Modifiying a ThermaRest

I have not read anything at BPL in modifying a thermarest, care to elaborate? Have people taken a thermarest and shortened them? That would be cool. I'd like a 5' long thermarest, I don't like the shortness of a 4 footer and the 6 footer is overkill and unwanted weight. How have people shortened a theramrest if that is what you read about.

I thought it was here that I read it. Maybe not. I will look up the process and post a link or two… Going out with the wife and will post tomorrow!

There's an article on the process with a prolite 4 3/4 sized pad in the articles section of this site! Check it out!

Shortening a Thermarest

Here’s the link.

I’ve thought about doing the same to my old Thermarest. It weighs a ton and I don’t use it for anything but car camping anymore. I just can’t get up the courage to actually cut into it though.

Adam

I read the article and noticed what it said about doing it on the prolite. Scares me to try it.

What gets me about the sleeping pad manufacturers are that they are all doing clone stuff, why does not anyone make a 5' long inflatable sleeping pad — why does it have to be either 4' or 6'? Yea, I know the woman's prolite 3 is 5.5' long but it weighs the same as the man's 6' long prolite 3. Why not a man's prolite 3 five footer?

I think I am just going to dive in sometime this week and see what happens. I'll post later with the results!

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=33&p_id=1124273

I finally found a five foot self-inflatable sleeping pad (16.9 oz)

Wow, I finally found one — the four footers were always too short and the six footers were overkill. Look at their large 2.3 oz pillow that snaps to the pad and won't flip around. I got that too. It will replace my 1.9 oz pillow case. Also, note the non-slip surface so your sleeping bag reportedly will not slip around it.

Furthermore this pad is about $16 cheaper than thermarest too (the six foot prolite 3 pad) which weighs 3.1 ounces more. (plus the Montbell comes with stuff sack and repair kit for that reduced price)

ps – does anyone have any of their pads (4,5,6 foot length) – how nonslip are they? also, anyone has their pillow, how comfortable is it?

Roleigh,

I have a montbell UL 90 cm pad and I would say the "nonslipness" is comparable to thermarest pads. I use my UL 90 with a 1/8" thin light under it so I have no problems with it moving under me even on silnylon.

I did shorten a thermarest clone some time ago bought especially for this. Piece of cake.

Just cut up your pad, make an edge by removing the foam and clean it. I used methanol (the one closest at hand). Then took a piece of waxed baking paper to protect the pad fabric from burning and used an ordinary clother iron set to its hottest and sealed the seam again. I kept the iron in the same place for about 10 secs moving around a bit.

Works like a charm.

Good look in your molestation of your pad….