Therm-a-Rest - NeoAir Topo Luxe

thermarest neoair topo luxe. 30 inches wide! You just need a tent wide enough for it.

If the Prolite works great for you, why not keep it and cut weight elsewhere? Pads are quite subjective, like recommending shoes. I agree it's a grail hunt, I've went through a bunch too! The Neoair is my go-to, the Exped Ultra is my favorite, and I can get by on a z-lite in warmer weather.

I’ve been car camping once in the LC. I bought a 4 in thick sleep pad from Thermarest. With that thickness, I could not feel the step up to the seats, though I could feel the incline from feet to head. I might fold up a blanket for two to place under the lower half to level it some.

Anything from Thermarest would be my recommendation. I've got the Neo Air Luxe and it's fantastic. But whatever brand/mat you go with, I'd 100% recommend you get the wide version, such a better sleep.

I’m your size. Thermarest Topo Lux XL.

By "better," do you mean more comfortable? If so, check out Thermarest NeoLoft regular wide or large, depending on your height. 4.6" thick, 4.7 R-value. I have the NeoAir Topo Luxe (4" loft), which it replaced and which is by far the most comfortable backpacking pad I've ever used.

Follow your instincts. You will not find a pad (which qualifies as a backpacking pad) more comfortable than NeoLoft. The closest is the discontinued NeoAir Topo Luxe, which NeoLoft replaced. Pro tip: Buy the NeoAir Micro Pump

Thermarest Topo Luxe XL. My partner has one for bike holidays, first pad ever that he sleeps comfortable on as it offers a large and stable platform. I find the feel comparable to the neoair models.

Intesresting, in the EU still widely available and on the EU Thermarest site.

That sounds logic! Maybe they bring out a 30" version later...would definitely buy one as a birthday present for my hubby who doesn't care about weight. Tried it in the shop and that thing is so damn comfortable.

Gonflé bien ferme, présente t-il un problème ?! Je suis de fort gabarit ! J'ai un Néoair Topo Luxe  que j'adore ! J'ai aussi un Xtherm 😉 !

Je suis en amour avec mon  TOPO  !  Est-ce que tu la essayer ?!

I just got a thermarest top deluxe on sale, and absolutely love it. Pair it with one of those cheap rechargeable pumps on amazon and you have a very comfy, lightweight, and convenient pad.

Lots of options if you're okay losing the self-inflating aspect. Thermarest Neoloft or Topo Luxe are two that immediately come to mind. Big Agnes Rapide SL is 3.75"

I've bought the Haven XL with the new True Level pad this fall and really like it so far. I also bought the Thermarest Topo Luxe XL at the same time (which has roughly the same size) but admittedly like the new Haven pad a bit more. The new design works really great and given the low price when being bought as a set with the hammock I think it's always worth a shot even when you already own the Thermarest. Haven has recently released a True Level style pad for the Safari too

Thermarest Topo Luxe XL is the best compromise I've found soo far. Heavier than the average sleeping pad but given it's thickness and size it packs down really small.

the ranking is irrelevant since it mixes pads for different use cases. For example, if you're a side sleeper and weigh over 200lbs the Thermarest Topo Luxe XL is a good choice but it won't impress an ultra light hiker that prioritizes weight over anything else. Also I wouldn't use a R7 pad during summer

From what I know, Sea to Summit, Nemo Equipment, and Big Agnes sleeping pads are all made in China. As far as I’m aware, Therm-a-Rest is the only major brand still manufacturing in the USA and the EU. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the others come from the same factory. Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of sleeping pads, and most of them have had some kind of issue. The only one I can truly vouch for is the Therm-a-Rest Topo Luxe — it’s been rock solid. Given the price point of the Kilos Gear pad and the lack of widespread reviews (aside from a few smaller YouTube channels that speak highly of it), I think I’ll give it a shot. Worst case scenario I'll lose 100 euros :D

I'm pretty much exactly like you. Tried and DONT LIKE: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe. It's thick! But the horizontal baffles suck for side sleepers. Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated. Not thick enough. Hip pain. Noisy. The one I want to try next: Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft.

