I have one - it's really comfy. I'll still use my Exped Downmat 7 when it's snowy out for the extra warmth, but otherwise it's the Thermarest Neo for me.

I used my NeoAir (Large) on Adams and Rainier this past July as well as several backpacking trips. It is MUCH warmer than my Z-lite (Long) and way more comfortable thanks to the 2.5" thickness. I would toss and turn all night on the z-lite but on this it's like being on a bed. Comparing it to my Prolite 4 (Large), it is a fraction of the weight, a small fraction of the size, and softer to sleep on.

I haven't experienced any punctures but my friend who also got one has had a slow leak that REI fixed by replacing it since he was unable to locate the leak to patch it. Speaking of patches, I do carry a single small patch kit just in case (right in the same baggie as my Goretex patch).

It is a lot easier to roll up and compress than the Prolite 4 as well and of course, being so small, it leaves the outside of your pack much tidier.

For me, the main drawback is having to inflate it. It does take a lot of air but anybody who has had an manual-inflating mattress will be used to that.

Wow, that last testimony makes me want to get one.

A climbing partner bought a neoair. It popped the first night out. He patched it. It popped promptly on the second trip. He patched it. It popped yet again (huge tear) the third trip. He returned it.

So I read this whole thread and there was not one mention of Big Agnes Sleep System. I think it's very comfortable and it doesn't break the bank... (their bags are a little spendy). I have a Insulated Air Core http://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Pad/InsulatedAirCore With a pad at 2.5" thick and weighing in a shade over 20 oz, it's a good deal at >$90

I also have a Horsethief SL Longhttp://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Bag/HorseThiefSL, and the integrated pad sleeve is a nice feature.

radson wrote:

goldenhopper wrote:Bump...

Still no gear review on this one in the gear section. Anybody buy one of these yet and have an opinion?

I am curious too.

My wife and I have NeoAir mattresses in the regular size. We used them most recently about 2 weeks ago in the Mt Whitney area and like before, they were nothing short of amazing! Here are a couple of my thoughts:

1. They are as light as they say. Mine weighs in at 13.95 oz on my gear scale at home.

2. They're EXTREMELY comfortable. Both of us are side sleepers, so going from a Prolite mattress to the NeoAir has made a huge difference in terms of hip and shoulder support. No more waking up sore because your hips have been touching the ground the whole night.

3. Some people have complained of them being noisy because the fabric is kind of "crinkly," but we've found that it doesn't wake us up when the other rolls over, etc. Once it's nice and full of air, it's not bad at all.

4. The most recent outing was at around 10,500' and it got down in the low 20's overnight. With a 20F down bag and the NeoAir inside our Bibler Eldorado, it was very comfy. I didn't find any need for a foam pad under/over it. For the record, the Thermarest guys say that you can combine it with a Z-Lite *on top* to make it a R3.8 winter combo.

5. Perhaps my FAVORITE thing about this mattress is the fact that the top (yellow-green) fabric is coated with a really sticky rubber-like substance that makes everything stay in place as you sleep and move around. No sliding off your mattress if you're on an incline...This really sealed the deal for me, personally.

6. The only slight downside is that it takes somewhere in the range of 25-40 breaths to inflate. Once inflated, I usually lay on it and release a few breaths to get it to the right feel for me personally. This doesn't bother my wife or me, but I've heard others complain about it.

7. Lastly, it is an ultra-light piece of gear, so you need to be careful of poking it with sticks or rocks. It's more durable than it looks/feels, but a thorn or tent stake will do it in easily.

I hope this helps...I'm thoroughly impressed with the Cascade Designs guys. They hit the mark with this product. Go ahead and give it a try. It's pricey, but sooo worth it. There's not much worse than getting a terrible night's sleep and then having to get up and push for 12+ hours to the summit.

some things i forgot to mention in my post above... I am a side sleeper most of the time which is a big part of why this thick air pad ends up being so much warmer for me than the foam Z-Lite and Prolite4 I used previously. With the thin pads, my side sleeping ends up completely compressing the thinner foam to the point of it being almost useless. Also, I hate the egg-crate of the Z-Lite because it holds snow/water which later soaks through the bag.

The stuff sack that Thermarest sells for this is too big, in my experience. I have an ultralite inflatable pillow as well and it fit inside the neoair stuffsack WITH my size L neoair. The actual rolled size of the NeoAir (Large) is some 2" shorter than the stuffsack they sell for it.

Another thing, I highly recommend the L size Neoair for any normal sized person because the usable width is less than advertised once the pad is inflated. The R size is something like 17 inches wide inflated.