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Therm-a-Rest - NeoAir XLite (OG Version w Classic Valve)

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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 24, 2026 How it works

Liked most:

27

1


"it weighs under 350g"


"packs tiny"


"Dropped about 9ozs and kicked myself the rest of the way down the trail for being so gullible. ... I could really feel those 9ozs off my back."

26

5


"it is very warm"


"Hasn’t missed a beat, no problems and it’s so much warmer and comfier than my previous self inflating mat."


"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."

32

11


"I think I only made one repair."


"Anecdotally I've had my last thermarest neoair xlite for 7 years with approximately 3000 miles of use before a center baffle blew out so there's a bump in the center of the pad, it still holds air."


"Never had to patch it and never had the valve leak overnight."

19

2


"it weighs under 350g"


"packs tiny"


"If you wanna make it even more lighter and packable, there’s a way to shorten it down to three-quarter length and use your backpack for the lower body insulation. That’s what I do. Mine weighs 270 g after the modification."

29

24


"Personally (I ’m in my 40s and a side sleeper) an Xtherm or Xlite is one of my favorite purchases."


"You obviously have not tried a NeoAir"


"The neoair is the most comfortable pad that I've ever used - ranging from closed cell foam, self inflating open cell, to blow up tube style. ... I sleep great on it"

Disliked most:

14

5


"not anywhere near as warm."


"I haven’t found my Neo air (notably higher r value) to be “too hot” in mid Atlantic summer temps. ... 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."


"the R value is only fit for summer."

11

13


"Both times I’ve hiked the PCT my thermarests have popped in the desert . ... My first one had multiple holes and was a write-off."


"My Thermarest neo-air xlite popped on my second night on the trail, making for a very uncomfortable night."


"At the beginning of last summer I bought the xlite and it immediately leaked. ... Used it for about 10 nights and took it back to REI. Never again."

2

12


"it always makes back and hip issues worse."


"I'm a side sleeper and my arms and shoulders ache and/or fall asleep or go numb on the Xlite."


"I had a very hard time sleeping on the neoair, the horizontal baffles killed my shoulders (Im a side sleeper)."

1

11


"It is very slippery, and although I am thin and not tall, I wake up minimum 10 times a night and often my body or legs ends up on the bottom of the tent because I simply fall off the pad."


"It is narrow, 51 cm, and although I am thin and not tall, I wake up minimum 10 times a night and often my body or legs ends up on the bottom of the tent because I simply fall off the pad."


"I hate my NeoAir, I don’t find ThermaRest pads comfortable at all. ... 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."

5

8


"it's so ridiculously loud I can't use it!"


"and it ’s noisy (which is especially bad as a stomach sleeper because your ear will be right on top of the mat)."


"The crinkling does annoy me and wake me up out of my sleep sometimes though."

Reddit IconAhrithul 1.0
r/WildernessBackpackingMegamat “Ultra”… still very heavy
4 months ago

That pad you linked does have almost identical specs to the 5R. Sometimes looks can be deceiving though. I've used an older Thermarest Xlite for a while as well as a Paria Recharge XL. The horizontal baffles aren't bad, but I've found the vertical baffles to kinda cradle you in the sleeping pad a little more. So I'm less prone to wake up half in the floor in the middle of the night.

Reddit Iconapadgettski 1.0
r/UltralightTensor all season vs Xlite Nxt?
7 months ago

I have the old neoair xlite, not my favorite but I hear the new one is a lot better. However, since you said you’re pretty new and the quarter pound difference in weight isn’t a concern, I’d go for the one people say is more comfortable, the tensor. I can’t imagine you’ll regret it, though on this sub you’re always going to get the recommendation to go with the lightest option

Reddit IconFireWatchWife 1.0
r/UltralightVery poor sleep on the NeoAir X Lite NXT. Recommendations?
10 months ago

Seems to be a personal preference thing. I inflate my XLite (old model) fairly hard.

r/UltralightVery poor sleep on the NeoAir X Lite NXT. Recommendations?
10 months ago

I sleep very comfortably on my XLite (old model). I would rate my husband's Nemo Tensor Insulated slightly more comfortable than the XLite, but the difference is not much. If I want to sleep as comfortably as possible, I switch to a hammock. I have never found any ground system as comfortable as a properly hung and adjusted 11 ft hammock.

r/UltralightVery poor sleep on the NeoAir X Lite NXT. Recommendations?
10 months ago

Totally agree. I sleep comfortably on it and don't notice the noise any more.

