4 season reliable light weight sleeping mat

[Wingnut]

I've got a Therm A Rest RidgeRest Sleep Pad...doesn't go flat, relatively light, durable and I find it warm enough to sleep on...

[north-north-west]

Thanks SoB, I was about to get into that but you've saved me the trouble.

Have recently had my first taste of snow camping on the All Season and it's great. Warm and comfy. Now I just need some time off and a car so I can do some more.

[andrewa]

Recently did the quick debate/search (in Melbourne ) for the neo-air x-therm, and exped down mats for snow camping.

Found a neo air , but not the x therm version in Paddies. Next found an exped in Wilderness Equipment. The material on the exped seems lots thicker than that on the neo air , and doesn't crinkle. I agree with Stridor's observation ( not proven) about relative apparent longevity. The neo-air is like a long wine bladder. The exped is a like a good quality floatation bag. On the other sde of the coin, we all know how long wine bladders last!

The 163cm Exped was $180. The neo air NON -x therm was $230. Presuming x therm version dearer. Bought exped. Bulkier than I'd have liked and as heavy as an old 3/4 length thermarest, but miles more padding and insuation than what it's replacing. So even if it's the same weight, I suppose I've achieved something. Would have liked to see the x therm though......

A

[tigercat]

If you mean a winter mat, that you may use on snow or similarly cold conditions, then consider the consequences of a mat failure.

For this reason I use two mats in winter.

Good point Phil, I currently use a trimmed foam roll, [a quoll chewed it,] in combination with a 3/4 length 10 yr old thermarest.
Cheers C

[Son of a Beach]

$150 this is the cheapest ive seen the regular xtherm anywhere: http://www.e-omc.com/catalog/products/9454/Thermarest-NeoAir-Xtherm-Sleeping-Pad.html
use code SUMMER20 to get 20% off everything else full price.

Doesnt ship outside US I hear you say?, no problem! try bongo: https://bongous.com/

Thanks for the pointer! I've just ordered TWO XTherm mats from http://e-omc.com for $271 (plus https://bongous.com forwarding cost, which I signed up to also, on your recommendation). Nice price! I've been wanting to replace my mat for a long time, and have been waiting to get my hands on an XTherm at a good price. At this price I figured I should buy one for my wife too.

[Son of a Beach]

I've just ordered TWO XTherm mats from http://e-omc.com for $271 (plus https://bongous.com forwarding cost, which I signed up to also, on your recommendation). Nice price! I've been wanting to replace my mat for a long time, and have been waiting to get my hands on an XTherm at a good price. At this price I figured I should buy one for my wife too.

grrr...

Thank you for placing your order with us.
Unfortunately, due to demand we are completely out of the Thermarest NeoAir Xtherm Sleeping Pad: Regular

Should you want to update or discuss your order, just respond to this email or call us toll-free at 1-800-538-3604.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.

...

Your order has been updated to the following status.

New status: On Hold

I guess a lot of other people have been holding off on buying a new mat waiting for the XTherm to be released.

[ninjapuppet]

just received a couple of xtherms, xlites and a donwmat UL for the wife which has been waiting at shipito for several months.

Immediately inflated up the xtherm, and this thing is like, WOW!
Ive owned most other neoairs (the original, trekker and all seasons). Havent opened up the xlite yet but this xtherm is just amazing. After just lying on it for 15 seconds, i can feel my back actually get warm! Ive read about your heat getting reflected back but this xtherm makes it much more pronounced than any other previous neoair!

I'm just under 170cm, and wasn't sure whether to get the medium or regular 180cm. Take it from me, if you're 168cm you're better off sizing up. The taper is just too tapered for snow camping in my opinion. As for the downmat UL, They have certainly done an amazing job at halving the weight from my downmat 7 DLX which is 1137g. Kudos to exped there, but based on packability and weight alone, the xtherm gets my vote. Very keen to take both to the snow this weekend.

