The inside of a self-inflating mat is made from open-cell foam, similar to a sponge. When you open the valve, the foam expands and draws in air, inflating the mat.
At the factory, mats are vacuum-packed to reduce size and shipping volume. This can cause the foam cells to stick together, which sometimes prevents the mat from inflating properly the first time the valve is opened.
To resolve this, manually inflate the mat using your mouth or a pump sack. This will help unstick the foam cells. After that, the mat should self-inflate more effectively with regular use.
We also recommend opening the mat and leaving it laid out flat for 24 hours prior to first use. This gives the foam time to fully expand and helps restore its natural shape.
Articles in this section
- Are your sleeping mats tested to determine a temperature rating?
- There seems to be mould growing on my air sprung cell sleeping mat, what can i do about it?
- Why would I choose an air sleeping mat?
- How are Sea to Summit self-inflating sleeping mats lighter than others?
- My self-inflating sleeping mat isn't inflating
- My sleeping mat is a little noisy, why don't you make a quieter mat?
- Will mouth inflating my sleeping mat damage it?
- My sleeping mat seems to lose air overnight, what's happening and what can be done?
- Do sleeping mats contain PFCS, PFOA, BPA, or flame retardants?
- How should I store my sleeping mat?