I recently bought a grill and it had a lightweight foam guarding some of its parts. It seemed like it had a good combination of ultralight and yet still providing decent puncture resistance. Has anyone bought commercial packaging foam and tried this?

In terms of its weight, when I dropped a piece of 1/8" about 2 feet x 1 feet, it drifted lazily to the ground. My calculations for the 1/8x24 below suggests it is roughly between 1 and 2 ounces per square yard, which is pretty good territory to be in.

The application here is not to be waterproof, more or less it is neoair puncture resistance insurance and/or mild cushioning.

Probably the biggest problem is that I have to buy it in rolls of 350 or 550 feet...I am thinking about ordering the 1/32" and then just experimenting with it for a while. In the meantime I am being sent some free samples of a couple feet in length.

Has anyone tried this?






http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-2962/Foam/1-8-x-24-x-350-UPSable-Foam

http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-13654P/Foam/1-4-x-24-x-150-UPSable-Foam-perforated-every-12

I think the insulation per ounce won't be that good. I've experimented a little.

If 1/8th inch is 1.5 oz/yd2

2.5 oz/yd2 Apex is maybe 0.66 inch loft so maybe 5 X more insulation at almost 2 X the weight

There is floor insulation that is similar. Goes under pergo and others. Bonus of a reflective mylar layer. Thinner, but can be stacked. I think it doesn't provide nearly the waterproofing you would like. The foam easily tears. Perhaps a combo with window insulation?

@Art, I think Apex doesn't loft as much when you are lying on it?

"@Art, I think Apex doesn't loft as much when you are lying on it?"

Ohhh - I thought you meant insulation on top of you - ground insulation totally different - you'd have to compare to ground insulations like Roger's article

This is expanded polythene foam (EPE). Also known as 'JiffyFoam' (as in 'JiffyBags', the padded envelopes).

I've been using the stuff as lightweight sit/casualty mat for years, since encountering it during my industrial year as a student (1984); it was used as electronics packaging. I carry a piece of 3mm thick and 35cmx55cm which weighs 14g. Since it's anti-static, it's a fetching shade of pink.

I use some thinner (2mm?) sheet as a nice insulating groundsheet when car camping, and sometimes an even thinner 1mm sheet when walking. The tiny amount of insulation is gives does seem to warm the tent, and reduce groundsheet condensation.

The 3mm sheet gives remarkable insulation for the weight, IME. The insulation comes from the fact that it's made up of lots of tiny bubbles, so air cannot circulate within the thickness, unlike bubble wrap. I've used the insulation to play around with making insulated cups from drinks cans (e.g. a 355ml Red Bull can inside a 500ml can, with a layer of 3mm EPE foam slipped between).

The packaging grades have a tougher surface than the laminate floor underlay stuff, which is weaker, and tears easily.

It's waterproof and non-absorbent.

It doesn't give much cushioning, even at 3mm, but it does insulate well; hence the casmat application (assuming you can get the casualty onto it...). It won't give much puncture protection, either, especially the 1/32" you're looking at.

It's also quite bulky to pack, as it doesn't compress.

I've always salvaged the stuff from bins or skips.

You can also get it in big chunks, often used as a replacement for expanded polystyrene foam for packaging things like TVs and monitors. I use this quite a lot for making bespoke protective packing, as the foam cuts easily with a sharp craft knife. My ice axes have nice head and spike protectors for packing in my duffle when flying. I've even used it to make a custom-shaped mouse when I first started getting RSI... Likewise, my skis are protected in their bag using chunks of this foam.

It seems I may be obsessed with EPE...

old thread 1
old thread 2
old thread 3

There are probably others...

@Art vs @jerry: That's the fourth name mixup I've made in one day since I hoofed it all of 5 hours out of Ansel Adams to Tuolumne. Fastpacking is bad for the mind...

I like the evazote pads from GG if all you want is to protect/insulate your neo. I use 1/8" on top of my Klymit Xlite, 9oz total pad system. I don't mind not being able to squish it since I like an oversize pack so the down can stay fluffed and air out a bit more.

What I like about the pink electronics foam is it isn't "sticky" so I can adjust at nite easier. OTOH, "sticky" is good if you want things to stay put...

This is why I love BPL, I get to stand on the shoulders of giants.

I think that it is definitely worth experimenting with. For me insulating value is less important than the mild puncture/ cushioning piece. I am totally entranced also by the possibility of a pink anti static color. Great trail conversation starter...

My only question is an economical way to try it out. I don''t want to spend $80 on a 500 foot roll from U-line (on a slight positive, the rep told me that if I was designing a custom packaging solution, they would send me a free small sample - I just didn't explain that what I was trying to packaging was myself...)

So any ideas for finding EPE in places besides the dumpster are welcome. Not adverse to the dumpster per se, but perhaps there are other options? Also 1/4 is my target thick ess after reading all the experts' posts.

Thanks, Tim

I don't know if it's exactly the same thing, but Ikea carries the $19.99 Niva FLoor Liner:

100% polyethylene

Product dimensions:
Length: 49 ' 3 "
Width: 3 ' 3 "
Thickness: 1/8 "

Length: 15 m
Width: 1 m
Thickness: 3 mm

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00018076/

Based on what Kevin said, I think this is probably the less robust flooring underlayment. I think I will go and ask my local carpet stores for a remnant and probably will end up with the same.

I like the idea however.