Thermarest pad with a leak - Moved from Q&A

[Bobby]

Thermarest pad with a leak

Sounds dumb, but I have a thermarest pad with a leak I can't find. Is it OK to blow it up, then sink it in the tub and look for bubbles? It'll eventually dry out, won't it? Thanks,

bobby

 

[Iceman]

I had a Thermarest for a long time. It never had a leak. Then I lent it to someone and it came back with a leak that I could not find. I threw it out and got one of these: Exped down mat
It actually fits inside my pack and with the stuff sack pump, I can make it just as firm as the Thermarest. The only thing I did not like about it was that I felt like I was sleeping on a raft. Something you have to get used to.

 

[Halite]

Sounds dumb, but I have a thermarest pad with a leak I can't find. Is it OK to blow it up, then sink it in the tub and look for bubbles? It'll eventually dry out, won't it? Thanks,

bobby

It worked for me. I marked the hole, let the pad dry out and applied a patch. The pad is still working fine, despite my hopes that it would fail so I could upgrade.

 

[Bobby]

To the tub it is!! Maybe double duty, the kids are looking in need of a bath too.

 

[Quietman]

I didn't have a patch handy for mine so covered a 1" area around the leak with shoe goo and waited til it dried. Worked very well.

 

[dug]

You can also just wipe a wet sponge periodically over places and you'll see the bubbles. Start with the air valve, then move to the seams, then to obvious visible marks. Easier to dry it out after if it's not completely soaked.

 

[jbreen]

I used my old bike tube trick of using soapy water to find an elusive leak that was really two widely separated holes. Just hose it off and dry it before repairing.
I have also heard of the brass fill valves going bad if you have one that old. They sell plastic replacements.