Check out my sleep system

Review

Stay warm and cosy on your next thru-hike with the Thermarest Neoair Xlite inflatable sleeping pad. It’s been with me on all of my hikes and long-distance backpacking trips, so why the Neoair?

Why the Neoair Xlite?

When I first started backpacking I’d use a cheap self-inflating sleeping pad. It was heavy, bulky, difficult to deflate and pack and not very comfortable. I was in search of a sleeping pad which of course was none of those things while also saved on weight, but didn’t fall short of comfort and R value. An inflatable sleeping pad is also very good in all seasons, keeping you elevated off of cold ground in the winter and off of hot ground in the summer, meaning it’s perfect for all conditions.

How did it do?

The Neoair Xlite has been on all of my hikes with me now for the last 3 years and has been in transit of over 600 miles and over 100 nights of stay. It’s never punctured or deflated during the night, it’s very comfy and kept me warm in some sever weather on the Pacific Crest Trail. Some mould has started to grow on the inside of the pad after so much use and blowing it up with my breath, you can avoid this by getting a mattress pump for it or the Blockerlite Pump Bag, but I don’t care about the mould, just don’t suck the air in when inflating and it’s fine and I save weight and batteries.

Have other hikers had problems, how are they solved?

Many hikers have popped their neoair due to camping on thorns or spikey objects without checking, it comes with the territory of inflatable equipment. I’ve even seen pictures of the baffles blowing out and making it very uncomfortable to sleep on. I, however, have never had any of these issues. I usually inflate it quite firmly and I only weigh 11 stone. I also check my chosen campsites carefully and clean the area if needed. I also use a polycryo ground sheet under my tent which is a very lightweight, cheap and packable way to increase the longevity of your tent and sleeping pad.

What about quality?

It’s the best quality sleeping pad I can find on the market at this price. It’s very well made and the materials are good quality too making it more comfortable.

Value for money

These aren’t cheap sleeping pads, but they last, they’re comfortable, versatile and are lightweight. It’s a reasonable price for such a sleeping pad.

Gallery