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New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

kickstarter.com

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Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#51

Post by notdrunkatall »

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #44
kaolinite wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm planning to buy a Dyson Air Multiplier heater/fan very soon so this comment intrigued me. I'll be sure to go to a store to check them out in advance. I didn't really like the video you linked as I find it to be a bit of a red flag when someone calls something "overpriced", especially when they go on to be very negative about it - it almost feels like jealousy. Still, I'll look into it before I buy. I don't suppos…

I've played with Dyson's Air Multipliers in a department store and they really are that loud when you turn them up to mid-high setting. "Too loud." I wish I could recommend you a high quality fan, I've looked, and frankly it is pretty slim pickings out there. Currently I have an unbranded Chinese-made one. I'd kill for an ultra-quiet nighttime one, and pay good $$$ for it too.

You don't have to kill for one. I've had a Lasko tower fan for about three years now. It's almost entirely silent, moves a lot of air, and comes with a remote. I did have to take it apart to regrease the bearings once, but other than that, it's been a great fan. Also comes with a remote.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3D...

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#52

Post by notdrunkatall »

nmcfarl wrote: post #50
bazzargh wrote: post #36

The stuff about inflating with your mouth is a bit of a straw man. If you inflate say a Thermarest NeoAir or a Packraft you're more likely to use something like an Instaflator now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJLVYfg88TE (Thermarest have their own variant on the bag inflator for the neoair - but the principle's the same)

The backpacking mattresses are still inflated by mouth - I’m certainly not carrying another 2 oz on my back for a week just to save a minute on inflating. And neither are any of the folk I go into the backcountry with. But this mattress is not aimed at us either - it weighs in at 24 oz with an R value of 1! So perhaps the Thermarests owned by people who’d buy this are currently being inflated by Instaflators...

>it weights in at 24oz with an R value of 1!

Ouch!

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#53

Post by seanalltogether »

baudehlo wrote: post #46

I'm afraid there's already a matress that does this. It's from exped, I own one and it's awesome, and better implemented than this because you're only inflating a small pump sack, and can use it to build pressure in the mattress. Here's a video: http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf/b43popu...

I was wondering the whole time whether the kickstarter mattress could handle higher pressures using their technique.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#54

Post by baudehlo »

TylerE wrote: post #49
baudehlo wrote: post #46

I'm afraid there's already a matress that does this. It's from exped, I own one and it's awesome, and better implemented than this because you're only inflating a small pump sack, and can use it to build pressure in the mattress. Here's a video: http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf/b43popu...

That looks much slower, more complicated, and more expensive.

It is more expensive but only because it has an R value of 8.0 (the Kickstarter one has an R value of 1.0, which means it's not going to give you any protection from the cold ground whatsoever - even a self-inflating pad gives you more protection than that). You'd be amazed how much difference higher R values make on the quality of rest you get while camping.

Is it slower? Maybe, but I inflate mine in two or three inflations of the bag, and that takes me around 60 seconds - it's really not a long time in the big scheme of things - it takes a lot longer to get the tent erected (although that's down to about 5 minutes now). The problem is you can't inflate a high R-value pad without pressure - the reason his inflates so fast is there is no insulation, no down, no pockets, so the air can just go right in. But then so does the cold.

Anyway all I was saying is this isn't a new technique - there's a mattress you can buy today from any MEC/REI that uses this technique.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#55

Post by notdrunkatall »

Zmetta wrote: post #24

The valve is based on the Venturi effect. The fluid flow through a constriction lowers the pressure at the constriction point. An inlet at the low pressure point will allow addition fluid at atmospheric pressure to enter through the inlet in the constriction thus adding to the total fluid through the outlet. Pretty clever use of fluid dynamics!

This is what I was looking for, thanks.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#56

Post by jwr »

devmach wrote: post #13

Ok, i'll play devil's advocate : Windcatcher works as same principle as evacuation slides on planes and even if it's about physics i think it's somehow ( design ? ) patented. So, what about patents ? Is there any patent that product violate and may cause later any problem ?

It always makes me sad when a new product arrives and people start worrying about patents. I can't believe there are people who still believe that patents encourage innovation.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#57

Post by jamii »

aetimmes wrote: post #9
jamii wrote: post #6

I don't really see the appeal for mattresses. I have a very comfy foam/air mattress just about fits in my pocket and inflates faster than their demo. My tent, on the other hand, has an inflatable beam that takes a good minute to blow up...

What brand of air mattress do you have, if you don't mind my asking?

I think it's this one - http://www.multimat.uk.com/store/products/superlite-compact-...

Its pretty easy to get it down to about 25x10x3cm. I travelled with it for three years without any punctures.

This is the tent - http://www.backcountry.com/nemo-equipment-inc.-moto-1p-super...

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#58

Post by jgrahamc »

The Kickstarter itself says: "You're supporting an entirely new type of technology that has the potential to inspire new ideas and future innovative products."

No, you are not. Exploiting the pressure difference like this for inflation is not new by a long shot. Just pop down to REI: http://www.rei.com/product/829645/exped-schnozzel-pumpbag

Edit: read rest of replies below for clarification.

Re: New closure allows camping mattress to be inflated in seconds

#59

Post by jsherry »

baudehlo wrote: post #54
TylerE wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That looks much slower, more complicated, and more expensive.

It is more expensive but only because it has an R value of 8.0 (the Kickstarter one has an R value of 1.0, which means it's not going to give you any protection from the cold ground whatsoever - even a self-inflating pad gives you more protection than that). You'd be amazed how much difference higher R values make on the quality of rest you get while camping. Is it slower? Maybe, but I inflate mine in two or three in…

Whereas your first comment came off as a bit pithy, this was a really informative one. Thank you for the lesson on r-value and its importance. Not an avid camper, but I sometimes do overnights in the cold and today I learned something important about air pad insulation. Thanks again.

Per REI's page on the topic, here's what they have to say about R-value: "Insulation is measured according to its capacity to resist (that's the "R") heat flow. The higher a pad's R-value, the better you can expect it to insulate you from cold surfaces. The R-values shown on REI.com product pages are provided by the manufacturers and range from 1.0 (minimally insulated) to 9.5 (well insulated). Thicker pads generally offer higher R-values."

Source: http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/right-sleeping-pad.ht...

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