Therm-a-Rest - NeoAir UberLite

Depends on your tolerances and plans. 3.3 is not bad. For comparison I have used an Uberlite which is only 2.3 with a 30 degree quilt and an 1/8" CCF pad (more for puncture resistance than additional insulation though it is that also) in the 30s and never felt cold through the pad. But I don't sleep super cold and am more commonly out in the 40s.

I would get an uberlite and take the old ccf for redundancy and guaranteed comfort. Are you still serving?

How is the uberlite?

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.).

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.).

I am a rotisserie sleeper (back and both sides) and use an uberlite, RW cut to 3/4 length or just past my knees (about 50” for me). It weighs 9.0 oz. (The 20” versions inhibit my sleep because, well, I have arms.) I place my feet on my backpack with a sit pad and find that works comfortably on my back, my side, whatever. Packs so small too. If you can sleep on a 20” wide pad, good for you. You can get even lighter, below 7 oz I would think.

I’ve used an Uberlite large with my Xmid for years now and haven’t had a single leak. Just need to remember you’re using niche gear that requires eternal vigilance in care.

If you’re looking for an inflatable, Nemo Tensor All Season or Therma-Rest Uber Lite? They’re more expensive but comfortable, light, and warm/comfy.

Avid Rockies backpacker based in Calgary. I have the Nemo disco -9 bag and it is perfect for all my three season trips and I’m getting a second one soon for my son. In the summer I still take a base layer top (a lighter one) and shoulder season add in the bottom. I also have a warmer base layer and a much lighter top. So it’s mix and match depending on the temp. As everyone sleeps differently, warmer or colder, you’ll have to figure that out on your own. But the bag is good! I use it with a Thermorest neoair xlite but for warmer temps use the Uber light. I believe the Nemo you mentioned is the equivalent. I suggest testing your gear once you have it to figure out your limits. I went winter camping at elbow lake just before the road closed (as car only 1km away!) and with the gear I would normally take in a shoulder season trip I figure I’m pretty good down to -10 and will survive fine if a bit colder. Did Rummel lake on a warmer spell in February and it was a fantastic trip. Obviously the winter trips I had more than just my usual shoulder season gear but it was very informative of my shoulder season capabilities.

I get that. I use a Thermarest Uberlite when i hike solo. I'm 6'2, and my dog is 150 lb Great Dane. I haven't used it quite yet with my dog, but I used a Drop Xmid 1p on the Colorado Trail without the inner a couple times and I feel like it will be plenty large enough for the two of us.

I use an Uberlight (near zero R) I cut short (7oz) and add a piece of ThermaGard pole barn wrap insulation (1.6 oz) cut into a mummy shape on top when it's cold. The thermagard claims an r9 value (doubtful), but is still much warmer than the 1/8 thinlite I used to use, and it'silver on one side (hot) and white on the other (warm). It also has a durable weave on one side making it more durable than the thinlite. Downside is it only comes in big rolls, but if you call around to pole barn builders in your area somebody is probably using it and they certainly wont mind giving you a small piece. It's not double bubble wrap, it's this stuff [https://www.dutchtechindustries.com/](https://www.dutchtechindustries.com/)

I have about 50 nights on my uberlite. Zero patches and zero issues. I essentially always cowboy camp with polycro underneath it, and make sure to clear away anything sharp.

I own an xlite large and an uberlite

Packs down incredibly tiny and is acceptable to sleep on.

Regular. Mines last me ~50 nights without issue.

My first one leaked before 10 nights. On my second right now

Jealous.  My Uberlight was airtight but the baffles started popping immediately which made it unusable.  My impression from this sub is the design was sound but they didn't control manufacturing carefully enough.  If you get a good one they seem fine, others just fall apart.

Dude. I purchased a tensor from REI. The VERY first night I had it camping it was leaking. Had to top it off every 2 hours. SHITE. On a side note, my terribly annoying and crinkly-sounding Therm-a-rest NeoAir Uberlight lasted 2 years before a terminal leak at the seam.

Supposedly the new gen of XLites (the NXTs) is much quieter. I've seen video of the old ones, and they sound like a plastic bag. I have an Uberlite and XLite, and I would not describe either as loud. Maybe go to a shop and try some there?

Actually the pad is pretty comfy.

Yes, I understand. Just wanted to emphasize, that it is quite comfortable.

