So how long does a self inflating matress take to self inflate?

[MrsMellowdrummer]

I ordered a Dozer (Alpkit's new version of the Fat Airic), which has arrived this morning, to my great delight...

It's been self inflating for a good hour or so, and it's still quite slim at the moment. I'm guessing it will take longer first time round, as it's been factory compressed, but should it really be taking this long? I reckon it's about 2cm fat at the moment, and I believe it should inflate to about 8cm.

Does anybody with a Dozer, or Fat Airic, or similar have an ETA for my comfy new bed? I'm desperate for a practise kip!

give it a few puffs to get it going.

My thermarests take about 2 mins to fully inflate.

Ah, don't worry.

The first time you inflate it, do it yourself (i.e. blow it up by mouth). This "wakes up" the cells. Leave it inflated for a couple of hours. Then you can open up the valves again and either roll it up if needs be, or leave it flat until you have to roll it up to put in car.

Next time you have to use it (i.e. camping), it will only take a couple of minutes to inflate, which you can top up with a puff or two.

I store mine "open" (not rolled up) but with open valves behind one of the doors.

Thanks chaps...
I will try some puffing!

Puffing is good - another way to speed it up (first time or in the future) is to let it half inflate, close the valve, then roll all the air into the foot end. Open the valve again, and a load of new air rushes to fill the now empty head end.

just puff into it!

kodokan, have you slept on it yet? I am about to order one...

Well I'm a very happy Dozer owner!

The first time round it did take hours and hours to inflate. I did get very very impatient, and in fact even blowing into it didn't work very well, as the air just rushed out again as soon as I'd finished blowing. It got there in the end though, and I tested it that evening... lay down on the floor in the lounge at about 9pm, just to see how it felt. Woke up at 2am (!!!!)... having had the most comfy doze of my life!

Deflated it the next day, and re-inflated straight away. This time it took 5 mins max... so you guys were right! Just needed a couple of puffs at the end to top it up.

I will try your trick Kodokan, if I get impatient again! Tootootired, go ahead and order - you're going to love it!

Thanks Mellow, I have ordered.. I came back from half term camping with crippling backache. Up to now I've been fine on a Thermarest but I think I've started sleeping on my side and it's less forgiving of thin mats.

Oh, I wish this whole choosing a camping mat wasn't so confusing...I can't decide!