I’ve gone back and forth…recently I had 2 neoairs (a regular and a wide) both with leaks in my gear storage. I patched the wide and took it on a 5 day trip in the Grand Canyon, in which it failed on night 1. I’ve also had trouble with customer support and warranties. I 100% sleep better on them when they work, and I like the smaller volume since I use a 20 liter pack often. That said, If reliability matters (a thru) and money matters, ccf all the way

For a while, being broad-shouldered, I thought I needed a wide pad but eventually learned how to sleep with a 20” wide pad. But before that, I cut the bottom 21” off my regular wide Thermarest and found that easy to adapt to. It reduced the weight of a 16 oz mattress to only 12 oz, as well as reducing bulk. Cutting a thermarest mattress is surprisingly easy. The key is to cut such that your knees are supported by the pad. The feet can rest on your backpack, spare clothes, and/or sit pad. More comfortable than you would think.

I had one of the first neo airs and I used on extended trips and for work. I also let my dogs walk all over it. I used it on rocks and twigs. It took like 10 years to get a hole.

I've been using the thermarest neos air ones since they were introduced.

I personally don’t think that pad will be good enough for shoulder season and def not winter, even if paired with foam. Virginia winter can be in the teens or colder even. In general, I haven’t found my Neo air (notably higher r value) to be “too hot” in mid Atlantic summer temps. It’s the top insulation that controls for that far more. If you’re worried about being too hot in summer, the real move is to find an alternative to that 20* bag.

My neo air is noticably more comfortable than my static V, but neither of them is as comfortable as my bed at home, which in turn is not as comfortable as my hammock. I'm usually tired enough when backpacking to make it through the night on the neo air, but I try my best to camp somewhere with trees, so I can hang instead.

I've had a neo air and it's light but noisy when turning. Just got a big Agnes (can't remember the model but the widest single insulated) and it's comfy and quieter when turning. Certainly heavier than the neoair though

I found the hest foamy to be awesome in every aspect except for its size. Rolled up it takes up an insane amount of room inside. Swapped back to a Neo air instead.

No insulating value so not appropriate for cold weather; otherwise, if you like it great! I like closed cell foam for bottom dollar functionality but lots of folks can't/won't sleep on it, which is where you get the expensive inflatable pads you're talking about that are light and warm and compact (but cost a lot). In that category I like the thermarest neoair series.

i have a therma neo air therm--good. but what makes it great is the 1cm closed cell foam pad that i bring along with it--keeps me xtra warm at night, but more importantly is a great lounging pad in the winter kitchen and kneeling pad at the tent door etc

We have therma rest inflatable backpacking mattresses (neoair and my 10+ year old pre-neo pad) , that we take car camping aswell. I often lay out more blankets on top, especially if we have my 4yo stepson with us. 3 pads, 2-3 layers of comfy blankets and then we can basically use sleaping bags as top covers, or individually, or whatever we feel like.. It might help though that while we cuddle/snuggle a lot, we don't generally touch each other that much while actually sleeping due to overheating. I can tolerate it more though, so I get stuck with kiddo near me haha.

How cold is it going to be? I have a thermarest neoair (a couple versions as purchased over the last 10 years) and previously only used the Coleman mats like you have there. I find the inflatable pads far more comfortable. My suggestion would be to find an inflatable pad in "wide" and there are varying insulation levels (R value). It won't me AS tiny as the klymit but much smaller than the Coleman. About nalgene size . Thermarest, big Agnes and a bunch of other brands make them in wide.

I hate my NeoAir, I don’t find ThermaRest pads comfortable at all. I’d take a CCF over a Thermarest. For trips where I want an inflatable over a CCF, I just got a Nemo Tensor since they’re on sale at REI (25% off). At least in store, it felt a lot better than my NeoAir or CCF.

Seems like a great all around option. A little heavier than I would like on because I need a long/wide, but I sleep like shit on the NeoAir. I wake up multiple times every night off the pad, slide around, bottom out and my body hurts in the morning. The CCF pad I have is better, but also not warm enough a lot of the time.

