View Full Version : Therm-a-rest neo air
Has any one used this sleeping pad on the AT? I would like to know how it held up on the trail and if there were any problems with it. I like it because it it so light and at 2.5in should be a good sleeping pad.
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Tom
I used mine through the smokies, normally I'm in my hammock. They work great but you need to wash it with soap and water from time to time. People had cells popping (internally) in the pad. According to the manufacturer it was from bacteria on the pad and they have stopped replacing the pads if they have an internal cell pop. They say it isn't a defect it is improper maintenance. I love mine when I have to sleep on the ground.
Used mine for almost 6 months straight during my thru this year with no problems. It's the most comfortable and lightest pad I've ever had.
coheterojo
11-07-2011, 09:03
I used my Neo-Air on both thru-hikes. I'm a side sleeper and I am right skinny as well so I appreciate all the comfort I can get. For the comfort,weight and durability I think the Neo-Air is the best product I have used. The price is high but it's worth it.
Tipi Walter
11-07-2011, 09:17
It really depends on which NeoAir you're talking about. The Trekker? The regular NeoAir? The All Season? I used a NeoAir All Season on my last trip and it performed well, but the only reason I got it is because it has a beefier shell fabric than the yellow NeoAir. Here are some interesting numbers:
Regular NeoAir: 30 denier shell top and bottom (in other words---thin). Rvalue of 2.5.
NeoAir Trekker: 75 denier top and 100 denier bottom---beefy. Rvalue of 2.
NeoAir All Season: 75 denier top and 70 denier bottom---beefy enough. Rvalue of 4.9---warm.
NeoAir XLite: 30 denier top and bottom. Rvalue of 3.2.
I heard some pops on my All Season and thought about all the reports and reviews of NeoAir's popping and forming air bubbles or pillows due to "delamination". I find it mean-hearted for Thermarest to say these popping defects and possible failures are due to "bacteria on the outside" of the pad, which really means nothing as every pad has bacteria on it. Anyway, the baffle failures are inside the pad, not on the outside. In other words, I think it's a manufacturing flaw which they haven't addressed.
Now, let's talk about Exped Downmats!
Kerosene
11-07-2011, 10:49
I've used the 9-oz NeoAir shortie for my past 3 section hikes without issue. I've had no problems with it all all and use it in combination with my padded framesheet under my legs down to about 25 degrees. I'll never go back to a thinner mattress!
i had 2 neo airs deflate on me during this years thru hike. Over a 3 month span! got fed up and switched a hammock after both neo airs failed (1 trekker, 1 regular) though incredibly comfortable, i would never buy 1 again. if you do purchase 1, make sure to buy it from a retailer that you can return it to since thermarest is awful with replacements.
Blissful
11-07-2011, 20:05
I used it the entire way SOBO. No issues, just take care of it.
MissMagnolia
11-07-2011, 20:34
Can we talk about Exped on this thread or is that a no-no?
I ask because I'm planning to buy the Exped UL 7 for my thru-hike and wonder if anybody has experience with it? Also, anybody used both the NeoAir All Season and an Exped UL 7? Comparisons?
Tipi Walter
11-07-2011, 20:52
Can we talk about Exped on this thread or is that a no-no?
I ask because I'm planning to buy the Exped UL 7 for my thru-hike and wonder if anybody has experience with it? Also, anybody used both the NeoAir All Season and an Exped UL 7? Comparisons?
I checked out the specs on the Exped UL 7 and it looks fairly similar to my Exped downmat, except it doesn't seem to come in large (25 or 26 inches wide instead of 20---which makes a difference for the elbows and knees on snow). It has the same hand pump which works well, and if it's anything a comfy as my downmat, well, it's worth every penny. Of course, the Rvalue on the UL 7 is much lower than the Downmat.
