After a hard night on the ground on my old Ridgerest, I decided that I need a softer mattress. I have pretty much decided on the Neoair Trekker based on its durability over its brothers and sisters. The only downside is in colder weather which is not a huge problem here in VA. If it does get colder, has anyone tied using a space blanket or similar under one of these type mattresses? I know my Ridgerest would compensate but with all cc foam pads they are bulky?

Edited by tmdraney on 09/13/2012 10:31:09 MDT.

It wouldn't hurt to use a space mylar sheet under your NeoAir.

And the popular method to add warmth for NeoAir winter use is to put a thin CCF pad on top, such as the Lawson 1/8" pad or the Gossamer Gear Thinlight pad of 1/8" or 3/16" or even 1/4" on top.

The foam pad seems to work better on top of the NeoAir, by general consensus around here. I think a lot of users here are using this kind of arrangement for colder weather with their NeoAirs.

A space blanket underneath won't make a Neoair any warmer. It would help a bit if you had a Big Agnes Clearview pad, or an unfilled Kookabay, but not a Neoair. Like Blizzard Bags, the Neoair pads get their insulative value from layers of radiant barrier film. There will be no radiant heat coming out of the bottom of a Neoair for a space blanket to reflect. CCF pads work well in combination with Neoairs because they slow heat loss via conduction.

I still find it really odd that folk report having better results with a CCF on top of the Neo Air rather than under.
The reason is that the Neo Air works by trapping and reflecting body heat ; that I would imagine is a lot less if there is a barrier in between and also considering the greater conductive loss from the Neo Air in contact with the ground.
Maybe it is all in the mind.
Franco
Yes, I forgot that the Trekker does not have the reflective coating...

Edited by Franco on 09/14/2012 18:10:00 MDT.

I find for snow camping that a full length Large original NeoAir works great on top of a CCF pad which in my case is usually my GG 3/4 length NightLight.

Edited by btolley on 09/13/2012 20:55:58 MDT.

"I still find it really odd that folk report having better results with a CCF on top of the Neo Air rather than under."

It works that way because air mattresses don't just get cold from conduction from the ground but also from the surrounding air. If you insulate your mattress from the ground, you're still not doing anything to insulate it from the cold air around it. I sleep on an air mattress at home (Sleep Number Bed) and it works exactly the same way- despite it not being in contact with the floor, it still gets cold if the air in the room is cold. A CCF on TOP of the air mattress prevents contact from your body to the cold air mattress and therefore you don't lose heat through conduction.

The trekker does not have any of the internal mylar-ish convective material which is why I was wondering if the mylar would have similar effects. The heat I produce would be reflected back and the cool ground would be reflected back into the pad. It still leaves the surrounding air though.

Merritt, thanks for the clarification. You're right, I didn't realize that the Trekker lacks the radiant barrier. It has the layers of film, like the other Neoair pads, but the film isn't aluminized.

I see your reasoning now. Yes, some IR from your body probably gets through the Trekker to the ground, so substituting a space blanket for some other film-type groundsheet might help a little.

I'm gonna say it would be better than not having it.
I don't know exactly how much, but it would do something.
You'd have to try it.