The thermarest Neo air mats are lightweight and good quality, if a little pricey. MEC alternatives aren’t bad either. I prefer a foam/air mix pad and have been really happy with the one I have form Sea to Summit. If you want to be on the inexpensive side, look at Woods or Decathalon, but expect more weight.

I have found and fixed a leak in my NeoAir, but I can't imagine finding the hole while on the trail.

I've 200+ nights on my NeoAir. I've patched a couple holes over that time, but it was easy to identify and fix them in the field. Cascade Designs, the parent company of thermarest, will replace your pad if there's a defect in it (I've warrantied an MSR tent with them). Thru hikers use inflatable pads and do just fine. Are you having this problem with multiple brands and models? Are you super heavy? Are you sleeping wearing anything that is metal? Maybe get a gossamer gear 1/8" foam pad and put it underneath your inflatable.

I went kayak camping pretty recently. I doubled up and packed my thermarest neo-air in my kayak since it packs down so small, then I tucked a foldable foam pad to the top of the boat.l under the bungee lines. It got wet but the material doesn't hold water so it worked out. I'm a bit of a princess when it comes to my sleep set up and this worked pretty well. To sleep I put the foam pad down then the thermarest over it.

You should go to REI if you can and try out different pads. I had a very hard time sleeping on the neoair, the horizontal baffles killed my shoulders (Im a side sleeper). I recently got an exped 5r mummy which is still under a lb depending on size. I love it. Its so comfortable, it feels sturdy, doesnt slide around. I sleep better than I ever got on the trail I love it. I think its a nice balance between very light & obscenely heavy (like the neoloft).

Then it’s a CCF pad for you. I’ve had no issues with reliability. I’ve owned an Uberlite and two Neoairs (NXT and non). But if something can break, it will eventually. I’d recommend babying it, in every way (site selection and clearing, handling, etc.).

Exped megamat for car camping, thermarest neoair for backpacking

For solo? Assuming you don’t need a free standing tent, take a look at Mier Lanshan 1P on Amazon. It uses a trekking pole. I have like a 16 year old NeoAir pad which rolls up slightly smaller than a Nalgene. It’s kinda pricey but they still make them.

I would not recommend a ccf pad though I take a small piece to sit/kneel on at camp. Found the Thermarest Neo-air uncomfortable and a pain to inflate; bought a Klymit Static V2 at less than half the cost and they’re definitely on to something with their design. It’s a few more ounces than the neoair. I’m a side and stomach sleeper and slept like a baby on my last 5-night trip. It seems thin at first so I was skeptical but its wide/channeled design does a miraculous job of cradling your body and distributing the weight. Honestly, best pad I’ve used backpacking in 25 years.

This is subjective. For me, yes, an inflatable pad is worth it for better sleep quality. Foam pads just don't work for me. In your case, you report that you already sleep fine on a foam pad so why not just stick with it? Regarding durability of an inflatable, yes it's likely lower but you may be able to patch it and still worth it for sleep quality. I did get a leak in my NeoAir but I set up camp in a reasonable spot and was able to put my pack under it and it was ok. Patched it when I got home. The hot ticket item for me is actually the short Prolite. Very similar weight to my old NeoAir, bit more durable, adequate ground insulation, and still has a bit of foam. Takes up more space but still fits in my packs with usual loadouts.

I'm doubtful the exped is more durable than the neoair. Exped uses a 20D fabric vs a 30D for the neoair. Denier isn't everything but we can suppose both brands use good quality fabric. The neoair is one of the highest rated inflatable pad on the pct survey, it wouldn't be the case if they were constantly popping. I don't think you should ever use it on bare ground though.

I’m taking a neoair AND a RIDGEREST!!!!! Luxury baby! Base weight is still 11 pounds cuz of a few other luxuries but DO IT!

You've tested *all* of them? You find the Nemo more comfortable than an Etherlite XT? An REI Helix? An Exped? A Rapide SL? That doesn't compute for me. The Nemo is more comfy than a Neoair but well below all of those.