Reddit IconPhysical_Relief4484 1.0
r/UltralightDog & human sleep system recommendations
10 months ago

ccf pad cut down to size for the doggo, and an inflatable pad (xlite or tensor) for you next to it -- or get used to sleeping on ccf pads too if that wouldn't be good enough and she couldn't be taught to accept it

r/UltralightSleeping pad analysis paralysis
12 months ago

I have a tensor, xlite, and exped 3r -- I think they're all reasonably comfortable, although tensor probably at least 10% more comfy than both. Expeds can be bought cheap (sometimes $100), but if that's not the main concern it's between the tensor and xlite: tensor has 40d bottom and 20d top, xlite is 30d/30d; tensor is 5.5r / xlite is 4.5r; tensor (r/w) is 18oz, xlite max is 19oz. Historically the xlite has been considered more durable + repairable, but with the new fabric changeup recently, not sure that'll still be the case. Tensor is probably what I'd recommend to you. Also, trial version exists that is lighter but less warm (~3r) which could be warm enough for you.

r/UltralightSleeping pad analysis paralysis
12 months ago

I'm actually a stomach sleeper and find the xlite very comfortable for that, although the noise is definitely an issue when sleeping without a thin pillow. I do think the tensor is slightly more comfortable, but I have to get the air pressure just right, more-so than the xlite. Interesting we have different experiences like that!

r/UltralightOpinions or reviews of the newest therm-a-rest trail prolite?
9 months ago

Would save almost no weight, probably about an ounce, and for most people would be considerably less comfortable. I would prefer a 2.25" inflatable xlite though just because I'm sub 150lbs and a stomach sleeper, but anyone bigger or a side sleeper would likely hate that pad.

r/UltralightOpinions or reviews of the newest therm-a-rest trail prolite?
9 months ago

The current pad I use is an older 25" xlite that was chopped just below my knees and re-welded. It's my favorite, being 2.5" tall. The crinkling does annoy me and wake me up out of my sleep sometimes though.

Reddit IconRocko9999 1.0
r/UltralightMy hands are going numb on the NeoAir Xlite
8 months ago

Xlite large user-2.5" version. My hands only go numb when they fall off the pad, not side sleeping. I keep it inflated pretty hard. I never bottom out either. My hands did go numb, while sleeping on my back, before I went to a wide pad. 170lbs/77.1kg FWIW.

Reddit IconSubjectOrange 1.0
r/campinghow do you sleep comfortably as a couple?
5 months ago

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.

r/campinghow do you sleep comfortably as a couple?
5 months ago

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.

r/backpackingSleeping pad dilemma!
9 months ago

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.

Reddit Iconlongwalktonowhere 0.4
r/UltralightSleeping pad analysis paralysis
12 months ago

I have both pads, notice no difference in comfort, and sleep equally well on either one. Guess I’m just an easy sleeper - certainly after a long hike!

r/UltralightNemo Tensor Eclipse all season pad
7 months ago

I started out with a wide rectangular pad (Nemo Tensor Insulated at 540gr), before realizing I slept just as well on a regular mummy pad (Thermarest Neoair X-Lite at 380gr) or even a torso length pad (X-Lite at 205gr). Too often people (including myself initially) think they need a wide rectangular pad for whatever reason.

r/UltralightNemo Tensor Eclipse all season pad
7 months ago

>For people that move when they sleep, I’ll take all the width I can get And yet, for what it’s worth, it’s this kind of statement that leads many to get a wide pad even if they don’t really need it 😉 I frequently switch sides and yet found I can do this just as well on a regular (short) mummy pad. If you wanna drop your pack weight, you’ve simply got to try things out.

r/UltralightTensor All-Season VS NeoAir XLite NXT. Which Sleeping Pad to choose?
about 1 month ago

I have used the Tensor Insulated RW (predecessor of the All Season) and (older generation) X-Lite mummy extensively, and I sleep equally well on both. Therefore, I prefer the X-Lite for it’s lower weight.

Reddit Iconoriginalusername__ 0.4
r/UltralightXtherm vs Xlite Women's sleeping pad warmth for weight? (for ~ 14F or -10°C)
about 1 month ago

I’ve slept on a regular (non women’s) Xlite on relatively warm ground but at temps in the upper teens for two nights. Had a 20 degree quilt and a puffy on. Didn’t really feel like I was cold on my back side or anything. I’d think I could certainly do it again and be warmer on the women’s version. Also I think gender matters here, I am a dude and I think there’s science that says men sleep warmer than women so ymmv if you are the fairer sex.

Reddit Iconoxal 0.4
r/UltralightSleeping pad analysis paralysis
12 months ago

If you’re a side sleeper and put one of your knees out for stability (like the recovery position), I’d recommend a rectangular pad, or at least a wide version of a mummy. I can’t keep all my limbs on my standard mummy Xlite and also frequently fall off it. Makes it awfully uncomfortable and I’ll change it when I can.

Reddit IconSad-Cucumber-9524 0.4
r/UltralightSleeping Pad Choice
6 months ago

I’m a side sleeper who tosses around a lot. I use a plain old thermarest Xlite, regular size, and I inflate a 6L seatosummit water bag for my pillow. My quilts have little keeper straps/clips, and I have a little piece of cord to lash my pillow. Combined weight is 17.5oz I think. I sleep really well out there.

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