Alas Poor Thermarest

[Tipi Walter]

Tipi, do you have to foot the bill to return the pad to Thermarest? How does that change the true cost of any given inflatable for you? I.e., is it inevitable at least once for any given pad, or twice, or more like every other pad eventually goes back once, etc?

I'm guessing you really value the extra cushioning (over CCF) or you wouldn't continue to bother with inflatables that are, by nature, subject to this and other types of failure.

Bummer Walter. Those pics did give me a little PTSD flashback to when my Expeds bit the dust. I know you are hesitant to trust things after big disappointments but I think Exped solved baffle issues with the newer pads.
Time Zone, not sure about Thermarest but Exped did not want the pads back. My experience was; send a pic, give them the model/production number and they sent replacement.

These posts are pertinent as two recent Thermarest pads delaminated on me and I sent Cascade Designs a message and they sent me a Return Authorization number so I boxed up both pads and went to the PO and found out it'll cost me $51.00 just to send them back so I tried to find an email address for Thermarest and requested they pay for postage since both pads are clearly defective. The email triggered an error as there apparently is no email address called [email protected]---where I sent these pictures but nothing got thru. Bummer.

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Left is my third 40th Anniversary pad (other two blew out the same way)--- and right is a Trail Pro 2nd generation pad.

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[CalebJ]

Try [email protected].

It's an older post, but Thermarest references that in a post here:
https://www.thermarest.com/blog/repair-sleeping-pad/

[zelph]

quote:

If you ship a mattress to us, we aren’t concerned with the method of shipment, but we do recommend send it with a method that is trackable. If anything goes wrong in shipping, you can at least find out where it was delivered by mistake. To get started with your repair, head to our warranty page and create a Return Authorization Number.

• Create a Return Authorization Number
  
  Please fill out this form to create a Return Authorization (RA) Number.
  Place this number along with your name and the return address on the outside of the package used to ship the item to our service center. Include a note with a short description of the problem, your name, shipping address and daytime phone number. Be sure to enter an email address to receive repair updates. We do not sell or share your information with anyone else.
  
  
  https://support.cascadedesigns.com/s...279.1673051359

[Tipi Walter]

quote:

• Create a Return Authorization Number
  
  Please fill out this form to create a Return Authorization (RA) Number.
  Place this number along with your name and the return address on the outside of the package used to ship the item to our service center. Include a note with a short description of the problem, your name, shipping address and daytime phone number. Be sure to enter an email address to receive repair updates. We do not sell or share your information with anyone else.
  
  
  https://support.cascadedesigns.com/s...279.1673051359

Like I said, I did this process and created a label with my RA number---but the Post Office wanted $51.00 to ship the two "junk" pads. Too expensive.

[Tipi Walter]

quote:

• Create a Return Authorization Number
  
  Please fill out this form to create a Return Authorization (RA) Number.
  Place this number along with your name and the return address on the outside of the package used to ship the item to our service center. Include a note with a short description of the problem, your name, shipping address and daytime phone number. Be sure to enter an email address to receive repair updates. We do not sell or share your information with anyone else.
  
  
  https://support.cascadedesigns.com/s...279.1673051359

Like I said, I did this process and created a label with my RA number---but the Post Office wanted $51.00 to ship the two "junk" pads. Too expensive. So I requested a shipping waiver for two clearly defective pads. The email did not go thru.

[zelph]

Ok, gotcha.

What is your thoughts on why they are delaminating in the same area "at the ends of the pads" not in the center where a lot of the weight is? Do you think that is where it's getting most of the tension when beginning the roll up of the pads? Do you think the power of your hands is causing the delamination.

[zelph]

I opened a case with them. Here is the last page of the request info:

Screenshot 2023-01-06 7.50.16 PM.png

Take note " Please note that we are experiencing a very high volume of requests and it could take up to eight weeks to hear back from us.

[Leo L.]

Ok, gotcha.

What is your thoughts on why they are delaminating in the same area "at the ends of the pads" not in the center where a lot of the weight is? Do you think that is where it's getting most of the tension when beginning the roll up of the pads? Do you think the power of your hands is causing the delamination.