2 things here, time of year is key, the other is age. even late spring, in the uplands in the UK you can get hyperthermia pretty easily without decent ground insulation. You mention student, so i'm guessing circa 17-22. You should be able to sleep on a roll mat just fine at thatt age with, esp after a day's hard PT in the outdoors. For this if you want to save money, forget amazon entirely and look at an army foam matt, or a thermarest one if want to buy from a regular shop. Both will keep you alive and insulated in all weathers. As for airpads, they are a liability. I know i've had most brands over the years and the reality is there is no cutting corners. Sure can get a cheap one from amazon, say trekology one of the better one's but know it will fail, and its not a question of if, but when. Note a non insulated airpad, you will have a very very uncomforable night, as in freezing. I've been all over, all different terrains and super remote, a hard foam matt will never fail and you should always carry one, even if you have a top of the range airmat, because without one, if the airpad fails your screwed. As for air pads themselves. My advice is having tried all leading brands, save up and get a thermorest neoair (avoid uber) and go for a xtherm if wanting winter, and the normal(yellow) one if 3 season. yes they are expensive but if they fail (which out of all the matt's ive had over the years are the most reliable) the customer service is second to none, you will get a replacement. So you can buy x number of cheap pads without any ability to get a replacement a year down the road, but over the seasons it adds up. So best advice, is save up a little, make home brew to save money lol, and buy once, but buy quality. The other thing is sleeping bags, and again that becomes very costly. If your young and thus should be fit and thus your not worrying about every gram, look no further than uk ex military surplus stock for sleeping systems/bags. They will last, are well proven and just work.

Slept on a ZLite on the AT and PCT, bought a NeoAir for the CDT and slept great on all of them. 10+ years later and I can’t even come close to a good nights sleep on a 25 inch wide pad with a decent pillow. Probably just need to hike more miles.

Therm-a-Rest neo-air. Bought it on a whim ten years ago before a three week long trip and probably done around 180 nights on it since then. Hasn’t missed a beat, no problems and it’s so much warmer and comfier than my previous self inflating mat. Might be a wee bit crinkly but I’m normally spark out. 😉

Buy once cry once. Get a nemo Tensor all season or a Thermarest Neoair - you can find both used on ebay for less than rrp.

I used to sleep on a Klymit and recently upgraded to a Thermarest Neoair. Huge difference, Klymits are cheap but they are cheap for a reason, they kinda suck.

yeah sometimes you end up in a bind where the pad that is the most comfortable for you is one that is prone to having some manufacturing defect that reveals itself slowly. i wish i was more comfortable on thermarest neoair but i just can't sleep good on horizontal baffles. i know they're more reliable over the long term. but what are you gonna do. what kills me is people on this sub who act like because pads develop weld defects that means you're WaStEfUl or bad at caring for your gear. it's asinine

they both kinda suck tbh try a nemo tensor, big agnes rapide, or sea to summit etherlite, or thermarest neo air

I sleep incredibly well on my expensive yellow thermarest neo air. *especially* after a long day of excercise.

I know they are light but the neoair durability isn’t great. Also Cascade (thermarest) just moved from Seattle to Reno and I bet things are super disorganized still I opted for the Exped Ultra series. There’s a weight penalty but I find them much more comfortable, and Exped repairs pads for the cost of shipping to Tacoma.

You obviously have not tried a NeoAir

I won’t say most but I would say a good majority use the thermo rest neo air. It varies in size but it’s a quality pad and I use it personally

Others have said the same but I'll chime in to add to add my personal experience. I have a thermarest neoair and it does great for most temps, but when it starts dropping near or below freezing, I usually bring a close cell foam pad to put under my neoair. Makes for a warmer sleep than an added Puffy and on longer trips protects me from sleeping on the ground in case of a puncture.

Overall quality isn't terrible. The valve is super low tech, tough to bleed the pad without having to reinflate. Outer material seems pretty fragile and there's an inner "space blanket" layer that crinkles when you pack it. Doesn't seem to be as warm as my other pad, a Thermarest NeoAir.

Same here. When I did my life's biggest hike thus far, I was in my early 20's, very close to being underweight, and had zero injuries. Sleeping on a Z-Lite was a no-brainer, and I was comfortable on it. Now, I'm tickling the upper limit of the normal weight range, I have to arrange my legs in a certain way to avoid knee pain, have one shoulder prone for a nerve getting pinched, and one elbow that won't go straight. My Thermarest NeoAir enables me to get a decent night of sleep out there.