Not sure if Thermarest's customer service has taken a dive recently or what. I've always had good luck with them. I own 2 different "uberlite" models, and have had the typical internal delamination issues with both. Each time it happens I contact them and they send me a new one. Sometimes they want me to write something on teh pad and send them a picture. Other times they don't and just send me a new pad. I wish the Uberlite were more durable, but as long as they keep sending me new/free ones, I'm going to keep on using them. (Which reminds me - I need to do that before the start of the spring/summer season as one of my pads did the ballooning thing again last fall.) I wonder what will happen now that the Uberlite is out of production.......

Uberlite was like sleeping on a mylar balloon… I still have one from a 2021 thru attempt that only has a few days on it but I don’t imagine the glue holds up well on the valve year to year which I believe was the issue I ran into with my first two. Interested to see how this pad shakes out and also intrigued at the quilt as well. Considering CDT next year if I decide to transition jobs but my kit is pretty set and it will be hard to pry my xtherm out of my hands, 6.3 oz difference isn’t anything to scoff at though.

Xlite doesn’t have durability issues. The now-discontinued “uberlight” had durability issues. The xlite is the industry standard for durability/warmth/weight.

+1 for draft/air. An option I haven't seen mentioned yet that reduces convection (i think the correct word...) heat loss from air movement is a [tyvek bag wrapper](https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832777524224.html). I current use this one from aliexpress. It adds a ton of warmth in my experience. WAY more than a bag liner. And pretty light. Fairly bulky though. I also have to sleep with my down puffy + expedition weight long undies (both montbell, highly recommend) even in summer, even when the night low is 15f higher than my quilt 'comfy' rating lol another montbell shoutout: down pants. SO WARM. And have to switch to a full on heavy ass winter mummy bag when it is freezing or below. starting tonight sadly... Personally I dont find I get cold from my pad. Even in snow camping. I just use a standard xlite nxt. in summer use the uberlite

I have all three sizes of Uberlite: short, regular, and wide. Each trip I'm contemplating which to take. i.e. is the comfort of the wide worth 120 more grams than the regular? Usually depends on my state of mind for a particular trip. i.e. do I want to go as light as I can or not? It also depends on what pack I'm taking. If I'm taking the frameless pack, then I'm also taking 4-sections of a Nemo Switchback as the back panel/frame/sit pad, which I then pair with the Uberlite Short.

I have all three sizes of Uberlite: short, regular, and wide. Each trip I'm contemplating which to take. i.e. is the comfort of the wide worth 120 more grams than the regular? Usually depends on my state of mind for a particular trip. i.e. do I want to go as light as I can or not? It also depends on what pack I'm taking. If I'm taking the frameless pack, then I'm also taking 4-sections of a Nemo Switchback as the back panel/frame/sit pad, which I then pair with the Uberlite Short.

I have all three sizes of Uberlite: short, regular, and wide. Each trip I'm contemplating which to take. i.e. is the comfort of the wide worth 120 more grams than the regular? Usually depends on my state of mind for a particular trip. i.e. do I want to go as light as I can or not? It also depends on what pack I'm taking. If I'm taking the frameless pack, then I'm also taking 4-sections of a Nemo Switchback as the back panel/frame/sit pad, which I then pair with the Uberlite Short.

what others said already - I would look into Nemo Xtreme or Therm-a-rest Neo-Air/NXT, and look only at 25" (wide) options for comfort and better sleep at only a nominal weight increase. Uberlite (now discontinued) is the only lighter option really and otherwise Nemo and Thermarest are pretty comparable in their lineups, it comes down to shape of the pad (I prefer square, some like mummy) and shape of baffles. CCF is just not thick enough for warmth/comfort, and self-inflatable are heavier and not as warm. I am also surprised nobody really makes a R value =3-4 but much lighter than 1lb wide pad, I think it must meant that the thermal reflective foil inside doesn't weigh much and most of the weight is related to durability of the outer shell, once the company can figure out the reflective foil matrix, they can sell that product at a better margin for similar weight/durability as the same model without the thermal foil inside. Hence the death of Uberlight (?) Here's a recently updated article from Backpacking Light: [https://backpackinglight.com/inflatable-sleeping-pads-backpacking-ultralight-lightweight/](https://backpackinglight.com/inflatable-sleeping-pads-backpacking-ultralight-lightweight/)

I suspect that the Uberlights failures were not due to quality but due to the inherent fragility of ultralight materials. It will be interesting to see if Nemo suffers the same fate. My Uberlight is still hanging on, just with a few patches.

Nicely done. Still seems to be a big void left by the discontinuation of the NeoAir Uberlight. Not much else compares to the warmth and weight. I will miss mine when it explodes.

I have had mine collect pine needle tips which punctured my pad on three separate instances. If you have a fragile pad like an uberlight I promise you it’s a concern. The fact I was downvoted for posting my real world experience gained after many nights in the field is absurd.

