trouble

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  6. #6
    OlTrailDog's Avatar
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    Oct 2013
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    I don't deflate mine. I just strap it fully inflated on the back of my backpack. That way it is handy for floating across streams, lakes, and rivers. Plus, if I fall over backwards, I usually bounce right back up.



    Just kidding. If possible, depending on the hammock, I pop the deflate valve while still on top in the hammock. Body weight deflates the pad. Then, or if the deflate valve isn't handy, I will do an initial deflate by wadding the pad into a ball in my lap as I'm standing, starting at the non-valve end. After the initial squeeze, I will unroll the pad and do a final roll. Sometimes the final roll is just another ball that I stuff in the bottom of the pack. And sometimes the final roll is the three part roll that the pad originally came as. The finial roll usually goes slow as I work out the last air reserve. The Synmats deflate much easier than the Downmats, but the Downmats are substantially warmer when needed. All is done without having to put the pad on the ground.

    Oh, I almost forgot about the conspiracy. The pad makers have colluded together on making the original stuff sacks too small to reinsert the pad back into. This is done so that they can take pictures of the original packaging and proclaim, "See, our X pad is smaller than an aspirin bottle!". I rarely use the original stuff sack, except when putting the pad up on ebay for someone else to enjoy. Just too much hassle that I'm not willing to endure.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by OlTrailDog View Post
    I don't deflate mine. I just strap it fully inflated on the back of my backpack. That way it is handy for floating across streams, lakes, and rivers. Plus, if I fall over backwards, I usually bounce right back up.



    Just kidding. If possible, depending on the hammock, I pop the deflate valve while still on top in the hammock. Body weight deflates the pad. Then, or if the deflate valve isn't handy, I will do an initial deflate by wadding the pad into a ball in my lap as I'm standing, starting at the non-valve end. After the initial squeeze, I will unroll the pad and do a final roll. Sometimes the final roll is just another ball that I stuff in the bottom of the pack. And sometimes the final roll is the three part roll that the pad originally came as. The finial roll usually goes slow as I work out the last air reserve. The Synmats deflate much easier than the Downmats, but the Downmats are substantially warmer when needed. All is done without having to put the pad on the ground.

    Oh, I almost forgot about the conspiracy. The pad makers have colluded together on making the original stuff sacks too small to reinsert the pad back into. This is done so that they can take pictures of the original packaging and proclaim, "See, our X pad is smaller than an aspirin bottle!". I rarely use the original stuff sack, except when putting the pad up on ebay for someone else to enjoy. Just too much hassle that I'm not willing to endure.
    Lol maybe I should attach it to my head (via fashionable headband) as well as my back as a rain/sun shield?

    Good idea about a rough ball first, I値l have to try that!

    Yeah I値l probably get another stuff sack, I can稚 see it being worth trying to pack that small every morning. Relatively easy on my living room floor but I expect not so much on the trail. Likely I値l bring both when I first go out.


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  8. #8
    HangingOut's Avatar
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    I always use insulated inflatable pads (Exped downmat or Therm-a-rest neoair Xtherm) becasue I got tired of fighting calf ridge pressure all night if I am in a place where I don't have good tree or rock spacing. I just stand beside the hammock and do an initial rough roll-up on the full width pad then fold it to the width I want and do a final roll. I find the Xtherm is easy to get back down to the original bag size but have given up on trying to compress the downmat and just made a slightly larger (cuben) bag.

  9. #9
    OlTrailDog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HangingOut View Post
    I always use insulated inflatable pads (Exped downmat or Therm-a-rest neoair Xtherm) becasue I got tired of fighting calf ridge pressure all night if I am in a place where I don't have good tree or rock spacing. I just stand beside the hammock and do an initial rough roll-up on the full width pad then fold it to the width I want and do a final roll. I find the Xtherm is easy to get back down to the original bag size but have given up on trying to compress the downmat and just made a slightly larger (cuben) bag.
    I use a pad often since I started with WBRR and Hammocktent ninety degree hammocks before picking up some GEs (own a small hammock herd). A pad nixes any calf ridge. Another plus is if you dangle your feet barely off the bottom of the pad it nixes ankle knock by creating a pseudo-foot box. The TR Xtherm MAX is nice and warm, deflates super easy, and packs down tight, but I personally find Exped's vertical tubes more comfortable in a hammock compared to TR's horizontal tubes. However, if I was ground/truck camping my first choice would be the Xtherm.

  10. #10
    HangingOut's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OlTrailDog View Post
    I use a pad often since I started with WBRR and Hammocktent ninety degree hammocks before picking up some GEs (own a small hammock herd). A pad nixes any calf ridge. Another plus is if you dangle your feet barely off the bottom of the pad it nixes ankle knock by creating a pseudo-foot box. The TR Xtherm MAX is nice and warm, deflates super easy, and packs down tight, but I personally find Exped's vertical tubes more comfortable in a hammock compared to TR's horizontal tubes. However, if I was ground/truck camping my first choice would be the Xtherm.
    Yeah, a lot of hammockers think I am weird because of my exclusive inflatable pad use. I am so spoiled by the comfort and ease of using the thick soft pad I am almost afraid to even try an UQ again. The first thing I do when I get another hammock is sew a strip of velcro into the footbox (and sometimes the shoulder box). Then I use a small pad sleeve with a velcro strip added or just put a strip of industrial grade sticky-backed velcro right on the pad to hold it in place. I find that much less hassle than screwing around with an UQ and risking calf ridge ruining my night's sleep. And I can go to ground if I find myself above treeline.

    I do sometimes add a 3/4 length UQ below the pad in cold weather.

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