Sea to Summit has a structure they call "air sprung cell". I personally own an old NeoAir but have tested a Sea to summit pad with that structure and I must say, it was much comfier. I've been trying to justify chucking in the money for a new pad, but am not there yet.

Another vote for the Thermarest NeoAir

Thermarest neo air = heaven. Best pad I’ve ever owned by 1 million %

The high end thermorests are a good middle ground. The neoair line is very comfortable and the xtherm has a great r value

I read quite a few reviews if the nemo Tensor that it fails/leaks, and that it's potato-chip bag loud! The pad noise is something I really hate, so I would have to touch this in store to check personally. I bought the NeoAir years ago based on the hype, but found that it's so ridiculously loud I can't use it!

Take them both 100%. The thinlight stops the neoair from moving/ sliding around, or sharp sticks puncturing it. Thinlight is great back up if neo air pops. It’s so light, it does double duty for stretching, fast breaks, extra backing in frameless pack. Take it!( I’ve many with it on the PCT)

I’ve slept well — like *well* — in the backcountry for the first time this summer thanks to the StS Etherlight XR mummy. (No experience with the prior etherlight, which I think some might be commenting on.) It’s absolutely worth the few extra oz to me, and the packed size is still fairly small. I previously was using the NeoAir, and it’s just no contest. I don’t slide off the StS, and I can sleep on my side. I will start to feel the pressure on my hip and have to change position occasionally, but probably don’t end up doing that much more than when I’m at home. I’d thought about buying the wide version because my arms always slid off and were uncomfortable with the NeoAir. I went with the regular width mummy StS and have had no problems with any body parts sliding off. :) Thought about the Nemo Tensor(s) real hard the last few years but never purchased one due to the reported leakage potential even with occasional use. I haven’t tried the BA. I tried the regular (non-mummy) exped 5R last summer car camping. It has raised side baffles (similar approach to BA), and I found it more comfortable than the neoair. So I bought the exped 5R mummy this summer for backpacking. 1. It’s a very aggressive taper on the mummy. (Whereas the ether XR is relaxed.) 2. Its packed size was significantly larger than the neoair, and I couldn’t actually fit it into my pack in the spot that works best. Luckily I then saw that the Ether was a new version and returned the exped mummy, got the StS. The StS is more comfortable than the 5R rectangle, and I’ll probably use it for car camping too in the future.

For me it really depends what I'm doing and where I'll be sleeping. If I'm sleeping on relatively flat, manicured ground or snow I bring my inflatable Neoair, it's smaller, lighter and warmer. If however I might end up on rocky ground or am climbing something where a bivy isn't intended, but is a possibility I bring my z-lite as I can use it anywhere. So ultimately I'd recommend buying both if you intend to be sleeping on both rocky ground and snow.

It’s like a gamble. For me I’ve been using a NeoAir for a 2000 mile thru hike plus another 500 miles since than with no . Maybe mine was made on a Wednesday. Never buy a pad made on a Monday or Friday.

The Thermarest NeoAir is indeed lighter. At just 12 ounces the semi-mummy arguably the best quality sleeping pad in this range and weight. But it's also not cheap. The NeoAir Xtherm is the cold weather version, R 7.4, and 16 oz. The Nemo Tensor Extreme is rectangle, R 8.1, and 18 oz. Both the Thermarest and Nemos are quieter than they were in the past. Also, the more you use them, the more quiet they get. Agree the Thermarest pump sack is the worst of the bunch, no question, but I've gotten mine to work enough. The Rapide is usually warm enough for most people 3 seasons, and the reason to buy it is indeed it's thickness, and the sides being raised. Agree the Exped 5R is good for most people. It's a simple, comfortable, rectangle. R 4.8, and 1lb 4 oz. That's certainly heavier than the Thermarest but $50 cheaper.

