Therm-a-Rest - NeoAir XTherm NXT MAX Sleeping Pad

Great summary! FWIW my (particularly specific) alternate take on sizing is: having a Neoair Xtherm revolutionized my experience on the trail thanks to a proper nights sleep (including on snow) - HOWEVER my first one was standard width, and my brain never fully shook the underlaying feeling that I was about to roll off (obligate side sleeper, so always a degree of instability). I did use my pack to my back to help ease this, but very suboptimal, especially in a small or shared tent. Getting the wide version was the final peg in giving me a warm stress free sleep - the increased weight was negligible for me in this case. Of course everyone’s mileage will vary wildly, but sometimes it’s the myriad little things that make the difference - I always recommend trying to find a friend or rental you can try your top 2-3 options in the field before sinking the dough :)

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm NXT MAX in size L https://preview.redd.it/adrxi4ds933f1.jpeg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a380cabe37f19451709b6d8c96159f859ecbdf4

Holy shit!

It's 250€ in Europe

My Thermarest xtherm NXT Max is still going strong after 8 years and I sleep like a baby on it despite being quite noisy

The neoair nxt xtherm or xlite? If it’s not the xtherm or xtherm max 100% dead. If it is probably dead. You are at the max of that system with little wind protection. Best case scenario you are very cold all night. If the temps drop 5-10° below which is possible in the mountains then you are putting yourself in a lot of danger.

An xtherm, regular (rectangular) sized if you like the extra room to spread out. I've been using mine going on 5 years, for everything from vanlife road trips to multi month thru hikes to hitchhiking trips intentionally. It's tough, lightweight, can handle all seasons (winter too!), and did I mention tough? And once the patches I used weren't enough for the holes I put in it after a bunch of camping on bedrock and concrete, they did a full warranty replacement under their lifetime guarantee. And then I took a bunch of seamgrip to my worn out one, patched it again with a heavier fabric, and I expect I'll get a few more years out of it. Oh! And it's thick and comfy. Great for side sleeping, that's why I got it originally.

It depends on specifics. Three season is easy, winter season is another 60 degrees difference. Alaska winter gets to -30, Phoenix winter stay in the 20's (but hits +120 in summer). Two quilts, usually works (20/30+40/50). The tensor or xlite is probably good enough, the xtherm sucks in hot summer. I got an xtherm reg.wide max and used it 5 times, thinking the same thing as you, and swapped out. If you wanna buy it though, it's like new and I'd sell it for $160 shipped.

Thermarest neo air xtherm max

Late last summer I bought a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT MAX Sleeping Pad for shoulder hikes in the same areas as you’re planning. Very happy and warm on a late Sept hike into Assiniboine last year with sub-zero C temps overnight, snow etc. A little heavy for UL purists maybe, but worth it for the comfort and warmth in my opinion. Also outside your budget slightly, but it might allow you to continue with your current bag for much of the season if you otherwise find it not quite warm enough with a colder sleeping pad.

I have a Big Agnes Tensor and a thermarest neo air x therm Both are great. BA is a little more comfortable, IMO.

Ha, same. Started with the 'ol cheapo Klymit Static V, moved to the small mummy Therm-a-Rest XLite NeoAir for a couple years, then figured I'd get a wide to see if that helped with side sleep comfort so my butt and knees weren't off the edges (& went extra warm because may as well eliminate redundancies) with the Therm-a-Rest XTherm in reg wide. No dice. Tried a friend's Nemo Tensor, and wasn't for me. Tried the large women's Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated air - dimples felt odd and was too thin; no better than my old mummy xlite for overall comfort even with the wider shape. Running out of budget to throw in for the S2S Ether Light XT test and given my experience with the Comfort Light, wasn't convinced it was the move. Still haven't tried vertical baffles like the Expeds, and maybe that'd do fine, but instead just went all in on the reg wide chonky Neoloft... and good god. With that soft knit stretch top, slept a like the coziest dreamy log for 8.5 hours first time I took it out (and then 6 the next, but only thanks to a disruptive woodpecker. Nature!) I hesitate to mention/recommend it here as it kinda undermines the whole forum topic (ultralight) with its extremely-not-ultralight weight. But packs just as small as my reg-wide XTherm and as a bike camper, pack size matters more than strictly weight so I'm sticking with it.