help with therm-a-rest pads

[Max Carruth]

I have a thermarest backpacker lite I think. Its one of those lightweight, 1 inch thick, and only been used a time or two. Now it wont hold air. Leaks out in about 10 minutes. My biggest question is how do I find the leak? Is it safe to submerge it in water and look for bubbles? Can you spray it with soapie water? Any advice would be appreciated. I know theres is patch kits for them but I have heard their not the best solution. So what is? Thanks.
Max Carruth
(479)650-5775

[panicman]

you might try wetting it with water and dishwashing soap in different areas and squeeze on it. It might buble up where the leak is.

[okieboater]

I now use Paco pads, but still have a couple Thermarests in the garage from my back packing days.

The way to find a leak is to blow the pad up as much as you can. close the valve and put the pad in the bath tub or a big container of water. Look for the air bubbles and mark the leak.

If it is a pin hole, some times a drop of aqua seal glue will work.

Amazon dot com carries the authorized thermarest repair kits. This will be the best way to patch a hole.

I have had great service from my therma rest and would still take mine out and expect it to work. Most of their pads will last a lifetime given basic care.

The patching advice is from a local Tulsa Outfitter D and B outfitters, who used this procedure and they told me it always worked for them.

http://www.thermarest.com/faqs.aspx#3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

the above URL gives you factory advice

Hope this helps.

[Cowper]

Is it safe to submerge it in water and look for bubbles? Can you spray it with soapie water? Any advice would be appreciated. I know theres is patch kits for them but I have heard their not the best solution.

Good question. The others have already answered; I'll just add - once you find the leak, get it out of the water, you don't want to allow the air pressure to drop enough for any of the water to get into the mattress. And I also agree; a dab of aqua seal is probably all you would need; I don't see needing a "patch" unless you had a full-blown cut, which if you had that, you'd already know where the leak is.
Even before you did the bubble test on the whole mattress, I'd start by just spitting on the valve, or putting it under water, to see if that is your leak location. If it is, then I wouldn't mess with it further - I'd just send it back to the factory for a new valve. Thermarest might even cover a valve issue under their "Limited Lifetime Warranty", as they say, "at their discretion". IMO, puntures are usually just normal wear and tear; while a leaking valve was more likely to be that way from time of manufacture.
http://www.thermarest.com/support_warranty.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Zach]

An old roommate of mine got a hole in his a couple years ago. I patched it for him with a bike tube patch. It seemed to hold for the year or so after that till he moved out. (He didn't say later that if fell off, but I doubt it would have come up.) There are some really crappy patches that don't stick at all without glue, and not much better with glue. Don't use those. Some of the better ones stick really well without glue (I didn't use glue to patch his and it seemed to work fine). There was a while where I kept getting free patch kits in goody bags and with other stuff, so I'm not sure what brand they were, but they looked like these:

From Performance

From Nashbar

THESE also look like they would work.

They are nice to take along on a trip since they are really small and don't need glue to work. Not super convenient to take along aquaseal or a patch kit that needs to sit undisturbed for hours.
As for the warranty, inflatable ground pads are one of those purchases I think are worth getting someplace like REI or Backcountry.com that have a lifetime guarantee. If you feel like you babied it and it starts leaking you send it back for a refund and let them worry about it.

[okieboater]

JPW Paco pads are made from raft material and rarely fail.

I have a 4 inch silverback JPW paco that I have had close to if not more than ten years.

Toss it on the ground just about anywhere and you have comfort.

When I am not using it, I just leave it inflated in the back of my pickup truck camper shell - so far zero problems and lots of good sleeping.

[Max Carruth]

Thanks for all the help! Im gonna find the hole and probably try the aquaseal or even the tube patch( I got some pretty good ones). I already checked the valve and its good. BTW, this is my "loner" backpacking pad. I upgraded to the prolite 4 large last year, and I have an AIRE landing pad for river trips. I have tried those paco pads by JPW and they are some of the best sleep I've had outdoors. Just the landing pads was 1/2 the price and still very durable and 3+ inches thick. I'll try to update when finished and tell what worked for me.
Thanks again,
Max