I’ve had one of these for maybe 12 years and I’m shocked it hasn’t sprung a leak so there’s a big vote of confidence

Light, Comfortable, Warm - you pay extra for each of those features as price increases. Investigate thicker pads, or pads with different baffling layouts - some people love the way Thermarest Neoairs feel others hate it, same goes for Nemo's inflatables. They aren't as light but I also find self-inflating pads like the Prolite very comfortable

I loveeee this mat! I also have an thermarest neoair, which I defenetly prefer! But this flexkat is great for above 5 C°. Try tk find soft grount. On stone etc it might be uncomfortabke.

I'm a side sleeper with hip pain at times and I prefer a CCF Nemo Switchback for sleep. I am planning on selling my barely used NeoAir Thermarest inflatable bc it always makes back and hip issues worse. Then again I'm someone who prefers to sleep on the floor over a bed bc it feels way better on my back. Good luck in your search!

I weigh around 170 and have had my current pad (a Therm-a-rest NeoAir) for over 10 years and it's still going strong. I use it roughly 30 nights per year. I roll it up, no stuff sack, and carry it in my pack. I sleep in a tent so my pad doesn't have direct ground contact when I'm sleeping, but I frequently take it out of the tent and put it on the ground so I can relax outside.

I have a neo air - cost a bomb when I got it about ten years ago. Definitely worth it - warm and comfy! Before that I "borrowed" my auntie's thermarest back in 2003 - that was a few years old then. I think I only made one repair.

I have a neo air - cost a bomb when I got it about ten years ago. Definitely worth it - warm and comfy! Before that I "borrowed" my auntie's thermarest back in 2003 - that was a few years old then. I think I only made one repair.

I've seen some people putting down reflective blankets + extra mats + more blankets + etc under air beds to insulate from the ground. To be honest though, it's a lot of faff with an uncertain outcome, when you can buy a sleeping pad with a high R-value (or combine two). My thermarest neo air cost a bomb when I got it ten years ago, but it's the only mat I take (even car camping) and I'm always warm.

I have a light weight thermarest neoair. Super small packed up. But thinking is there a just slightly wider version. I've used i a lot for a long time doing races but.... maybe more comfort is due. My arms fall off when on my back.

ThermaRest is the gold standard IMO. I’ve got several hundred nights on my Neo Air mattresses and they haven’t had a single leak or issue whatsoever. I’ve been let down in the past by other brands (Eureka, Big Agnes, Sea to Summit, MEC), but the ThermaRests are just rock solid. They’re the ONLY brand I’ll use now.

Light weight, durability, warranty coverage and customer service. I’ve got over 200 nights on my current ThermaRest Neo Air without a single leak or issue whatsoever. Heck, I still have 2 original self-inflating ThermaRests from the early 90s that still hold air just fine.

Looks too thick and bouncy. Is it? My Therm-A-Rest Neo Air feels like an air mattress, sounds like a bag of crisps and doesn’t feel nice on the skin. I hate the thing and much prefer my girlfriend’s Trail Lite. If only it were not so heavy and big.

If you’re camped on a slope, layering the neo-air over the foam pad keeps it from slipping downhill. Plus it makes a great ass pad during the day.

The suggestion of a rental is a good idea if you currently aren’t interested in making this a hobby! If you are looking to buy, however, the foam Therm-o-Rest pads are the classic camping pad that everyone owns one of. They z-fold up into a rectangular stack and are relatively light and cheap. I’m 40 and need a little extra cushion on the trail these days, so I use an air mattress. Therm-o-rest has some decent priced air mattresses, but they are a little spartan compared to some of the more expensive air mattresses.

I have had to sleep on some pretty rocky spots before. Firstly, I would gather any fallen twigs leaves and foliage to try and even out the floor and take the edge off the sharp bits. Then ideally I’d put a CCF pad down before getting on a thermarest inflatable. But I have bivied directly on some hard rock platform with just a bivi bag and an uberlite between me and the ground. It was piles of dead leaves and thin branches that made the difference. Turned out okay. I was doing an ultralight fast packing trip and was in the middle of some nasty forestry tree plantation on a steep slope by the time the sun was going down. Decent spots were very rare so I ended up sleeping on top of an out cropped boulder.

