EVA Foam Mat

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EVA Foam Mat

Postby Dutchie64 » Mon 09 May, 2022 5:54 pm

G'day all,

I have been "lurking" on this site on & off for awhile.

Mainly reading posts and gaining insight and learning from the many experienced walkers/hikers amongst you.

As for hiking/walking myself - I have walked various overseas walks, such as the "Camino del Norte", Kumano Kodo, Macchu Pichu as well as some (multi) day walks here in Australia such as the "3 Capes" and here in the Gold Coast & Nth NSW hinterland.

I am now in the process of getting a bit more (hiking) equipment, mainly for hiking/camping here in Australia, as I will greatly reduce my working life as of next year and have the time to do some multi day hikes such as the Larapinta, Overland, etc.

I would like some advice for the more experienced hikers/campers amongst you. I am looking to purchase an 1/8" EVA foam mat for under my inflatable sleeping pad here in Australia as the shipping costs from the US are hellishly expensive. I know "Orange Brown" has mats but they are currently out of stock. After a bit of research I found "HIGH REBOUND ULTRALON EVA" in a sheet of 2mx1mx10mm on foamsales.com.au for $55 (It's density is 30kg/m2). I can cut 2 panels out of this (one for Mrs Dutchie) length. Would any of you consider this or would any of you have another suggestion?

I know the ones from the US are slightly thicker but I reckon 10mm one would do a similar job - i.e. protecting of the sleeping pad and stopping the sliding around on the tent floor?

Your advice would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Dutchie
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby Lamont » Tue 10 May, 2022 7:51 am

G'day Dutchie If your set on 10mm thick you could also buy a good old 10mm CCF mat for about $10 at any Anaconda, BCF etc shop, much cheaper. Maybe cut a torso piece (120 X 50) for each other to lower the weight and the bulk. Will do the job you're after no worries. Try it-if you don't like it chop it up for arrse mats. Comfy as :D
Cheers
Last edited by Lamont on Tue 10 May, 2022 8:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby Moondog55 » Tue 10 May, 2022 8:28 am

Clark Rubber sell the 3mm high density mat and they charge by the square centimetre, otherwise just do as Lamont says.
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby Dutchie64 » Tue 10 May, 2022 9:12 am

Hi Moondog & La mont,

Many thanks for your replies.

I'll go out and have a look at both. I'm more keen on the higher density, TBH.

Cheers,
Dutchie
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby jwpfox » Tue 10 May, 2022 12:31 pm

Another possible option:
https://atompacks.co.uk/products/the-th ... eeping-mat

Much more expensive to get to Australia than the above options but just in case it’s of interest to someone (especially if in UK).
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby bernieq » Tue 10 May, 2022 3:09 pm

Dutchie64 wrote:It's density is 30kg/m2
I suspect you mean per cubic metre. If per square metre as you've written, the sheet would weight 60kg :?

So why do you want the HDCC (high density closed cell) mat? To protect your inflatables? I have a HDCC mat that I only use on snow (10mm; easily enough on snow for thermal comfort). My inflatable (exped hyperlite 360g) is all that's needed otherwise. It's also a lot more comfortable that the HDCC alone.

I reckon 6mm HDCC would be enough for protection but 8mm would be ideal. 10mm is overkill. Find a local source - from O/S will take forever (and probably cost as much as the mat).

Much of my walking is off-track and camps can be pretty rough - I just take a bit of care to de-stick the site. You've mentioned Larapinta, Overland - no need for the additional HDCC, imo.

BTW, if you do carry a HDCC mat (on the outside of your pack), please put it in a bag. When I do walk a track, I pick up handfuls of foam bits.

Edit : try BCF, Aussie Disposals or Big W : https://www.bigw.com.au/product/oztrail ... e/p/854146

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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby Hiking Exped » Tue 10 May, 2022 3:53 pm

I went through a stage (getting older) of thinking I needed an EVA mat to better protect air bed, add warmth, comfort, etc. Tried several options, including military folding, BCF, the z-lite types, etc, etc.

Never really needed it, not even on snow.

Like others suggested, I have a quick admin cleanse of camp spot for any major protrusions and my tent has an additional footprint that weighs significantly less than a bulky EVA and provides enough ground penetration protection as well as making a great cook under tarp in prolonged wet weather.

