I've been a constant thermarest user for 20+ years. From a trail shorty to the recently updated pro-lite 4, its always been a balance between weight and comfort. I saw the new neo-air in backpacker and promptly ordered and actually lucky enough get one. Nobody at camp and on the trail had seen or even heard of this pad yet... it was always of big interest and I found myself always taking it out of the tent to show people what I was talking about.

Its big (regular size) and thick, and when rolled up its the size of my water bottle and weighs in under a pound. Its almost a pound lighter than my previous pad and almost disappears in my pack. You do have to blow it up but really... this is not an issue for me. When fully inflated it is stiff as a board with little to no pitching or rolling qualities attributed to other inflatable pads. I do let some air out so that my body can sink into it. With this pad I have no hip pressure when side sleeping. This is honestly the most comfortable pad I've slept on the trail with.

This pad is absolutely perfect for ultralight trips but as a bonus, if I can afford a little more weight I also take along my z-lite closed foam pad and slip it under the neo-air. Talk about luxury at under 2lbs.

I never sleep well on the ground. I bought the NeoAir as a light add on for trips when I expect to have to bivy rather than sleep in my hammock. I found that it works equally well in the hammock and does not need as much inflation, and while on the ground it does fine. Had an unexpected ten degree temp drop to 25F one night and it didn't even need the extra layer of foam pad that I neglected to take. To prevent pack wear, I use a ziploc or one of the small stuff sacks for some piece of gear I'm not taking, and picked up the silnet patch kit.

i bought a regular from campsaver because it was the only place i could find one. they had it at 20% off too which was nice. i needed it for a wind rivers trip and couldn't wait. the plan now is to give this as a handmedown/upgrade to my wife, and purchase a Large for me.

this thing packs up so small and so light. the grippy surface works awesome for keeping your bag still while you switch positions. the depth is awesome — can side sleep without your hips digging into the ground. i know some people have mentioned the noise factor — i didn't really notice it too much — it's not that bad.

I wanted to hate this pad so badly. It's SOOOO overpriced, doesn't come with a stuff sack OR a repair kit, and just sounds too good to be true. Turns out I hate to love it.
I bought one a few months back (I was lucky enough to find a large) and it wouldn't hold air overnight. Thus, I promptly returned it and wrote it off... But since I'm obsessive compulsive, I HAD to try again. Once again, I was lucky enough to find a large (after searching EVERYWHERE for a solid month), and this one holds air better than Michael Phelps. I spent the night on it with the perfect amount of air and it was more comfortable than my bed. Seriously. I also thought I'd hate the sticky coating, but found it to be incredibly useful when I turned sideways and my sleeping bag stayed put (I like it that way). I was skeptical about the "reflective heat surface" but actually noticed that where my body was, IT WAS WARM AS HELL. Seriously. The large size is PERFECT for my fat ass, it's wide enough so my arms don't hang off the side when I'm on my back, long enough so my feet aren't hanging off the edge, and so thick that side sleeping is not a problem at all. Perfect...
So, in the end, I am absolutely PAINED to give this pad 5 stars: there is no stuff sack, no repair kit, and it cost more than my TENT... but after all is said and done, the ability to actually sleep comfortably in the wilderness is priceless. And since my large weighs at least a full pound less than any large foam pads out there and stuffs smaller than most REGULAR sized pads I've seen, I grudgingly bow down to my Neoair. The perfect air mattress.

4 Stars cause it costs more than spending a night in a 4 star hotel.

With that said, I love this thing. Definitely the most comfortable I have been sleeping outside. I didn't slide around on it at all, in fact it made rolling around in my sleeping bag a little more challenging. I had no issues with being cold down to 35 deg. I haven't gone colder than that with it yet, not sure I'd' want to go too much cooler without adding something else underneath.

