Therm-a-Rest has long been one of the most widely recognized names in sleeping pads, especially amongst backpackers due to a variety of thickness options, durability, and lightweight packing design. With a little basic care of your mattress, you can easily extend the life to fully maximize the value of your purchase.
Basic Cleaning
It’s best to use a hose or a bathtub to clean your Therm-a-Rest. Make sure the valve is completely closed, then using a mild general household cleaner, wipe down your mattress and rinse it off.
Should you get tree sap on your mattress, use rubbing alcohol on a cotton rag. While you should be able to remove the sap this way, it is likely to leave a stain. Use talc or baby powder to remove any residual stickiness.
Storage
Depending on which series of mattresses you have, storage is slightly different.
- NeoAir: Deflate and roll tight with the valve open and the mattress in its stuff sack to protect it.
- Self-Inflating: Store dry, unrolled and with valves completely open away from extreme heat.
- Ridge Rest: Store flat or loosely rolled.
- Z-Lite: Store folded, but not bound.
See the video below for additional storage information.
Featured Image from New Africa/Shutter Stock