On my 200-mile AT section hike this summer, my NeoAir Trekker worked great for about a week. After that, it started to slowly deflate overnight. I got in the routine of waking up two or three times a night to re-inflate it. I thought for sure it was the valve, but the Therm-a-rest customer service agent I talked to was sure it wasn't, and when I tested it, I found she was right. I was a little bothered, though, because I always tried to be careful not to do anything to hurt it, always being careful where I pitched my tent. I would have thought that if something had punctured it, I would have known it. Overall, though, I thought it was great product, and now that I've patched it, I'll be bringing it with me on my next section hike.
hikingshoes
11-07-2011, 21:46
I used my Neo-Air on both thru-hikes. I'm a side sleeper and I am right skinny as well so I appreciate all the comfort I can get. For the comfort,weight and durability I think the Neo-Air is the best product I have used. The price is high but it's worth it.
Hey coheterojo,
Grads on your 2-thru hike!!! Im in South Boston,VA. working right now and looks like ill be headed to Roanoke this weekend and do alittle hiking"sweet".
I called you today to see if you wanted to head up and go with me but your number isnt working. Give me call 843-514-8342 ttyl..HS
Mine leaked too....................finally sent it back, they just replaced it for free.
Great pad, comfy, warm, small, great gear
Sarcasm the elf
11-07-2011, 22:58
Neo-air's are good, but I'd recommend bringing a patch or two if you decide to bring one. The patches that Therm-a-rest sell work well, just make sure you buy the right type for the pad that you own.
I've got a talent for puncturing air mattresses and I can tell you from experience that it sucks when they deflate. I've applied three or four patches to the holes I've managed to puncture in my pro-lite and my girlfriend's neo-air (she was thrilled when I borrowed it and it came back leaking) though most hikers will never have this much of an issue, I'm just clumsy.
Personally I when back to using my foam pad for three season trips because I stopped trusting anything that can deflate.
Tipi Walter
11-07-2011, 23:45
Neo-air's are good, but I'd recommend bringing a patch or two if you decide to bring one. The patches that Therm-a-rest sell work well, just make sure you buy the right type for the pad that you own.
I've got a talent for puncturing air mattresses and I can tell you from experience that it sucks when they deflate. I've applied three or four patches to the holes I've managed to puncture in my pro-lite and my girlfriend's neo-air (she was thrilled when I borrowed it and it came back leaking) though most hikers will never have this much of an issue, I'm just clumsy.
Personally I when back to using my foam pad for three season trips because I stopped trusting anything that can deflate.
I've taken Thermarest inflatables out for 126 trips in the last 10 years and never had one leak---except a brand new Base Camp winter pad with a faulty valve. I'm fanatical about carrying it correctly (wrapped several times in my ground cloth and rolled into a stuff sac and strapped on the outside of the pack), and using it in the tent correctly (with a ground cloth underneath to protect it from thorns coming up thru the tent floor).
I've seen many backpackers looking for pinholes and punctures by the way they throw the pads around on the ground and sit on them. The worst are the ones who strap their pads on the outside of their packs with no protection, and then hike thru briars and wonder why their pads leak. It's comical.
Sarcasm the elf
11-08-2011, 00:04
I've taken Thermarest inflatables out for 126 trips in the last 10 years and never had one leak---except a brand new Base Camp winter pad with a faulty valve. I'm fanatical about carrying it correctly (wrapped several times in my ground cloth and rolled into a stuff sac and strapped on the outside of the pack), and using it in the tent correctly (with a ground cloth underneath to protect it from thorns coming up thru the tent floor).
I've seen many backpackers looking for pinholes and punctures by the way they throw the pads around on the ground and sit on them. The worst are the ones who strap their pads on the outside of their packs with no protection, and then hike thru briars and wonder why their pads leak. It's comical.
That pretty much sums it up, I think I've made each of the mistakes you mentioned and learned the hard way. The one time I strapped my pro-lite to the outside of my pack I wrapped it in a foam pad to keep it safe, the tore poked a hole through both pads.
Oh and I forgot to mention cats, if you own an air mattress and you have a cat, good luck. No matter how securely you store an air mattress the furry little bastards will find it and claw it just enough to make it deflate halfway through the night the next time that it is used.
Tipi Walter
11-08-2011, 08:35
That pretty much sums it up, I think I've made each of the mistakes you mentioned and learned the hard way. The one time I strapped my pro-lite to the outside of my pack I wrapped it in a foam pad to keep it safe, the tore poked a hole through both pads.