Instead I’ve put the weight and cash into a good four season air bed with a 40D Nylon Extrusion laminated durable base fabric and 10cm of pure luxury insulation and comfort for all weather :D

The added bulk of EVA on the outside of my pack I found awkward and the military folding types inside my pack I found very slippy to put bed on top of, with a lot of movement.

If ever I get into camp in the dark and It’s a particularly rough ground, I’ll add clothing underneath the bed for added protection and more peace of mind that I don’t get a puncture.
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby Dutchie64 » Fri 10 Jun, 2022 3:59 pm

Thanks @ Bernieq & Hiking Exped for your replies.

Yes, it is m3 - not m2!

I ended up getting an 8mm mat from Clark's rubber which will do the job.

I have also "upgraded" my sleeping mat to a StS Ether Light as the extra 4cm in thickness will aid my sleeping comfort. Haven't taken it out yet as I've been away for work for awhile but will try do do a review on it when I do.

Cheers,
Dutchie
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby legend » Sat 19 Nov, 2022 9:36 am

When I first started bushwalking and snow camping in the earjy '70s we used a closedcell mat that resembled a chamoix in feel. It was around 2cm in thickness and was extremely comfortable, would support you (not much compression) and quite waterproof. They were cream in colour. The 'modern' foam sleeping mat doesn't come near it in comfort. It's more open celled, retains water and compresses down to be useless. Anyone out there who is old enough will know what I am talking about. The big problem is where can you buy this?
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby Moondog55 » Sat 19 Nov, 2022 10:43 am

You can still buy those old school Ensolite mats in the USA.
Freight and minimum sales volumes is the killer.
Yes they were warm and comfortable but also heavy and bulky.
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby Biggles » Sat 19 Nov, 2022 12:44 pm

legend wrote:When I first started bushwalking and snow camping in the earjy '70s we used a closedcell mat that resembled a chamoix in feel. It was around 2cm in thickness and was extremely comfortable, would support you (not much compression) and quite waterproof. They were cream in colour. The 'modern' foam sleeping mat doesn't come near it in comfort. It's more open celled, retains water and compresses down to be useless. Anyone out there who is old enough will know what I am talking about. The big problem is where can you buy this?



There is more than one sleeping mat to poke a toe at!
Check Aussie Disposals for sleeping mats of the description you have given. I have a cut-down piece of closed-cell foam matt used to sit on in wet conditions; no retention of water to speak of, just dirt, which is easily cleaned off at home.

Hardcore bushwalkers still do use these for whatever personal reasons they have.
Schools are also big users of the old closed-cell foam mattresses
Avoid the temptation to order from overseas, especially at this time; high volumes, Customs duty, a wonky dollar and proximity to Christmas will turn the dream of getting an early pressie belly=up.
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby Moondog55 » Sat 19 Nov, 2022 1:13 pm

I've met up with a lot of school groups and while they are big users of CCF mats [ and with good reasons] none of them are using Ensolite mats.
Almost all are using the cheap and generic mats or RidgeRests although most also seem to be using good SI mats like the ThermaRest as well.
If you've never come across Ensolite mats Biggles they're very different to EVA in feel and performance. BushGear used to sell them tho in a 20inch by 35inch size [ or maybe 36inch but the shorter length sticks in my mind]; I think they used to cut American mats in half.
One of the reasons for the better performance is simply that they were thicker; an old fashioned three quarters of an inch or 20mm, but they are also softer to lie on. Here in Australia the release of the first Karrimat at much less weight was better received as they were also much cheaper.
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: EVA Foam Mat

Postby andrewa » Sat 19 Nov, 2022 9:06 pm

“Portable concrete” was my recollection of CCF mats, although I don’t recall the Ensolite ones. On first bushwalk at school in 1974, we didn’t have mats, and it was horrible, along with the issue of a very wet weekend and a Paddy Palin tent with no floor. No surprise that my next bushwalk was a few years later, and that seemed to be blue CCF mats, and, soon after the thermarest and MSR stoves for the rich kids, whilst we kept going with the Optimus choofers. Interesting to look back. We all survived and had a pretty good time. I don’t recall any bad experiences in the bush behind the first one, and that was only uncomfortable. Mind you, the good Scottish Calvinistic genes in me have probably helped!

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