Therm-a-Rest - NeoAir XLite NXT MAX Sleeping Pad
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Based on 1 year's data from Jan 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
415
109
"The roborock I have kicked and smashed with my foot so many times out of anger when it doesn't collaborate, and still he rocks 4-5 yrs later and no broken parts"
"has withstood the last week of winds over 70 freezing kph."
"I've used it daily for at least 10 years now, probably closer to 15 and apart from the fact you need to clean it periodically, it's still works like brand new."
287
39
"it weighs under 350g"
"under 700 grams including stakes"
"It folds up and is super easy to bring on planes and for rentals"
26
9
"I had a Big Agnes for a decade. ... It sprung a leak on a trip this time last year. ... I found the leak on a seam and called to ask about repairing it. ... They asked for a pic, which I sent as well as a pic of the valve cut off (per their instructions) and my new pad arrived in a few days. No charge. ... I’ll never buy a pad from a different manufacturer again."
"if they fail (which out of all the matt's ive had over the years are the most reliable) the customer service is second to none, you will get a replacement."
"For me the thermarest warranty has been worth its weight in gold ... every interaction I’ve had with them has been amazing, no questions asked replacement or repair"
615
132
"super comfy. ... And even me at 270lbs I can sit in my side and not bottom out (inflated a lot though)"
"definitely has improved our sleep quality a lot while camping ... boyfriend has back issues so a bad sleep set up is not really an option"
"I just put up with the pinholes and patching them on trail because I can't sleep better on any other pad. ... There's a huge difference in comfort depending on your body between the dimpled baffling of the Etherlight/Tensor and the horizontal baffling of the Xlite. ... I can't sleep on horizontal baffling despite all the good features of the Xlite. ... I'm a side sleeper and my arms and shoulders ache and/or fall asleep or go numb on the Xlite. For whatver reason I can only sleep on dimpled baffles (tensor, etherlight)"
299
78
"Just had my second camp out with it. 0 issues with warmth at 50F , unsurprisingly. Also at 60f I didn ’t sleep hot so that ’s nice too."
"I can take it down to like 25-30F very comfortably."
"20 degrees F comfortably from below. Quilt wasn't up to it"
Disliked most:
78
115
"Me too. And I use Apple Airpods. $$$$$"
"$179 is pretty nuts. ... As long as people keep buying them and paying the esports tax, they're gonna keep selling them at this crazy price. ... The G305 feels really similar, but at 1/3 the price. ... I don't truely understand why the G pro light is all the rage. ... I used a G pro for a week, and while it did feel very smooth and responsive, I also had a G305 that felt very similar."
"overpriced and don't ever prove the price difference in sound over the az100."
57
69
"Both times I’ve hiked the PCT my thermarests have popped in the desert . ... My first one had multiple holes and was a write-off."
"Inflatables take a lot of babying, they often get holes. ... If a pad pops once every 10 weeks, you’ll have to replace the pad at least twice on a thruhike. Of course, some pads don’t pop, it’s just that they often do pop or leak at some point. I don’t want to spend 100-200 dollars on something that’s gonna fail after a couple weeks. ... “ often they do pop or leak at some point” meaning most pads will pop eventually. Once it pops or leaks, even if it’s once, the pad has failed and it doesn’t effectively function unless repaired or replaced. ... Based on anecdotal personal evidence, which of course isn’t a great measure, a lot of pads pop or leak without making it through a full thruhike. One failure is too many for me. There’s no other piece of gear, besides socks and shoes, that fail as often as pads. ... I’ve had one fail in as little as 2 days and I currently have one that has yet to fail after like 70 nights🤷♂️."
"leaked out the valve all through Washington, leaving me on the ground multiple times per night, waking me up every hour or so."
30
31
"it's so ridiculously loud I can't use it!"
"Only real con is that this thing is CRINKLY ... definitely the loudest pad I've used ... would honestly be a dealbreaker"
"potato chip bag noise effects"
1
29
"your arms falling off the pad all night sucks. ... having your arms 3 inches lower than the rest of you on a 20" pad is a crime against humanity."
"leaked out the valve all through Washington, leaving me on the ground multiple times per night, waking me up every hour or so."
"it always makes back and hip issues worse."
0
5
"The one I have has a terrible valve that seems to be designed to be as inconvenient as possible. ... You have to blow into it, but there's a bit of resistance to air coming in, and the valve is such that it's hard to tell if it's open or closed. ... I'm attaching a piece of an old bicycle inner tube to make it possible to use a bike pump."
"Pump sack is beyond useless, too porous and leaks air instead of blowing into pad. I just blow it up by mouth."
"Agree the Thermarest pump sack is the worst of the bunch, no question, but I've gotten mine to work enough."
