Home Gear Review: Thermarest NeoAir Xlite NXT Sleeping Pad

Review: Thermarest NeoAir Xlite NXT Sleeping Pad

One sleeping pad to rule them all.

Feature type Review

Read time 4 mins

Published May 09, 2024

Francesco Guerra Adventure-driven outdoor photographer, born and raised in a Southern Italy city, Francesco discovered the mountains and the outdoor life only in his 20s, making his thirst for the outdoors and adventures unquenchable.

OUR VERDICT

An excellent ultralight and packable sleeping pad.

£179.99 from Ultra Light Outdoor Gear

Weight	370g
Dimensions	183 X 51cm
Packed size	23 cm X 10 cm
R Value	4.5
Features	Lightweight. Very packable. Quiet. Comfortable. Warm.

Pros

Quieter than most sleeping pads
Extremely packable for an inflatable mat
4.5 R-Value makes it a great all-season mat

Cons

Material feels a bit too delicate
Quite pricey

WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR

I’m an avid solo-hiker and photographer; I always try to travel light and save as much space as possible in my backpack for my camera and lenses. So, when choosing a sleeping pad, I look for something that is lightweight and extremely packable, without compromising on comfort.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Right out of the box, the first thing that caught my eye was the small size of the rolled-up sleeping pad. To touch it felt like great quality but maybe a bit delicate.

The mat comes with an instant field repair kit, a pump bag and the stuff sack – and all of that fits in the stuff sack, which is as big as a 1L (32oz) flask.

THE TEST

I used the mat on many different occasions during the winter months (FYI 2023-2024 winter in Europe has been the warmest ever recorded).

I took the Thermarest Neoair with me to the mountains where temperatures would drop below 0°C at night but also doing bivvies on the cliffs above the Amalfi Coast, where the proximity of the sea can result in very humid ground, especially at night.

The overall experience with this sleeping pad has been awesome. First up, the packability and lightweight features are outstanding. For one night out, I could easily fit it in a 20L backpack, and still had space to pack my MSR windburner, some food and water, my Patagonia downsweater and my camera with a spare lens (while keeping the sleeping bag out of the backpack).

To inflate the NeoAir, Thermarest provides a pump sack, so you can inflate the mat without blowing directly into the valve. I used it for a bit, but found it easier and faster to blow air directly in the valve.

The “Winglock” valve mechanism is very easy to use and allows air in without letting air escape. More so, the construction of the valve feels sturdy and not like it could fall apart, and – even though I haven’t tried – I think the valve could easily survive if I were to accidentally step on it.

Once inflated, the pad is 3 inches thick, giving good insulation from the ground. Thanks to the ThermaCapture technology, which traps radiant heat while reducing convective heat loss, the Thermarest NeoAir excels in insulating the body from the ground, reflecting the body heat back to the body while reflecting the cold air of the ground back to it.

Coming to the build materials, the NeoAir Xlite NXT feels less durable than traditional sleeping pads (and maybe that’s why it comes with a repair kit). The feeling of it being delicate is probably due to the fact that it has no foam or synthetic insulation.

the Thermarest NeoAir excels in insulating the body from the ground

WHO IS THIS MAT FOR?

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT sleeping pad is for every kind of outdoorsy person who wants to enjoy sleeping out in any season – saving space and weight. So far, I’ve only used it for thru-hiking and camping at the foot of mountains the day before climbing, but I can envision it being used for mountaineering expeditions, bikepacking, kayaking trips, and whatever activities might require a great quality sleeping mat!

WHAT STANDS OUT?

COMFORTABLE

Given its 3 inch loft when inflated, the mat is very comfortable for every kind of sleeper. It doesn’t matter if you sleep on your back, on your side (like me) or on your belly… the mat will still be comfortable.

PACKABLE

I can’t stress enough about how important packability is for me. How little space it needed when in the stuff sack just left me speechless – I’ve never tested something that was both so packable, so comfortable and warm as well. A game-changer feature.

LIGHTWEIGHT

It goes without saying that being that packable, means it’s also lightweight. Coming in at 386g, it’s one of the lightest high-quality mats on the market.

VALUE FOR MONEY

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT RSVP is just under £180, so definitely not the cheapest choice. All these features have to come with a hefty price tag. It’s a 4-season, lightweight, packable, warm and comfortable mat, for any outdoors activity. I personally wouldn’t trust a product that claims to have all of these features and then comes in at a low price.

BASE BOTTOM LINE

A lightweight, space-saving, comfortable sleeping pad for outdoor sleeping in all four seasons. Therm-a-Rest already has a name and I knew the brand, but I was genuinely taken aback by the overall quality. I will definitely be using it on many more adventures.

Sleeping under the stars this weekend?