How to Choose the Best Sleeping Pad for Camping and Backpacking

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Ultralight and durable, the rectangular Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT Max sleeping pad boast a 7.3 R-value, giving it a warmth-to-weight ratio suited for extremely cold backcountry pursuits.
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View the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir NXT Product LineView all Therm-a-Rest Air PadsBest Use | Backpacking |
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Sleeping Pad Type | Air |
Sleeping Pad Shape | Rectangular |
R-Value | 7.3 |
Repair Kit Included | Yes |
Stuff Sack Included | Yes |
Sleeping Capacity | 1-person |
Pad Thickness (in.) | 3 inches |
Gender | Unisex |
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That oh- so dreaded noise when you roll over in your tent; your pad shifting underneath you and pray that crinkle did not echo like you feel it does and wake your partner. Luckily, no annoying noises emanating from this xtherm NXT pad like one of those biodegradable chip bags. This mat is also very warm (R= 7.3!) without weighing more than other pads so that I am seriously needing only a quilt on top and ditching my traditional full sleeping bag unless I am camping below 10F. Bonus, not easily generating leaks from having my dogs trying to hog it. The fine tune firmness adjustment on the valve is ingenious, just open the valve and lightly twist the yellow flange. Easy to maneuver even while laying down.
I survived the trip to the Arctic Circle. Great barrier against the cold! Great valves. WELL done!
The air valve was defective out of the box and would very slowly let out air (over a few hours until completely empty) when sleeping on it. Unfortunately I didn't discover this until I actually tried to use it on a multi-day backpacking trip, which made for some very uncomfortable and cold nights with a completely deflated sleeping pad. If you choose this pad I recommend checking yours by letting it sit overnight with representative weight on it BEFORE you actually use it for backpacking. Checking with actual weight is critical... mine was fine overnight with no one using it... but add the weight of a typical adult and it would slowly deflate.
Do not be fooled by the "lifetime warranty" that Thermarest once stood for. This once-great company has been gutted by its new corporate owner, Cascade Designs, which has systematically dismantled its customer service to the point of non-existence. My experience is a stark warning to anyone considering a purchase from them. I bought my Thermarest sleeping pad from REI eight years ago, largely because I trusted the brand and its lifetime warranty promise. When the pad recently developed a leak, I thought it would be a straightforward warranty claim. I was wrong. After submitting a warranty form through their website, I waited three weeks without a single response. I tried again, completing the form a second time. Still nothing. I then attempted the old-fashioned method—I tried to call them. I finally found a phone number for Cascade Designs, but it was a dead end. The automated system offered no way to speak to a human and simply looped me back to the useless online warranty form. It's a prime example of a company that has replaced quality customer support with a digital black hole designed to avoid its obligations. This is a complete bait-and-switch. A company built on a reputation for quality they could stand behind has been ruined by corporate ownership focused solely on cutting costs. If you buy a Thermarest product today, be forewarned: if anything goes wrong, you will not be able to take advantage of the warranty. As a result of this infuriating experience, we are filing complaints with the state of Washington against Cascade Designs for false advertising and false warranty representation. I strongly recommend that you avoid all Cascade Designs brands at all costs. You'll thank me later.
I am a side sleeper and have hip pain but can sleep on this mattress comfortably. I like that it is quiet. It seems like it would be a lot of work to manually inflate which to be fair, I haven't tried. I rely on my electric inflator. Would like to see it deflate a little smaller for a backpack in size but the comfort over rides the size.
The therma rest neo air regular was easy to set up, provided excellent padding (like it was pretty thick) for a good nights sleep and was easy to pack away when needed with the twist valve deflate and then just roll it up-no sitting on it required. I used it at the 24hr Spokane MTB race and It was fine just on the ground with a sleeping bag, though the temps have been a bit warmer than usual. This would probably not be great for anyone above 5’8. I had a friend and my husband both try it out during the day and it’s a little short for my husband but did fit my friend (she is 5’8). For reference I am 5’4 and this was plenty big enough for me with a lot of room on either side. I got the rectangular one because even though I don’t move a lot in my sleep I tend to fall off the tapered end of air mattresses in the middle of the night-I didn’t have this problem with the neo air. This a very perfect camp mattress (it is pretty lightweight for what it is) and I would definitely recommend it to friends.
This is a very comfy pad, and the warmth to weight is great. I'm a side sleeper, and a lot of other pads I've had put a lot of pressure on my hips, but not the case here. I've used this pad twice since purchasing, both times below 10 degrees F, and stayed very warm. I do recommend the wide pad, as it makes sleeping so much more comfortable, and is definitely worth the marginal extra weight. That being said, I'm not a fan of how the pump sack mates with the valve. It takes a lot of force to get the pump on and off, and it feels like I might break it.
The inflation system requires too much time, and effort. It also does not work with any of the adapters for lightweight air pumps. Not that I want to carry an air pump backpacking but yours leaves me no choice. My Nemo Air Tensor has a frictionless, simple, easy, fast air bag that fills my former 25” wide ‘mattress with 3-4 breaths. Why is yours designed so badly? Also yours sounds like I am sleeping on 15 potato chip bags. Way too loud. I do like the higher R value which is why I bought it and for the extra toughness of the surface. If some designer could put it all in one air mattress than us just getting 2 out 5 things we want it would fly off the shelves. 1. High R value, tough surface to avoid punctures, easy inflation with 3-4 breaths, not noisy to sleep on, and lightweight.
I have not field tested it yet. I bought one in January, used it twice, it was flat both times in the morning. I loved it other than that. I you folks replaced it, 'cause Thermarest was giving me a run around............I just haven't taken it out of it's sleeve yet.
Very uncomfortable. This mattress is like sleeping on a giant zip-lock bag with air in it. There needs to be separate channels/chambers with several air intakes so that the mattress does not bulge every which way whenever the user moves a little. For this price, I expected a functional design with good support. This mattress does not come close!