I was actually comparing the r1 of the klymit with the r2.5 of the neoair

I have noticed several comments that address concerns about Klymit's sleeping pads not being for side sleepers. I recently did a 30 day run on the Appalachian Trail and I utilized Klymit's Inertia X Frame. I will admit I was a bit skeptical at first about side sleeping, but after the first night all my worries were quelled. I was covering 40+ miles a day and sleeping twice a day for about 6 hours at a time. Sleep (comfortable sleep) was essential for me and the Inertia X Frame provided just that. There was a bit of a learning curve on how to position my body, but once learned Klymit proved to be the most comfortable sleeping pad I have ever used.

Edited by NatureBoyhiking on 07/28/2011 11:41:59 MDT.

...An interesting first post.

Edited by WoodenWizard on 08/04/2011 12:29:15 MDT.

Thank you to all who weighed in on this topic. Also thanks to all those who reviewed and talked about these pads elsewhere on the site and web.

I decided to go with the Neo and picked one up last weekend and headed out to the Missions. The comfort was a big step up from the foam pads I have been using for several years. However there are some shortcomings. The noise was going to be an issue when my wife and I headed out. Also the valve system seemed a little below what I had hoped for. Certainly a pad I could live with but not "The One".

Upon my return to town I returned the Neo and picked up the Exped Syn UL 7. This pad will work for me. The noise is gone and the valve system is much improved. It really surprised me at how much easier it is to inflate this one. I feel good about this pad.

Happy hiking!

Unfortunately, I feel like sleeping pads are always a compromise. I don't think I'll ever sleep as good as I do at home and still keep the weight to a reasonable level, so I just need to decide what is an adequate level of comfort.

I suspected that perhaps inflatable pads as inherently only moderately comfortably, but then I slept for 14 days on a 9" think queen size inflatable mattress (car camping) and it was quite good. Despite just being a large bag of air with baffles, it vastly exceeded the comfort of my NeoAir. It wasn't as good as my Serta Perfect Sleeper than I have at home, but it was something I could sleep on every night and count on sleeping fairly well.

With the NeoAir, I tend to sleep in a cycle. I'll have one or two mediocre/kinda crappy sleeps in a row and then I'll be tired enough that the third night I will sleep great....and then repeat. With CCF mattress, I usually have crappy sleep after crappy sleep. Based on my experiences with the queen sized, 9" thick inflatable, I'm not confident there is a replacement for thickness and width. Thicker will always be better (up to 9" or so) and wider is going to always be better (to a point) because you can sprawl into whatever position you like.

The only 'camping' mattresses that I find truly comfortable are the open cell foam mattresses. Unlike an inflatable, the mattresses truely adapts to your shape, With an inflatable, the mattress tends to bulge up in areas with less weight on the mattress, so I often get a sore lower back from the mattress bulging up. Unfortunately, the weight and logistics (bulk and water susceptibility) of an open cell mattress makes it unfeasible. I'd love to see someone come up with an open cell mattress that uses lighter foam. I've never seen anyone trying to innovate in this area.

To wrap this up, I find a wider mattress (ie. 24") does make a real difference over a narrow one (18-20") and this is something I'd consider in the future. I'm not sure which is more valuable, wider or thicker, but I suspect a bit more of both would be nice. Something like a 24" x 60" pad that is about 3" thick would likely be a noticeable improvement in comfort over my NeoAir. I could probably get Kookabay to make one that wouldn't weigh any more than my 9oz NeoAir Small, so that might be an option for summer use.

I keep hoping that Cascade Designs will pickup the fact that there are a lot of folks that would purchase a Neo large in a short length

my ONLY gripe (besides the price) w/ the Neo is that I wish it was a little wider- 24" would be ideal

I know they can be cut and resealed, but @ $100+, I just don't find comfort in trying that myself :)

large is 77" x 25" - 1 lb 3 oz

No. The Sunmat UL7 is.

Seriously though, the issue with the NeoAir is not that it is 20" wide. It is that when pressure is put on the pad (i.e. you lay down on it), the end baffles collapse sufficiently to create noticeably less than a 20" wide pad. The Exped has no such issues - this is because of the vertical baffles.

My POC Peak Elite AC pad (2.5 x 72) has replaced my NeoAir Regular pad. I have found it more comfortable and warmer, it does not lose air in the middle of the night, makes no noise when you move about on it, and weighs just 10.8 oz. If that wasn't enough, it comes with a storage sack and patch kit and cost me just $56 shipped. The only caveat is the narrow, mummy style shape, unlike the rectangular shape of the NeoAir (although the next wave of neo's will be mummy shaped and absurdly expensive as always!). At first I thought this might be an issue for me, but due to the smart design of the POC Elite pad, which uses larger diameter tubes on the outside and raised edges at the ankle/foot area, I have never felt anything but comfortable. In fact, I have found the large diameter outer tubes to be incredibly comfortable for back sleeping, as they keep me firmly planted in the center of the pad and lift my shoulders just slight enough that my elbows are easily kept suspended off the ground. I have found side-sleeping acceptably comfortable as well.

I know NeoAir pads are made in USA and that ThermaRest has amazing customer service, but a $100 higher price with reduced performance makes it hard to justify over the Peak Elite AC. Worth checking out.

Edited by lime950 on 08/04/2011 12:25:52 MDT.

25x 45-50 would be just right, would put it right close to 11 oz

The best pad I've found that I like is the Exped Symnat UL. I used a neoair for a little while, but I found it too narrow. I then decided to try out the POE Peak Elite. It was a nice pad and I liked the vertical baffles, but I had problems waking up to a deflated pad multiple times. So, before getting another peak replacement, I decided to try out the exped. I really like it. The valve system is great, the material has a soft feel to it, and I sleep well on it. Finding the best pad for you is definitely a process. The best sleep I have is in my hammock, but its the exped synmat for me when I'm on the ground.

Edited by catalyst81 on 08/04/2011 12:46:14 MDT.

I'll add my vote for this mat as it suits me to a tee as a side sleeper who is not thin.

There is an added bonus of an Exped water proof compression bag (22 liter) that can be used to inflate the mat with little 1 oz. attachment. So now my quilt, pad and tarp can fit compressed and water safe in the same space as my old bag at just about the same weight and I won't get dizzy inflating it.

Bob

Edited by Baughb on 08/04/2011 12:58:07 MDT.

Too bad they don't make the Synmat in a short version. From what I've seen, Exped does use really nice fabrics.