Both times I’ve hiked the PCT my thermarests have popped in the desert . The first time it was an older thermarest that had already seen a bit of action . The second time it was early on in my hike and it was the one I’d replaced the previous one with! After that I went CCF pad and was absolutely fine with it. In many ways, I prefer it.

For me the thermarest warranty has been worth its weight in gold, it’s an inflatable product that’s exposed to the elements, they’ll all get damaged eventually but every interaction I’ve had with them has been amazing, no questions asked replacement or repair

Me and my husband sleep on an air mattress with seperate blankets and sleeping bags, before that we had two thermarest that aired up

Have you considered a camping cot? There are a lot of ultralight options now which are about the same price as a good sleeping pad for side sleepers. The only difference being is the weight, you’re looking at around 1.5kg for a cot bed which would be double the weight of a sleeping pad. For me, the extra weight is worth it for the comfort. For context I’ve tried Therm-a-Rest, Big Agnes and Nemo mats. If I’m going for comfort, the cot bed wins every time.

For one year trip I would use something cheaper, more sturdy than ultralight. Thermarest often listed is great but £50 decathlon air mat is more sustainable, you'll have less stress. To increase R factor, you can add some CCF pad.

It's very simple if it blows up with air and inflates - at SOME point it's gonna get a hole in it. That's life! The whole air mattress thing started with Therm-a-rest's and they were pretty tough back then, now with everybody sporting hard-on's for "ultralight" gear its gonna get worse. Same goes for actual air mattress, you can sleep on them but if you're not in Texas or Arizona yer still gonna freeze your butt off. Here's why ....... People these days buy inflatable pads for the comfort, but you really need them for the insulative qualities they actually provide. Don't believe me go sleep on the actual ground one night. When you crawl in to your sleeping bag you actually crush the down or syntho fill in the bag so there is no insulation there under you and the cold even in summer can seep right in. You need a pad under you to keep you off the ground ..... the best ones for that are still the cheap blue ensolite foamy's you buy at the cheaper stores but yes, for comfort they suck. There is a yellow thicker brand called Zotefoams Evazote and they got up to an inch thick but I haven't seem them for years but they were good quality and tough and CAN'T deflate ! So ultimately if you want comfort you need to go buy a big chunk of open cell white foam four inches thick and 7 feet long like you see in hobby stores - mega comfy and the size of a house! But now you can't pack it anyway so you're back to the blow up pads - and that's it. You can go to stores and look at stuff like Futons and crap but they don't pack well ! Heck even Ikea makes a folding mattress but again good luck carrying it around, right? Pick one but they WILL get a hole in them at some point however you can try to limit that with a cot. I've used them for years and its nice. I'm gonna suggest a Cabella's Lounger Cot but they are $350 bloody bucks and the same goes a real camping pad, something like a Exped Megamat itself is $400 bucks by itself. The two cots I wanna get are gonna cost me $405 bucks so add in two decent pads like Expeds and they're $500 .... great huh? It's nuts at a thousand bucks! I actually might just go get some memory foam cut at an RV store and use that. They can't deflate and its about the same bloody price as these inflatable ones, granted it won't be near as packable and portable but both my Thermarest leak, both my Big Agnes pad leak, even the TWO Coleman air beds leak, you can't win. My tent is 210 sq feet and 10 feet tall so I don't need backpack-ability either ........

This comes up a lot. Search the sub for ‘mat’ for loads of replies. For me, thermarest, but I’ll break your budget unless you can get one second hand.

we each have a folding cot with a thermarest and a sleeping bag. we go car camping so it all fits in the back seat and the trunk. We also have (what they call) a seven person tent, but it fits our cots and a folding table comfortably, and we can stand up in it.

I did the PCT with just the thermarest and it was fine. I did the AZT with Thermarest and 1/8" foam pad and it was awesome. I slept much warmer and it was very nice to have the foam pad for breaks.

If you plan to sleep in shelters at all, you definitely want something under your pad to protect it from splinters and nails. My first thermarest popped in TN due to me raw dogging it in shelters. For my second pad, I got a sheet of tyvek and it made it all the way to Maine without any issues.

