View Full Version : Therm-A-Rest NeoAir review
Ok, so I just got this pad in the mail. As I type this, I am uploading 2 videos to youtube about this pad. Usually I don't like writing reviews about a piece of gear without testing it in the elements, but I've been waiting for this pad to come out for a while. Anyways...
So first impression... I knew this pad was only going to be 4 oz lighter than my Therm-A-Rest ProLite 3, but I had no idea how much space it would save in my pack. It is almost half the size of the prolite 3 packed. It is about the same size as a 20 oz bottle. Easy to blow up (definitely not self-inflating) and when it is filled w/ air all the way, it is impressively thick. I was shocked to see how high off the ground I'll be sleeping compared to the prolite 3. Again, I haven't tested it in the elements, but it feels very comfortable. If you look at my videos, you can see how much thicker it is in comparison to the prolite 3.
Unlike the prolite 3, it has a "garbage baggy" feel to it... it makes a lot of noise when you move it, sit on it, etc. Also, I'd be afraid to have a dog walk on it with their toenails moreso than my prolite 3... I am sure it is strong, but it seems less durable and you could pop it. I do not have a dog, but whatever.
Because I am only 5'4" and I don't mind that my feet hang off the end, I opted to get the small, which is what you see in the videos.
Anyways, this weighs only 9 oz and goes for $120 retail (the reguars are $150 and weigh 13 oz but are much longer).
Here are the videos:
version1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MQEwf1w1xM
version2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr619kH8v6Q
Enjoy!
Uh oh, gear junky alert. Only kidding. Thanks for the videos. Who did you purchase it from to get it this early?
skinewmexico
04-03-2009, 23:21
Wow. Sounds like it rolls up to the same size as a BAIAC, or a POE Ether Thermo. It is light though.
RITBlake
04-04-2009, 00:49
I lol'd .... "because I'm a huge nerd"
:) yeah I know I am a huge nerd haha.
I got it from backcountry.com (I work there). I have been keeping an eye on our therm-a-rest page until finally we got a shipment in April 1st. We got a shipment of about ~40, which sold in 36 hours, but we got another shipment of 55 more today.
I totally admit I am a gear junkie and I must get the goods :) other than being a gear junkie, I am probably the most thrifty person you'll ever meet.
Powder River
04-07-2009, 20:48
Just got mine from REI today. Had a chance to blow it up and lay down on it, that's about it. Definitely 'rides' different than the exped downmat. ie if I raise both feet about a foot above the mattress and let them fall, I don't feel the whiplash on the far end of the mat under my head, at least not in the same way as the exped. In other words, if you move around on one part of the mat, that movement is dampened elsewhere on the neoair. I didn't count the number of breaths to blow it up, but I was light headed afterwords. And I'm near sea level right now! Mine weighed in at 13.85 ounces. The material is much different than any other thermarest. It is thin, but seems very tough. It has the texture of a really thick silnylon, but is much stickier. It does make a crinkling sound, but it is not very loud and really shouldn't be any different than the other various noises sleeping gear makes, such as the whispy sound of a sleeping bag or the sound of a tent in a breeze. Packs extremely small. I am very excited to get this thing out on the trail!!
AZJ_Jerky
04-07-2009, 20:53
Hey Powder River, the fact that movement on one part of the mattress does not transmit to another part of the mattress sounds amazing. Perhaps you could try the bowling ball drop test with the full glasses of red wine and let us know the results?
Powder River
04-07-2009, 21:06
Well, it's not like there is zero movement elsewhere. Its just a lot less than a mat like the exped which has lengthwise air tubes. I just tried it again, and laying on my stomach I dropped my feet from about a foot high. I can feel a bounce back near my stomach, but almost none up by my head. My guess is the more baffles it has to travel through the less effect it has. Maybe it would spill the wine, but it just wouldn't launch it into the air... :D
MDhiker1967
04-07-2009, 21:40
I just checked with REI and they are due to arrive to the main warehouse 4/24 with arrival to the store in VA a week or so later......
Seems like the material that the BA air cores are made of... I guess I'm outdated now huh :D
I layed on one at Mountain Crossings and I think I will be getting it when I have funds
I like the way the baffles are vs. Big Agnes.
