Mines bound to be damp inside, any ideas for drying it out?

If I could inflate it, stick a balloon over the valve with some silicone gel inside?

Roll it up as tight as you can, let it self-inflate as fully as possible(no blowing!), leave it a while. Repeat at intervals and do it somewhere warm if you can so it’s filling with warm dry air. Can’t see the balloon doing much, air doesn’t circulate much in a foam mat.

My idea is not about air movement but the silica gel drawing the moisture out.

It’s a modern one, not self inflating

Hang it with the valve at the bottom, near a dehumidifier. Though I like your silica gel idea.

(And buy an inflation bag for it)

It’s a modern one, not self inflating

Have I missed something in the development of Thermarests? Isn’t that just an air bed? Do they still have foam in?4
EDIT: Mine’s about 15 years old an called “original” – it’s not exactly light

(And buy an inflation bag for it)

I have one – but I tend to blow into it. I don’t have (or want) a dehumidifier.

pocpoc – I think most of them are airbeds these days, the early ones were self inflating with foam.

Vacuum cleaner nozzle taped over the valve, pull all the air out of the foam, let it refill by itself, repeat.

I suppose it could be a bit mildewy inside, just don’t breathe in by mistake while you’re inflating it. If it does have mould inside, it won’t be going away.

leave it inflated with the valve open? It will dry out eventually

It is not a foam one (see 3rd post).

How do they stay inflated with the valve open?

Why? Mebbies slight risk of Legionnaires disease but otherwise, so long as it’s not adding weight, why bother?

I gave my pal and his wife Thermarests as a wedding gift 27 years ago and both are still going strong despite repeated use all over the world. I really wouldn’t worry about moisture inside.

boblo – Member

Why? Mebbies slight risk of Legionnaires disease but otherwise, so long as it’s not adding weight, why bother?

It’s something you are told to avoid…isn’t it?

cynic-al – Member

It’s something you are told to avoid…isn’t it?

Leaving them damp inside or Legionnaires? I wouldn’t have thought there’s a serious risk of the latter and the former is inevitable if you blow them up by mouth. Is this a NeoAir or one of the old foamie types?

If it’s a NeoAir, there’s nothing inside to soak up moisture. It’s plastic/nylon/metalised material. I wouldn’t worry too much unless it’s a foamie that’s sodden inside and then I’d probably junk it as there’s no real sensible way to dry them inside.

It’s a Trekker – neoair style.

What has happened to stws ingenuity! Are the glory days of brake mounts fabricated from spoons over!

Make an inline dryer, cut the top half from two 2litre bottles fill with rice tape together and connect one end to thermarest and inflate and deflate