Is this some kind of modern art or something with immediate utility?

 

 

Balloon Mattress

 

Take a look at the website at this link: http://balloonbed.com/.  It’s a super-ultralight mattress made of balloons used to make/twist animal balloons.  I didn't believe it at first but it actually has potential as an emergency mattress especially at an airport.  Obviously a distinct niche market that does't sell to customers here in the US but does sell them in Europe.  I looked at their video of blowing up the balloon--they're doing it wrong (need to leave about one to two inches uninflated) and I can do that by mouth thereby saving a few ounces--there's a trick to inflating them (I'm a magician).  So I tried the concept.  It works!  After viewing the website, I couldn't stand it so I bought a pack of what appears to be 260E balloons (they did not carry the better 260Q's) at Kmart just a ten minute walk up the hill.  The ones I already had were over ten years old and popped as I blew them up so if you do this, try to keep newer ones in the kit.  Did not make the sleeve thingee but did tape eight balloons together with painter's tape for the first test.  I'm happy to  report it works for back sleepers and side sleepers.  I had my skeptical daughter lie down on it and she was surprised at the comfort.  Length was about 36 inches and width was about 17 so the sleeves housing would add some width.  You have about two inches depth.  I would go with ten balloons for decent width.  So this mattress would be a torso focused mattress and the entire shebang would weigh perhaps six ounces and fit in your pocket.   If you buy a pack of the 260Qs advertised on Amazon for around $10 per pack of 100, it works out to a $1.00 mattress per night after you make the sleeving thingee.  Putting things in perspective for its ability to hold up to weight, I weigh about 180 and am 67 inches tall.  Along that line, one 260E or 260Q balloon at the foot of a trashbag bivvy and one or two at the head just might work to give some circulation to avoid condensation. So I also tried out using a balloon as an arch for the trash can bivvy and it does work as well.  Didn't put one at the feet end but I'm sure it would work if you used painter's tape to affix it to the bag to ensure it wouldn't move.  Got the link from reading a book on ultralight backpacking.  Yesterday I put ten balloons in a disposable garment bag because it's so light.  Just put them in there--no channels and nothing to hold them together other than the enclosure of the bag.  That's the pic above.  Works great. 

My wife says she won't provide sewing support for such a project--I have too many air mattresses already.  OK, minor setback.  Will just get a yard or so of thin light material, place the first balloon on the far left, roll the material over that, place a second balloon beside the first (wrapped) balloon, roll the wrapped first balloon over the second balloon which is then wrapped, place third balloon beside wrapped first and second wrapped balloons, roll, etc. until sufficient balloons are in place.  Uses much more material which increases weight but also increases comfort and protection of the balloons.  Doesn't need sewing.  Material can be used for alternate purposes until needed for the mattress.  Not light, but flannel would be comfy--perhaps an old flannel robe?  Could use fabric glue to make the sleeves but the best situation would be to get the item from the manufacturer.  I love to support small businesses but they don't sell to the US.    Adapt.  Overcome.  Think out of the box.

Here's a link to an in-depth genuine review of the balloon bed.  Neat stuff.       http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/balloonbed_review.html

 

Ready and waiting to get back to travel