Have you ever owned an uberlight? It’s made of tissue paper but light af. I just quit using the thin light under my pad. I use it as a camp chair substitute which means it’s always in the dirt and there are tons of pines and thorns. They aren’t always obvious when imbedded in the foam either.

Honestly, if you sleep on it just fine, stay with foam. I just patched three holes in my UberLite

Thermarest discontinued the uberlite because it was too fragile so clearly mistakes were made. And you're implying that Nemo wasn't paying any attention to that, something that happened with their direct competitor? And made an even less durable product without any consideration? I'm Skeptical of that.

Sounds more concerning than promising to me. The Uberlite used 15d nylon. The Nemo baffling system seems to me to put larger points loads on weld points which I think is why they have issues with leaking in those areas. Add a thinner fabric into the mix and that gets harder to manage. Hopefully it will work out though, this would be an awesome replacement for the uberlite.

I think the Uberlite was a fairly successful product. I have one and really have had pretty minimal issues. But I also think I've gotten lucky there and only use it for the least consequential trips now. But companies make products that don't really make sense all the time. It could be that it's intended mostly as a halo product so that Nemo can say that they have the lightest sleeping pad in the world, and then direct customers to one of their slightly heavier pads. For the record, I love that Nemo is doing this. I think it's awesome when large companies do the R&D to make something really cool and then back it up with a solid warranty. It's a risk that I wish more companies would take although I understand why they don't. And just to respond to the edit of your other comment, if you're talking about Challenge UltraWeave, it is not the same as every other polyester. Because it's mostly not polyester. It's 66% UHMWPE and 34% polyester with a mylar backing. In terms of performance, it has literally nothing in common with regular polyester fabric.

I've got 3 years and about 50 nights mostly Joshua tree and Sierra on mine. To be clear I baby the crap out of it. It's inflated and deflated inside my tent and it's always placed on top of 1/8 thin light. I don't inflate it above 80 to 90% ever. I say a prayer and gently lay on it each and every night. First failure was at the valve I was lazy one night at rae lakes and it was inflated nearly full, I bent the valve to inflate it a little bit more and created two pinholes at the lower weld point. The second failure was in Yosemite at the Grand canyon of the Toulume. This one completely "baffles" me, I overinflated it in the river and saw two snowflake sized holes in the lower right hand top side baffle. Easy to fix with my repair kit. It's been about 12 nights since the second repair and no issues at all. I grabbed another Uber light when I heard about the discontinued status and it's waiting in my gear closet for the inevitable.

My Thermarest neoair doesn’t state in the instructions that you can’t inflate by mouth and I always have with no negative effects. There is a video online that provides empirical evidence debunking the belief that mouth inflation adversely affects sleeping pads

Have had a Thermarest Neoair for about 9 years and would endorse this comment. I briefly tried the Uberlight version but it wasn’t very comfortable. Also have a Prolite 4 which is much older. No issues with this one or the Neoair. Have owned other brands where baffles have failed and blisters formed.

I stack a Thermarest Uberlight inflatable pad and a 1/4 inch foam pad partially for the added warmth but partially to help protect the inflatable from anything sharp under it I may have missed when cleaning my spot. The Uberlight folds down to the size of a soda can and the foam pad folds down into a "back" sized square for padding on the inside of my frame-less backpack.

Exped 3r is very comfortable. I have like 10 sleeping pads, and the 3R has been the best I've tried. I'd say the uberlight is also up there, but it has been discontinued. It was more comfthan the regular neo air, which I alao have.

Could be a user thing, but I've gone through 3 uberlite pads. They usually last me about 300 miles in the Sierra before a baffle blows (it's always the baffles delaminating for me around the chest/head region). Backpacker mentioned they got over 900+ miles of use on the Nemo Elite this past summer, so if that's indicative of anything, I'm hopeful it's more durable than an uberlite. I can fix a few pinholes after 900 miles... But I can't still use the pad if it blows a baffle every 300 miles. Anyone with a busted uberlite reading this, how did yours fail? I'd be curious to know if most failures were excessive pinholes beyond repair, baffle delaminations like me, or other.

> Anyone with a busted uberlite reading this, how did yours fail? Still occasionally using a long/wide cut to 68" - the 2 top baffles have blown, creating a bit of a pillow effect.

yep, still true. my reg-wide uberlite has an delaminated baffle at the end of the pad (literally the last baffle) and they are sending me an NXT Xlite reg-wide...I wish they could fix the uberlites issues because I enjoyed the weight savings and I had great sleeps on it.

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

Interesting. My lightweight thermarest has been solid for 15+ years. I think you just have bad luck!