Have you actually tried the Klymit? I’m pretty sure it’s up there with thermarest in terms of popular backpacking mats. I’ve always used thermarests. That Coleman mat looks like it’s made for car camping, not backpacking. You should be able to find the R-value of the Klymit pad on the packaging to find out if it’s insulated or not.

Well if you need quality, comfort and light easy portable one… term a rest is just the best in the market. We use those for 20 years down here wile fly fishing in bariloche, patagonia Argentina. Good luck!👍

Cot and thermarest is boss. I use a folding wide, heavy duty woods cot. It’s heavy and has some bulk, but I’m usually near my truck or boat.

I’ve been using. Therma-rest for years. There might be better tech out there these days, but they’ve always served me well.

Yup. Those thick air mattresses are horrible to share with another person. I go with a good, solid cot with a thermarest for some padding and will never look back. For excursions where the cot is too bulky to bring along, the thermarest works fine.

We have a similar cot and thermarest. Very comfortable, and keeps us warm. We only camp in winter, early spring and fall.

Op zolder liggen 2 thermarest matten waar ik als kind nog op geslapen heb toen ik met m'n ouders kampeerde, 20-25 jaar geleden. Basic matjes, niet enorm dik maar tot ik m'n huidige (totaal niet compacte) tweepersoons van Redwood kocht altijd goed op geslapen.

i used a cot camping a few times with a thermarest on top. pros: off the ground and good on my back. cons: arms hung over the sides and hurt in the morning, pillow kept sliding off, wobbled long ways (not side to side) a lot when i moved around. i recommend an extra wide one to help w the arms hanging off the sides or use a sleeping bag. in the end it was heavy and not worth it for me when camping

I have no complaints about my thermarest. I can even sleep on my side without hip pain. OK, well it is a little noisy.

My thermarest is over 25 years old and I think had one leak that I patched. maybe?

I like my Thermarest. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Excellent mattress! I used it with pleasure but then switched to the thermarest which is lighter and I feel great with it.

I haven't had a good night sleep until I started to use the Rapid SL. It has a good weight I think, the R rating is valid on it, only need higher for winter camping (for that i'm using the therm-o-rest, which is crazy good, except the shape, where i much prefer the rectangle shape of the Rapide with the raised sides, because I'm turning around a lot). To fit the pump you do need to be a bit aggressive with it but doable. Side note: a non fully inflatable pillow made a big difference for me to get comfy 

I am twisting and turning around a lot even after I fell asleep and with the mummy shaped pad I often found myself halfway off the pad in the middle of the night.

I've had thermarest since their inception. Great product

I havepunctured 2 thermarests on rocks pr thorns. I won’t be using them again.

what brands? i only use thermarest bc they're the most reliable

Nope, have had mine for 10 years, still noisy.

Something like a Thermorest may be a good solution. They pack down small, are lightweight but robust, are an ok size and provide good ground insulation for those chilly Alpine nights

I fly with my thermarest

I like the one I have, it’s as old as I am

I have one Exped and one Therm-a-rest in this style. At first, they’re great. Over time, the Exped began to leak, and I think the TaR is now doing the same. As best I can tell, the rubber lining inside the fabric begins to slowly degrade and develop pinhole leaks. You never hear leaking air. You just wake up in the morning with your hip touching the ground (I’m a side sleeper). I stored both fully extended, with the valves open, so keeping them compressed in the sack was not the problem.

Yeah that is actually weird. When I bought my thermarest it was around 100 €, tough as nails, just under a kilo and I've never been cold on it even in sub freezing (the R-value is low though) But it seems the 100 € pad category has either gone extinct or prices have inflated.

I bought a thermarest. I do not believe in blow up mats because a pinhole means you wake up two hours later lying on the ground cold as fuck wishing you had bought something else, then spending an hour trying to find a way to warm up when you’ve already fucked that chance.

My gunner and I would stick a pair of stretchers in the back of our Bradley—quality sleep right there. (If you’re not blessed with being mech infantry—why let your ruck ride you when you can ride your ruck?—I always went thermarest)

I got my thermarest on ebay for a good price