It was only the second time I used a vacbed. I had a timer and back-up timer connected to my 6.5 hp! shop vacuum. The first time I kept my hand very close to the zipper; this time, I made the mistake of placing my hand too far away. The timer was scheduled to turn off in 30 minutes. After only about ten minutes in the vacbed, I was beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic. I started to struggle---trying to reach the zipper. Then I started to become desperate and tried to even bite the hole I was breathing through. Unsuccessful with both attempts I tried to calm myself down. My heart rate must've been through the roof! After about five minutes I started to wonder if the unit was ever going to turn off the vacuum and let me out. This time I began to panic beyond what I thought possible. In a last attempt to free myself, I placed my fingers in a claw-like form and pulled my hands together somehow. This infact still did not break the latex...instead, the pvc piping came apart and tore the envelope down the middle. While I was so happy I was out, I had mixed feelings about not being able to remain in a mentally controlled state. For some time, vacbeds did not cross my mind. It was just a matter of time however till I began looking into purchasing my second vacbed. This time I promised myself to not enter the envelope alone. Guess what? I did it again (that is became trapped in the vacbed). I'll tell that one some other time.
As far as safety is concerned...I've now learned that I can use very thin .20 mm latex sheeting more safely. This thin latex is "weak" by comparison. Simply knowing I can tear the latex with my bear hands gives me the psychological confindence to wait until the vacuum turns off. I'm not saying that .20 mm latex is 100% escapable all the time, but it sure is an improvement. I have actually made vacboxes out of .20 mm latex; the person outside of the vacbox would tip the frame in different directions while the "thin/weak" latex would hold one in place. Infact, this thin material has never tore from simply being to thin while playing, bouncing, etc.
Again, happy to be part of the gang.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)