Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pump)

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Farawayvisions
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Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pump)

Post by Farawayvisions »

Do you use an Exped Synmat sleeping mat (manual inflation) on tours and expeditions?
Being a fan of recycling and as tight as a duck’s buttock when it comes to spending money, I’ve devised a yoke for inflating the Exped Synmat UL 7 that will cost nothing. Here's my DIY version of the Exped Schnozzel, which costs about £25 if you prefer fancy gadgets.

http://www.farawayvisions.com/inflating-exped-synmat-ul-7/
Last edited by Farawayvisions on 18 Oct 2015, 7:28pm, edited 1 time in total.
hufty
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by hufty »

Instead of the cork you could cadge a short section of 22mm plastic pipe off a friendly plumber
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Farawayvisions
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by Farawayvisions »

Can I add your comment to my blog? It's a sensible idea.
khain
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by khain »

Why can't anyone make an adaptor that works with a bicycle pump for these things?
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Monsieur
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by Monsieur »

Nice and simple - always the best way.
Thanks for sharing
Solvitur ambulando
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Farawayvisions
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by Farawayvisions »

Merci Monsieur.

khain wrote:Why can't anyone make an adaptor that works with a bicycle pump for these things?


I think a bicycle pump might work with the cork as an adaptor fitting.
hufty
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by hufty »

Farawayvisions: by all means. I put a chamfer on the ends of the tube to make insertion easier but that's all. On the other end I have an exped compression sack (which keeps my sleeping bag dry) so I don't need to use bin bags etc.

Khain: an issue with the pump would be the volume of air on each stroke - could be there a while whereas inflating with a bag takes eight or nine goes.
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simonineaston
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by simonineaston »

khain wrote:Why can't anyone make an adaptor that works with a bicycle pump for these things?

I think the issue with using a tyre pump is they're intended to move a small amount of air so they reach a high pressure, whereas a bed needs the opposite.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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Farawayvisions
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by Farawayvisions »

hufty wrote:Farawayvisions: by all means. I put a chamfer on the ends of the tube to make insertion easier but that's all. On the other end I have an exped compression sack (which keeps my sleeping bag dry) so I don't need to use bin bags etc.

Khain: an issue with the pump would be the volume of air on each stroke - could be there a while whereas inflating with a bag takes eight or nine goes.


Thanks Hufty.

Khain, I've tried using the pump with a nozzle I fashioned from connector ends and my arm was sore before the mat was even one quarter inflated. Not such a good idea as my original post.
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Last edited by Farawayvisions on 18 Oct 2015, 9:55pm, edited 1 time in total.
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foxyrider
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by foxyrider »

khain wrote:Why can't anyone make an adaptor that works with a bicycle pump for these things?


paddling pool adapter?

Available from most bike shops but is it big enough?
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
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andrew_s
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by andrew_s »

A Synmat 7 M has a volume of about 3 x 20 x 72 = 4320 cubic inches.
Farawayvisions' mini-pump has a stroke volume of about 5 cubic inches, so that's about 850 strokes of the pump, or the same as about 3 or 4 bike tyres to full pressure.
khain
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by khain »

So I take it the bike pump idea isn't a goer then.
manybikes
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by manybikes »

Brilliant idea. I too thought the official product too expensive and difficult to get.
When I first tried breathing to inflate on an alps tour I soon became dizzy.
Thanks
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Farawayvisions
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by Farawayvisions »

andrew_s wrote:A Synmat 7 M has a volume of about 3 x 20 x 72 = 4320 cubic inches.
Farawayvisions' mini-pump has a stroke volume of about 5 cubic inches, so that's about 850 strokes of the pump, or the same as about 3 or 4 bike tyres to full pressure.

I'm in favour of my first idea, the one in my blog post. 3 squeezes and the mat is full.
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andrew_s
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Re: Easy inflation of the Exped Synmat UL (not integrated pu

Post by andrew_s »

manybikes wrote:Brilliant idea. I too thought the official product too expensive and difficult to get.
When I first tried breathing to inflate on an alps tour I soon became dizzy.
Thanks

The trick with blowing a mat up by mouth is to breathe at your normal rate, just breathing out into the mat rather than the atmosphere. No dizziness at all, though it does take longer. You could try doing something like blowing the mat up while doing squats to increase your natural breathing rate, if you wanted.
The big bag is better though, to keep the inside of the mat from getting damp.
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