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c/buyitforlife · by modem_down@thebrainbin.org · 15d

Inflatable sleep mat (Therm-a-rest NeoAir) repair tape

To repair a ~6" (~150mm) line of pinholes in a NeoAir camping mattress, what is the best repair material?

The line is too long, and the pinholes too close to each other, to use standard or emergency Thermarest patches.

I'm hoping for a solution that will last as long as the sleeping mat, and won't significantly impair its packability.

17 points · 6 comments · view on lemmy.world

6 Comments

jodanlime@midwest.social · 6 pts · 15d (2 replies)

https://www.gearaid.com/products/tenacious-tape-repair

Tenacious tap is a bit pricey but works well. Pretty similar to the patches, just a small roll of it. Round off the corners or they will peel.

modem_down@thebrainbin.org · 3 pts · 15d (1 reply)

Thanks, I’ll add it to the shortlist!

modem_down@thebrainbin.org · 1 pts · 14d

Current short-list, based on Three Points of the Compass post, with too-small items crossed out:

* Three Points of the Compass says Tear-Aid makes the patches included in the Thermarest repair kit.

solrize@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 15d

Use multiple patches. You can also get patch kits made for bicycle inner tubes but the patches are thicker. The self-sealing kind are the easiest to use. On the other hand it's possible that they don't stick as well as the ones that come with a tube of glue. I say this because I used one on my bike recently and the tube still leaks and I'm weirdly having trouble finding a replacement tube.

jaxhax@slrpnk.net · 2 pts · 14d (1 reply)

I use tyvek tape for house vapor barrier on packrafts. I think it sticks to most synthetic textiles and is pretty tough while being lightweight and cheaper than the gear specific options. For pinholes, aquaseal may also work. It's a fluid you apply rather than a big piece of tape.

modem_down@thebrainbin.org · 2 pts · 14d

Thanks for this!

I'm unfamiliar with Aquaseal. If I tried Aquaseal first without success, and it failed, what would be involved in prepping the surface afterwards for Tear-Aid or similar?

In other words, is the Aquaseal likely to interfere with subsequent membrane adhesion - and if so, how does one remove the Aquaseal from a NeoAir without worsening the existing damage.

I've used Tyvek for other applications, but never for repairing inflatable items. Intriguing suggestion. I'll look into it further.