Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Anaconda sells the Black Wolf pillow - perfectly good item and better than those prices. No shipping if you have an Anaconda store near you.

BTW don't ever inflate it like they show in that photo - it will be hard as rock.

Hi IP,
thanks for the heads up.
The Pump Pillow was recommended for inflation of the Synmat 7 which is one of the Exped mats without an internal pump.
No doubt others following this thread will be placed better to take advantage of your tip

The mats progress is speedy.
Already reached MASCOT AU
according to the tracking on the Fedex site.

il padrone wrote:Anaconda sells the Black Wolf pillow - perfectly good item and better than those prices. No shipping if you have an Anaconda store near you.

BTW don't ever inflate it like they show in that photo - it will be hard as rock.

Good tip, I too have this pillow and it's surprisingly good. Definitely need to "tune" your inflation level.

The only problem I found with the Black Wolf pillow was the decal on it eventually goes soft, peels off and sticks to your head...

Wingnut wrote:The only problem I found with the Black Wolf pillow was the decal on it eventually goes soft, peels off and sticks to your head...

Lets see the pics of your new "tattoo"

Wingnut wrote:The only problem I found with the Black Wolf pillow was the decal on it eventually goes soft, peels off and sticks to your head...

Pillow-slip

I find it prevents oil/sweat from my scalp staining the pillow, and feels so much better.

Or you can go the other way and just use a jacket or clothing inside a pillow slip as some hikers do...

Wingnut wrote:Or you can go the other way and just use a jacket or clothing inside a pillow slip as some hikers do...

I've made do with that method for years.
Time to see how the other half lives

The other path is just the Exped pillow and Exped's Schnozzel Pumpbag to inflate that and the mat?

just4tehhalibut wrote:The other path is just the Exped pillow and Exped's Schnozzel Pumpbag to inflate that and the mat?

Hi Just4tehhalibut,
no the other side is an Exped pump pillow which has an internal pump for pumping up Exped mattresses without the integral pump.
http://www.summitgear.com.au/exped-pillow-pump/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wingnut wrote:Or you can go the other way and just use a jacket or clothing inside a pillow slip as some hikers do...

Believe me, once you have used a self-inflating pillow, inside a slip, you will not go back to that old method

I did it for many, many years. Never again, unless my pillow fails.

Either works for me...depends how much I want to carry & how much I'm rushing when packing at the time...

Well the matt arrived safely today from Bivouac.
I just sent them a thank you email for their prompt dispatch and communication.
Its a much smaller and tidier package than the last one I had which I think was a Kathmando job I hastily grabbed days before my Mudgee NSW to Perth tour.
I'm impressed with its lack of bulk.
I think that was 6 days from NZ to my doorstep.
I'm happy with that, as its quicker than many of my packages take from the Sydney mail sorting center.

il padrone wrote:Anaconda sells the Black Wolf pillow - perfectly good item and better than those prices. No shipping if you have an Anaconda store near you.

BTW don't ever inflate it like they show in that photo - it will be hard as rock.

Hi IP,
hey I just followed that link again for another squiz.
Its actually dearer than those Exped pillows I linked to.
Granted it is slightly cheaper if someone doesnt need to utilise postage.

Currently $39.99 (may have been less when you posted it or perhaps cheaper in Victoria)

I'd tried to order from one of my above links but couldnt get my order to include shipping due, I think to a glitch on their website.

Because of the time zone difference, I stuffed up ringing them on Saturday and they were closed on Sunday.
When I got hold of them today they were out of stock.

I quickly went to hiking.com.au and ordered and payed for express postage.
I quickly got sent order confirmation and an email stating shipped with a tracking number.

rifraf wrote:

il padrone wrote:Anaconda sells the Black Wolf pillow - perfectly good item and better than those prices. No shipping if you have an Anaconda store near you.

BTW don't ever inflate it like they show in that photo - it will be hard as rock.

Hi IP,
hey I just followed that link again for another squiz.
Its actually dearer than those Exped pillows I linked to.
Granted it is slightly cheaper if someone doesnt need to utilise postage.

Currently $39.99 (may have been less when you posted it or perhaps cheaper in Victoria)

Umm..... that all shows, you gotta act quick on those links. When I posted that one it was on sale for $29.99 I seem to recall.

il padrone wrote: Umm..... that all shows, you gotta act quick on those links. When I posted that one it was on sale for $29.99 I seem to recall.

