Notes On ThermaRest NeoAir

NeoAir from Cascade Designs is one of the lightest air mattress in the market. It's a 3-season air mattress with an R-value of 2.5, which is warmer than any other uninsulated air mattress. When packed, it is no bigger than a 1-liter water bottle.

The NeoAir is a non-self-inflating pad that you can inflate without using a pump as moist exhaled air does not affect the insulation. Other air mattresses achieve thermal efficiency by using down of fiber which can be rendered ineffective when wet. Insulated air mattresses either contain loose down or a thin layer of polyester fiberfill. Without insulation, air mats are prone to heat loss through convection.

Cascade Designs promised to surpass all existing comfort:weight, warmth:weight and warmth:bulk ratios. The fact that the NeoAir is not a self-inflating pad saves it a lot of weight because less material is used. Self-inflating pads have higher weight -to-thickness and weight-to-insulation ratios so they're not the optimal choice for lightweight backpacking.

In order to achieve warmth, the NeoAir needs to restrict movement of air inside it. In other words, it needs to prevent convection. To do this, the NeoAir has a five-layer honeycombed contruction which significantly reduces heat loss through convection.

The construction has another property that conserves body heat. The middle layer has a reflective surface that reduces heat loss to the ground through radiation. This may not make a significant difference but at least it's there without increasing its weight.

The manufacturer claims that the NeoAir has an R-value of 2.5 when it is inflated to 1.85 inches. When inflated up to 2 inches, the R-value raises to 2.6 and raises to 3.0 when fully inflated to 2.5 inches. NeoAir is warmer than uninsulated pads like Big Agnes' ClearView Pad but not as warm as the ThermaRest Prolite 3 pad.

On both sides of the NeoAir is a light nylon fabric coated with polyurethane. This makes the outer surface quite sticky, something a lot of backpackers would appreciate.

Blowing up the air mattress may be a big fuss when you're used to self-inflating pads though it's a good workout for your lungs. It takes about 30 breaths to inflate the pad to a comfortable

The lightweight fabric as used for the outer shell of the NeoAir casts doubt in the hearts of the users on it's durability. The fabric is also noisy, which may irritate some people.

The effective width of the NeoAir is reduced when the pad is inflated. The 20 inches of cushioning may be reduced to 16 inches when it is fully inflated. If you're a back or front sleeper I recommend the 25 inch version instead.

Most of the feedback concerning the NeoAir is positive. Users praise the weight, stability and comfort this camping mat provides. Statements like "Best sleep I ever got", "Light and Cushy", "Comfy, durable, packs down to nothing and well.. the best", "... great night's sleep", "best and lightest mat out there" and "Have your cake.. and sleep on it, too!" are among those used by fans. The level of comfort depends on the level of inflation of the pad.

Thanks to the material used for the outer shell, the pad doesn't slip but if you're using anything smaller than the L size, it may leave your hands dangling on each side especially if you're a back sleeper. When fully inflated, the pad loses about 3 inches of width so bear this in mind when choosing the size. However, it's still a good ultralight alternative.

One major concern is that the outer shell seems to be so thin that you can't help but think that it's going to puncture anytime. Some users do complain of leaks after using it a few times. Some experience a loss in loft by morning but not so much that it becomes uncomfortable to sleep on.