Re: Two NeoAir mats together?

We have done this before and there are many "solutions" .
My take is that if you just put a strap or something like that it will not hold them flat during the night (one will ride over the other)
I suggested using two trekking poles under with a strap going from the tip over one mat, down to the center and over the other mat to the handle , but the idea went down like a lead balloon.
However it works…(if you have a pair of poles…)
like this :


edited to give a better idea of how it would minimise the gap whilst keeping the mats flat.
If you don't use trekking poles you can do something like that with pole sections. About 100g will do for the two.
The idea is that you need a rigid base to run the cord around it.

Franco

Thanks for the photo/comment Franco but for now the biggest concern is the horizontal baffles of the NeoAir mats collapsing at the sides. Getting them to stay mated together is merely a secondary issue at this stage ;)

Through my searching I found two somewhat relevant threads here:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=31757
& http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=32805

Neither thread mentions the baffles collapsing which is my primary concern at the moment. Am hoping to get some first hand experience soon (borrow another pad) and make up my own mind.

I have used Exped and exped and Neoair and neoair and combos. I am a side sleeper with broad shoulders. A neoair large is not wide enough to support my shoulders. The exped long wide in all formats are good but on my side i need something wider so that is what I use the second mat for. The expeds with their larger first baffle works better for sleeping in the middle. I sleep with my mats firm so take that into consideration. The exped mega mat is the only single mat I can sleep on. I tried to frankenstien a neo air shaped like a t wide at the top have not completed it yet.

How about velcro tape stuck to the sides of the two mats to join them?

Robert,

I have the same question as you, did you borrow some neoairs to come to a conclusion?

Thanks.

Hi Benjamin,

No I have not yet had an opportunity to try two NeoAirs side by side.
I am thinking Franco's solution looks the best so far but until I fiddle for myself I will not know.

I'm pretty sure thermarest makes a connector that you can purchase off of their website.

Back a ways someone was using two torso sized Neoairs turned sideways to sleep on with their mate. This solved the center void problem. You could use 3 short wides to get yourself a 48×75 mattress.

This past night I tied two Neoairs together with 2 loops of cord tied into an '8' just like the old couple kit. The pads can't slide over each other because of the knot in the center. I agree the poles would be even better but that looks very uncomfortable.

It worked for my wife and daughter sharing a quilt on these two side by side pads, and before that, my 2 yr old jumping up and down on them.