Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad review: for princesses (and princes) who don't like peas

Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad: first impressions 

A while back, we asked Therm-a-Rest for its recommendations on the best pads for different types of camping, and when it came to one for car camping, they suggested we try out the new NeoLoft. We took them up on the offer and can't remember having a better night's sleep in the wild.

Pioneers of the closed-cell sleeping pad, Therm-a-Rest has always excelled at designing pads that deliver excellent weight-to-warmth ratio but not necessarily a whole lot of loft. Well, all that comes to an end with the NeoLoft, which has a giant 4.6in stack to keep you well off the ground.

Its rectangular shape means it’s a dream for side sleepers, and the vertical sidewalls increase the available real estate. The surface is made of a plush stretch knit fabric that’s far softer to the touch than most pads you’re probably used to. The underside is reinforced to protect it against rocks under your tent or any debris that might have found its way into your tent.

For all that, you’re probably assuming it’s huge and heavy, but amazingly, this cushy mattress is actually quite technical. For starters, with a 4.7 R-value, you could use this in three seasons and most conditions you're likely to want to camp with.

It's not ultralight, but at 2lb (910g), it’s not a whole lot heavier than the Therm-a-Rest Prolite Apex, and it packs down to a respectable 5.7 x 9.5 inches – so you could actually fit it in a backpack if you didn't mind a little extra weight. It’s got the TwinLock Valve system for inflation and deflation, which in layman's terms means you can blow it up without losing air between breaths (though it comes with an inflation sack, which does make life easier) and an Out valve for very fast deflation.

Of course, there is a catch, and that’s that it’s one of the brand’s pricier options, owing to its supreme comfort and versatility.

Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad: in the field 

I'm no stranger to uncomfortable, cold nights in the wild and have even spent a week in winter conditions in Yosemite Valley with only a foam pad between me and the ground without quitting. That said, I'm certainly not averse to comfort or a good night's sleep, and I'm a longtime fan of Therm-a-Rest, so I was excited to hear about its new, thick air mattress.

I've taken this car camping and on a one-night backpacking trip this summer to test out if it's as comfortable as they say.

Here’s how it performed:

Weight and packability

I own a couple of pretty light and very packable pads, and this one isn't exactly in the exact same ballpark, but it's definitely light and packable enough for backpackers on a short trip once it's inside its stuff sack.

At 2lb, it's about the same as chucking a couple of cans of soup in your backpack, which isn't nothing, but it's less than twice the weight of my lightest pad, and it packs down to a decent size that I can fit in my Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor pack along with my sleeping bag and tent without running out of room.

Size and comfort

Compared to my other pads, which are all mummy shape, this rectangular pad has acres of space for sprawling out. This, Therm-a-Rest explains, is all down to the vertical sidewalls, which it says eliminate the tapering edges of non-3D pads and increase the sleep surface by 20 percent. Whatever it is, I feel like I have tons of room on the regular-sized pad to sleep in any position, including starfish.

As for comfort, let me just say this is the comfiest pad I've ever slept on. I like it fully inflated for a nice, firm sleep surface, and it's super stable like that. It almost feels like a real mattress, and the fabric is really soft if my face ends up touching it.

Warmth and noisiness

I've been testing this pad in warmer (or at least mild-to-cool) conditions, and the fabric combined with the ridges allows for some air flow, which is welcome. That also means I haven't had the opportunity to put it through its paces once the temperatures drop, but I'm experienced enough with Therm-a-Rest pads to trust its R-value rating and will update this review if I'm wrong about that.

No one likes a crinkly mattress, not least your neighbor if you camp with a partner, but this one is about as quiet as a camping mat can be, totally devoid of squeaking, rustling or any other annoying noises in the night.

Ease of use and value

This pad has two valves: one marked In for inflation and another marked Out for deflation. I started out trying to inflate this one by mouth just to see how long it would take. With it being such a high volume pad, I expected it to take a bit longer than usual, and when I got to 50 breaths, I was feeling a bit lightheaded so I switched over to the inflation sack.

This is essentially just a nylon sack with a valve that inserts into the In valve, and an opening at the other end. You simply 'catch' air in it, then start rolling it up, and it squeezes the air into the sack. It's really easy and a great option for anyone with asthma.

Anyway, when this didn't work, I realized it was because the Out valve had somehow come open, so perhaps I could have done the whole thing by mouth, but once I realized how easy the inflation sack makes things, I've just stuck with that. Long story short, expect a couple of minutes to get this inflated. When it's time to pack up camp, you can just pull the Out valve and all the air comes out in a split second.

As for value, like a lot of really high-end outdoor gear, it all depends on, well, what you value. If you want a good night's sleep above all else, you're not going to find a better pad than this, and perhaps won't mind the high price. If you can compromise a bit on sleep, you'll find cheaper mats out there that aren't quite as thick but get the job done.

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