Borrowed my wife's Neoair to and used it Friday night while out hunting. Wanted to see if the hype is real. She claims it's revolutionized backpacking for her. Her's was one of her 25th wedding anniversary presents, and her favorite... how's that for a great wife!. But I digress (grin).

To say it's comfortable is beyond an understatement. Obscenely expensive, but I WILL own one... now I have to decide the size...

I picked mine up off of eBay for $90 but bid on more than 30 before scoring the deal. There a a bunch listed right now but I fear a scam given they are all posted by one individual will low ratings.

Their sticky surface works well on slick tent floors.

I've been waiting to hear more reports of dependable durability.. I've yet to find a more reliable pad that my BA.. But maybe the Neoair will prove worthy!! I'd love to buck another half pound.

I am curious how it does in the cold. I used my BA insulated rem pad at 15* in a megalight and my back was cold......top did good, back, not so much. I thought I was gonna have to burry some coals....lol

Don't know? Have yet to use the one I have below 20*. If I'm gonna push the pad rating then out comes the closed cell. Also depends which BA you have. What R-Value???

I love my NeoAir, but sent it back for repair, as it had a leak that had me suffering early in the morning. Cascade Designs sent me a new one, no charge. FWIW, I've become leary of inflatables, despite their comfort. I've sent two pads back to Big Agnes, one to Exped, and now to Cascade Designs (NeoAir). I'm doing something wrong, maybe?
I think the most comfortable nights sleep is on the luxurylite cot (come to think about it, I broke that thing too), and had to take them up on their lifetime warranty.
Don
BTW, until I have this friggin' rotator cuff surgery, I think my nights on the ground are over

I love the Neo Air, so much that I have two. A large and a small,

I have been using them for about 18 months. Last year after hunting season, my pad would loose air over night. Not a lot but more than could eb accounted for due to temperature gradient. I couldn't find the leak and suspected the valve. I sent it back to Cascade Designs and they sent me a new pad in less than a week.

When it gets below 30, I use with a Gossamer Gear 3/8" CC foam pad. I have done some experimenting and have found it warmer with the CC pad on top of the Neo Air rather than on the bottom.

I also would recomend using, a bivy, ground cloth or a chair kit with a Neo Air in a floorless shelter. Also get the patch kit. Last week an ember popped out of the wood stove and burned a hole through Levi's Thermalounger and Neo Air. I dug out my patch kit and his pad was good as new.

+ 1 on the neo air,I'm on my second season with it and love it.During real cold weather I run a thin foam pad on top as well

I've always used a closed cell foam pad on top of an inflatable for cold weather so the idea of carrying the extra pad is moot for me. Besides, the idea of relying on an inflatable only doesn't inspire, Murphy and all (grin).

My wife has the Large size pad and that's the way I'm leaning... so much of a good thing!

Her first sprung a leak the first night out... REI replaced it and the second has been fine. I've heard the same thing over and over and it makes me wonder whether Thermarest had a bad batch?

That's one reason to buy a product from a top-drawer manufacturer (Thermarest) and a top-drawer retailer (REI)...

Gotta love that some things in this world are still USA made too...

I've used mine since the first of the year over ~20 nights with no problems yet. I always use a tent with a floor or some type of ground sheet and also carry a repair kit.

The Neoair sleeps better than any other I own including a 3" thick Cabelas foam pad. I tend to sleep poorly outdoors, and still do, but the Neoair has probably increased my "actual" nightly sleep hours from 3-4 to 5-6. In colder weather I throw a CCF pad on it and enjoy.

I started with a regular size and exchanged it for a large (Love that REI exchange policy!). At 6'-2", the large gives me enough length and width to keep my feet and elbows on the pad.

I'm going to be getting a Neo Air for the 2011 season. Looking forward to the weight savings.