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

6’4”, 220, although with a back that does not require repair. Most comfortable backpacking pad I tried is S2S Comfort Insulated Plus. Weight is awful - 2.5 lb - but the double chamber system is excellent at balancing protection from the ground and support vs having a softer top to rest on. Large rectangular size provides enough space, especially if you are a back sleeper. Outside of double chamber systems like that one, basically Thermarest NeoAir are the best of the bunch. Pricy but thick and performant. The popular S2S Etherlight is thicker, but also requires being inflated firmer which makes it overall meh unless you specifically want ultra-firm.

It has taken a few weeks on sleeping on my thermarest neoair to figure it out for consistent sleep: deflating so I’m only just off the ground, and ear plugs. That combo works for me for backpacking. Canoe camping I still prefer my self inflating tractor with a blue foam mat underneath for that little extra cushion!

Not a duo, but after trying a series of pads my partner (who is usually cold at night) loves her vectair, when comparing it to my Neo and her old self-inflating.

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.

Exactly this! I also just switched from NeoAir to Exped for this reason after trying my partner's Exped. So much more comfortable although ever so slightly bigger/heavier.

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 had a neoair and never had a good night sleep. I loved the packed size and weight, but I always felt like I was perched on it and would be thrown off if I wriggled. I also had one of the older, noisier ones so it sounded like a crisp packet. I now use a short prolite which is a combination of foam and air. I’m much closer to the floor and it all feels a lot more stable. This results in me managing to sleep for 8 hours on the trail which is priceless. It’s heavier and no pad under my feet so I put my bag under my feet on cold nights. But having a good night sleep after a long day on your feet is worth the extra weight.

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.

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.

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.

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’m a side sleeper and went from the Tensor to the Thermarest neo air. The tensor is crazy noisy and if you flip from side to side like I do it’ll wake you and anyone you sleep near up. It’s really loud to me. The Thermarest is way quieter, has a higher r value and I’ve been pretty comfortable side sleeping on it in a zenbivy quilt and sheet. Seems a bit counter intuitive, but sometimes I find that I’ve made it too firm after a few hours and I just reach up and let a bit of air out if I’m feeling any discomfort and go right back to sleep.

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

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.

Highly recommend a thermarest Neoair. I have the X-therm which is the highest R rating they do and is fantastic in winter but if your doing more fair weather they do lower R value ones and lighter weighted models. Expensive but completely worth the price. (Comfortable too) I'd recommend an R value between 2-4 for 2-3 season camping in the UK.

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

Same. Bought NeoAir in 2016. Full AT thru, full PCT thru, a dozen other short trips. Still going strong!

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 slept on a neoair it was uncomfortable and noisy I switched to a Nemo tensor not even in the same realm of comfort. I also have a sea to summit ether light xt and it's heavy but best pad comfort I have slept on.

Most of the negative reviews I’ve seen for the Rapide have been for the model that came out for 2024. I bought a used model for that reason, and so far so good, I’m sleeping much better than I did on my Thermarest Neoair. Taking it out next week for the first time with lows in the 30° range, fingers crossed. Also a side sleeper here.

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.

I was happy with a foam pad in my 20's, when I was almost underweight and had zero sports injuries. Nowadays, hovering at the top end of the normal weight BMI range, and with a couple of joints that need to be placed in a very delicate way to achieve a comfy position, I've got a Thermarest Neoair, a version warm enough for winter use but also perfectly comfortable during summer. I've pathced it once, and the patch has been sitting there for at least four years without a problem. I'm a side sleeper. I think if I could sleep on my back, I might still be using foam.

Another vote for the Thermarest NeoAir

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!

It is not worth it as long as you can sleep and truly rest on a closed cell foam pad. that is definitely a more reliable pad, but that is not something many of us could never do. just because of how uncomfortable it is and for the condition it might leave our body in after laying that way without support so long. I will say this, though my thermos Neo air has never had a reliability issue and I’ve probably used it 60 - 70 nights so far.

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)

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'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 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.

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 used self inflating Thermarest pads for years, granted they were older models, but the NeoAir is much more comfortable for me as a side sleeper. Have you tried inflating it less? Sounds like you may have too much air in it

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.

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 a rainy bikepacking trip, definitely go for a lightweight, waterproof tent like MSR or Big Agnes. A synthetic sleeping bag and an inflatable sleeping pad like Therm-a-Rest will keep you dry and comfortable. You’ll be good to go with that setup!

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.

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

Yeah my first was thermarest. Didn’t like. I do enjoy my Nemo tensor and I just ordered a switchback closed foam from Nemo now! Are you a side sleeper??