November 1, 2021

Product Review – Therm-a-rest Sleeping Pad: Neoair Xtherm

Perhaps a little unexpected and definitely less flashy, the key to sleeping warm while backpacking is your sleeping pad! Yes, you can survive cold temps with the right sleeping bag, but your sleeping pad will stop the cold from even getting to you from below, while also providing a comfortable sleeping exxperience. During the summer of 2021, I tried out the NeoAir XTherm from Therm-a-rest, which has a whooping 6.9 r-value, meaning it’s rated for ALL seasons. Although I don’t have any plans to sleep on snow, this sleeping pad was a game changer for someone who has trouble sleeping while chilled. Not only warmer, it’s comfortable and intelligently desinged with a pump sack and winglock valve.

In this post, I’ll break down my experience with NeoAir XTherm from Therm-a-Rest – why I got it, where I used it, my favorite features, and discuss the possible downsides. If you’re a cold sleeper, you NEED to invest in a sleeping pad with a higher R-value and this one is a great option!

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Why Did I Get the NeoAir XTherm?

As you might have read in my review of the Parsec 20 sleeping bag, I went to Joshua Tree National Park for what was supposed to be three nights. You would think that the deserts are mild at night, but it was COLD. Never technically freezing, the temps reached the low 40’s, and my sleep system was not prepared. Each night I tossed and turned, not being able to fall asleep. After the second night, I decided to cut the trip short by one night instead of bearing the cold weather. When I got back, I researched what I could do better and learned how to build a better sleep system. Although I was doing some things right, I was also doing a lot of things wrong.

My biggest mistake was not paying attention to my sleeping pad. I could feel the cold seeping into my hips and not being able to warm up again. Ultimately, I used a vest like a diaper and stuck my legs through the armholes so that I had an extra layer around my hips. But a better solution would be to stop the heat from seeping in at all from the sleeping pad. Upon doing a little research, I quickly discovered the importance of the R-value, which is a measure of thermal resistance. I’ll get into what that means later, but I knew it would be the game changer I needed to sleep warmer.

Due to what was available at the time, I ended up getting a large NeoAir XTherm sleeping pad in the color vapor. I am tall, but would have fit on a regular.

At a Glance:

Brand: Therm-a-rest
Direct Website: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm
Price at the time of writing: $219.95 (regular size), $259.95 (large size)
Weight: 1 lbs 4 oz (large)
Color: Vapor

Benefits:

R-value of 6.9!
Winglock valve helps to save air from each pump or breath.
Pump sack included
Lightweight
2.5 inches when fully inflated meant that I was never felt the ground.

Drawbacks:

Takes a while to pump up
Felt loud to me, but the both of my friends said they didn’t notice the sound.

Where Did I Test out the NeoAir XTherm?

So far, I’ve taken the sleeping pad on three backpacking trips:

Mason Lake Backpacking Trip, which included one dispersed camping night and one night backpacking.
Backpacking Loop in Grand Teton National Park, which included one car camping night and two backpacking nights.
Mt. Rainier Backpacking, which included one night car camping and one night backpacking.

Major takeaway: I slept great on this sleeping pad. Because of the large size, I never felt like I was falling off of it. After a long day carrying the backpack around, the last thing I want to feel is the hard ground. Instead I was on a cloud of air to stretch out on. Heaven.

R-Value: Why is it important?

R-value isn’t unique to sleeping pads! When I was first learning about r-value (during my post-Joshua Tree research phase), I mentioned the R-value to my boyfriend who works in architecture. He responded with, “Oh yeah, walls have R-value.” My understanding of R-value is that is rating system for how quickly heat can pass through an object. The higher the R-value, the more insulated and change-resistant it is. Depending on where you’re located, new construction must adhere to specific r-value number – from 13 to 50+, but for sleeping pads we are working with much lower numbers. Most 3-season sleeping pads have a 2 or 4 r-value, whereas winter sleeping pads have a 6 or more r-value. Because I am a cold sleeper, I was excited to try out the the NeoAir Xtherm for it’s whooping 6.9 r-value!

My Favorite Features: 6.9 R-Value, Pump Sack, Winglock Valve

6.9 R-Value:

Boy oh boy did this make a difference. Not once during my backpacking trips did my hips feel cold or did I feel the ground through the sleeping pad. The sleeping pad is a good 2.5 inches off of the ground, which might not be related to the r-value, but made the bag very comfortable in addition to warm! It felt like luxury compared to other pads I’ve seen out there. The 6.9 r-value is a little more subtle in that I simply felt comfortable going to sleep and staying asleep. I didn’t wake up cold, and I didn’t have to layer on clothes inside my sleeping bag.

Pump Sack:

As you might have deduced, the NeoAir XTherm requires a lot of air to fill up completely. Luckily, Therm-a-rest thought about this when designing the pad, and included a pump sack. The pump sack is an ultralight bag that you can attach to the sleeping pad valve and compress the sack so that the air goes into the sleeping pad. After hiking for many miles at elevation, using your breath is dizzying. I’m super glad the pump sack exists to help out.

Winglock Valve:

The pump sack wouldn’t be as effective without the handy-dandy winglock valve! The winglock valve allows you to blow air in, without it it coming back out. So with every compression of the pump sack or breath, it’s staying in the pad. Also, once you close it up, you’ve got double protection.

NeoAir XTherm “Downsides”

Compared to the friends I went backpacking with, it always took me longer to pump up and roll-up my pad. Perhaps I just move more slowly, but I think it’s due to the 2.5-inches of comfort! During the trips, I would let the air out of my sleeping pad as soon as I was up to let the air seep out while I did other things. Then I would also do a pre-roll to get most of the air out, then a final, tight roll for storage. My backpacking pack is on the smaller side, so I do not have extra room for bulkiness.

I also wouldn’t say this sleeping pad is quiet. It’s not massively louder than any others that I’ve been around, but there is noise created when you roll around. My friends – one who I shared a tent with and the other who slept in a tent close-by – both said they didn’t really notice the sound of the sleeping pad. So maybe simply louder for the person on the sleeping pad.

Overall Thoughts: NeoAir XTherm

Therm-a-rest’s NeoAir XTherm’s 6.9 r-value is a game changer. Even though it might be overkill, I cannot wait to use this sleeping pad during all season. Not only is it warm, it’s super comfortable being over 2 inches off the ground, while still being lightweight and compactable. With the added touches of the pump sack and winglock valves, this sleeping pad totally worth investing in. After tying out this sleeping pad, I feel like I’ve unlocked how to be more comfortable and warm while backpacking – win! Add in a good sleeping bag and comfy pillow and I almost feel like I’m at a hotel. In addition to the sleeping pad, I will be reviewing my new sleeping bag and pillow – check those blog posts out below: