so, THERMARESTS - do we need them? Worth the money?

[filthymindedvixen]

???

WE need something easy and quick to roll up/down for roof of our Bongo for children and something ditto to go over folded down seats in bottom of Bongo for me and dh. Blow up matresses no good for either scenario..

But Thermarest range is too vast for my little head, which spinneth. And bugger me, they seem expensive....! Are they worth investing in?

I have just spent a bit on some fat airics.

Tried air beds, too swishy. Have some nice campbeds, but TFD to put up, particularly for short trips, and they take up a lot of room.

So I got some far airics which seem nice, but have not tried in the field.

DB has some thermarests and he thinks they are fab, but I wanted something a bit more padded

What you want to buy is an Airic. Like Thermarest but cheaper!

we have cheap versions of thermarests from France and I find them quite comfy, I don't like airbeds at all!

those airics look good....

We've just bought Fat Airics too (couldn't persuade dh to my way of thinking on the Thermarests). Not tried out for real yet, but they seem pretty comfy on the living room floor.

I also love my thermarest. We have the basecamps (normal size). They are good.

We love our new fat airics. Dont fully self inflate need a little top up of air.

yes but tell why thermarests and airics are so good...size? Blow-up-ability, comfort etc. Please?

The foam in them insulates you from the cold seeping up from the ground better than air mattresses.

fat airics are, well fatter and more comfy as I am a little on the large size.

The foam makes them more comfy and insulates you better. The self (or semiself) inflate which is easier than an air bed

Are they better than, say, an Aerobed? I've just talked dh into buying one of these for £50 (from Germany no less) and now I'm having buyers remorse. Should I have gone for fat airics instead???

I was feeling that too squilly, until I clicked on the link and found that fat airics are £45 each, no good when you need 4!
I've got coleman air beds and love them, apparently it helps to put inuslating silver foile underneath to stop heat escaping, but I've never thought of anywhere to get it from? Maybe I should start a camping thread.....

silver foil

If you buy fat airics on line and buy two (or mutiples of 2) they drop the price to £35

Oooh- you have a Bongo!
Well, thermarests self-inflate for a start, and keep you warmer. Are pretty comfortable when you're used to a closed-cell foam mat (minimalists we were... switched to thermarests when pg)
You can get shorter ones which take up less space (I'm only 5' tall, and sleep like a foetus in any case)
There are different thicknesses/weights- depends on when you camp, and whether you backpack- in a bongo, you'll not need the warmest, or lightest, so should cost you less.

Thermarests do come with a lifetime guarantee, which does make them more expensive, but I had a funny hole in mine and they gave me a new one!
I love it!

I'd say go for the cheaper thermarest style ones if your budget is tighter, as they are SO much more comfy than an airbed, and they pack up small, and keep you really warm.

we have thermarest-equivalants from Aldi for upstarirs in our Bongo - and for camping and sleepovers - they are fab. However because dp and I are wimps, we have these to solve the wavy-bed problem when we sleep 'downstairs" in Bongo. They were buy one get one free when we got ours - sadly not any more.

Just got back from two nights with my airic - now considering my arthritis (in my back) is playing up a little I'm astonished at how comfy it was.

seeker!! We already have 2 of those from last year's buy one get one free offer So do they work downstairs in bongo then? Ahhh, we let the boys have those upstairs. Doh!

what's a Bongo?

btw, have a Thermarest bought many years ago and it's still in very good condition considering the abuse it's had! It's a 3/4 length one (I am a short-arse) and about an inch thick when inflated- I've never had an uncomfortable night on it.

bongo is a japanese people carrier with a pop-up tent in roof and seats which fold out to sleep on.

oooh, sounds good, but I wasn't planning on buying a whole new vehicle!