High Sierra Topix

maverick wrote:I gave up on my Exped Downmat, constant leaking, had a blow out, just received my new NeoAir XTherm.

The green inflate valve on my Exped Downmat detached so it wouldn't hold air when I inflated the mattress. Exped was quick to replace the mattress after I sent them a picture of the problem and they didn't ask for the old mattress back either, which earned them some points in my book (if anyone thinks they can MacGyver it let me know and I'll send the broken one to you). But it's so heavy that I rarely use it. I also have the Xtherm, which isn't quite as comfortable when sleeping, but is more comfortable in my pack.

Nimblybimbly wrote:I know this is probably offensive and outlandish to many, but does anyone pack a full or queen size inflatable mattress and electric pump?

I use it car camping and I think I'm gonna try packing it on a hike (it will add about 10lbs). I sure will be a little embarrassed to create noise with the electric pump (battery holds charge for 24hrs)

I know this is taboo but curious if anyone does it?

I was in REI today and tried out an Exped mattress that I had heard about but had never seen, the Exped MegaMat 10. Holy cow, was that thing comfortable. It is as close to sleeping on my home mattress as I've felt. But it is *GINORMOUS* when packed! It weighs over 6 pounds and when in it's stuff sack its 31" tall! Just huge. But it comes with it's own pump and is a 4 pound weight savings compared to your mattress, so maybe something to take a look at.

I've used my Klymit Static V Lite Insulated pad for 3 seasons backpacking now without issue. It was under $100 and best of all, only takes 11 breaths to fill completely. No more passing out before pad is inflated (especially at 11K!) It only weighs one pound, maybe less. It's also 3 inches wider, so my elbows have a place to rest now.

I also have a Thermarest pad that is 30" wide and 72" long and 2.5" thick that I use when car camping (or glamping with a tent and cot for the pad), it was from Sportsman's Guide on closeout several years ago. That thing is super comfortable, but too bulky for anything but car camping.

John

rlown wrote: Second Neo Air here ...

What the other Russ said!

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite! The only downside in the review is $130 price. This is not a downside at all! It is easily worth every penny. Do the math and you can figure you pay only a few cents a night for the upgrade in comfort.

JMHO,

-Russ

Vaca Russ wrote:

rlown wrote: Second Neo Air here ...

What the other Russ said!

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite! The only downside in the review is $130 price. This is not a downside at all! It is easily worth every penny. Do the math and you can figure you pay only a few cents a night for the upgrade in comfort.

JMHO,

-Russ

I think you should go try them all in the store - lie on the floor on each. Because the Xlite was not comfortable for me at all.... sold the one I had to someone else who liked it. And off to other brands I went.

The Exped SynMat HL is worth taking a look at. Comparable price and dimensions/weight as the NeoAir (except it doesn't come in a small).

I used to use a small NeoAir (47 x 20 x 2.5"), which I appreciated when it was in my pack. It's only 8 oz. and packs down tiny. But I never got a good nights rest on it. I found it to be loud and crinkly, and didn't like the way the air plunged to one side when I moved. And though I never had issues with its durability, I constantly worried about it.

I switched to a medium-wide SynMat HL (72 x 25.6 x 2.8"), which is indeed heavier (14.6 oz.), but I really appreciate the extra 5" of width and I sleep waaaay better on it. It also doesn't have the crinkly noise that the NeoAir produces, and feels much more durable to me. I like it so much that I sprung for the SynMat HL Duo, which is a two-person pad, for when my wife comes with me. I'm extremely pleased with both.

But yes, find a store (REI, Sports Basement, etc), and try them all out. Find the one that meets your comfort/weight/price needs.

I replaced my Exped Synmat 7 with a Nemo Tensor 25L this season. The Exped welds were starting to go and leading to the "ballon" shape, but mostly I wanted something slightly longer (I'm 6') and wider (I hated having my arms fall off the sides of the mat). So far so good. The inflate valve is not great (Exped is much better) but it is very comfortable and the longer and wider is just the ticket. Oh and it doesn't have the crinkly sound of the Thermarest that drives some hiking companions nuts. Now if it was just 5" thick...

I just received the Big Agnes AXL Air pad. No insulation and rated for warm weather use, they don't even bother to give it an R rating. So why bother, especially since the price point is well beyond $100.00? Well, it is light- 10 ounces, one ounce lighter than my small Z Pad (BA is famous for jacking the price up on items that's lighter than the competition) and it packs into a stuff sack that is smaller than a Nalgene bottle. One valve only for inflation and deflation but no pump or stuff sack option to blow it up. I estimated 15 exhalations and felt mildly dizzy from the hyperventilations.

For the last several seasons I have been packing a down-mat, but became increasingly frustrated with multiple pinhole leaks and waking up in the middle of the night on a deflated pad. So my plan is to combine the AXL with the small Z Pad. The Z pad will be my backup incase the AXL is a total bust and also add protection to the air mat. The Z pad is also handy to have as a sit pad or a quick nap on the trail.

Another nice feature is it deflates quickly and easily then stuffs back into it sack with very little effort, something I could never accomplish easily with the down mat.

The total setup will be couple of ounces heavier the just having the down mat, but if the down mat fails, I will still have thermal and moisture protection from the ground. UL subscribes to using gear that has multiple uses, but I think this is one area where some redundancy is the safer solution.

Anecdotally, I read of many more pinhole failures in Expeds than NeoAirs.
I have both the Neo Xlite and Neo XTherm and they are the most comfortable mats I have owned.
But veering back to the OP and "blow up mattresses", I have really bad memories of un-insulated vinyl beach mattresses from my Boy Scout times, and most of those large car camping blow-up mats don't insulate. Thermal comfort is just as critical as cushioning ability, so I quickly swap out to my XTherm in the shoulder season.

Old school - Thermarest shorty Prolite + and a blue cc pad for under my feet.
Interesting story just recently -
An old friend who had previously lauded his Exped SynMat HL Sleeping Pad as the most comfortable thing ever...even had it out in his living room for a while showing it off. Well, he blew it out on the second day in, just the start of our 15-day No Yosemite adventure - got snowed on too. My lowly blue cc pad saved his "Exped SynMat HL Sleeping Pad " ass.