All-Season NeoAir Mattress coming

[Hendrik Morkel]

All-Season Therm-a-Rest® NeoAir™ Mattress announced, in stores July 2011. No information on weight :/

Quote:

Seattle, U.S.A. – Cascade Designs, Inc., the Seattle-based industry leader in the design and manufacture of premier outdoor equipment, today announced the July 2011 release of the first all-season version of the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mattress. The ultra-light and compact all-season Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mattress is designed with patent-pending technologies that provide exceptional air mattress stability, comfort and increased warmth for sleeping outside in colder temperatures.

The all-season NeoAir mattress utilizes an effective combination of patent-pending multi-layer Reflective BarrierTM and Triangular Core MatrixTM technologies to dramatically boost warmth by minimizing thermal heat transfer. The multiple Reflective Barrier layers work together to reduce conductive heat loss to the ground, while radiating heat back to the user. The Triangular Core Matrix technology creates a matrix of hundreds of individual cells in the mattress, effectively limiting convective heat loss by restricting the movement of warmed air. This matrix also creates an internal truss system that virtually eliminates the instability generally found on air mattresses. The result is an air mattress that provides more comfort and up to five times the warmth of other air mattresses without down or fiber insulation, at an exceptionally light weight and small packed size.

The new all-season model joins two existing three-season models in the Therm-a-Rest air mattress collection—the original NeoAirTM mattress and the recently-introduced NeoAirTM Trekker mattress. All Therm-a-Rest air mattresses can be inflated manually without worrying about exhalation moisture wetting insulation, but can also be inflated with the new featherweight Therm-a-Rest AirTapTM Pump.

NeoAir mattresses are manufactured in the company’s Seattle, U.S.A. headquarters and Cork, Ireland subsidiary on machines that were designed and built in-house at the Seattle facility. The new all-season NeoAir mattress debuts in North America at the January 2011 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market and in Europe at the February 2011 ispo trade fair. The mattress will be available in stores July 2011.

[Mike M]

weight 18-25 oz depending on size

R value 4.9- that's probably a little on the low side for some winter camping, but a thin ccf should make up any deficit

[Andy F]

It will come in sizes medium, regular, and large. I'm guessing the large will be around 20-22 oz. For only 12 more ounces (32 total), I'll stay with my Exped full-size Downmat 7 due to more durability and warmth (R 5.9).

[BlackHatGuy]

I'm pretty happy with my large Neoair and Ridgerest combo for winter camping. Keeps me warm and the weight is manageable.

[Mike M]

I'm also wondering about the pump- if there is no concern w/ syn or down fill, why would you pack the extra weight of a pump, my full length Neo isn't that hard to blow up, maybe the "all season" one will be????

[Chad Miller]

I could see in winter conditions that after blowing up and then deflated the new pad would freeze together due to the moisture in your breath. This would be a big issue on multi night trips.

[Joe Clement]

Everybody needs one – http://www.themillair.com/

And what is it about things branded "Thermarest" that gives everyone such a thrill? You'd think they invented the insulated, non-self inflating air mattress.

[Mike M]

Chad- good point, that would be a good reason to have one :)

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Thanks for the scoop.

This product sounds like a good idea. It seems that it's basically a regular NeoAir but with multiple reflective layers (3?) instead of one, and then this change necessitates even more of their chambers/baffling inside.

On the face of it, this doesn't sound like it would add a ton of weight. Multiple internal reflective layers sounds like a lighter way to a high R-value than using insulation. I like where they are going with this.

My guess is that most of the weight increase is because they are likely using heavier shell fabrics as seen in the NeoAir trekker. Maybe that's not such a bad idea for a winter pad, as the consequences of a puncture are much higher in the winter.

I'm worried about what they are going to price it at.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

"I'll stay with my Exped full-size Downmat 7 due to more durability and warmth (R 5.9)."

I wouldn't speculate on durability until we know what materials they are using.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Prices & weights are:

Medium: $139, 18oz
Regular: $149, (Edit: 19oz)
Large: $169, 25oz

Adding R-2.4 to the original NeoAir for just ~5oz is impressive. That sure beats carrying an original NeoAir + Ridgerest.

[Stephan Doyle]

Curious to see how small these pack down to.

So far, I'm impressed. Especially at the price-point.

[Mike M]

^ looks like they will be using the "heavier" material or something similar :)

[BlackHatGuy]

"That sure beats carrying an original NeoAir + Ridgerest."

Yes and no. I agree in concept, and I'm interested in this new Neoair, but I might stick with the combo just in case the NeoAir springs a leak – at least I then still have the Ridgerest to provide some barrier to the cold ground.

[Hendrik Morkel]

Thanks Dan & Mike for the additional information!

I think the price is OK – it still is expensive, though cheaper than an Exped Downmat (here in Europe at least), and of course lighter. R-value of 4.9 is sufficient for winter camping on snow in my opinion, and if it is as compact as the original NeoAir than it is a very attractive mat, which I might even try (didn't like the original NeoAir, though that was likely because I had the short model).

All in, for me the most interesting news thus far – it will be interesting to hear what people who will attend the ispo in Munich will think of it.

[Mark Hudson]

While I like the idea, and likely it would work for most winter camping (not mountaineering I suppose) I will stick with benders r9 pad…it cost me my first born, but for a r9 pad that weighs 24 oz in a large size…its kinda hard to beat.

[Justin McMinn]

Note: I got confused with the similar color and weights and leapt before I read the end of the article.

Post deleted.

[James Marco]

I do not believe that the trekker and the all season are the same pad.

[David Ure]

+1 James – Justin, you are referring to a different pad, which is also considerably cheaper.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

So the BPL Day 1 coverage has the regular sized All-Season NeoAir at 19oz….just a 5oz gain over the regular model. I haven't seen any mention of the 'rugged outer material' that Mike Moore references, but hopefully the details on that comes out soon.

An extra 5oz to double the R-value, get a more durable shell fabric and presumably have a more quiet mattress is pretty awesome. I may get my wife one of these because she loves being toasty when we 3-season camp, and then in the winter she'll stay home and I can swap my 9oz small NeoAir for this All-Season pad.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

According to TrailSpace, this new NeoAir still has a R-value of 1.5 when it's completely flat. That's extremely low for winter use, but it's good to know that if you did get an un-fixable puncture you wouldn't be left with no ground insulation at all. This could be the difference between deadly, and just a really cold nights sleep.

They've got some really nice pictures of the inner workings over there as well.

Link:
http://www.trailspace.com/blog/2011/01/22/outdoor-retailer-all-season-neo-air.html

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