Blowing it up isn't too bad. There is one thing to be aware of though, some people have complained that this thing leaks, or deflates on its own. This is wrong, to debunk this - little science lesson coming up... PV=nRT (That's pressure x Volume = moles x constant R x Temperature)
Don't worry about n & R they're constants. So Basically Pressure x Volume = Temperature. What that also means is that PV/T = PV/T in the same closed container at two different temperatures, obviously. So basically, what I'm getting at is the air you're putting into this thing is 98 degrees. Let it sit out at camp for a while before you go to bed and it's going to cool off. Pressure inside isn't going to change, but you better believe the filled volume is. Based on the geometry of this thing, it's about 3000 cu in. So if you fill it up with 98 degree air, and then let it cool to say, 60 degrees, it's only going to be about 1800 cu inches - yeah, it'll look like it lost 40% of its air!

Some of you may have followed that, some people’s eyes may have glossed over reading it, but if it made sense to 1 person I'm happy. Hope it helps.
All in all this thing is awesome and I recommend it if you can afford to spend all that money on it. You just might have to top it off with a little more air before you go to bed.

So I've had this for a while, and I really do love it. It's comfortable and light. However, I'm not sure if it's just because it's all air, but the past few nights I've used it, I wake up with my butt touching the ground -- the air just doesn't stay in all night. Whether its the air pressure or a leak, I have had it replaced already, and it is still happening. It's a shame, but oh well.

This is the most comfortable pad I have ever owned. At the same time its the most fragile pad. After using it just two times it would not stay inflated. The leak was slow but waking up on the ground as we all know is not that much fun. I sent it back to Cascade Designs because I felt it was a manufacturing problem. When it was returned it had been repaired for a puncture (I didn't see it in my bathtub) at a charge of $20. I guess I am really bummed that I spent $150 on a product that really doesn't stand up. On top of that being charged another $20 to fix it didn't make me feel any better. I think there are better pad out there for much less money.

after playing with one in the store and being concerned with the thin materials, i went ahead and bought one anyhow...couldn't pass up weight savings/size/comfort. sooo glad i got this. i bought the sz large-same as my therm-a-rest trail pro. this is more comfortable, saves several POUNDS, not ounces. but most important, fits INSIDE my pack--strapping a conventional large pad to my pack is like running through the woods with a broom handle strapped sideways to your back. i'm 6'1" and 240#, the neoair has held up just fine so far and sleeps comfortably with me on my side.

It's hard to get something light weight that is also comfortable. At first I was using the prolite small which weighs 14 oz's and is only 1.25 inches thick, however, as soon as this one came out, I had to get it. I sent in my old pad, got this one, and won't look back. It takes a little more to inflate, but it is incredibly comfortable. I don't inflate it all the way so it can contour to my body better, but this pad is the best out there!

This is a killer pad. It is unbelievable how small it packs (no, like other therm-a-rests it does not come with its own stuff sack, which is unfortunate given how much this pad costs). It really does roll up to 9 X 4 inches (regular size)., and weighs less than a pound. But size does not mean anything if it does not work, and this pad really works. Yes, you have to blow it up, but this really is not too hard to do so. It is really thick, so that even if I let some air out so that it is soft, I still do not hit the ground even when lying on my side (so no more waking up with one leg asleep!). It really does a good job of retaining heat (so that I have even been fine sliding it into the sleeve in my Big Agnes bag) and is stable enough that you don't feel like you're sleeping on a pool float. Sure, this pad is pricey, but based upon its comfort, weight and stuffed size, I believe that it is worth it.

I used the Therm-a Rest Neoair (size regular) on a recent trip to Mt. Whitney. Despite some cold night, sleeping on rocks and sore legs I slept great.

The pad was not as "squeeky" in the backcountry (compare to in my living room) and I left it just a little bit squishy. Great insulation, much comfort = good sleeping.

I was a little concerned about the durability (thin material, rocky ground) but no problems and my climbing partners were very jealous as they were trying to strap their big pads to the sides of their packs.

I purchased a NeoAir, and two BA Air Core pads (one insulated). All regular sized. Considering the NeoAir cost as much as both BA AC pads together, I expected it to be not just lighter, but also better. But better is subjective. Is 8 oz worth a poor nights sleep? Should I save even more weight and not carry a pad at all? What is a good nights sleep worth?

I climb a lot and my current cold weather sleep system is a z-rest with a MH Highmountain 72 pad. Combined I get about R-10, enough to be cozy when sleeping on a snowfield or glacier in temps around freezing. For alpine sites, both pads is a heavy luxury (40oz!).

