Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft First Impressions Review

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Summary

"Kane Does Outdoors" shares his first night experience with Therm-a-Rest's new NeoLoft sleeping pad, a hybrid between their Neo Air series and car camping mattresses. The mat is praised for its exceptional thickness and comfort, especially for side sleepers, and features separate valves for inflation and deflation. Though it packs smaller than most car camping options and offers warmth in moderately cool conditions, Kane suggests it's not suitable for extremely cold temperatures compared to dedicated backpacking mats like the Xlite or Xterm due to its large air volume and lack of insulating material.

Highlights

Kane found NeoLoft extremely comfortable, especially for side sleepers. 💤
The mattress has separate valves for easy inflation and deflation. 💨
Packs down smaller compared to other car camping mattresses, though not as compact as backpacking options. 📦
Not ideal for temperatures below minus 10 due to its air volume and lack of insulation. 🥶

Key Takeaways

The NeoLoft is a hybrid sleeping pad merging features of Neo Air series and car camping mattresses. 🎒
Its standout feature is the ultra-plush, thick, stretchy top fabric which enhances comfort. 🛌
Weighs around 2 lbs and includes an inflation stuff sack, making it somewhat lightweight yet plush. ⚖️
Best suited for car camping or base camping when comfort is prioritized over extreme cold weather performance. 🚗
Though not as warm as Xlite or Xterm in extreme cold, it remains warm enough for moderately chilly conditions. ❄️

Overview

Kane from "Kane Does Outdoors" gave the Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft a test run, and it didn't disappoint. This innovative sleeping pad blends the renowned features of the Neo Air series with the plushness of car camping mattresses, providing a luxurious resting experience. It's designed to cater to those who sleep on their sides, boasting a thick, stretchy fabric surface that feels delightful against the skin. Though slightly heftier, it packs an impressive comfort punch for car camping or compact base camping adventures.

Unique to the NeoLoft are its two valves—one for inflation and another for deflation—making setup and pack-up a breeze. The 2 lb weight (with an inflation stuff sack) may tilt the scale more than some ultralights, but it compensates with its softness. Kane praises its ability to merge substantial comfort with decent packability—compressing tighter than many car camping alternatives but not quite as much as minimalist backpacking pads.

While Kane appreciates the NeoLoft's comfort and packability, he warns against expecting too much warmth in frigid temperatures. Unlike the Xlite or Xterm which are geared for deep cold with better insulation, the NeoLoft's expansive air interior might leave campers a bit chilly below minus 10°C. Thus, Kane suggests reserving it for adventures where coziness outweighs the cold factor—short nighttime escapades or extended base camps with mild weather.