I have about 20 nights on Neo Air pads (I have a small at only 9 oz and my wife has a regular at 14 oz) They are super comfy about the same comfort as a BAIAC pad but 60% or less of the weight. They haven't leaked yet, but they WILL just a matter of time and when it happens I will send them in. The space they take up and the comfort they provide is pretty hard to beat and my sheep hunting partner this year was a little jealous of the 2.5" of year I was sleeping on for only a 9 oz weight penalty. Still use my BAIAC pads when it is expected to be 20 degrees or colder, but they are a great pad for anything warmer than that for me, but I am a warm sleeper.

Anyways, Brad they are sweet and you will enjoy them thoroughly

I'm liking mine but still nervous about a leak when on a fly out/backpack hunt.Mostly been using it on quick 2-3 day journeys.Very comfortable.

I am always on the lookout for a better sleeping mat!
Thanks for the heads-up, Brad.

Guys, great little pads, no doubt. I'll be 50 this coming year and I definitely require more pad to sleep on than when I was young and totally happy with a 3/8" Ensolite Pad... can't fathom that now!

As to leaks, on one forum I post on, one guy had done the entire AT with the Neoair, no problem. That's over 180 nights.

I still like the idea of the thin Evazote pad like Ed's Gossamer Gear as a backup or in colder weather.

Brad,
I would say that 180 nights is a pretty good test run!

Brad-

Moosejaw has the Large on sale right now for $130.
Glad I gave $170 to Cabela's....

http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/sh...NeoAir-Sleeping-Pad&ad_id=GoogleBase

Word to the wise-watch Moosejaw when it comes to 'sale' prices.
I bought a WM sleeping bag from them on 'sale' several years ago, and when I did finally see the bag, they charged me full price.

I challenge anybody to get the Neoair back into the factory stuffsac, however. Double award if you can do it without adult vocabulary.

One time is all it took for me before frustration set in. I now use a little larger rain jacket stuff sack, and, all is good.

That is something I have been wondering. How compact can you get it, compated to the original size when new?

It was simple enough to go to a slightly larger sack. No way was I going to spend my life fighting that sack.

I just put a rubber band around mine and call it good.

Yep I use shock cord but yeah no stuff sack needed.

Yep

I wrap mine up in a small nylon sleeve that extends about 12" over the end where I lay my head. At night I stuff my down jacket between the sleeve and mattress for a very nice pillow that stays put during the night.

for cold weather, I had my Exped Downmat 9 last November on the late season Idaho archery deer hunt. 4 degrees F. laid out on the snow and I was just fine. A little heavier and bulkier than the neoair, but if you are concerned about cold, it was the ticket for me. Boots were frozen solid int he morning, but had a good night sleep.

The Exped is awesome.
Most comfortable mat I have ever used.

I agree those Expeds are comfy and warm when things get chilly. That said it isn't really fair to compare the exped directly to the neoair. IMO they are two different beasts. Yes the Exped will keep you warm when it gets cold, but I certainly wouldn't haul it along on my summer and early fall hunts when I could use a neoair at less than a 1/4 of the weight and still sleep just as comfy.

Both are great pads make no mistake, they are just tailored to two completely different time frames in which they really shine for what they were designed to do.

I use a space blanket/tarp under my neoair, and am never chilly.

Yeah, the neoair looks like the summer weight version of the exped offerings. If you only have the money to spend on one, the exped covers more territory. Or maybe not... I recently heard secondhand about Ed T's setup (from SG, Ed) that consists of neoair in concert with one or more of the thin closed cell foam pads. It sounds like you can match the R-Value of an exped at the same or even less weight using this combination. Don't bring the extra pad(s) when R-value isn't critical, do bring them when it is. That would make for a flexible, cost effective solution.

I recently scored a used exped synmat for $30, so I'm set for now. Hopefully by next summer I'll be able to budget for a neoair.

"I recently scored a used exped synmat for $30, so I'm set for now"

Dude, I'll give you $35 sight unseen. That's a 17% profit

Just saying.....