The best use I found for my older 1" therm-a-rest was as a flotation device while camping near a lake. It doesn't provide enough insulation or sleep comfort to justify its weight. The MH has twice the R and weighs only 5 more oz. Then I saw the 3" thick NeoAir in another climbers kit. It was time to check out inflatables again.

To test the three new pads, I aired up all three and my wife and I 'test drove' them on the hardwood floor in our living room. I'm a back sleeper, she's a side sleeper. For maximum comfort, after airing them up, I deflated them until they were just firm enough to sleep on without body parts touching the floor under them.

I slept on the NeoAir first, with no insulation between me and the pad. I woke up an hour later, chilled because my backside was cold. Since my back was cold while sleeping in a 65° house, I determined that the NeoAir provides an insignificant/negligible amount of insulation. So I put a blanket over the NeoAir and tried again. In my bed, I fall asleep and stay that way until morning. On the NeoAir, I awoke every couple hours, needing to roll into a new position to relieve discomfort. Not too bad.

On the second night, I slept on the Air Core and she tried the NeoAir. I slept VERY well on the Air Core, and only recall rolling over once. She tried the NeoAir for a couple hours and then tossed it aside in favor of the other Air Core pad.

I had great expectations for the $$$ NeoAir and I have no explanation for why we both found the Air Core pads to be significantly more comfortable. You can see that the baffles in the AC run the length of the pad, where the NeoAir baffles run the width of it. The pad material itself is thicker/heavier on the AC pads, and likely to be more durable. Plenty of reviewers love/hate the texture of the NeoAir. I liked it.

In addition to not being as comfortable, where the NeoAir really falls short is value. You can buy two or three Air Core pads for the price of the NeoAir. The AC pads include a stuff sac. The AC pads include a repair kit. Anyone that has used an inflatable pad for very long KNOWS how necessary a repair kit is. The NeoAir includes neither.

If the pads were on par for comfort, I could overlook the horrendous value proposition of it. After all, I have plenty of stuff sacks and sleep pad repair kits. But I just can't imagine a time when I'd sacrifice a good nights sleep for 8 ounces.

This pad has brought me many nights of restful sleep. The small size and light weight only reinforce it as my sleeping pad of choice. Downsides include potential for leaks and huffing and puffing to inflate. I tend to bring a full length Ridge Rest to keep it off the ground, thereby minimizing popping potential. A fully inflated paid is easy to roll off, so I do about 85% inflation for extreme comfort.

basically, I second what everyone else is saying- it's super comfy, incredibly light, packs up small, I'm impressed 200%. What I want to add is this, my biggest concern was the fact that I often backpack with my dog, who tends in the morning to want to snuggle....so she reaches out with her paws and always ends up scraping, walking over, pushing on my pad....with such a lightweight thin pad I was worried she would tear it...well she did all of the above, including sneaking into my sleeping bag when I was out, and no tearing! It is more durable than I thought it would be.

My husband and I just spent a month in the high backcountry and loved our NeoAir pads. I've tried a lot of different sleeping pads; from fancy/unique shapes, short, long, foam, self-inflating, uninsulated air pads etc. and this is, by far, the most comfortable pad I've ever used. I've heard some questions it's durability but I just slept on mine for 26 straight nights and it did great. If you like to use your pad as a chair, this is not for you. If you just want the best nights sleep in the backcountry, you will love this pad.

Been using this sick for the whole summer now. I have been using a large for an ultra pad. It replaced my Prolite 4 regular. It weighs less, and inch thicker, compresses smaller, 5 inches wider, 5 inches longer and way more comfortable. There is nothing out there that is this light and comfortable. I would venture to say that this is the great pad for backpacking ever made.

The only down side is that it is not self inflating. I can blow it up in about 20 breaths.

As mentioned below, the radiative heat technology is noticeable. It is a very comfortable pad. The silicone layer does a nice job of preventing slippage. Being a rather light sleeper I don't have any complaints about is noise production. This thing is small, light, comfortable, and warm.

