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Initial Test Report
Product Name:
Exped Down Air Mattress
Personal Biographical Information:
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Name:
John (Jack) Corrigan
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Age:
40 years old
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Gender:
Male
Height:
5 feet 10 inches (1.8 meters)
Weight:
175 pounds (79 kilograms)
Torso:
20 inches (51 centimeters)
Email:
jack@jackquest.com
Region:
Fredericksburg, Virginia (Spotsylvania County)
Report Date:
21OCT2003
Background:
I have always been one to do the outdoor thing as compared to the organized sport thing. It started as a youngster in the Boy Scouts and continues today as an adult. The majority of my experience has been in Pennsylvania but I have hiked, camped or paddled in New York, California and even Alaska. I am also currently a volunteer search and rescue canine handler. Although search and rescue doesn't always result in an overnight or multi-day trip, I am required to be prepared, equipped and trained for it. Training a search dog results in many hours of trekking through the outdoors.
My "style" is best described as recreational camping, mid-weight backpacking (2-3 day treks), day hiking, flat water paddling, hunting and canine search and rescue activities. My last extended (more than 1 week) outing was the summer of 2001, as a volunteer for the Armed Forces Eco-Challenge in interior Alaska. I also include two of my four dogs in most of my outdoor activities.
Product Information:
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Manufactured By:
Exped Expedition Equipment
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Manufactured Date:
2003
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Manufacturer URL:
http://www.exped.com
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Listed Weight:
Mattress- 32 ounces (920 grams)
Pump/Packsack- 6 ounces (160 grams)
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Delivered Weight:
Mattress- 2 pounds (0.91 kilograms)
Pump/Packsack- 7 ounces (198 grams)
- Note: Weighed on a digital 0-25 pound postal scale.
Additional Product Information:
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Thickness:
3.5 inches (9 centimeters)
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Size:
70 inches by 20.5 inches (178 centimeters by 52 centimeters)
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Rolled Size:
12 inches by 5 inches (30 centimeters by 13 centimeters)
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Fill:
8.8 ounces (250 grams) 700 fill, high loft goose down, safe Nocar treatment to prevents effects caused by moisture build up
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MSRP:
149.00 US Dollars
Field Information:
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Location:
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For the most part, the proposed testing locations will be in the Mid-Atlantic region primarily northern Virginia and northeastern Pennsylvania. Base Camp VA (home) is conveniently located near many local, state and federal recreation areas. In addition the Appalachian Trail and Shenandoah National Park are only a few hours away. Base Camp PA (cabin), which is located in the Endless Mountain Region of Pennsylvania is also located near state parks and state forest areas, as well as lesser known trail systems such as the Loyalsock Trail.
Now that I am living in Virginia trips to our cabin are less frequent, maybe once or twice every three or four months. But Shenandoah National Park, Washington National Forest and Jefferson National Forest are soon to be regular trekking spots.
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Description of Location:
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The terrain of the proposed testing locations is varied, and ranges from flat low grass and lightly forested regions to mountain "elevations" of 200 to 3500 feet (60 to 1100 meters). Trail systems range from established foot paths to undeveloped logging roads and even the occasional bushwhack.
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Weather Conditions:
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This test series (initial report through long term report) will be conducted from approximately October through April.
I am not as familiar with the weather in Northern Virginia as I was with the weather in Pennsylvania. After some weather research I will offer the following sample temperature data points for the Upper Piedmont/Northern Neck region of Virginia:
October (58°F/14°C)
November (47°F/8°C)
December (37°F/3°C)
January (35°F/2°C)
February (37°F/3°C)
March (45°F/7°C)
April (56°F/13°C)
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Product Experience:
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The Exped Down Air Mattress (DAM) arrived in excellent condition. The shipping box included the DAM rolled up and stowed in its Pump/Packsack (PPS), instructions and a product catalog. Attached to the PPS were two informational tags and a small plastic bag with two 3.5 inch (9 centimeter) by 5 inch (13 centimeter) patches. One patch is made of the same material as the top of the DAM and one patch is made of the bottom material. However there were no repair instructions included.
At first glance, I did not see anything that would distinguish a down air mattress from a conventional air core mattress. The Exped Down Air Mattress does have a heavier and structured feel to it. The manufacturer's website describes the material and construction very well.
The DAM is made up of six tubes that are inter-connected so that only one valve needs to be open while inflating. The second valve is opened to speed up deflating the mattress. Both valves are located at the top (head), one in each corner of the mattress. The valves appear to be of all plastic construction. I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting a down air mattress to be, but it is as depicted by the manufacturer's documentation. The real surprise was the Pump/Packsack.
Again at first glance the Pump/Packsack resembles a conventional roll top closure stuff sack with two significant differences. First, the PSS has a sewn in thin foam sleeve. The sleeve adds structure to the PSS and this helps with inflation. Second, the bottom of the PSS has a one way air valve. The air valve also can be plugged from the inside when used as a pillow.
Following the manufacturer's instructions, I performed a table top inflation. The PSS air valve fits snugly over the DAM air valve. The PSS is unrolled and the foam sleeve aids in opening the sack. This results in air being drawn into the sack. The top of the PSS is then rolled forcing air into the mattress. It took about 15 "bag fulls of air" to inflate the mattress. Manufacturer documentation states 12-20 "bag fulls" for the regular size. The Pump/Packsack worked well. I only had the valve pop off twice. This seemed to only happen when I tried to squeeze out every last bit of air. The air mattress held the air at room temperature for just over a day and a half, after when the air loss was recognizable by compressing the mattress by hand.
I will be using the Exped Down Air Mattress for both tent and hammock sleeping. During the testing I will be using one sleeping bag that has a sleeve for the air mattress as well as a conventional sleeping bag that will be placed on top of the DAM. It is also my plan, where possible, to use a conventional air mattress under the same testing conditions and note any significant difference between down and no down sleeping. The Pump/Packsack will also be used as a pillow as is suggested by the manufacturer.
TEAM JackQuest
http://www.jackquest.com
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