Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft Pad Review

We spent months analyzing dozens of different sleeping pads out in the wild. The Therm-A-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad was among the all-time comfiest pads we've ever tried. Here, we'll explain how this pad performed in each category, where it excelled, and, occasionally, where it failed to impress us.

Comfort

With its impressive 4.6 inches of plush, rectangular goodness, sleeping on the Therm-A-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad is like sleeping on a cloud made of feathers. The brand has specially designed this pad with comfort in mind, even if it means schlepping a few extra ounces into the backcountry to get that oh-so-elusive good night's sleep.

Because it's sealed directly at each edge of its rectangular seams, this pad doesn't taper at the edges, like many mummy-shaped designs. This means that every portion of its 22-inch width and 73-inch length (for a size regular) are actually usable. This stands in stark contrast to many sleeping pads, which claim to have a decent width but actually have a 1 to 2-inch taper at the edges that cannot be slept on. The NeoLoft's design also includes inflatable “side rails,” which make it nearly impossible to fall off onto the cold ground, even if you tend to toss and turn.

Our testers also appreciated the super-soft polyester face and bottom fabric that Therm-A-Rest used when creating this sleeping pad. It feels much more like an at-home mattress than the crinkly, plastic-like nylon that most sleeping pads on the market today use. It's also comfy enough to sleep directly on the pad, for those who tend to sleep hot or prefer to use an ultralight quilt when backpacking. As such, this pad is also among the quietest we tested, so go ahead and toss and turn all night; your tent mate won't get upset and shove you.

Weight

Unfortunately, weight is one of the few areas where the Therm-A-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad did not excel, as it is designed to be a comfort-first pad, not an ultralight phenom. In our kitchen scale test, the regular size of this big boy weighed in at 25 ounces. But hey, sometimes it's worth shouldering some extra weight if it means you can adventure even harder, knowing you'll be well rested.

Those who aren't avid gram counters who are seeking a high level of nighttime comfort on the trail will be happy to find that the NeoLoft (which is a unisex pad) is also available in multiple sizes, including Regular Wide and Large, the latter of which is an impressive 78 inches long. This means that campers as tall as 6 feet 6 inches can stretch out and catch some Zs. The manufacturer's stated weights for the larger-sized NeoLoft pads does not exceed two pounds, making it suitable for both backpacking and car camping, though we can't in good conscience call this an ultralight pad. In essence, it's much lighter than your average car camping mat, but definitely not the most featherlight pad in our lineup.

Warmth

The brand states that the Therm-A-Rest Neoloft has a measured R-value of 4.7, but our testers found it to sleep a bit colder than its listed rating. Many internet reviewers also agree that the pad seems closer to a 3 or 4 R-value, which is still plenty warm for three seasons of adventure. This discrepancy in R-value ratings is likely because of the awesome thickness of the pad, which, though comfortable, means that more air underneath your body has to be heated throughout the night. In uber-cold environments, one's body heat might not keep that layer of air insulation as warm as some thinner pads we tested.

Our lead tester took this plush sleeping pad to the high Himalayan foothills of Bhutan for three days of frigid nights above 12,000 feet and found the pad to be adequate but not ideal in temperatures down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, assuming that a proper cold-weather sleeping bag was paired with it. She also noted that, even though the pad sleeps a bit colder than a 4.7 R-value, it works well in summer and fall alpine adventures, especially when comfort and good sleep are worth the extra weight.

Packed Size

Even though it's a sizable pad with plenty of loft and room to sprawl, the size Regular of the Therm-A-Rest Neoloft packs down to a reasonable 9.5 x 5.7 inches. It also comes well equipped with a cylindrical stuff sack, pump sack, and a handy repair kit.

Our testers were pleasantly surprised that a larger, comfort-focused pad like this packed down to a similar size as many other, thinner pads we tried. Sure, it's a bit thicker when rolled up than our other top picks, but we noticed that it still stuffed down into our pack with ease. One quick thing that we should note, however, is that this pad, like most on our list, is a bit tricky to squish down and roll up into its stuff sack, and it might take two tries to get it just right.

Construction Quality

Our testers are huge fans of the excellent construction quality found in the Therm-A-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad. Unlike most other mats we've tested, which use a crinkly nylon for their face and bottom fabric, the NeoLoft ups the ante by using an ultra-soft and stretchy polyester that's designed to mimic a synthetic base layer. This means that the pad is comfy enough to sleep directly on, and that extra stretch will make it tough to pop when moving around in the night.

The solution-dyed polyester that Therm-A-Rest used for this sleeping pad is a decently thick 50-denier up top and 75-denier on the bottom, making it a decent option for cowboy camping or off-trail bivvying, when you might not be guaranteed a perfect, smooth surface.

Unlike most pads we tried out, which feature stacked lay-flat valves (one for inflating, one for deflating), Therm-A-Rest uses a proprietary set of twist valves that makes it easy to inflate or deflate the NeoLoft; you simply twist to lock the air in place for the night. The only drawback to this is that it can be a bit tricky to get the one-inch pieces of hard valve plastic into the stuff sack when breaking down camp. We also note that the included pump sack can sometimes work a little too well—one of our testers popped her first NeoLoft by over-inflating it when trying to create an ultra-firm mattress feel. This was purely user error, and we recommend inflating the last little bit of air (in any sleeping pad) by blowing directly into the valve, just to be safe.

Should You Buy the Therm-A-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad?

If you're not an ounce-obsessed ultralight backpacker and you truly value a good night's sleep when you're out climbing, fishing, or hiking, the Therm-A-Rest NeoLoft is an amazing upgrade in overall comfort in the backcountry. Though it looks like a bougie car camping pad, this durable pad packs down small enough and light enough to fit into your backpacking rucksack with ease and helps turn a wilderness excursion into a glamping-like experience.

What Other Women's Sleeping Pads Should You Consider?