Zenbivy - Flex Air Mattress

I’m on the heavier side (220 lbs) and a side sleeper. I opted for the flex air Zenbivy pad and love it. Most comfortable pad I’ve ever personally used. I don’t have experience with the UL pad but the core design should be similar. What I found is that the pad needed to be inflated very firm which keeps my hips and shoulders from bottoming out on the ground. With a normal pad this would be too firm and lack comfort but, with the dimpled design, the increased inflation was very comfortable. That being said, having the 4-way stretch top fabric could be very different from the UL pad and not work as well so YMMV. I think it’s worth a shot. It’s always difficult to balance comfort with weight savings. Other contributors may have better insight on the UL pad but I hope this piece of information helps somewhat.

I recently bought both the neoloft and the Zenbivy Flex Air. Both have 4-way stretch fabrics on the sleeping side which help reduce pressure points. I think the neoloft is slightly more comfortable but honestly they’re pretty similar, and the zenbivy is ~1/2lb lighter. The zenbivy is a little louder when you move around but it’s not crazy or super crinkley. Before these I was sleeping on the Zenbivy UL mattress and I think the stretch fabric definitely improves the comfort at the cost of a few ounces.

Seems to be a lot of reports of the Neoloft sleeping extremely cold for its claimed R-Value. If you are looking for comfort and warmth. The Zenbivy Flex Air is a little lighter, comparably as comfortable and seems to be true to its R-5 rating. Therm-a-Rest warranty is better and uses thicker materials, but I have hard time justifying the weight of the pad and having to worry about being cold when temps drop below 40f.

I can't speak to the Exped, but I've used both the Nemo and the Rapide. The Rapide is noticeably more comfortable, heavier, bulkier. It's a lower R-value, and doesn't seem to live up to it's rating even. I'm not saying it's a bad buy. Nemo Tensor seems to be the best combo of comfort and weight I can find if I emphasize weight. If I'm emphasizing comfort, the Zen Bivy Flex Air is maybe 6 oz heavier, and is the most comfortable backpacking pad I've ever tried. It's absolutely superb. That said, I don't use it because of the weight, but I'll sure as hell slide over on to my girlfriend's mat when she gets up.

Rapid SL is one of the best. But it's cold so in low 30° F I would take a foam pad as well. Zenbivy Flex Air is more comfortable. 

Try the zenbivy flex air, its super comfy is 1lb 1oz and has an R value of 4.8.

No experience with the NeoLoft, but I was quite impressed with the Flex Air. It's a bit louder than I'd prefer, but sleeps warm for its R value when inflated firmly, and the topper material is really comfortable! I have about 20 nights on a loaner from a friend, and will probably buy one if I decide to stick with ground sleeping (I tend to prefer a hammock when I'mbelow the treeline).

I didn't like either. The flex air (and by extension the Flex UL since it's the same design) is comfortable but has to be filled to maximum to keep me off the ground. If the temp drops overnight the pad would need to be reinflated otherwise my hip gets cold. So I sold it. The neoloft is like a balloon. It has no stability. If you lay on your back stationary it's fine but it may be further disruptive if you toss and turn. 

The zenbivy flex is supposed to have a 4 way stretch top that conforms to contour better. That’s what they say at least. I lack enough experience to completely support that- I slept on one for one night and slept fine on my side.

Same size and situation as you and I went with the zenbivy flex air. Downvotes incoming because it’s a little heavier but I sleep so well on it. My weight sacrifice.

Sea To Summit Ether Light XR (XT is the old model, definitely go for the XR it's lighter, warmer and pack smaller) is a great all-rounder, one of the best actually when it comes to comfort-weigh-pack size ratio. Other good all-rounders are REI Helix and Zenbivy Ultralight Mattress, both of these has very similar comfort but are slightly heavier. If you seek ultimate comfort there would be there competitors: Zenbivy Flex Air Mattress, ThermaRest NeoLoft and Exped MegaMat Ultra. Each of these are basically best of the class, which one would be the best comes down to personal preferences as each of them using different baffle construction.

Both pads have their drawbacks. The Flex Air is only comfortable when it's not fully inflated, but because it's a relatively thin pad, side sleepers may still feel the ground underneath. Additionally, when under-inflated, it doesn’t come close to providing the listed R-value. On the other hand, the Neoloft is thicker, warmer, and generally more comfortable. However, it lacks good edge support, so if you tend to twist and turn during the night, it may not be the most stable option. Interesting third option would be Exped Megamat ultra, it's very comfortable sleeping pad and definitely more stable than Neoloft.