No doubt the neo is a really sweet mat. I used it mostly in the summer which is where I think it shines. Im a quilt sleeper and I could really feel the cold through the neo after about 30 degrees. My only complaint with the neo is its a little skinny. My arms hang off it sometimes.

For that reason I usually take a IAC with my quilt. If its going to be less that freezing I go with the exped down mat.

Both are great pads for different sleeping temps.

Now if you really want the best of both worlds go for a kooka bay!

I've been using the large neo for awhile now and agree with the posts above it's super comfy.

I bought a couple of these plasizote pads. 24x72 inches in the 1/8th weighs two ounces.

The combo of the 25 inch wide neo and the plastizote weigh 21 ounces.

I sew a fair bit and it took all of about 2 minutes to make a stuff sack for the neo out of some excess momentum from another project. And when folded a few times the foam pad makes a great seat for glassing/camp use.

Link to plastizote pad

Let me get this right --

An overly expensive inflatable pad that deflates and you have to send it through the mail back to the manufacturer. Sometimes twice.

When it gets cold: don't use it.

Can't get it back into its stuff sack.

Put a closed-cell foam pad on top of it and there are no problems.
___________________________________

And this is an ENDORSEMENT?

Closed-cell foam never fails unless you drop it in a fire.

When you guys give up the inflatable pads you'll get a good night's sleep every time

Taylor

This coming from a guy that carries two packs! And pours water in his sleeping bag! Hmmm

Wish I could get by with a ccf pad. I'll keep my Exped 7 for backpacking and my Exped 9 for atv camping. I would like to try one of these Neos next summer

Try a short thermarest on top of a piece of CCF/evazote. They make a 36in XS thermarest, just big enough to reach from your butt to your shoulders. Unless you have some really boney legs, there shouldn't be any real pressure points below your hips.

My problem is that I don't have a good sleeping bag. If I had a really top flight sleeping bag, I'm sure I could get by with just a CC foam pad too. Someday...

Pardon my ignorance but what does carrying 2 packs have to do with a sleeping pad?

Carrying two packs seems a lot stranger than carrying a Neo Air and CC foam pad.
Maybe its just that Taylor is so abrasive?

Apparently it has happened.


I've used mine in the 20's with a 20 oz. top bag and slept fine. Partner has had his in single digits without issue.


It doesn't require one to function or pack well.


Exactly...comfort and redundancy seem good to me in a sleeping system. GG ThinLight works for 2-5.7 oz. in standard widths.


True, and most of us own some of them too. They are a better choice for certain trips.


I sleep great in the hills; must be my clear conscience.

That could be I reckon, he doesn't beat around the bush and some people don't like it. I think he was actually saying that if your sleeping outside in below 20 temps to use both, maybe I'm not reading it right.

Don't carry two sleeping pads or a liner for my sleeping bag, either.

My internal pack and then frame weigh less than most "backpack hunters'" pack alone.

My point is that a backpack hunter should seek gear that works, not gear that needs an accessory in order to work.

I find that there are many gearheads on this forum and very few backpack hunters, therefore, talk of accessorizing the accessory is appealing!

Taylor

Yup, and I find that there's one or two blowhards on this forum, too.

Saying people like Brad and EdT aren't backpack hunters is pretty funny though.

Personally, I don't see why some people take such a keen interest in what others carry/don't carry on their backs to the point of criticism.

I'll bet Marc could outrun EdT though! (Sorry, I couldn't resist that!)

Your internal and frame weigh 2 lb 9 oz? Wow!

My first backpack hunt was in 1974 BTW.

That's something we've got in common Ed. The difference being that I was a few months old and riding in a Gerry kid carrier. I'm guessing you were carrying your own pack...

