Gear Review: Thermarest's NeoAir XTherm

Thermarest's NeoAir XTherm

  I only have on complaint about this pad so lets get it out of the way, the stuff sack is too big once you have it deflated, and the whole inflation system via bag sucks.  But as any normal person would say, WHO CARES about the stuff sack!  Alright now that that's out of the way, imagine a comfy pad, 2.5" thick, four season, and here's the kicker it weighs in at only 14oz (12.5 if you loose the stupid stuff sack). That's Thermarest's NeoAir XTherm.
      A 14oz four season pad is a great thing to have, sure you can go lighter with a three season pad, but is it really worth it at this point?  Especially when this can boost warmth via the heat reflective layer on top.  I have slept on many a 3 or 4 inch pad that was not even close to as comfortable as this 2.5 inch pad.  Not to mention that this thing packs down to about the size of a pop can.  Thermarest has been making the NeoAir mattresses for a few years now, and they have vastly improved from the original, but this is their first four season mattress .  Also in this model the over sized stuff sack doubles as an air pump to force air and inflate the mattress, but with only five liters of air at a time ( and only about one actually getting to the mattress), it's just as efficient as blowing it up with your mouth.  The stuff sacks big brother which is sold separately and can hold up to 40 liters of air also did not preform to the standard that we thought it would.
      All and all I would give the mattress itself a five star rating its super light, comfy, and warm, totally worth bucking up for over the three season NeoAir.  If you do end up rolling with this mattress, like everything else in the sleeping accessory category,  you best be looking for something else to put it in or just no stuff sack at all.

-Tattooed Adventure