I have to admit I was a little unsure about this mattress; I've come to trust thermarest but frankly the neoair looked more like something you'd see a kid floating on at a pool than something that would survive years of backpacking. Could it really live up to expectations?
The short answer, as evidenced by it's overwhelming popular reviews, is yes. It really does compress down to the size of a Nalgene bottle, it really does weigh less than a pound (except for the large), and it really does hold up. I just finished hiking for 2 months straight in the Sierras and mine is still in very good condition, albeit a little dirty. The few nights it dropped below 20 degrees it did get too cold for this mattress, but not by much (thermarest rates the neoair at 30 degrees). I plan on grabbing a prolite plus for winter camping.

This is by far the best sleeping pad i have owned. Its extremely light weight packs down very small and its pretty durable. When i ordered this i was mainly worried about how durable it was. but after using it for a few nights on rocky terrian all my worries were gone. Also its very easy to get back into the stuff sack. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a lightweight sleeping pad.

Its freakin awesome!!! Its way comfortable to lay on. I havent used it yet but planning on it soon. I'll let you know when I do.

This is thee best pad i have ever had. It is very light but very comfy. This is a lot better than some of the car camping pads for comfort. A little pricy but more than worth the price. Get one!

Wow. Wow! I love this pad. I'm not sure what else I could ask for. It's SUPER light. The rubberized material keeps you from slipping off and reflects alot of your body heat back to you. It pack into a tiny little space. Zero air loss over several days. Just blow it up, lay on it, and release enough air to allow it to form to your body and close it up. You will sleep great. Awesome product.

This pad is nothing short of unbelievable. Check the other reviews for specific pros (side sleeping, warmth, sticky top) and cons (for $150 you can't give me the damn stuff sack?). I took this pad out to the Idaho Sawtooths for 7 nights through sunshine and hail and slept like a baby every night. Yeah, it's expensive, but that's why I have a job. Best. Pad. Ever.

I have been sleeping in tents for years. I recently spent 8 nights on this pad in Colorado and it was great. Finally slept through the night. IT will take some time to find the right amount of air for your specific comfort needs. Well worth the money.

After five days on the AT "ridge running" in TN, this air pad changed my mind about "air mattress". I have used a Therm-a-rest pad for years, air mattresses being too heavy, and loved them but this NeoAir is the ticket to a good night sleep with little weight. I am 5' 9" and used the small sleeping pad, 9 oz plus the .4oz bag, using my pack as a pillow. It deflates quickly, rolls up to 3" x 7" and stores easily inside my pack. Easy to use and easy to carry.

i recently used the noe on a 5 day backpack trip to utah and loved it! i usually get sore spots on my shoulders and hips when i wake up but not with the neo and it fits into my chair kit as well. One piece of advice would be sure to get a repair kit cuz the repair kits that come with the prolites dont work that well on the neo.

This pad is great it is every thing the advertisements say it is. The best thing it is LIGHT and very comfortable. My only complaint is that it takes a lot of huffing and puffing to blow it up.

The NeoAir is totally awesome. The weight and size savings are a big factor. After a subfreezing, 52 mile 5 day trek across the Utah Highline Trail I can honestly say that this pad made a huge difference. It's the first time in 25 years of backpacking that I actually looked forward to going to bed at night. It is so comfortable!
I totally agree, however, that it's a bummer to have to buy the stuff sack and repair kit separately. Come on, Thermorest! For the price, you should throw these in.

Being fairly new to the backpacking scene, most of my gear I bought top brand and quality up front. One of the few things I compromised on was my sleeping pad. I was using a Col***n MAX originally. It weighed in at a whopping 3lbs! It was not compact either.

Being an avid reader of Backpacker Magazine, when I saw the review on this I knew I had to have it. The site I bought it from said that they were already out of the initial shipment (after calling I found out they still had a few to sell) and I got mine within the first few days of it being released. I mean to tell you this pad is GREAT!

Weighing in a just under a pound (14.6 oz, I believe) it is so lightweight and compact I couldn't belive my eyes. And the level of comfort from it is also amazing!

If you don't have one of these, I have two words for you.... GET ONE!