Chapters

00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Overview The chapter provides an introduction and overview of Therm-a-Rest's new sleeping pad, the Neoloft. The speaker shares their experiences after spending a night on it, comparing it to previous models like the Neo Air series and the Mondo King mattress. The Neoloft aims to combine the best aspects of both portable and car camping mattresses. The speaker discusses its features, including its thickness and comfortable top fabric, to evaluate its effectiveness in achieving this balance.
00:30 - 01:00: Features and Specifications The chapter discusses the features and specifications of a specific camping mattress. It has two dedicated valves, one for inflation and one for deflation. The weight of the mattress, including the inflation stuff sack, is approximately 2 pounds or 900 grams. The narrator compares this mattress to other models like the Xlite for three-season backpacking, the Xerm for winter camping, and the Mondo King for car camping, noting that this mattress aims to fit into a similar niche.
01:00 - 01:30: Comfort and Comparison This chapter discusses the comfort level of a particular mattress, comparing it to other known brands such as the Mondo King, X Therms, and X Lights. The reviewer finds the mattress very comfortable, especially for side sleepers, noting its plushness without the crinkly sound and its ability to pack down small. It's described as more comfortable than X Therms and X Lights though not comparable to the Mondo King.
01:30 - 02:00: Usage Scenarios and Recommendations The chapter discusses various usage scenarios and recommendations for different types of camping mattresses, specifically comparing the Neoloft, Xlite, and XTRM models. It emphasizes that while the Neoloft is compact and suitable for base camping and car camping where comfort and limited space are priorities, it cannot replace the Xlite and XTRM in situations where weight and performance are critical. The recommendation is to choose Neoloft for comfort and space efficiency, especially on short trips, while the Xlite and XTRM are ideal for warmth and performance-focused trips.
02:00 - 02:30: Temperature Performance The chapter titled 'Temperature Performance' discusses the experience of using different mattresses, notably the Xerm and the Xlite, in extremely cold conditions. The Xerm can handle temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius, while the Xlite can manage temperatures slightly below -10 degrees Celsius. The author shares a personal experience of using a mattress when the temperature dropped to -6 degrees Celsius. They suggest that they wouldn't recommend taking the mattress below -10 degrees Celsius. The discussion highlights that the mattress's large volume of air and significant contact with the ground can cool it down quickly, impacting how warm the user remains overnight.
02:30 - 03:00: Conclusion and Final Thoughts This chapter discusses the thermal properties and portability of the Neoloft, a type of camping mattress. It highlights its enhanced warmth in cool temperatures compared to other models like the Xlite and XRM, thanks to its materials such as down or foam. Despite not packing as small or being as lightweight as specialized backpacking mattresses, the Neoloft offers a good balance being much lighter and more compact than typical car camping mattresses, making it suitable for backcountry comfort.

Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft First Impressions Review Transcription

00:00 - 00:30 i just spent my first night on Thermarrest's newest pad the Neoloft and I have some thoughts on it It's basically a hybrid of their Neo Air series and their car camping mattresses I have both including X Lights X Therms and also their Mondo King mattress The Neoloft is trying to hit a sweet spot in between both And the question is does it work In terms of features it's extremely thick It's got a sort of stretchy comfortable top fabric to it and it has
00:30 - 01:00 two valves one dedicated to inflate and one dedicated to deflate In terms of weight this one comes in right around 2 lb with the inflation stuff sack and a little bit less if you remove that So that's around 900 g What are my overall thoughts and where does this mattress fit in for someone's camping system Well I normally use the Xlite for threeseason backpacking the Xerm for winter camping and the Mondo King for car camping And like I said this one's trying to fit
01:00 - 01:30 kind of a sweet spot in between all of that After one night on this mattress I can definitely say that it is very very comfortable It's not like the Mondo King which you really can't compare it to but it's way more comfortable than the X Therms and X Lights You really feel that extra thickness It's very plush and it doesn't have any crinkly sound at all If you're someone who sleeps on their side quite a bit like I do this works very well And it does pack down very small Not in the same category as the Xlite
01:30 - 02:00 Maybe a bit closer to the X Therm but it is a very compact package once you roll it down It's not going to replace my Xlite and XRM where weight and performance really matter On trips like this where it's a quick overnight and I want to have a great night's sleep and be very comfortable I think the Neoloft is a great option car camping if you have limited space for all of your gear or if you're going somewhere and you're going to be base camping and spending a lot of nights in the same place The Xlite and XTRM are very warm mattresses
02:00 - 02:30 I've taken the Xerm down to almost -40 and I've also taken the Xlite down to well below -10 C From my experience last night which went down to minus 6 I don't think I'd want to take this mattress much colder than minus 10 There's a lot of air in this mattress and there's a lot of ground contact to cool it down The volume of air inside is going to have an impact on how warm you stay overnight This mattress is huge and there's no other material in there like
02:30 - 03:00 down or foam to help keep you warm So it is a little bit cooler than the Xlite and XRM Even though they're based on the same properties they definitely work a little bit better at low temperatures Obviously it doesn't pack down as small and it's not as light as some of the dedicated backpacking products but it packs down much smaller and is way lighter than all of the car camping mattresses that are on the market The Neoloft is really built for backcountry comfort and for that it's almost
03:00 - 03:30 cheating