Walking Kit Tips - 9 Uses For An Old Foam Sleeping Mat By Kevin Woodward At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Cutting up a foam sleeping mat can make you some versatile pieces of kit. The pieces are easily stowed in a pack and add very little weight. You can cut different sizes and shapes to suit different uses and take just the appropriate pieces with you, depending on the activity!

1. As soon as you sit down for lunch on a walk in the winter, you body starts to cool. One of the places heat is lost is through your backside where it is in contact with the ground. A small piece of foam sleeping mat soon solves that problem - and gives you a more comfortable and waterproof perch.

2. Small pieces can be cut, shaped and placed in your boot to absorb the impact of your foot if you are heading out on a long, rock-strewn walk.

3. Fashion it into a windshield for cooking. When you cut it, you can leave a few tabs along the bottom so that it can be easily pegged down. If your stove is tall, you may need to stiffen it so that the top does not fold down in the wind. Make sure the length is sufficient to wrap about 3/4 of the way round the stove to keep out the wind when it swirls.

4. Cut some reasonably sized squares to put over sharp rocks, sticks etc that cannot be moved when pitching your tent to prevent these from piercing the floor of your tent.

5. When backpacking, the lunchtime seat can be used overnight to keep your rucksack (or whatever) clear of the wet ground.

6. During the summer, roll a section of the mattress round a cold drink to keep it cold. If you are motoring in hot weather, you can use the same trick.

7. A long, thin strip can be used to hold a hot object e.g. drinks cup by wrapping it around the item.

8. When pushing pegs into hard ground, a small square folded double can help to cushion your hand.

9. Camp Frisbee - does little damage if it goes out of control and lands on someone's tent!

I am sure that you can think of many more uses, both sensible and humorous for both larger and smaller pieces of foam mat. For example, Joe 'Touching the Void' Simpson used his as a splint for his badly broken leg on the way down from his well documented accident. Answers on a postcard please ...

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