I should get a comission on the 2 I sold to my friends :)
i wanted one, but the price put me off. plus, i think that noise crinkling in the night when i turn over would drive me batty(er)
Hey Powder River, the fact that movement on one part of the mattress does not transmit to another part of the mattress sounds amazing. Perhaps you could try the bowling ball drop test with the full glasses of red wine and let us know the results?
lmao
Gear To Go Outfitter
04-08-2009, 20:44
Sold out of my initial order but I you can reserve one now by going to www.geartogooutfitters.com (http://www.geartogooutfitters.com). I should have more in by the end of next week.
Gonna pick mine up at REI tomorrow!! Can't wait to try it out.:D
Couple of questions. How long does it take to blow the thing up? Does your bag stay put, or slide off all the time? Is it fairly quick to deflate in the morning?
Half the time I quickened inflation on 1" self inflating Therma-rest by helping it along, but a 2.5" mattress might be more than I care to deal with at the end of a long day...
FamilyGuy
04-09-2009, 15:14
Couple of questions. How long does it take to blow the thing up? Does your bag stay put, or slide off all the time? Is it fairly quick to deflate in the morning?
Half the time I quickened inflation on 1" self inflating Therma-rest by helping it along, but a 2.5" mattress might be more than I care to deal with at the end of a long day...
For my Regular it takes about a minnute or so. 14-18 breathes for a really firm setting. It has a 'sticky' kind of film that makes it easier to stay on than say the Prolite line. Deflation is really easy. In fact, easier than the self-inflating mattresses. Unscrew the valve and roll the pad - the air releases and the pad does not try to re-inflate.
It is extremely comfortable - this coming from someone who generally uses a 1" self inflater.
Morpheus
04-09-2009, 15:32
Got the last regular (72" x 20". 14 oz) today @ Benchmarkoutfitters in Cincinnati.
Stickier outer surface should eliminate any bag slides.
One week hike on AT in two weeks with gear reviews to follow.
Including the WM Megalite bag (24 oz), the Deuter ACT Zero 60+10 (49 oz.), and Marmot Aegis rain jacket (14 oz.)
Hike like ya love it.:sun
skinny minnie
04-09-2009, 16:28
Hmmm. The website lists the R value as 2.5 which is .3 more than the pro-lite or z-lite. Honestly, that doesn't seem like much. Correct me if I'm wrong though.
Also, I wish a video showed someone actually laying on the pad, tossing and turning with their bag. Between my bag, shelter, and the things that go bump in the night I have enough noise while trying to fall asleep! Don't know if I'd want to deal with yet another noise right beside my ear... I'm curious to see how it sounds when being used.
I actually prefer closed cell pads but man, the compression factor is awful appealing...
For my Regular it takes about a minnute or so. 14-18 breathes for a really firm setting. It has a 'sticky' kind of film that makes it easier to stay on than say the Prolite line. Deflation is really easy. In fact, easier than the self-inflating mattresses. Unscrew the valve and roll the pad - the air releases and the pad does not try to re-inflate.
It is extremely comfortable - this coming from someone who generally uses a 1" self inflater.
:-? - Only $120.00, and I guess my wife would need one too...I need to work some overtime I guess. After last night on the Z-Rest I was almost crippled!
Tipi Walter
04-09-2009, 16:54
Hmmm. The website lists the R value as 2.5 which is .3 more than the pro-lite or z-lite. Honestly, that doesn't seem like much. Correct me if I'm wrong though.
You're right, it does have a low Rvalue for a 2 inch pad, but if I wrote the words you wrote, several NeoAir-drunk Whiteblazers would jump on me and tell me "not everyone wants to use the kind of pad I like", or "the NeoAir's not built for polar explorations or Mt Everest expeditions." Some people get real emotional when their favorite-gear-of-the-week is criticized.
:-? - Only $120.00, and I guess my wife would need one too...I need to work some overtime I guess. After last night on the Z-Rest I was almost crippled!
Engine--
Here's one solution: forego the expensive NeoAir and get the Thermarest Trail, small. Here's the specs:
NeoAir small: 9oz 2 inch thick Rvalue 2.5 $120
Trail small: 15oz 1.5 inch thick Rvalue 3.4 $29
The trail is much cheaper, has a higher Rvalue, and only weighs 6 more ozs.
