Sleeping pads are crucial to getting a good night’s sleep if you are a camper. They keep you up off of the hard ground and allow you a little bit of comfort. If your sleeping pad is damaged, you can usually fix it in a straightforward way. Learn how to repair your sleeping pad below by taking the following steps:
- Gathering your supplies
- Finding the leak
- Cleaning and drying the area of the hole
- Applying the fix
Gathering Your Supplies
You will not need too many things to fix the leak, but you will need a few things, including:
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Tape, Seam Grip, or some other type of adhesive product to seal the hole
- Water
- Soap
- Marker
- Sponge
Finding the Location of the Leak
Finding the location of the leak is probably going to be the hardest issue you face while trying to fix your sleeping pad. This is where your water, soap, sponge, and marker are going to come into play.
You are going to need to follow a few steps to find the leak.
- Fill a tub with water and add just a little bit of soap to it.
- Blow up your sleeping pad with air.
- Take your sponge and slowly wipe soapy water onto the pad. You should begin to see tiny bubbles appear on the surface of the pad where the leak is.
- You will then need to mark the spot of the leak and dry the pad.
- If you cannot find the leak by using this method, then you should be able to find it by completing placing the pad into the water and slightly squeezing it in different areas until you spot the leak.
Preparing the Pad for the Fix
Preparing the pad for the fix is easy. There are just a few steps to follow.
- Rinse any soap off of the pad and make sure it is completely deflated.
- Make sure the pad is completely dry.
- Wipe the area of the leak clean with rubbing alcohol.
- Wait a few seconds for the alcohol to completely evaporate.
Applying the Fix
To fix the leak, you apply whichever type of patch or adhesive you are using to seal the hole. You need to make sure that it is applied firmly so that it does not begin to leak again.
After you have applied your fix, you need to fill the pad with air once again to make sure that it is no longer leaking. If you do not see it leaking then leave it inflated for a few hours to make sure it does not begin to leak over time.
How to Repair a Sleeping Pad if a DIY Fix Doesn’t Work
If your pad is still leaking after you have followed all of these steps, then you may have to seek help elsewhere. Your sleeping pad manufacturer may do repairs to their pads or even send out replacements. If they do not, then they may know a place that will fix it.
Sleeping pads are important to your backcountry comfort, so do not wait. Get your pad fixed.
Check out our review of the Klymit Static V2!