Thermarest NeoAir First Impressions
I received my new NeoAir in the mail today. My first impressions are outstanding. Read on for the gory details…
I was surprised at how small the package was the came in the mail. Upon opening, the NeoAir comes nicely packed in minimal packaging and is about the size of a water bottle.
Here’s a shot next to my iphone showing the scale.
After unpacking the mattress comes tightly rolled from the factory. I took a photo, as I thought I would never see my NeoAir look like this again 
However, it is surprisingly easy to re-roll into this tight package even after being inflated. I unrolled the bundle and blew up the pad.
When inflated it takes on a slightly wavy shape to it.
I ordered the short model – which is quite generous in length. I’ve been accustomed to my Gossamer Gear Torso pad for some time now, and this new length feels down right luxurious. I can’t imagine why anyone would want the regular length unless they are snow-camping.
The thickness of this mattress is what blew me away – it is a whopping 2.5” thick. Here’s a few side shots:
The weight test? The specs say 9 oz for the small and 14 oz for the regular. My scale showed it at 8.9 oz after being deflated.
The comfort test? On my hardwood floors at home – down right staggering. I think it’s more comfortable than my bed. The thickness feels like a crazy luxury and I can’t wait to field-test it.
My current sleep solution is the Gossamer Gear Torso Pad, which while functional and very light at 4.7 oz (including the extra insulation pad) isn’t exactly a comfortable nights sleep – but I’ve gotten used to it. The ultra plush comfort is certainly going to give me a good reason to re-think my sleep solution and consider a 5 oz gain for a better nights sleep. Although the weight penalty might be higher, as my Torso Pad currently doubles as a my packs back-pad eliminating weight from my GoLite Jam.
11 Responses to “Thermarest NeoAir First Impressions”
April 14th, 2009 at 7:02 am
[...] said I’m not the first one to blog about it. Robin wrote about them as did Brett and Germo (in German) and I’m sure others will follow. But I couldn’t resist filming my [...]
April 16th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Brett,
After I’ve taken the NeoAir on a few trips I will write a detailed review on my blog. Wondering if you are OK with me referencing your review?
http://www.backpackbasecamp.com/basecamp/blogengine.net/
Robin
April 16th, 2009 at 10:47 am
robin – of course – link away. that’s what this internet thing is all about
May 4th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
[...] Brett has a review here. [...]
May 7th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I just ordered mine yesterday. Can’t wait to try it out! Glad to hear good reviews of what appears to be a slightly revolutionary mattress design
June 14th, 2009 at 4:26 am
Is the neo air any good, I won’t one but I hear mixed reviews, live in U.K
June 14th, 2009 at 11:42 am
David – I haven’t used mine enough yet – the jury is still out for me. My friend Nigel recently completed the TGO – 10 days across Scotland and he and his wife both used Neo Airs. I’ll ask him to post his thoughts on his blog at http://dooger.org.
June 14th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
[...] Lynn and I recently returned from our TGO challenge in Scotland. One of the best pieces of kit we took was the new Thermarest Neoair mattress. If you’re not familiar with it, Brett has a great “first impressions” review. [...]
June 14th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I’ve posted a mini-review at http://dooger.org/?p=313.
June 14th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Seems an interesting piece of gear. A number of reviews mention that it is noisy, however. What’s your experience?
June 15th, 2009 at 11:57 am
noise? what noise? i sleep with earplugs in and pop a couple of tylenol PM before i tuck in for the night. i wouldn’t even hear a bear rustling around my tent.
but yes it’s very noisy fabric, so i could see that could be a problem for some people. just not for me