No worries, I wanted the one with the internal pump anyway.
I occasionally get a bit of asthma so trying to manually blow up a mattress isnt my cup of tea when its cold and I'm a bit wheezy.

The Exped pump pillow is now on its way.

I will remember for future links to speedily pull finger for a squiz

rifraf wrote:I occasionally get a bit of asthma so trying to manually blow up a mattress isnt my cup of tea when its cold and I'm a bit wheezy.

It's not particularly good for the mattress either, because you fill it up with moisture and bugs.

Leiothrix wrote:

rifraf wrote:I occasionally get a bit of asthma so trying to manually blow up a mattress isnt my cup of tea when its cold and I'm a bit wheezy.

It's not particularly good for the mattress either, because you fill it up with moisture and bugs.

That was another consideration.
Pillow arrived safely today.

rifraf wrote:Pillow arrived safely today.

So you ordered on Tuesday - from that shop in Maryborough, Queensland? And received it in a week - not bad...

RonK wrote:

rifraf wrote:Pillow arrived safely today.

So you ordered on Tuesday - from that shop in Maryborough, Queensland? And received it in a week - not bad...

rifraf wrote: I'd tried to order from one of my above links but couldnt get my order to include shipping due, I think to a glitch on their website.

Because of the time zone difference, I stuffed up ringing them on Saturday and they were closed on Sunday.
When I got hold of them today they were out of stock.

I quickly went to hiking.com.au and ordered and payed for express postage.
I quickly got sent order confirmation and an email stating shipped with a tracking number.

Hi Ron,
No I ended up going with Hiker.com.au .
Exasperated by hold ups in general, I bit the bullet in Monday, ordered in the morning, paid for express shipping, and it arrived this morning from NSW.
This after getting hold of them by phone first to confirm stock levels.

Hiker.com.au may be the same as Kellys Camping and Outdoors.
This was the name my payment was made to and receipt from according to paypal.

rifraf wrote:Hiker.com.au may be the same as Kellys Camping and Outdoors.
This was the name my payment was made to and receipt from according to paypal.

Ah - I got mine from Kellys.

Bought a synmat 7UL, lasted about 3 months and then the seams popped, then popped a bit more, would not recommend this product.

I have been using the Synmat 7 for the past 2-3 years now; good friends of mine have been using them for over 4 years. No such seam-popping. Can I suggest that there just might be lessons to learn from this failure. The Exped instructions recommend:

1. Not to over-inflate the mat. Personally I find that when pumped tight it is too hard anyway; I leave it quite soft for a more comfortable bed;
2. Not to leave it in a tent left erected on any warm days - the temperatures in a closed tent can rise a lot (especially if in direct sun), causing the mat to pressurise even more and inviting failure.

Maybe you were aware of these matters and treating the mat correctly, but some advice for other users anyway.

I believe that Exped have a 5 year warranty on their products (2 years on the UL products), so if it has failed and not been abused, talk to them about it.
http://www.exped.com/australia/en/repairs-distributors" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

il padrone wrote:I have been using the Synmat 7 for the past 2-3 years now; good friends of mine have been using them for over 4 years. No such seam-popping. Can I suggest that there just might be lessons to learn from this failure. The Exped instructions recommend:

You are comparing apples to oranges here and as been pointed out before, they are not the same mats. How a Synmat 7 performs has zero relevance to a Synmat UL 7 because of the design and materials used. They are different mats.

There are well established known problems with the Synamt UL as being reported by users here in Australia including myself, the UK and elsewhere [just do a search of numerous forums particularly in the UK for the reports]. I have experienced exactly the same issue that polishbiker has had.

As to the warranty, that is only good if you can easily swap the mat out ... if you are on tour that is not necessarily so easy; don't I know.

As to the "advice" that has nothing to do with the issue that is occurring here which is a design fault and/or a fault in the manufacturer of the mats so please lets stop trying to spin that rubbish. Heck trying to suggest that they are over inflated is on its own pretty laughable in itself.

I thought that Exped had made changes as my replacement mat was different to my first one; if they haven't then that is really disappointing and brings into doubt their product once again and their focus on customer service.

Thankfully my Exped Synmat UL 7 is going okay other than a major hassle finding really tiny leaks, but I will not buy another.

Andrew