FamilyGuy
04-09-2009, 17:50
You're right, it does have a low Rvalue for a 2 inch pad, but if I wrote the words you wrote, several NeoAir-drunk Whiteblazers would jump on me and tell me "not everyone wants to use the kind of pad I like", or "the NeoAir's not built for polar explorations or Mt Everest expeditions." Some people get real emotional when their favorite-gear-of-the-week is criticized.
Engine--
Here's one solution: forego the expensive NeoAir and get the Thermarest Trail, small. Here's the specs:
NeoAir small: 9oz 2 inch thick Rvalue 2.5 $120
Trail small: 15oz 1.5 inch thick Rvalue 3.4 $29
The trail is much cheaper, has a higher Rvalue, and only weighs 6 more ozs.
Can you just post your entire gear list so that we can all go out and start buying? It would save us all a lot of time.
skinewmexico
04-09-2009, 17:59
:-? - Only $120.00, and I guess my wife would need one too...
Don't forget to order a repair kit and stuff sack too.
For 120.00 it should come with someone stuff it for me. Seriously, it doesn't even come with a stuff sack? I may just go back to my 12 year old 1" Therma-Rest at 1 1/2 pounds until I can find a better solution.
A 1 1/2" pad at 1 pound isn't too bad even in a 48" length though. I bring a short piece of cheap blue foam pad to sit on and my feet could lay on that at night...:-?
skinewmexico
04-09-2009, 19:52
NeoAir is not the only insulated 2.5" air mattress in the game, just the lightest.
Kerosene
04-09-2009, 23:22
Not surprisingly for a community like this, there's a lot of arguing about the merits of a new product. I certainly understand that it's not for everyone, either because of the cost, the need to inflate, insufficient R-value, whatever. But, I hope that folks can be objective enough to realize that this looks like one of the rare new technologies that innovatively address a number of competing requirements, especially with regard to comfort, weight, packability, and possibly toughness. I for one am very interested in the product for these very reasons, although even though I can afford it, I won't make a purchase until I can get back out there again (knee surgery in my future :().
As with most new technologies, the price starts high, which limits the initial buyers to the early adopters. Over time the price will come down as competitors chip away with imitations and improvements, and as production volumes ramp up. In addition, we might very well see variations that address some of the perceived deficiencies, such as waterproof insulation to pump up the R-value.
I'll be looking to buy the short model and continue to use the padded framesheet of my pack under my feet. It will be interesting to see if this keeps me from longing for a lighter weight cool-weather hammock solution.
skinewmexico
04-10-2009, 01:28
I certainly understand that it's not for everyone, either because of the cost, the need to inflate, insufficient R-value, whatever. But, I hope that folks can be objective enough to realize that this looks like one of the rare new technologies that innovatively address a number of competing requirements, especially with regard to comfort, weight, packability, and possibly toughness.
I'd say the jury is still out on that, but it's so new and untested, they haven't even mailed out cards for the jury pool. Right now it's all theory and marketing. May end up being great, and I'll thank all the beta testers when I get the cheaper Gen II.
So far I've only used my NeoAir one night and with both the ground and air temperature at 34F it was very warm and comfortable when used with only my quilt. The surface is excellent to lay on and the crinkle sound is barely noticeable then moving around, in fact if I hadn't been listening for it I might not have even noticed it. My size Regular weighs 13.05oz, is 6'1" when inflated and 3.5" x 7.5" rolled up. As a side sleeper I'm really going to appreciate this one.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/1/6/6/8/neoair_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=32772&c=)
FamilyGuy
04-10-2009, 11:12
I'd say the jury is still out on that, but it's so new and untested, they haven't even mailed out cards for the jury pool. Right now it's all theory and marketing. May end up being great, and I'll thank all the beta testers when I get the cheaper Gen II.
Exactly. Its not like the 5 years in greating this pad MSR didn't actually test it. No, that would really stupid from an R&D approach.
Exactly. Its not like the 5 years in greating this pad MSR didn't actually test it. No, that would really stupid from an R&D approach.
Well, we can only hope MSR learned something from the Hyperflow filter, which seems to have mostly tanked after more than just a few days of use.
FamilyGuy
04-10-2009, 11:56
Well, we can only hope MSR learned something from the Hyperflow filter, which seems to have mostly tanked after more than just a few days of use.
That's True!