Companion forum thread to:

Balloonbed Inflatable Sleeping Pad REVIEW

At one time about 20 years ago I had a simieler pad that had reusable bladders,I have tryed traction kite sites to see if I could get some custom made but have not recieved any replys the business is in China.If anyone knows anyone that could custom make tupes that would be really nice.please email me at augusthahn@sbcglobal.net if you know any leads.Thanks

I'm amazed this article didn't generate any debate on a UL backpacking site.

I see some improvements I think might be worthy of playing with. The first and most obvious is to make the shell out of lighter material....silk or cuben ala Bill Fornshell. The second is to make the shell 'baffled' like a quilt, with the baffles fitting tightly around the balloons. This would reduce the gaps where drafts sneak in, and may improve the R-Value.

The thrid possibility is to tie the balloons so they CAN be re-used. There is a technique involving twisting of the valve instead of tieing a knot that would work, but the balloons would ideally be more robust for this approach!

Definitely a fun DIY project ;)

I played with the Balloon Bed idea for several years. I found these things called "CheerStics" and started this thread:

CheerStic Air Pad

Then I went back to the ballon idea and dyed the white Silk Kilt black. The picture shows it being used at Wood's Hole Shelter on the AT in Georgia, October 2006, as the shell for my balloon bed. The balloon bed is torso length.



The Silk Kilt used alone weighs 1.9 ounces.

If you are careful you can tie a slip knot on the balloon and use it more than once. This is sort of hard so it you try this carry a few extra balloons. I am only about 50% successful with a slip knot.

The balloons alone have about "0" insulation value.

I use a self-inflating balloon that weigh about 3 grams each.

Edited by bfornshell on 09/28/2008 14:01:56 MDT.

Hi Bill

> I use a self-inflating balloon that weigh about 3 grams each.

I am sure we would all love to know how you make a self-inflating balloon! Or do I misunderstand?

Cheers

Perhaps he means he inflates himself (by mouth), rather than using a pump! I imagine this would be quicker than using a pump too. Otherwise I am intrigued....!

Clever stuff but it does not look that cumfortable to me!!! Plus who wants to be blowing up balloons after a long day of backpacking. Balloons don't self inflate-right?

> I imagine this would be quicker than using a pump too.

Depends on the person. I just don't have enough lung power to blow those balloons up... so it's use the little pump or nothing.

I wrote a brief balloonbed review around three years ago which come to many of the same conclusions that Carol did.

With the advent of the BA clearview and the soon to arrive thermarest, I would skip the balloonbed.

Hi all,

I have a special lot of balloons left over from a camp out with Harry Potter. Ha-Ha

Self-inflating - I should have said self-inflated. Anyway it means that I inflate them and don't use a balloon pump.

This is a learned skill.

All I will say about the balloon bed idea is that if you can blow up your own balloons and are only out for a few days at the lightest weight you can come up with - then the balloon bed might be worth the trouble.

My feelings about the balloon bed lead me to develop the Poly Tube Down Air Mattress.

Edited by bfornshell on 09/28/2008 18:26:10 MDT.

A balloon bed is very light for one night but fragile and not good for longer trips, because the balloons are not really reuseable . I wonder about a similar modular idea using the BPL 2 compartment pillows in a thin cloth or cloth/foam boxwall holder. A spare pillow would give security. That could be warm, comfortable and lighter than thermorests etc.