[sambar358]

Thumbs-up from me on the Exped Downmat 7.....as comfy and warm as my own bed. I bought this as a winter backpack mat when my long-serving Thermarest split down the side but I find now that I use it with my vehicle-based camps as well. I bought the optional Exped cover for it which give it some extra puncture protection and the top is nice and non-skid too....this is probably the best bit of BP kit that I've bought for a long time. I don't see the weight as an issue and there wasn't much difference between the new Exped mat and my old long Thermarest anyway.....an extra 200g is not much of a price to pay for a comfy and warm night's sleep when it's -12C outside I reckon. Cheers

sambar358

[paddlpop]

Used a warm lite XL in the snow last w/end. Super light,super compact and kept me warm at -5 or so. That said I also use a 3mm CCF sheet over the floor. Quite happy sitting on this in thermal pants..

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Ive owned most other neoairs (the original, trekker and all seasons). Havent opened up the xlite yet but this xtherm is just amazing.

Sorry, but I can just picture ninjapuppet sitting in a circle at the local community hall with other gear freaks...

"Hi. I'm Ninjapuppet, and I have an addiction."

All together... "Hi, Ninjapuppet!"

[Moondog55]

Well if reliability is the main issue then any inflatable is probably not the answer. I have had problems with my Thermarests over the years, which has deterred me from buying a new DAM, but for really reliable mats in cold conditions I like my Ridgerests. For last weeks Falls Creek camp I used a combination of a 3/4 Ridgerest and long CCF mat and was warm enough, for the base camp I used a triple combination of extra large Ridgerest, plus 55mm Thermarest clone from MD on top of a cheap K-Mart blue mat ( to protect the good mats ) and that was heaven.

[forest]

My Exped UL Downmat XS turned up yesterday. Very happy with it.

I looked at the xtherm but I like my torso pads (call me weird, I know) and from reports online the new shaped neoairs are too tapered in the short size and not many seem a fan of them.

The XS UL downmat weigh's in at 402g and is 120cm long, the length wise baffles are a great thing on the exped mats and definately make them feel wide. Compared to my short neoair (rectangle shape old model) the exped feels 2" wider. Doesn't sound like much but it feels heaps different.

The pump sack (68g) is a great bit of gear too and inflation only takes 2 and abit sacks for the XS size. Sure beats huffing and puffing like normal and it can double as the drybag in my pack now too.

No sleep time yet but might have a chance this weekend. I might try it on a cold cement floor just to see how good a down mat is (Not sure if that's a great test ??)
I picked this one up new from ebay.uk. Cost about $160 AUD posted and the best bit was I only clicked buy last Friday and it was on my door yesterday (Wednesday) That's pretty fast postage from the UK !! I've had things take twice as long purchased online from a Sydney store.... and I only live 2 hours up the road.

Sorry, but I can just picture ninjapuppet sitting in a circle at the local community hall with other gear freaks...

I fear I would be next to him just nodding with a sombre face staring at the floor.........

[Strider]

The pump sack (68g) is a great bit of gear too and inflation only takes 2 and abit sacks for the XS size.

Thats odd. My M (183cm) only takes one full sack. Are you blowing into it first to open it up, or just opening up partially and rolling down rapidly?

[forest]

forest wrote:
The pump sack (68g) is a great bit of gear too and inflation only takes 2 and abit sacks for the XS size.
Thats odd. My M (183cm) only takes one full sack. Are you blowing into it first to open it up, or just opening up partially and rolling down rapidly?

No I'm not blowing into the sack to fill it up. Figured that might migrate moisture into the down and that's the whole idea of the down and the pumpsack, to avoid moisture. I know it would only be a little moisture from a breath but it's still there.
I could probably do it with a completly full sack. I just didn't work too hard on filling the pump sack full of air and didn't expel every last drop of air when pushing down. Sort of just grabed some air static, rolled and pushed down.

[Strider]

The videos on the Exped website show them blowing into it, so I figured its ok

[forest]

The videos on the Exped website show them blowing into it, so I figured its ok

Watched that myself. Someone asked a few questions/concerns in the comments on youtube about blowing into the bag and I figured I would avoid the blowing thing. I don't think it's an issue really, I'm just cautious.