Great piece of kit. Used on Rainier in August. Only one day below freezing, but it worked fine with my 0 degree down back and without any other insulation/protection. Might want a little more protection if it gets toward zero. Takes a couple minutes to blow up but I was glad to have my soda-can sized pad vs. some of the rolls hanging under other people's packs. Good value.

Nicest pad I`ve ever owned. I read all the reviews before buying and decided to take a chance. Some of the complaints of others were---It`s noisy. It`s only slightly noisy, virtually nill with a sleeping bag and then only when you move, not enough noise to wake you or any one close to you. Some said it slowly looses air, as in over night. I`ve experimented with mine and found that when you first puff it up you are expelling warm air. When the air you have blown into it reaches air temp it will naturally loose some pressure and as the evening and night air cools down you will also loose some more, its just science.I blew mine up almost full in the morning at home after leaving it inflated all night. It only took a few puffs so it was still cool from my air conditioned room. I turned the air conditioner off before going to work. When I returned ten hours later it was more tightly inflated than when I left. I am satisfied that it is a quality product, costly and they could have certainly thrown in a stuff sack but I`m very pleased with mine. Can`t say anything about cold weather performance as I am an ultralighter and strictly three season backpacker. Peace, Brad. Oh yes, And I don`t understand the people that say it is a hassle to blow up. I`m a smoker and it only took me three mins. to fully inflate.

Nice and thick, sticky surface but it takes a bit to get used to the bounce and shifting positions at night. Don't fill it full of air or it's less comfortable.

I knew that the Therm-a-Rest Neoair Sleeping 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. When testing the pad in the elements, it feels very comfortable. I don't plan on using this pad for cold-weather camping, I was just looking for a light-weight, comfortable pad, and I think this is the one.

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 more-so 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. My feet hang off the end, but that doesn't bother me. What is good about the pad is that the top has a "sticky" feel, which makes it difficult to slip off the pad in the middle of the night. I haven't really noticed the "heat-whatever" technology, but I have not been cold sleeping on this pad once.

It's an expensive pad, but I would still highly recommend it.

This pad is the best. Nothing compares ofr its weight and luxury of 2.5" padding. No complaints. Pros: No noise, No slipping off w/ your bag while sleeping!

I never really noticed that inflatable pads don't insulate well until I got a Neoair. The reflective barrier is noticeable and the internal baffling significantly reduced the bouncy factor so many air pads have. This is a hard core, ultralight, very compact pad that is very comfortable. It's narrow so be ready to spin in place rather than roll about but even sleeping on your side your hips won't poke through.

I own the air core, and Ive seen and researched the neoair. There is no doubt that it is light but also be very aware it is not as dependable. Ive seen other reviews regarding complaints of deflation, and internal air imbalance caused by a broken seal between baffles (out of respect for BC I wont referencethe where but if you look youll see the contrasting reviews). Regarding the neoair others with much more knowledge then me claim the R 2.5 rating may be pure hype. Personally I can attest that Ive slept on my BA AirCore in 35 degrees comfortably (with a 20 degree synth bag)you really cant get much more 3 season than that - so who knows maybe my Aircore is has a rating of R 2.5 as well. The Aircore comes in at 16oz of rugged dependable nylon. Sure I may be shlepping an extra 7oz but the sucker has stood the test of time. It has few complaints after serving hikers dependably for years look for youself. be aware the Neoair has a spotty track record after a few short weeks. Also take note that most these reviews are out of the box summations. I would hope the NEOAIR fills up nicely and stays inflated on your living room carpet - and we are all aware that it is light (we can read). My advice to someone taken in by the glitz and fancy talk is to consider the 40 something dollar cost and the dependable record of the BA AirCore in contrast to the $120 - spotty short history and a seven ounce savings of the NEOAIR - you decide - only you may end up looking for leaves to cushion yourself when your brilliant purchase haunts you somewhere in the middle of Yellowstone at 2:00am. At that time that 7oz savings will be undoubtedly be to your mind one of the dumbest decisions you have made - after all mother nature isnt carpeted. I am in no way judging those that purchase the NeoAir and am quite aware (and respect) those who will only rely on the dependability of Foam. We all make sacrifices I suppose - just decide what risk you are willing to take before you buy. So in summation NEOAIR 3 stars Backcountry 5 stars.