Oh and I forgot to mention cats, if you own an air mattress and you have a cat, good luck. No matter how securely you store an air mattress the furry little bastards will find it and claw it just enough to make it deflate halfway through the night the next time that it is used.
I learned the hard way too from the first orange Thermy I got in 1980 with the metal valve. I've pinholed many a pad over the years since I was an idiot and clueless . . . . and in the days when thermys were cheap. One time in '83 I was in Shining Rock wilderness and after setting up camp I sat by the tent to do a little sitting yoga meditation with a lit stick of incense and my orange thermy sitting nearby. After about 20 minutes I opened one eye and saw the incense stick burning properly but oddly it was coming up from the orange pad. No problem, keep meditating. A couple minutes later I looked closer and found the stick had burned a complete hole thru the thermarest and was sticking up in the middle of the pad! Bummer and more idiocy.
Another time I was climbing Beaverdam Ridge with a fairly new Camp Rest (precursor to the Base Camp) strapped to the outside of my pack and I went up a mountain bushwacking thru a grove of hawthorn trees. When I got to my campsite I had a pad with around "seventy little holes" and impossible to patch. Bummer.
Blissful
11-08-2011, 10:16
I also bought a thin gossamer gear pad (http://gossamergear.com/sleeping.html) to put under my neoair to protect it. It is losing air now at times, but that's to be expected with so much use.
Big Agnes make a pad for fifty bucks and under a pound and a half, with a stuff sack and with a patch kit - havn't tried it but people gave it good reviews....
Used the same NeoAir all the way NOBO and it was honestly more comfortable than my bed at home. I was always last out of the campsite in the morning because I was so damn comfy.
have used mine this year for about 400 miles on the AT. It devloped a leak on the yellow side in the location where I fold it. I think that it may be caused by my storage method of rollong it up then folding it in half so I can fit it in a small bag that I have. I easly found the leak by putting it in a creek. The tiny patch kit that they provided seems to be holding. To find a leak you need to over inflate it and put pressure on it. Under low pressure it would not leak. I think I need a better storage and carry system.
I used a neo air this summer in the Trinity Alps (NorCal) for the first time. I used to use a foam pad. Seriously, I have never been so comfortable sleeping in a tent in my life.... especially when we slept out on the boulders (in a tent) on the way down the Canyon Creek side of Thompson Peak. I am a bit worried about it being so lightduty, but I'm crossing my fingers for my NoBo trip in 2012 :)
I hiked with a guy that had one because he said he had trouble sleeping on regular pads -- I thought it was cumbersome, loud, and a pain in the butt to blow up / roll up all the time -- it did look very comfortable but I also sleep very comfortably on my regular little 3/4 therm-a-rest
fireneck
01-01-2012, 03:37
Don't mean to derail this thread too much...
I just picked up a NeoAir for my thru this spring. I have used closed foam cell pads for years -- what is the best way to carry it... strap it to the outside of my pack or keep it inside my pack?
SwitchbackVT
01-01-2012, 04:19
Used the same NeoAir all the way NOBO and it was honestly more comfortable than my bed at home. I was always last out of the campsite in the morning because I was so damn comfy.
Same here, i used the 3/4 length neoair with my backpack under my feet--still very comfortable. Held up the whole trail!
I keep it inside to protect it against any sort of leak due to puncture or abrasion.
Kerosene
01-01-2012, 11:53
I've used my NeoAir shortie for about 20 nights (mix of tent and lean-to) over the past 3 years with no issues. I carry it in the bottom of my pack. Can't beat the comfort-to-weight ratio, although I would prefer the pad to be a bit wider so my elbows would fit on the pad when I'm lying on my back. I use the padded framesheet of my empty pack under my feet.
4eyedbuzzard
01-01-2012, 12:00
Don't mean to derail this thread too much...
