BTW Has anyone tried sleeping on two thermarests? Just wondering whether two 3/4 length mats (e.g. the £15 alpkit ones) might be a cheap and easy option for more comfy support.

Yes, I've tried that. It wasn't comfy enough for me, and it was that very weekend that I happened to come across the Exped Down Air Mattress in the Climbers' Shop in Ambleside. It might be worth a try for you, though: I seem to be the exception rather than the rule when it comes to finding mattresses uncomfortable.

I have had a response from Insulmat importers Goodway in Hong Kong. However, it seems to order the product I need to give my address, credit card number and security code of the card via e-mail. This is a bad idea. Anyone know of how I could avoid this. I'm sure they are reputable as Ecco bought from them, but I don't know who could be reading my e-mail...

ask them to phone you? You should never send Credit Card details via email as you never know who may intercept the email!

Kat - I was faced with the same choice - either email or phone. I eventually just emailled the details and never had any problems. If in doubt, phone but you will need to work out the time difference

Kat: I've never tried two thermarests together, but I often use a thermarest on top of a karrimat (or vice-versa), and I find that's very comfy.

Latest update (hope this helps peewiglet!).

I have had good response from Natalie at goodwind. There is no need to send credit card details. You can wire them money. Postage varies by city in UK though, so you have to tell them your city. I am awaiting a price quote.

I have also e-mailed an australian website that stocks other Insulmat products. They are going to add it to their website at a price of $89aus which is about £37. However, their shipping is a ridiculously cheap $6aus anywhere in the world!!!!! So it won't work out that much more expensive than direct from the manufacturers and this is cheaper than ordering from any US site (despite having to be shipped US->Australia->UK!!!) Of course I haven't used the company, but they e-mailed me back in less than 24hours saying they would add it to their website!!!

www.gogear.com.au

Many thanks, Kat! I've not had a response from Natalie yet, but I'll try again.

The Aussie site - is that definitely the right address? It's coming up as Go-Gear Racing Services.

Thanks again - I hope I can get one of these!

Sos, I made that mistake yesterday. It has an extra go in it

www.gogogear.com.au

:-)

I really should spend more time working and less time looking at stores all round the world on the internet!

They haven't added it to their website yet though :-(

Now added to website.

89 aus dollars=approx £38. Plus £2.50 for postage. Can pay online.

From America e.g. Backcountry.com

$54 per mat=approx £29.50 but shipping (for two mats-I want one for my partner as well) is £24! So it actually costs more to buy the mat from America even though the cost of the mat is much less.

Insulmat have been very slow getting back to me over shipping costs. I suspect they would have been quicker if I had just e-mailed them my address and card details but I'm just not happy with this and willing to pay extra to buy through a more secure system.

Hope this helps people!

Brilliant, thanks Kat - I've just ordered one from the Aussie site :-)

Thanks again!

i want the women's version but being a guy i dont think i could bare the mocking of having a luminous pink thermarest although it is slightly shorter than a regular and thicker but still lighter than a regular

Go on, Fu - be strong and ignore the mockers! Pink, eh? Think phallic, not girlie... :-)

Won't you have to pay import duty on items from Australia? I know it'll the same for items from the US, but nobody seems to have mentioned it.

Also, looking at the Max Thermo page on the Go Go Gear site (here)...

am I being stupid, or does it really say that the 'long' version weighs less than the regular version, even though it's 6 inches longer?

From their site:

Max-Thermo Regular:
Size (inches) 20 x 72 x 2.5
Size (cm) 51 x 183 x 6.3
Weight (oz): 24oz
Weight (gm): 673gms

Max-Thermo Long:
Size (inches) 20 x 78 x 2.5
Size (cm) 51 x 198 x 6.3
Weight (oz): 22oz
Weight (gm): 624gms

How does that work???

Not sure how that works. Most likely a misprint. See pacific outdoor equipments website http://www.pacoutdoor.com/2005/index.cfm

Import duty might be paid wherever the item is ordered from. Depends on luck with customs.

Ecco ordered straight from the manufacturers and customs did not slap on duty, but they could with someone elses order.

I did not order from manufacturers as they were initially very quick to respond, but have now gone quiet and I am unhappy sending credit card details via e-mail.

its not just pink its blinding and its still costs loads plus not many shops have them in stock

For info, I've got an Alpkit mat on its way, I'll use it at the weekend and do a write-up on the site next week.

I've used Insulmats and Therm-a-Rests in the past. Fwiw, I've found that the lightweight Therm-a-Rests are a bit delicate and prone to puncture. The Insulmats I've had seem tougher, but are heavier with it.

If you're after ultimate toughness, Ortlieb produced a mat which was really, savagely puncture resistant, but I've not seen it in the UK.

In the past I've layered a lighter Therm-a-Rest with a Ridgerest with reasonably comfortable results, seems like a good combo and felt better than two Therm-a-Rest for some reason :-) I'd probably had more to drink...

I've just bought the Aldi sleepmat and I'll be using it this coming weekend. It's a bit of a beast but I bought it for 'base-camp' use so wasn't worried how bulky and heavy it was. It's allegedly 3.5 cms thick so I should get a good nights kip.
I'll let you all know next week.

Michael S - I noticed that too, but I assumed it was a misprint. A couple of vendors have reproduced it.

I don't mind paying import duty, if necessary. What I don't want to do, though, is pay more in postage than the cost of the item, which was going to be the case from the States.

Kat - it's interesting what you say about the manufacturers clamming up. I've emailed them twice about this, including one to the address of the bloke who seems to own the company (he was kind enough to try to help me buy the Max-Mtn last year), but they've not had the courtesy to reply. Maybe they've taken the view that it's too much hassle to spend time helping people over here? Who knows...