Anyone gonna purchase the newest version of the neoair, xtherm, xlite?

[hikerinnc]

So! My son needs a new pad due to his size. I think he might get my current neoair, daddy likes the xtherm specs and needs a warmer pad for winter anyway!! Check it out and post your thoughts.

http://www.thegearcaster.com/the_gea...d-lighter.html

[sixhusbands]

It looks bulky.. does it pack well?

[skinewmexico]

No. Almost every other brand is a better value, and has been making air mattresses longer.

[Lyle]

"The new Therm-a-Rest NeoAir camping pads will be available starting January 2012. The NeoAir XTherm will retail for $149.95 (S) - $219.95 (L) and the two NeoAir XLite camping pads for $129.95 (S) - $179.95 (L)."

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For a delicate air-mattress? Not me.

[hikerinnc]

5.7 r value for 15 ounces, does any company offer something this warm/light in full length? Price?

[Limeman]

While I really like the new shape of these NeoAir pads, to be honest, I am using a Pacific Outdoor Equipment Peak Elite AC pad that is just as comfortable as my NeoAir Regular pad, has a higher R rating than the new NeoAir Xlite pad, weighs only 10.2 oz for a size R and cost me a whopping $62 shipped to my door - and it doesn't lose air during the night or make noise. The price for the NeoAir pads is just too steep, especially when the POC pad matches and exceeds their performance for 1/3 the cost.

[Trailbender]

I'll stick with my 3/4 length blue ridgerest. Keeps me warm and comfortable, even in the winter. Hard to tear it up, too. I prefer CCF pads for durability.

[Powder River]

Wow I was about to buy the neoair all season until I saw this post. Guess I've been out of the loop for too long this summer.

Just watched this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meVnWw3s0Hc

If you watch closely at the end he presses down on the mat and you can hear the crinkling- seems even crinkly than the original. I own the original and I have to admit I was ready for the stiffer fabric of the all-season. But I plan to hike straight through the fall and into winter this year and the xtherm won't be out until January. This will be a difficult decision.

[grateful 2]

The neo is NOISY. It wakes me up when I roll over!

[STICK]

I love my Neo! It just doesn't get any better for me!

However, I have not been to fond of the new cut. If I am going to carry an air pad, I want a full length rectangular pad. That being said, I may pick up the All-Season eventually, but I have no plans to get one of the newer Neo's (unless I test one).

[JPOVS]

I have a neo air and I like it alot. I recently decided to pull the trigger on a neo air all season due to the new designs being mummy cut. I like the extra width at the feet. Especially in the summer when I use a quilt. Its alot nicer to spread out during the warm temps. I do believe in the honeycomb pattern of the all season. I have some window blinds with this same feature and I can tell a difference in temperatures next to the window in the winter with them there so I thought I would give the all season pad a try.

[Papa D]

Neo airs take a long time to blow up and deflate, sometimes loose air, are delicate and make a lot of noise - I stay plenty warm on my regular 3/4" x women's length pink thermo-rest.

[Rocket Jones]

I bought the new-ish Neo Trekker and really like it a lot. Regular size rectangular, very comfy and I've had no issues with noise or losing air. Bonus is that it packs up so much smaller than my old Trail Lite model. Used an REI 20% off coupon plus my dividend for it.

[Tipi Walter]

I just returned from a long October backpacking trip of 18 days in the mountains of NC and TN and used a NeoAir All Season pad as shown below.



Here's the All Season in action. It takes about 60+ blows to puff it up and I like to start very firm and go from there. It didn't leak and never "slightly" deflated. This is the large version and I recommend the large for guys who want to keep their knees and elbows aloft.



Which is better for cold weather camping, the All Season or the Exped Downmat?? Well, as much as I like the All Season, I think I'll go with the Exped on my next trip in November, as shown above.

[skinewmexico]

60+ blows, Tipi? You need an instaflator. And I'm not saying the Neoair is a really bad product, it's just the response to insulated air mattresses that were on the market for 4-5 years before Thermarest realized they were losing tons of market share. It's only prudent to look at the other better, cheaper pads, with a longer track record. I'd kill for an exped downmat. Probably have to settle for the Exped Synmat 7 UL.

[Tipi Walter]

60+ blows, Tipi? You need an instaflator. And I'm not saying the Neoair is a really bad product, it's just the response to insulated air mattresses that were on the market for 4-5 years before Thermarest realized they were losing tons of market share. It's only prudent to look at the other better, cheaper pads, with a longer track record. I'd kill for an exped downmat. Probably have to settle for the Exped Synmat 7 UL.

The All Season comes with an instaflator thingie doodad blowsac cornholio---but it's a pain in the bung to use and my lungs work faster, so I left the thing at home. I was one of the original howling haters when the first yellow NeoAir came out---disturbed by the "invisible" leaks and popping delamination and super thin i.e. crappy denier cover but then the All Season appears with a 70 denier fabric cover which is pretty beefy so I went for it.

Long term winter use? Well, in 18 days (and a week before in the backyard tent) it never leaked or much deflated from the cold like with the Expeds, but I'm not sure I ever got a great night's sleep as with the standard Prolite Plus or the Exped downmat. Why? It may be the horizontal air tubes on the NeoAir---making for a different supine experience than with the standard foam in the Prolites or the nice comfort with the vertical tubes in the Exped. Just some thoughts. BTW, some NeoAir users complain of a built in flaw whereby the top welded seams leak out slowly thru the night but it didn't happen on my All Season.

[Panzer1]

60+ blows would be too much for me. I'm sure it would make me dizzy.

Panzer

[Don Newcomb]

The inflated pads need a way to be inflated with dry air, such as a pump or bellows, as opposed to exhaled breath. Even in an air core pad the moisture in breath enhances the convection inside the pad making them colder. The moisture also turns the inside into a swamp, growing all sorts of nasties. In down core pads the moisture will ruin the down.

[Tipi Walter]

The inflated pads need a way to be inflated with dry air, such as a pump or bellows, as opposed to exhaled breath. Even in an air core pad the moisture in breath enhances the convection inside the pad making them colder. The moisture also turns the inside into a swamp, growing all sorts of nasties. In down core pads the moisture will ruin the down.

Generally untrue. I've been using Thermarests for the last 30 years in all of their configurations and never needed or used an external bellows other than my lungs. A Ridgerest will sleep cold on snow, an inflatable Standard at around 4R will sleep much warmer, a Prolite Plus at 3.8R or a Base Camp at 5R will definitely sleep warm for winter use when using lung power. In other words, exhaled breath works great in their foam pads, and of course the NeoAir All Season works fantastic with lung inflation. People have been blowing up thermys for decades with no loss in insulation. The only pad I would not use moist lung air is with the Exped downmat, but then it has a built-in hand pump.

[Don Newcomb]

Generally untrue. I've been using Thermarests for the last 30 years in all of their configurations and never needed or used an external bellows other than my lungs.

I bow to your experience in the matter but will state that I've hardly broken in my new BA air core and am already trying to figure out how I can get the condensation out of the inside of the pad.