Balloonbed
 
Reviews and Recommendations.
 
 

"Just back from my first LAMM, and wanted to say how fantastic my balloon bed was! I've had a bad back for years, and sleeping on hard ground is a real problem - so I've always been put off doing things like the LAMM. However, I woke to the sound of the bagpipes on Sunday morning feeling warm and comfortable, having had a good night's sleep. Much to my partner's amazement, there were no burst balloons - I think she'll be placing an order soon! " 

"Just ordered another batch of balloons for the trusty old balloon bed! Thought that I'd write again to say what a marvelous invention it is - had a toasty night at this year's OMM despite the howling winds and rain. What a pleasure to wake as warm as toast during the night and hear the guy ropes humming and the tents flapping and think that some poor b......s are still using mats or bubble wrap. S ......s! A product worth its weight in gold. Thanks again." 

“I purchased a Balloonbed for this year’s event, as did my partner. I was very skeptical at first but don't regret it what so ever. Well done ‘Balloonbed people’ I think they are great. Just a shame my Balloondog did not make it to the finish. Balloonbed = Ballooning Marvellous!!!”

 “Personally, the Balloonbed was a great success for us. What a FANTASTIC bit of kit!!!
We did practise with them, which made a huge difference. On the night we didn't over-inflate the balloons, so had a sounds nights sleep, with no popping or balloons going down. Full marks Balloonbed! Can't recommend them enough to anyone already thinking about kit for next year. A tough C course this yeah huh? Thought the BalloonDog was great, gave those of us waiting around at the start something to chuckle about when you went through!"

"Those balloon beds were awesome - whoever invented them was a genius."

“I never did write to say how good the balloon bed is: worth its lack of weight in gold! Burst quite a number of balloons practising but suddenly got the knack. Slept like a log during the OMM and hope to repeat the performance again this year in LAMM and SLMM. My partner in OMM was very sceptical (took the p... mercilessly) until the next morning.”

 “I was told that Mountain Marathons would be cheap to enter, well it is I guess, its just my lack of will power in outdoor shops that makes it expensive. Yours I have to say so far is the best value for money item I have purchased”.

 “I bought one prior to the event, and had the benefit of being able to inflate it once as a test before having to use it in the field. Saturday certainly provided a harsh testing environment for it. I loved the amount of space it freed up in my bag, and meant that it was not overstuffed and was consequently more comfortable to carry. It was comfy to lie on, and provided good insulation. I would certainly use it again!”

 “I used a balloon bed in the Alps for bivvying on snow this summer. 15 stone of rippling lard didn't pop any of the tubes! Really, really light but not ideal in more remote situations? “ 

 “OK a balloon bed is a compromise but I still think that it is the most comfortable option I have used in eight Polaris’ and easily the lightest and most compact.”  

 “I trimmed a karrimat down to the bare minimum and it still weighed more than a balloonbed by 15g … such a small pack size does make your bag a doddle to pack.” 

“My partner and I used the balloon beds for the first time on this year. Any doubts we had on the reliability of the beds was gone on the Sunday morning after we both had one of the best nights sleep ever on the overnight camp at a Polaris or OMM! For the first time, we actually felt refreshed instead of that weary feeling we normally have after a cold uncomfortable nights sleep. I remember waking up twice instead of the usual half a dozen times at least on a karrimat and I was never cold. Between us we only popped one balloon and that was early on the Saturday night. Thank you for this great invention and I can recommend the product whole heartedly.”

"I've just returned from the Saunders where my mate and I used the two 'ballonbeds' we bought from you a couple of weeks ago. Compared to a space-blanket and the backing out of my rucksack which I used on last year's OMM, they were a godsend. Really comfortable and warm!"

"Just a quick note to say how impressed I was with balloon bed. I bought one from you on Friday night at SLMM and used it on Saturday. It does everything you say it does and really well. Very comfortable and well insulated from the ground. Once I’d sussed how to tie the knot in the balloons without popping them it was a doddle. The best bit was packing it away into that tiny bag on Sunday morning. Thanks for such an innovative product." 

"What a fantastic idea! It’s certainly a winner and is definitely light and small - my foil and foam mat doesn't match up to that performance."

"I liked the way it packed up really small, and will save loads of space in the rucksack. The inclusion of a safety pin to pop balloons after use was a nice touch. I think that what you gain in convenience of small pack size, you lose in convenience of inflation. I think that the space I've saved in my rucksack will be replaced by a down jacket."

"I'm a Medium Score KIMM competitor fed up with cold lumpy nights but unwilling to take the weight penalty of a Thermarest. Your idea has much less bulk."

"Many thanks for the prompt reply and look forward to getting the beds.  Have told loads of people about them - bloody brilliant idea ! "

"This is the best bit of kit I have seen in donkeys years !! "

 

 
 
Sleepmonsters
   

Some years ago, Rob Howard of Sleepmonsters wrote an article on the Balloonbed. Here is an extract:

“At first the idea of Balloonbed, designed for mountain marathon and Polaris events, seems like a joke. Pumping up modelling balloons (the sort normally used by kids party entertainers to make giraffes with) to make your bed for the night is hard to take seriously …. but, having suspended my disbelief, I pumped up the 7 balloons with the tiny hand pump provided, slipped them into sleeved piece of ultralight parachute material, and settled down for the night, and the morning brought a revelation ... it worked! ….The pack size is the most obvious advantage, the flimsy fabric, balloons and pump can be held in the palm of one hand.”

 

     
BackpackingLight    

'Backpackinglight.com' is a US based on-line community of lightweight hiking and backpacking enthusiasts

The Ballonbed was not designed to be used for walking and hiking , since walking with a slightly heavier sack is not so much of an issue as running with one.

However, as we do sell to the US, here is a link to their review on the Balloonbed:

BackpackingLight.com Review

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