I have a tent with a silnet floor and my thermrest slipping and sliding around in the night is driving me nuts! I've tried using the rubbery self liner underneath and it seems to help somewhat, but I was thinking if I could attach velcro to the tent floor and to the bottom of my thermarest in each of the corner areas that it would be set for the night. You'd have to line up the velcro pathes perfectly for all 4 corner areas to attach. Has anyone tried anything like this?

When I seam sealed my BD Hilight, I painted a grid on the floor with some silicone/paint thinner mix. No issues, just get some of the foot powder I sprinkled on to dry the paint thinner on my bag and pad.

I own a T.T. Contrail W/ a silnylon floor. So I took my clear silicone caulking tube and put a series of dots of 3 big Xs on the botttom of my old full length UL Thermarest. Works great and it's far easier to clean than a floor with silicone ridges on it.

I did NOT do anything to the floor B/C I didn't want silicon ridges permenantly picking up sand and grit.

Eric

Welcome to the reason I got interested in hammocks. I pitched the tent in what seemed to be a flat spot and woke up in one end, bundled up in a ball, the thermarest over there and my head resting in the side of the tent.

Now I'm a hammocker because I can sleep so much more comfortably than I used to - pad never kept my hip from hurting, but that's not a prob any longer.

What has been suggested, silicone sealer on the pad, will help with thermarest slippage. But I wonder if it will keep you from sliding off the pad.

The “rubbery self liner” you tried is what I’ve found to be better than striping/dotting the floor.
On your question of using Velcro, I’ve never tried it. It sounds like you’re pitching the tent on an oh-so-gentle slope. Velcro should hold the mat but it seems it will be at the expense of putting some high tension on your floor (and at some staking points) as your body weight goes a sliding. If you try it, let us know how it works out <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

-Barry

When I first got a Tarptent, I painted the suggested sealant stripes on the floor, but my Thermarest still flew all over the tent every time I turned over. I contacted Henry Shires, who suggested painting stripes on the bottom of the Thermarest. It worked! I like 300winmag's idea of the dots--easier to do.

The OP might want to do a search; there have been several threads about slippery sleeping pads lately. Be sure to change the time parameter to longer than 1 week.

When I "painted" my BD Hilight floor, I used the sponge tipped brush. It left no ridge as it was like another layer of sealant added to the floor. So far, the tent material attracts more dust then the silicone grid, but has only been tested a few nights so far, once in the dirt and one night on snow.

Personally I am from the school of every grams = ounces and ounces = pounds.

Paint will cost you as wound adding velcro. Not only in weight but in money as well. I simply remove my shirt. I am assuming you'll be wearing one? Put it over the thermarest! There you have it no more nylon on nylon. Now you have no slippage.

I have found a solution to the Thermarest slippage problem that I believe also passes the lightweight and multi-use tests. I bought a ThinLight 1/8 insulation pad from Gossamer Gear and cut it down to 47" to match the length of my pad. At that length, it weighs 1.6 oz. This lightweight piece of insulation sticks to my pad and the tent floor and stops the slippage. It also increases the amount of insulation I have underneath. I can also fold it over a couple of times and use it sit on or kneel on. All for $9.

Good idea sharpe.
Best one yet.

“…and cut it down to 47"…”

That’s really saving weight (0.4oz <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />). I have also been using the GG 1/8” pad for ~ 3years. And it has stopped my pads from slipping. I don’t cut it. I just position it to hang out under the feet. Some other thoughts come to mind:

1. When I take my Ghost (backpack), I sometimes mount my GG Squall Classic tent on the outside (or another tarptent model). However, this is a slippery proposition as the tent WILL slip out while backpacking. So I wrap/roll the finished-packaged tent in the GG 1/8” pad and it stays for good!
2. If pulling the the GG pad out of your pack, be careful because the pad doesn’t want to give; it will rip before it will let itself be pulled out (that was a bummer on my part <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />). Thus it’s not as durable as a thermarest product but when treated with kindness, will last a long time.
3. That 1/8” pad provides amazing warmth. In fact I’m just fine in 0F camping weather with that pad and a NightLight 3/4 pad (with bumps down). I don’t like that combo in the summer though.
4. Be careful when using it to kneel on. Mine picked up stains that way. And when you fold it to get decent thickness for kneeling, it develops creases and it’s hard to get flat again. If you don’t mind that, it feels great for kneeling and sitting on.
5. If I forget that little 1/8” pad at home, I soooo miss it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. It’s a little piece of versatility.

-Barry