Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting If you had to pick 2 pads ?

1] Late Spring through early Fall

2] Winter
for backcountry hunting what would you choose ?

The two I have are:

1). NeoAir XLite Size Regular.
2). NeoAir XTherm Size Large.

The XTherm looks good , I like the Made in the USA , but don't know exactly what that means these days when they speak of using global materials etc. .

Do you consider a smaller pad in warm/cool weather is ok since hanging off the pad a tad isn't a big deal ? Makes sense .

Same two pads for me.

Where do you guys buy your stuff ?
Browsed across a couple of places online that I've never heard of .

I have tended to use the larger pad more and more. Not a huge weight penalty for even more comfort.
I bought mine direct from Cascade Designs with a pro deal.
I’d go with whoever has the best price.

I use a thermarest "Z" foam pad under a NeoAir ... that's my 2 pads. Yep, I use them together. I don't currently have different pads for different seasons. I do have other pads but they are heavy and are reserved for car camping only.

Tom

NeoAir All Season SV.

Insulates, easy to use and stow. Has thicker more durable top and bottom denier rating.

About sums it up.

I have a regular Klymit static v for warmer seasons and got the new Klymit insulated static v luxe sl for the fourth season. I'll probably only us the sl from now on, sooooooo much more comfort! Worth the carry weight when "sleeping" in the field for long periods 👍👍

XTherm MAX Large for 3 season
Exped Downmat 9 for the coldest winter conditions.

If using a floorless shelter I’ll often use a CC foam mat under the air mat.

For base camp or truck camp I use the 2” Venture Outdoors auto inflation pad.
For pack in I use Sea to Summit ultra light insulated air pad.
I just spent a month camping out west using the auto inflation pad and love it. Then I came home and camped at Lake Cumberland Ky for a week on the auto inflation pad.
I’m 6’2 and 275 lbs.

The auto inflation was purchased at Academy. The Sea to Summit was at REI. My wife’s pad is a Klymit StaticV bought at Scheels.

I had several pads and then ended up selling several, save the Xtherm. 13-ish oz for nearly a 6 r value rating is tough to beat. I succumbed to temptation this past Spring and picked up an Uberlite (also from Thermarest) for summer trips, 8-ish oz and have had it down to freezing a couple of times w/o any problems.

If temps are expected around 0 or below, I add a ccf pad to the Xtherm.

1- Original NeoAir (been a great 3 season pad)
2- NeoAir XTherm MAX (used it down to below -20C last year and found it very warm)

Same for me as well except size reg for both.

I would pick a z-rest or ridge rest and my sea to summit ultralight.

If more interested in winter camping, I'd look at the sea to summit insulated ultralight.

I think the NeoAir is more comfortable, when it holds air, but in my experience that has not been a frequent or long-lasting occurrence.

For cold weather the difference between a z-rest and any inflatable insulated pad is night and day. You have to warm the insulated pad with your body all night long. Not so the foam. So I always rock two pads in cold weather, often a Neo air on the bottom with a z-rest on the top, next to my body. Even snow camping that keeps me about as warm as I get in bed at home. The z-rest (or other foam pad) is also great if you have to sit on rocks, lie on rocks in a hide, etc.

Just 1: Nemo Tensor Insulated Regular size. 3" thick and 15 oz.

Curious how many nights/trips you have on this pad, and what other pads you’ve slept on to compare it against?