"...GF won't let me put it in the bed. Is that wrong..."

If you would want something like a pack to work its way between you and a warm body, you do indeed have issues.

As for the pad, last week I pulled my Thermarest out of the pod on our car for the first time in a couple of years. Unrolled it, opened the valve, let it breathe for a few hours, gave it a dozen or so puffs of air (I know that puts moisture in the thing, etc, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do). Slept like a baby for three nights...

I've had my thermarest long standard since the mid 1990's and have always stored it rolled up in the stuff sack. I think it has lost some of its self-inflation ability as a result, but that's not a big deal, I just blow it up by breath, which doesn't take that long. Or it will still self-inflate if I'm willing to wait a while. It's just not as quick as when it was new. Overall I don't consider this issue terribly important, so I don't bother trying to unroll the pad for storage.

All my family's pads (too many of them) are in the basement on a top shelf. They are unrolled and the self-inflatables have their valves left open.

Even closed cell foam will loose shape if left compressed over time.

[quote=OldBaldGuy]"...GF won't let me put it in the bed. Is that wrong..."

If you would want something like a pack to work its way between you and a warm body, you do indeed have issues.

Thank for confirming OBG, But I didn't say "between" us.

The thermarests are stored unrolled, with the valves open. The good sleeping bags are also stored in large breathable cotton bags, uncompressed. Doesn't make much sense to me to buy quality gear then compromise it by storing it improperly.

As a compromise, the BOB's contain old ridge rest foam pads and large wool blankets (CTD mothball-stench-specials). Time permitting, I can grab the good stuff. But if I need to haul ash, at least I'm covered.

I've eyeballed Wiggy's bags for years now, but haven't pulled the trigger. According to Wiggy's hype, his bags do not lose loft after long term compression. Anyone try this?

Uhm... Isn't Mass a common law state? If it is, after 14 years, you've been outrun by time. :P

I store my bags and pads unrolled, but as others have suggested, I too have a couple of rolled blankets. But keeping the pack on the bed... yeah, that's a little fetishistic. *shudders* Not healthy man. :P Now, under the bed is good, particularly if you build BOB a girlfriend, for your mate.

OK, so the bag stays out of the bed, I guess I can live with that, I have others issues to work on anyway. BTW, MA isn't a common law state. Actually have to go to a wedding this weekend, tried to get out of it and go camping in VT but she would have none of that. Who gets married on a holiday weekend anyway? Thanks everyone for the input. Anybody have a z-rest?

Thanks

Blitz

Blitz, didn't you explain to your better half that you don't like going to weddings or funerals. Because either way someone's life just ended. Saying that may also solve your problem of where to store your bag.

RayW
Thanks for the suggestion! Telling her that would certainly enable me a way to sharpen my rapid deployment skills as well as test some of my newer gear. Maybe I will be camping in VT this weekend.

Blitz