Best way to deflate a Therma-Rest

[Double Wide]

Hey guys--

I use a Therma-Rest ProLite pad to sleep on, and so far, I'm pretty happy with it. My only problem is, it seems to get bigger every time I try to put it into the carry bag. 95% of the time, it's semi-inflated with the valve open, lying on the floor under the bed, but when I load up the pack and head out for the weekend, it's a cast-iron bitch to get it deflated and rolled up as small as it was on the day I brought it home. It's easier to do it on the living room floor, but out in the woods, I swear it takes me 20 minutes.

Any tips on how to get it deflated as quickly as possible and rolled up as tightly as possible? So far, it's the only piece of gear that makes me cuss...

Thx!

[Sugarfoot]

Roll it once, from the end toward the valve (kind of obvious, yes?), expressing as much air as you can. Close the valve. Then spread it out, fold length-wise in thirds and roll a second time, opening the valve about half way through. It takes less than five minutes and will be as small as when you bought it. At least it works for me.

[Skid.]

ditto what Sugarfoot says, that's exactly what I do, works consistently well every time.

[Lyle]

I do the same, but omit the first step, never had a bit of trouble getting it rolled much smaller than the storage bag. Just open the valve, fold it lengthwise, and start rolling tightly toward the valve. I do occasionally pull the edges together and re-align them while rolling so that it remains squared and evenly folded, otherwise it may end up being too long to fit in the storage sack.

Just practice a few times.

[Lyle]

Once you get it rolled tightly, close the valve again so it doesn't try to re-inflate.

[Lyle]

One more thing, while rolling, and occasional knee on the rolled portion, between your hands, also expels some additional air.

[moldy]

I had a problem with too much folding. I developed a leak right in the spot where the corner of a fold was. I now just roll it up without folding. To protect it better, I carry it in an old plastic poster tube that I cut down.

[VTATHiker]

Thanks for the tip moldy. I've been wondering if others just roll without folding, but I figured that would leave the pad more vulnerable in the pack. Off to look for lightweight poster tubes...

[shelb]

Once you get it rolled tightly, close the valve again so it doesn't try to re-inflate.

Closing the valve is the key!

[Rain Man]

As others said, roll it twice. Works for me like a charm. Rolling it just once ... FAIL.

As far as folding it, I do if it was folded originally and I'm putting it in its original stuff sack. I don't fold it on the first roll, but do on the second.

And yes, definitely close the air-valve after the first roll. And I do kneel on it at the end of each roll to express more air.

RainMan

.

[dzierzak]

Sitting on it after the first roll deflates a whole lot more than just a knee while rolling...

[P1nkPanther]

I do the 2-roll-and-knee method, but I don't fold. I carry it rolled on the outside of my pack, with a trekker roll sack to protect it/cinch it. I'm not a very careful/graceful person getting my pack on and off, but the pad didn't seem to suffer from it.

I always use the stuff sack for other gear just in case. Good plan, evidently. I had to leave the trail in a hurry and ended up checking my pack as-is on the airplane, so I needed everything inside. I was able to get my pad in the sack with ease even though I hadn't folded it in over 6 months.

[OzJacko]

All of the above but first let the air out while still in your bag. Reach out and open the valve and then when your full body length has expelled as much as possible, close the valve again. This works well for NeoAirs etc too.
Can be used as a motivator to get up. The arm is easier to get out of the bag than the rest of you on a cold morning and then the lack of mattress helps the rest of the body follow.

[Double Wide]

Great idea OzJ! I hadn't thought of that, and I think that would be *perfect* motivation for me, plus a real time-saver in the morning.

[bigcranky]

I also do the 2-roll and knee method, then I fold it flat in sixths and slide it inside my pack along the back side (against the suspension.) I started doing this when I used a SMD Starlite, which has a pad pocket built for this, and kept it up with my new pack. While of course it still takes up the same amount of space inside the pack, doing it flat like this, rather than rolled up, makes it easier for me to maximize the rest of the space inside. Been doing it this way for years, never had an issue with leaks or anything.

[GrayBear]

I would just leave the "carry bag" at home. Role it up and put it in your backpack. A bit of air in the mat may take up some small amount of room but it weighs a lot less then the carry bag. No fuss, no stress and lighter weight. GrayBear

[Obiwan]

I also do the 2-roll technique

And I open the valve while laying on it to vent most of the air before the first roll

[hikehunter]

I do the same way. I want as much space as I can get in my pack.

[cknight]

I gave up and now leave the little bag at home. Open the valve, roll from opposite end and stand it up in the inside corner of you pack. GrayBear is correct, leave the stress at home with the bag

[Chicken Feathers]

The bag that came with it is worthless they made it so small you need a crow bar to get it out either find you another bag which I did or don't use one