DeputySean 1.0I own an xlite large and an uberlite
DieTryin510 1.0The NXT xlites are much quieter...could not get a good night's sleep with the previous version. I have both the Nemo AS & latest xlite in wide...prefer the Nemo by a small margin (better comfort with small weight penalty).
Hatchid 1.0I feel like my Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT (max) (I have the largest version of the regular model) and it feels very durable. So far it survived a 2 Bikepacking trips through Germany, cowboy camping and a festival. It's really thick so very comfy. It's also really warm. My model weights about 380g and very light.
I have the therm-a-resr neoair xlite nxt. It's light, small packaging size and incredibly good insulation.
He4vyD00dy 1.06’4 240lbs here, side sleeper as well, I use the thermarest neo air xlite in size large. I know it’s over your budget but I have had mine for 7 years no issues, it packs up super small and is real lightweight.
Lofi_Loki 1.0For actual comfort I go with a long/wide neoair xlite, Sea to Summit deluxe pillow (the one with the down topper), and a long/wide Katabatic quilt. The way I sleep I deflate the pillow a decent amount to get it how I want it.
MaleficentOkra2585 1.0It sounds like your pad is too narrow for you. I have the wide version of the Neoair Xlite and I sleep like a baby on it.
PsychologicalRoyal90 1.0I have a Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xlite RW (440g) thermal air mattress and it is perfect. It’s easy to pack, well-designed, and very easy to inflate. I tested it in Germany back in the spring, and I didn’t feel cold at all. But I tested it in the shop. I highly recommend the test.
SUGEN1 1.0Hey! I found that not blowing my pad all the way makes it more comfortable for me! Maybe you could give it a try? + I got the RW version which really changes the game in width
TurbSLOW 1.0[here's](https://www.reddit.com/r/WildernessBackpacking/s/7vAF6wA3dd) some suggestions I made recently. None are UL really but neither is the pad you're coming from. Best bet is probably the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite in the usual mummy size for best/lightest in the segment. Exped Ultra 5R is fantastic but decidedly not UL
Do you have a max budget? Do you have a good sleeping bag to pair it with? Any of the modern inflatable pads will fit in your bag unless you've brought enough other stuff to cross the continent on foot, lol Here's our experiences, though not a comprehensive review of everything on the market. TLDR probably get you an Exped Ultra 5R. Nemo Tensor: I am a flopper and tended to roll onto the edges, which made them collapse and dumped me onto the ground. Pad is comfortable otherwise. It does make quite the crinkly sound when moving. Exped Ultra 3R: probably a bit cold when temps are approaching the lower end of your range. Large side baffles (like the Big Agnes you linked, I think) keeps you from flinging yourself off the pad. Thick and comfortable. Fantatsic pump sack inflates the thing in like 20 seconds. Was entirely too cold for us where it gets colder than your range. Side note, it was paired with a Big Agnes sleeping bag which was horrible. Terrible bag. Exped Ultra 5R: all the pros of the 3R but warm enough! Great pad, my wife's current go-to. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite MAX: or whatever the yellow rectangle \~5R one is. Lacks the side bolsters of the Exped and is thinner, but is very comfortable and IIRC lighter. Another great pad, my current go-to. Pump sack is beyond useless, too porous and leaks air instead of blowing into pad. I just blow it up by mouth. Generally, I've found we prefer rectangular pads. If you're with someone else and you both have rectangular pads - make sure they fit in your tent! Many tents are tapered and your feet will overlap which is super annoying
StateYourCurse 0.6Dump the nemo Astro out of the running: Its R value is listed at only 2.6 and it's 1lb 11 oz. The others are warmer and lighter. Plus it's a 20" wide pad. I don't know why, after all these years, we don't have a 23" option - more comfy than a 20", which tbh sucks but lighter than a 25". But I digress. We don't. It's either 20" or. 25". 25" is a way nicer nights sleep and Some of the pricier pads you've chosen here come in at this size for a very similar weight and significantly more warmth. And since all of these options are in your price range, according to you, then I'd say dump the nemo Astro. By comparison, the other Nemo pad, the extreme conditions, is an 8.5 r value and the Long and Wide size Is only 1 lb 10 oz. That's WAY warmer and more comfortable. It may suffer from a little less durability. Rab is a REALLY solid brand. I would categorically buy anything they made, and I have a lot of Rab gear. So if you are ok with a 20" pad, then this might really hit a sweet spot for you if price is an issue. I would forever and always buy a 5.5 R rating pad over a 2.6. The Thermarest has a very, very good 7+ R rating while also being very light for a long wide mat at 1lb 8 oz. Kinda seems like the winner to me. Again, the question is durability and how you will use it. If you expect to be at altitude or in cold weather or shoulder season, you'll want at least a 5 R value. Fyi Exped pads are really super too. I rock an older down filled Exped mat that's been good to me for a very long time now. R rating of 7+ - Have taken that into 20 degree temps on Mt Rainier for winter camping etc.
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