I just picked up a NeoAir for my thru this spring. I have used closed foam cell pads for years -- what is the best way to carry it... strap it to the outside of my pack or keep it inside my pack?Definitely keep it inside your pack and away from sharp objects (like the spork or fork or stove or - you get it). They are surprisingly puncture resistant given how thin they are, but they aren't bulletproof. Check to sharp stuff on shelter floors or the ground and in your pockets before using too.
Definitely keep it inside your pack and away from sharp objects (like the spork or fork or stove or - you get it). They are surprisingly puncture resistant given how thin they are, but they aren't bulletproof. Check to sharp stuff on shelter floors or the ground and in your pockets before using too.
Yes - don't strap anything to the outside of your pack - unless it's something very temporary like your trekking poles while you are in town
I got a neo air, Not bad on the back. I carry a WalMart Windshield cover under 35 degrees. But I'm old, with space in the pack
Many miles. Three years. No leaks. I carry mine INSIDE my pack----in the NeoAir stuff sack. I then put that in a larger stuff sack which can wrap around it a couple times. Then, I try to be careful what pack it next to in my backpack. I tend to use a hammock. However, in a tent or shelter, I put a piece of Tyvek under it. I make sure that I don't have sharp stuff in my pockets. I get onto it GENTLY. I don't "plop" down onto it. I started camping/hiking 40 years ago. The NeoAir has been the most comfortable pad/matress that I have used (thus far).
The thing that stinks about some ultralight equipment is that if it isn't working properly it may ruin your hike. In the case of any air filled mat, synthetic filled, down filled, or unfilled, if they go flat in the middle of the night you will be cold and sore very quickly.
Does anyone else carry a thin, short closed cell pad "just in case"? I've been carrying one with my Big Agnes Air Core mummy for trips when I shared a tent with someone, and recently had it puncture when I loaned it to someone else who used it without a ground cloth in an attic floored with rough hewn boards. If I was using it it probably wouldn't have happened. I'll eventually get around to locating and fixing the hole, but no more loaning my air mattress to friends. They can buy their own or settle for one of my ccf pads.
The ultralight plus the "just in case" pad make one non-ultralight, fragile pad (but the back-up is worth the weight to me).
"The thing that stinks about some ultralight equipment is that if it isn't working properly it may ruin your hike. In the case of any air filled mat, synthetic filled, down filled, or unfilled, if they go flat in the middle of the night you will be cold and sore very quickly."
Ditto what prain4u said, "many miles, three years". For me that was two thru-hikes. These are pretty durable in fact, with care. I used one regular sized neo-air on the AT in 2010, no problems but it developed a slow leak shortly after that which I patched (on top also, on the yellow side). I chose to go with a new one for the CDT last year. This one developed a slow leak perhaps halfway along. I mailed that home and swapped for another one, and when I got home I worked like mad to find the leak but never could --- too tiny, I guess (?). My old Montbell pillow also developed a slow leak and I replaced that along the way. Found the hole easily enough when back home but the patch just wouldn't hold; it's a shaped pillow and the hole was in a place that made it hard for the patch to hold on, I guess.
The main point I have here is that when these have failed it has never "ruined my hike". The worst that's happened is that I've awoken in the night (which I typically do anyway), rolled my weight off the pad and reinflated it, then back on the pad. I got so I could do that without even completely waking up. Certainly it's nicer to have a pad that doesn't do that, and certainly it's also possible to have a catastrophic failure of the type that Tinker suggests. Just in my personal experience --- and I've used inflatables on three thru-hikes now --- it's never happened to me, nor can I recall hearing first hand from anyone else who has had this happen.
I do, however, carry a thin ccf pad at times; not so much "just in case", but to augment the R-value of the inflatable in colder weather, and in one case to reduce the odds of puncture in a region known for lots of thorns and needles and such.
The thing that stinks about some ultralight equipment is that if it isn't working properly it may ruin your hike. In the case of any air filled mat, synthetic filled, down filled, or unfilled, if they go flat in the middle of the night you will be cold and sore very quickly.
I guess if mine ever has a catastrophic failure---I will simply have to do what nomads, hikers, cowboys, and shepherds have done for many centuries--sleep without a pad.
Does anyone else carry a thin, short closed cell pad "just in case"?
That's called sleeping on my backpack.