Big Agnes vs NeoAir

Gordon Wrote:
"it's half the weight of my Clearview which was already a very light pad. And the Neo is tiny, I can almost fit it in my pocket"

My 3/4 mummy clearview pad is a foot longer than the short neoair. It weighs two ounces more and packs to about the same size.

Rog writes:

>>Gordon Wrote:
"it's half the weight of my Clearview which was already a very light pad. And the Neo is tiny, I can almost fit it in my pocket"

My 3/4 mummy clearview pad is a foot longer than the short neoair. It weighs two ounces more and packs to about the same size.<<

Sorry, I wasn't clear. My NeoAir is half the weight of my Clearview pad, but my Clearview happens to be a size regular which weighs about a pound. My bad.

G

I had two failures with my Clearview unfortunately. I also find the NA much warmer and have used it comfortably down to freezing. YMMV

David, good point, I forgot to add "easier to patch" to my list.

The clearview is rated by BA to 35F. Will Reitveld says this is about right. So it looks like the fancy foil and double tube construction of the Neoair gives you an extra 3F.

So it looks like the fancy foil and double tube construction of the Neoair gives you an extra 3F.

Rog is right. Air mattress warming is a media beat-up designed to make money for a select few. Any increase in warmth is likely caused by changes in the sun warming up the mattress.

;-)

Honestly guys I froze my AZZ off with the Clearview at 7C and this pad was in a tent. No issue with convective heat loss but the conductive heat loss gave me fits all night. Of course I could have used a warmer bag.

The NeoAir, however, has taken me to -1C with the same bag until I started feeling a bit chilled. Again, your mileage may vary, but for me, it has proven to be a surprisingly warm pad and as mentioned (for me), much more durable than the BA. Its also a LOT more comfortable than the BA pooltoy, er Clearview (for me).

My experience guys – not relying or countering marketing verbiage or Will's experience – just relaying my own experience.

Dave, my comments were tongue in cheek. (just ribbing Rog about the Carbon Flame War thread…)

Ha – well duh! on me.

Cheers

Hi John,

Chances are good you'll be happy with your selection. My hint is the NeoAir requires a good bit less inflation than the BA/POE equivalents. I overinflated mine the my first couple of uses and didn't find it terribly comfortable, but with less air it slid into near-perfection status (with only a hammock achieving perfection).

Cheers,

Rick

I literally just now got my wife's new size regular Neo-Air via UPS and — of course — the first thing I did was to weigh it. I get the weight at 409 grams (no carrying sack and without the included documentation) — wonderfully close to the 410 grams listed on the box. Even better, a recent check of my scale using shiny new coins suggests that it reads about 1.6% high, so the true weight might be even a bit lower, 402 – 403 grams perhaps.

Of course, marketeers being the creatures they are, the listed 410 grams converts to 14.46 oz, which I guess they justify as rounding down to list at a simple "14 oz" with no decimal point. But in the 402 – 403 gram range, that's about 14.2 oz — not bad at all.

Now I'll inflate it for the first time and see just how loud this crinkly noise is that I've been reading about! :-)

Note that the weight also doesn't include any sort of patch kit; I guess I'll just scavange the patch kit from the inflatable I was using, but apart from the cheapness of not including this with an expensive mattress, it also increases the true weight for those that are inclined to carry one. I expect I'll just use a gallon-sized ziplock bag as a carrying case (13 grams), and with that plus even a pretty minimal patch kit, the true weight will be a bit more than 14 oz. Still — pretty good!

"The Neo is not as supportive to me as the vertically running chambers of the IAC."

This may have been one of his problems. He was VERY concerned about feeling like he would "fall off" any air mattress. I was also a little concerned about that, but don't have any issues with my IAC.

"The shell material of the Neo is not as comfortable to lay directly on with a quilt, or nothing in the case of a hot summer night. It feels much more plastic and sticky to me."

This is likely an issue for him also as he typically uses his sleeping bag as a quilt, and we are summer camping (never gets below 50). Yeah, yeah, I know, both the neo and IAC are over kill. But, we are "old" and enjoy the comfort. :)

Does anyone have info on the durability/weight capacity for the NeoAir. I have been eye-balling them, But I top 265lbs and they just seem like the wouldn't hold up at all. I have the Thermarest basecamp XL @ 4 pounds and a z-lite that works fairly well, so I know that Cascade designs makes quality gear but . . .

I will up the ante what about 350lbs?

I way between 235-240lbs and the NA (Regular) has been working for me..I have used it 22 nights this past season so far–a few more nights to come..

I'm gonna call Cascade Designs and see what they say– what about a special edition stitched with carbon fiber thread and made with woven adamantium? Guess it's time to start leaving the Lasagna Tins at home. I'm thinking about hiking with cattle and chickens so I always have plenty of nourishment on the trail :)

I am wondering if it can stand up to a car being driven over it while fully inflated.

David, I bow to your comparitively objective experience, and confess I use a thin foam pad to protect my clearview from the sharp bits on the ground, and keep my *ss warmer.

Ashley, wotch it mate. ;-)

Hmmm, didn't even think about the weight limit. I'm 290 and 6'6" and didn't have a problem with mine. Course, I'm not jumping up and down on it either.

If anyone is interested in r-values…

NeoAir: 2.5
BA IAC: 4.1

i thought they were both 2.5???

We are talking about the Insulated Air Core right?

http://bigagnes.com/Products/Specs/Pad

David Walls writes:

“what about a special edition stitched with carbon fiber thread and made with woven adamantium?”

Adamantium. I’ve heard of that. It’s not really a fictional metal alloy as most people think, but an incredibly strong yet light microfiber polymer made from recycled Adam Ant CDs. You remember Adam, that new-wave, glam-pirate chap from the 80s who brought us such pop gems as Goody Two Shoes, among others.

G

Yes the insulated Big Air – mine weighs 24.5 oz with stuff sack.

"Adamantium. I've heard of that. It's not really a fictional metal alloy as most people think, but an incredibly strong yet light microfiber polymer made from recycled Adam Ant CDs. You remember Adam, that new-wave, glam-pirate chap from the 80s."

Ha! I am at the airport and bored so I shall run with it.

Yes, and the only reason that the molecular conversion was able to take place was due to the double drummers. It was a bass harmonics effect…

Curses to Bow Wow Wow for stealing the formula. (And half the band.)

bow wowwow