Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping mat | Tested and reviewed

More than most sleeping mats, the Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft has big pros and big cons – and we’re sure it’ll polarise opinion and spark strong reactions. Will you love or hate it?

The main positive is the unrivalled level of comfort. This mat is so thick (12cm), plush, warm (R-value of 4.7) and cosy it’s almost like a portable, camping version of the traditional airbed you might sleep on when visiting a friend’s house.

It feels as close to a real bed as you can get out in the mountains, and all in all it’s just ludicrously comfortable. The horizontal baffles feel flat and uniform, lacking the lumpy-bumpy, uneven texture of some inflatable mats, and thus deliver a more natural sleeping experience.

For those who want some home comforts out in the wild, it’s a great choice and, possibly, your best bet for a good night of restful sleep.

The negative trade-offs, however, are plentiful. The NeoLoft is very expensive, way heavier than ideal (928g, including storage bag, pump sack and repair kit), the super-wide profile (66cm) might be too big for your tent, and the packed-away size (27x14cm) is chunkier than most. For many, the weight alone will be a deal-breaker.

Comfort

Let’s get straight to it, this is the bee’s knees when it comes to comfort – backpackers never had it so good. Therm-a-Rest goes as far as to say that it’s “the most comfortable backpacking pad ever created”.

The NeoLoft is the closest thing you’re going to get to your mattress at home when sleeping among the fells. Its 4.6-inch (11.7cm) clearance and plush design make it almost as inviting as a car camper’s airbed, but it’s just about light enough for backpackers, too. A win-win? Well…

A series of horizontal baffles comprise the sleeping surface, which suffers from little of the unwanted undulations I’ve had to put up with on pads with pronounced vertical baffles.

Its 3D construction leads to a far more natural, stable and cosy sleep than most. However, these high levels of comfort do come at a price.

As mentioned, it’s just about light enough for backpackers or the odd bit of wild camping, but at 928g (including storage bag, pump sack and repair kit), it’s heavier than most similarly performing pads. So, it’s a case of weight on the trails versus comfort once you’ve pitched your tent.

Bear in mind, of course, that comfort is a subjective matter. While I found the NeoLoft to be the comfiest pad in my recent group test, I sleep on my front and without a camping pillow (weird, huh?).

Side sleepers or those who drift off while on their back may think differently, so it’s important to try a few different styles before committing to a purchase.

Nevertheless, Therm-a-Rest asserts that the design of the NeoLoft is particularly beneficial for side sleepers but, as a non-side sleeper myself, I can neither confirm nor deny this claim.

Therm-a-Rest’s much-heralded sleeping pad range is full of great alternatives for gram-conscious campers. Its NeoAir XLite pads are ideal for fast and light backpacking missions, while the NeoAir XTherm boasts a staggering R-Value of 7.3, providing sky-high warmth-to-weight for winter wild campers.

These premium pads are on the more expensive end of the spectrum, which is where the Trail Pro, ProLite and Trail Scout pads come in, offering decent performance without emptying your wallet.

So, there are plenty of other options out there for all kinds of backpackers. Car campers after home comforts should look no further than Therm-a-Rest’s MondoKing 3D, a luxurious, airbed style pad that’s too heavy for backpacking use.

Materials, shape and size

The NeoLoft’s surface is woven from a stretch-knit polyester, a fabric that’s softer against the skin than the nylon seen in many competitor pads. The weave regains its shape after stretching, so there’s a little elasticity in there, helping the pad conform to your body and maximising comfort.

One design feature that strikes you immediately is the emphatic, rectangular shape. This adds to the impression that the NeoLoft is more like a camping mattress than a traditional, mummy-shaped sleeping pad, and you certainly get a more spacious sleeping area than any other mats I've tested recently.

I tested the regular wide pad, which measured 185x66cm, making it about average in terms of length but much wider than most. The large version stretches to 198x66cm – perfect for taller individuals.

Inflation and deflation

The inflation and deflation system is slightly different to many of the other pads on test. It features two valves, one for inflation and the other for quick deflation.

However, the real genius at play here is the humongous, 54-litre, seam-sealed pump sack, which fills up naturally – meaning very little effort is required to inflate the pad. This also enables absolutely no risk of moisture from breath getting into the pad, which can lead to issues with mould in the long run.

All I had to do was simply attach the sack to the inflation valve and push the air from the sack to the pad. It took around five sack-fulls to fully inflate and I had a workable pad in minutes. Terrific.

However there are two little flaws with the Therm-a-Rest inflation-deflation system. There is no micro-adjustment on the ‘in’ valve, as seen on many other mats, and the way the pump sack connects to the ‘in’ valve feels more fiddly and faffy than some designs from other brands. I found it a little tricky sometimes to get the two to sync together properly.

Warmth and R-value

The NeoLoft achives an R-value of 4.7, which is edging towards suitability for winter, though it doesn’t quite make the grade. Nevertheless, it will more than suffice for 3-season use, providing effective insulation from the cold ground beneath your tent.

Its warmth-to-weight ratio is a casualty of the amount of focus Therm-a-Rest has applied to the pad’s overall comfort. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still pretty decent, though fast and light backpackers will want to look elsewhere.

The NeoLoft features the same Contourcore matrix as seen in Therm-a-Rest’s beloved NeoAir pads. This structure comprises two rows of stretchy triangular chambers, providing support and warmth, while vertical sidewalls eliminate tapering edges.

The matrix insulates by minimising heat lost through convection, while the reflective ThermaCapture coating reflects body heat back towards the sleeper.

Weight and packed size

Considering this is a large pad that, for all intents and purposes, has the look of an airbed, it packs down to a surprisingly small size.

I measured the packed size as 27x14cm, which is similar-ish to many of its backpacking competitors, certainly wee enough for a hiker's backpacking rucksack or a bikepacker’s panniers. Although it's still slightly chunkier than most.

Nonetheless, weighing 928g, the NeoLoft weighs double much of the competition, meaning it’s not one for multi-day romps through Britain’s wild uplands. However, the comfort it provides certainly makes it a good shout for single night camping adventures and it’s more than suitable for car camping trips.

Part of the weight penalty is the pump sack, coming in at 61g, while the storage bag is 22g and the repair kit is 20g, meaning there’s 103g here on top of the pad (825g) itself.

Features

The pad benefits from side rail baffles that run along each side, subtly raising the surface. This cradles the sleeper, moving them towards the centre of the pad and stopping them from rolling off in the night. Always a bonus.

There’s a tick in the sustainability stakes in terms of the pack’s solution-dyed bottom fabric, which uses less water than the usual dying methods. You can also expect the vivid, bright red-orange of the pad to last longer thanks to this dying technique.

Verdict

The Therm-a-Rest Neo Loft sleeping mattress is a super-thick, ultra-plush sleeping mat with unrivalled levels of comfort – but it’s heavy, bulky and takes up a lot of room in your tent.

Complete your camp setup with one of the best sleeping bags or best one-person tents.

About the author

James Forrest writes regular features and route guides for Trail and LFTO, and has been one of our main gear testers for the last few years. James is based on the edge of the Lake District so when he isn’t off on his latest crazy adventure or challenge, he’s walking in his local fells.