I too had blown Thermarests, several of them.
(got replacement completely free through my dealer, BTW).
One Thermarest delaminated right on the edge on the foot end, and this happened when it was almost brand new, and I realized that just recently I've started to roll up the pad very tight with much force to get an as tiny pack volume as possible.
I still got a free replacement, but ceased to roll up the pad that tight.

[Tipi Walter]

UPDATE: I sent a contact email from the Thermarest website and they replied with a correct email address and agreed to look at pictures only w/o me incurring a postal expense. News forthcoming. (Sort of like the Exped experience---send in pics and they send out a new pad).

[Tipi Walter]

Ok, gotcha.

What is your thoughts on why they are delaminating in the same area "at the ends of the pads" not in the center where a lot of the weight is? Do you think that is where it's getting most of the tension when beginning the roll up of the pads? Do you think the power of your hands is causing the delamination.

I believe it's first and foremost a manufacturing defect due to faulty glue technology. Other causes could be I have a peculiar and unique "acid breath" causing such delamination. I store all my pads (with valves open and laid out) in a garage with OSB sheathing---possible outgassing of toxic fumes like a FEMA trailer into the pads?????

[zelph]

Thank you for the update

What a once in a million occurance....2 of them, one owner, both on the ends.

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Buyer beware :-)

.

[CalebJ]

UPDATE: I sent a contact email from the Thermarest website and they replied with a correct email address and agreed to look at pictures only w/o me incurring a postal expense. News forthcoming. (Sort of like the Exped experience---send in pics and they send out a new pad).

I posted a corrected email address a few days ago.

[One Half]

Like I said, I did this process and created a label with my RA number---but the Post Office wanted $51.00 to ship the two "junk" pads. Too expensive. So I requested a shipping waiver for two clearly defective pads. The email did not go thru.

IF the box is an odd size USPS sticks it to you. UPS is much better for things like that. I sent whole moving boxes for less than $20 via UPS.

[Tipi Walter]

UPDATE: After an exchange of emails Thermarest requested both pads be "decommissioned", i.e. cut apart---whereby they can be approved for replacement. Will I get new pads as replacements? Results forthcoming. (Btw, they don't stock these two pads---discontinued of course---so both will be replaced with Prolite pads).

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Decommissioned.

[zelph]

[Leo L.]

UPDATE: After an exchange of emails Thermarest requested both pads be "decommissioned", i.e. cut apart---whereby they can be approved for replacement. Will I get new pads as replacements? Results forthcoming. (Btw, they don't stock these two pads---discontinued of course---so both will be replaced with Prolite pads).

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Decommissioned.

Tough, seeing those pads gut to pieces.
Hopefully you will get the Prolite plus (not the "Vanilla" Prolite)?

[Tipi Walter]

Tough, seeing those pads gut to pieces.
Hopefully you will get the Prolite plus (not the "Vanilla" Prolite)?

I should be getting two Prolite Plus's but instead they're gonna send me regular Prolites---bummer.

[Leo L.]

The regular Prolite is pretty thin, as you know better than me.
Not the kind of pad me as a senior hiker would love to rest on.
Good luck!

[Tipi Walter]

The regular Prolite is pretty thin, as you know better than me.
Not the kind of pad me as a senior hiker would love to rest on.
Good luck!

They send me two thin Prolites and a large 3rd Generation Trail Pro. By using two Prolites held together by elastic strips I get about 4.6R and over two inches of thickness. And of course the new Trail Pro is very comfy until it blows a seam.

[Leo L.]

So thats fine, aside from the fact that two Prolites are heavier than one Prolite plus.
The additional weight might not affect you that much though, I guess.

BTW, on my coldes winter hike so far, I've carried one Prolite and and a Prolite plus, stacked together.
More recently, I've adapted your style and am using a Z-style CCF plus a Prolite plus in winter now.
The CCF is much more convenient as a floor layer in the tent during all the normal camp chores like cooking/eating, (un-)dressing, (un-)packing etc.