Just been wondering if anyone who is using the old school ccf type foam mats (on their own or with another mat) have come up with any ingenious ways to carry them whilst maintaining that all important bikepacking neatness 😉

Sorry, I haven’t used one of them for 20+ years. Thermarest was the thing for a while and now the lightweight inflatables. Bulk was one of the main reasons for ditching them.

I will sometimes carry a torso length thin foam mat as it’s quicker to deploy than a neoair.

It’s compact enough to be folded and kept in the dry bag in my bars with sleeping bag and other bits.

No idea about carrying a full length thick one though…

Not neatly anyway 🙂

I’ve cut mine into 100mm squares. Easier to carry and I just reassemble them when ready to bed down for the night.

I sometimes use a Karriomor Z mat copy. Strap it to the handlebar bag, found it a bit disconcerting going down Jacobs Ladder not being able to see my front wheel. I have Alpkit Numo now but I like the simplicity and reliability of the Z mat

I’ve cut mine into 100mm squares. Easier to carry and I just reassemble them when ready to bed down for the night.

That’s a good idea. I find it that if I empty the down out of my jacket and sleeping bag you can compress it more easily. On arrival at your camp spot you simply blow the down back into the bag/garment from a dry bag. Allows you to customize how warm you want your bag according to the weather.

I break my bivvy bag into it’s constituent aliphatic polyamides,that way I can carry it in a spare water bottle and then reassemble it at my chosen camp spot

😆 Some excellent ideas here guys!

Stainypants, that’s what i was thinking with it on the bars!
fortunately i have a small thermarest jobby but just had the sudden idea to sit it on my old foam mat for added pow and thorn protection.

I have nothing to add here (I use a ultralight thermarest wrapped around a very light weight sleeping bag but have a new idea inspired by the squares mentioned above.

How about cutting a roll mat into triangles to put on one side of your bike. Could tape them together to create hinges to stop them spreading out in the night (or even better, eyelet them and tie them into correct arrangement) . Attached to one side of the frame via velcro loops/paracord you could still access bottles/frame bag on the other side.

Edit – found an old army issue roll mat on the hill the other week. I’m off to flatten it and get the eyelet tool out…

Either roll mat around the bar bag and then in the harness. Or z fold mat around the top tube

But in this day and age, inflating mats are the only real way forward. Unless you’re sleeping somewhere really thorny or similar

I’ve cut mine into 100mm squares. Easier to carry and I just reassemble them when ready to bed down for the night.

That’s a lot of 4 inch squares!

😯

I assume you like jigsaws.

Some re-assembly required:

Malvern rider, I think that’s for very short fat types.

Love my neo air with its battery powered pump !! Wouldn’t go back to anything else

When I was in the army we used to cut them into fold up squares after seeing the German ones, bit like origami!

http://www.kitmonster.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/2257

Malvern rider, I think that’s for very short fat types.

Not only! You take the lion and the fish, then reassemble on the bottom. 3/4 sleep mat.

I hate to agree with Scotroutes – old habits die hard – but if you’re remotely bothered about bulk and neatness, just go for a lightweight inflatable, something like an Alpkit Numo. Closed cell foam mats have many virtues, but none of them pack down small.

Or you could just go for a balloon bed and rejoice in a world of lightweigh faff and nocturnal explosions, fnar… 😉