High Sierra Topix

ok.. so I did buy the NeoAir L and it was great. for 10 days in the backcountry, before it started it's leak.. I didn't look for the leak, but it's been on either a tarp or in a tent the whole 10 days.

I love the thing when it works. And it's current leak puts my hips on the ground at about 3am.

bought it at REI.. guess what's getting replaced before my next trip in early Sept.

Thanks for the 411 Russ.
This seems to be an issue that I read about, but as usual it is hard to know whether
a lot of people are experiencing this, or just a few, and then people pass it on, and it
becomes a bigger issue than it really is.

don't get me wrong. I'm going to replace it via REI. It's really nice if you protect it.. not sure why it leaked.

I hear the Exped leaks as well (Mike). In our last "backcountry meeting" 3 mattresses leaked/failed.

TehipiteTom's "mattress" held up because it's closed foam. not that i could sleep on that again, but to each their own.

I have used a closed Washington Pad that I cut down to the contours of my body
to shave off even more weight, but on some trips some thing a little more cushy would
be nice, but not if I have to worry about leakage, especially at that price.

After finding a leak I returned my NeoAir and bought two Prolites (sz small) for me and the wife. About 2oz heavier. But considerably cheaper, and no leaks...yet.

Eric, a leak from a seam/weaker/lighter materials, or a puncture/abrasion or what?

rayfound wrote:Eric, a leak from a seam/weaker/lighter materials, or a puncture/abrasion or what?

I never was able to precisely locate the leak, although I suspect it was a side seam. To my chagrin the leak revealed itself on the first night of a four night trip (@ ~2am), so as you might expect, I was NOT a happy camper by the final day of the trip. In fact, before even driving home, I stopped at the local REI and returned the NeoAir. I think reading all the reports of leaks, experiencing one personally, and the fact that it was such a pricey pad to begin with, made it easier for me to decide on the spot that it just wasn't the pad for me.

" I think reading all the reports of leaks, experiencing one personally, and the fact that it was such a pricey pad to begin with, made it easier for me to decide on the spot that it just wasn't the pad for me."
Eric, if memory serves , I came to the same exact conclusion here last year...Light but too flimsy.
I wrote, "Seemed very thin/ fragile - thought dangerously so. (easily pop-able?) field fix questionable....especially if punctured down in the tube area."

Just because it got all the big hype, that does not make it dependable, (or trustworthy). Everyone I know who bought one and has used it hard for over two weeks, eventually says the same thing.

Maybe the next generation will fix the flaws. Until then my Prolite 4 (@ only 2 oz more) works just fine.

Mark

Thanks guys, if nothing else you've calmed my lust for a sub 1-lb sleeping pad for now. I'll stick with my old Heavy(34 oz!) full length pad for now... it just got its first repair this week.

markskor wrote:Eric, if memory serves , I came to the same exact conclusion here last year...Light but too flimsy.
I wrote, "Seemed very thin/ fragile - thought dangerously so. (easily pop-able?) field fix questionable....especially if punctured down in the tube area."

Just because it got all the big hype, that does not make it dependable, (or trustworthy). Everyone I know who bought one and has used it hard for over two weeks, eventually says the same thing.

Yeah, well, I guess I just don't listen very well.

markskor wrote:Maybe the next generation will fix the flaws. Until then my Prolite 4 (@ only 2 oz more) works just fine.

Which is the same decision I made (see earlier post in this thread).