Good quality sleeping camping gear does not have to cost the earth. With a self inflating sleeping pad there is a lot less to worry about come the time when you want to put your head down.
Forward Moving gear ranks high for me in this area. The Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad is thick enough to tame even the most wild of terrain.
This has to be the best self inflating camping mat I have found. What I love about this is that it is light-weight, comfortable, and most of all, it is very compact.
For such a small unit, the Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad offers some of the best night’s sleep I’ve had while camping and hiking.
Better than the Rest
Before I got my hands on this great self inflating mattress, I was using a much larger, and more troublesome unit that made camping more difficult than it should have been.
My previous self inflating mattress was a little like the Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad in that it looked after inflating itself relatively well. But there later turned out to be other issues beyond the size.
After about two years of use, it was beginning to crack and split on the supposedly heavy duty base. This resulted in the camping mat not being capable of taking the weight of more than one person.
As a double self inflating camping mat, when my wife and I were laying on it, a lot of the cushioning effect was lost.
Now, neither of us are larger framed, and this piece of sleeping camping gear soon began to let us down.
Long and uncomfortable nights were enough of a motivation for me to stop nursing this otherwise expensive unit through the rest of the season.
I decided to pick up a more suitable replacement, and after much research I went for the Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad.
Using your Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad
These are really very simple units to work with. What I love about the Forward Moving self inflating mattress is that it delivers on exactly what it says it will. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:
- Take your Forward Moving self inflating mattress out of its bag
- Remove the valve cap
- Allow the air to flow into the camping mat
- Top it up with a few blows of air using your mouth (if you feel this is needed)
- Replace the valve cap
- Relax on your comfortable self inflating sleeping pad
With instructions for a self inflating mattress as simple as that you’re bound to forget any of the hassles you may have had before with other, less convenient, and less comfortable options for sleeping camping gear.
Packing up your Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad
Again, when I compare using the Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad to what I was using previously, this is a dream! Being accustomed to a bulkier self inflating mattress, I was used to needing help from my wife to roll the older unit up once we were done with it.
It took a lot of effort and energy to pack up. Both of us needed to bunch up the end and roll it over on itself, winding it in tighter and tighter as we knelt on it to keep the foam sponge inside from springing back open and re-inflating.
The Forward Moving self inflating camping mat is as simple to pack up as:
- Remove the valve cap
- Start at the opposite end of the camping mat and begin to fold it over
- With each fold, press down on the camping mat to expel as much of the air as possible
- Keep rolling the camping mat over on itself, compressing the air out of it as you go
- Once you get to the opposite end of the camping mat, replace the valve cap
- Unfold the camping mat all the way and begin the process of rolling it back up again, this time make your roll tighter
- As you get to the opposite end of the camping mat again, open the valve cap slightly and let the remaining air out
- Continue rolling to expel the reminder of the trapped air
- Once you have rolled your camping mat up completely, replace the valve cap and replace your Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad in its bag
Looking after you Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad is really quite easy. As it is so small once completely rolled up, it fits nicely in almost any backpack.
The protective bag that it comes with is great for protecting it from abrasion while hiking and on the go.
Making sure that there are no sticks, or sharp rocks underneath your sleeping pad is also another great way to ensure that it is in good condition for years to come.
Storing your Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad
To get the most out of your Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad, store it completely rolled out and inflated in a location where it will be protected from damage.
This is what I have found to be a best practice. But allowing your camping mat to be stored in a completely rolled out manner, the foam inside is able to hold the most effective form.
If you store it tightly rolled up, it will, over time, begin to take on the compacted shape and form. This will reduce how effective it is at self inflating, and it will also impact on the level of comfort you will have using it.
Also, take specific care to avoid storing your Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad while it is damp. This will cause mold and mildew to form, which will damage your sleeping pad.
When I think back to my pre Forward Moving gear days and the older self inflating mattress I was using, I honestly cringe at what I previously suffered through.
Thankfully now there are no more sleepless nights while hiking and camping. And the compact nature of the Forward Moving self inflating sleeping pad makes those tougher to get to places less of a challenge. The outdoors just got more accessible!