If you have a need to accessorize your gear to adjust for conditions/comfort (e.g. add a ccf pad -- in this case a very thin and light one -- to an inflatable for warmth), I'm not quite sure what the problem is, especially if you still end up with something lighter than most other options. Some companies sell sleeping bags designed to go together as a system because used alone they don't cover all situations. Doesn't seem to be an uncommon or unreasonable approach.

Ed T or Brad not a a backpack hunter??? Now that was funny. What's amazing is that they're still alive after using down bags all those years.

True but both of those weenies have failed to perform the super special pour water in and on your bag circus stunt.

Well, I like to bring a z-rest along a lot of times just to use to sit on when I lounge around the campfire or sit down to glass. But I find an inflatable much more comfortable to sleep on. Inflatables aren't any good around fires or rocks though so sometimes I bring both.

I'm really sorry if that offends some people. Really I am.

Never thought of it as "accesorizing," hell, the colors don't even match my purse.

I've been known to lug in some steaks and pork chops to cook over the fire the first few nights out too. Beats the hell out of Mountain House. Never had anyone who was along for the trip tell me I was carrying too much weight and doing it wrong, at least once they smelled the sizzle.

smokepole, that reminds me. What area are you putting in for next year? I'm thinking that a hunt where you pack all that good stuff in and Westy packs all the meat out would be some kind of nice.

It's a secret.

And I'm the only one who wants to know.

I read somewhere once that a true friend was someone that packed in 2 thick steaks and a cast iron skillet to cook them in. True freind or at least someone that got invited back the next time! Was that you?...............................DJ

It wasn't me, I've been known to pack in extra stuff (mostly food) but a skillet is way over the top.

I do like my Purcell Trench grill though, made with tubular stainless steel, light as a feather. You can use it to grill meat or cook with a pot over a fire. I like the Streamside Packer model because it's best for fish:

http://www.purcelltrench.com/grills.htm

Yup, and that's why it's a secret.

Mr. smokepole,
Have not seen that one before. Will be ordering the Streamside Packer next week.
Thanks for the advice.
Best Wishes

Cool, and you're welcome. Use it in good health!

Back in the 90s I did a 10 day long backpack trip into the Wind River range. One of my clients hiked in with his gear and back out to bring several 12 packs of beer to us at base camp!
That man was(and is) a hero, I tell ya, a hero.

Yeah yeah, brag it up....show off.

I've got about 10 nights on my neoair since sept, and have been very happy with it. Most comfortable I have found. Combined with my tigoat bivy, and exped PL wallcreeper, it makes doing an quick overnighter just add 4lbs and some change to my pack. Not bad for a mostly rectangle bag, a large sleeping pad, and not to mention the bag doubles as a shin length parka with a hood.

Hey Quaka Wacka.. good to see you on here.

My brand new out of the box Neoair had a small hole from a fold and would hold air for about an hour.

Nice and comfy for an hour but it really sucked having to blow it up every hour on the hour.

Consider me the dumb azz for not checking it before heading the the hills.

I dunno if I would say 'dumb azz', John.
I don't think it is unreasonable to expect an out of the box product to function as designed?


Edit: who ever does their QC needs to be slapped upside the head!

You too buddy. Thanks again for the great hunt.

I'll have to post up about my travels the last few months. It's been an epic year. Been too busy getting ready for the next trip to post any pics up. Heading out today for elkhunting.

Chat at you soon.

I promise you I felt like a dumb azz every hour on the hour.

Was not real happy with Thermarest but it is pretty basic to do a minimal check of gear before heading out.

It was just one more issue in what became a long list of screwups on that elk hunt.

That is what they call a 'memorable' hunt!

I had a friend that packed in a cast iron dutch oven this year and made several meals with it.

JohnBurns, you're not in a Beevis moment until you attempt to use the same pad AGAIN and it fails you.

Sounds like solid gear experience on your part. Thanks for sharing.

Taylor

I fixed the hole and will probably try it again because was so nice when it actually held the air.

You can laugh at me when it leaks again.