Repair & Maintenance

Punctured sleeping mat — in the field

Sleeping mat with repair kit in the field.

A hole in an inflatable sleeping mat in the middle of a trip means no sleep. Here is how to find the hole and fix it with the repair kit — or with gaffer tape as a temporary solution.

An inflatable sleeping mat that loses air in the middle of a trip means no warmth and no sleep. Here is how to find the hole and fix it in the field.

For a proper repair at home: see Punctured sleeping mat.

How to find the hole

  1. Inflate the mat firmly and lay it on a still surface
  2. Listen and feel your way along — move your head along the mat. The skin on your ear and face picks up jets of air you cannot always hear
  3. If you cannot find it: dip the mat in a stream or a puddle. Bubbles mark the hole
  4. Mark the hole with a marker pen or a knot on a piece of cord

Be careful with the water method: modern sleeping mats have insulating fills that are sensitive to moisture — hard to dry and liable to develop bacteria. Use the water method only if you really cannot find the hole any other way, and dry thoroughly afterwards.

Repair in the field

With a repair kit

Most sleeping mats come with a small repair kit (patch + glue). Use it:

  1. Empty the mat of air
  2. Clean around the hole — toilet paper + soap or hand sanitiser
  3. Dry thoroughly
  4. Apply glue, place the patch, press firmly
  5. Let it cure for at least 1–2 hours before next use

Without a repair kit — gaffer tape

If you do not have a kit:

  1. Clean and dry the area
  2. Cut a piece of gaffer tape into a patch slightly larger than the hole, with rounded edges
  3. Press it firmly around the whole edge
  4. Test by inflating — if it still leaks, try pressing the tape down more tightly against the edges

Note: chemicals in gaffer tape can eat through the sleeping-mat fabric over time. The tape is for the rest of the trip — remove it when you get home and apply a proper patch.

Punctured sleeping mat — the at-home version →

Tips for avoiding holes

  • Check the tent floor for loose stones and twigs before you inflate
  • Use a footprint under the tent
  • Pack the mat by folding it with the valve open, not by forcing the air out

Back to Repair → · Repairs on the trip → · Sleeping mats →

Text: Lars Peters and Snuitide (2022), revised 2026.