is the neo air that much better than the ba air core pads??
i use the ba air core mummy pad but im looking for a regular
size pad for next spring i sleep fine on my mummy pad but was wondering which would be better in a regular rectangle pad
warmth isn t really an issue here as i stay warm with my ba and its not insulated i only do summer trips from june thru september
thanks for any info
k smith

I've used both, and prefer the NeoAir. I don't know if it's the shape or the tubes running horizontally, but I find I sleep more comfortably on the NeoAir.

The BA pad is fine, and comfortable, and definitely cheaper. But speaking strictly for myself, with no objective reason to hang my hat on, I like the NeoAir better.

The NeoAir is more comfortable. Insulationwise I don't know whether one is warmer than the other, they're probably pretty close. The NeoAir has the dual advantages of being lighter and packing smaller.

Cheers,

Depends on your definition of "better".

The Neoair is lighter and less bulky (comparing similar sizes)and subjectively more comfortable. But that edge comes at a price. IMO the Neo is a little easier to inflate. Which one is more durable? Maybe that's a toss up. The best product is whatever suits your particular needs.

so the $60 rectangle ba pad will suit my needs just as well as the $150 neo air right??

i just wasn t understanding what all the buzz was about with the neo air its a nice looking pad and probablycomfortable too
but $100 more comfy i don t know about that lol

k smith

Yeah, not to mention that when you move on the neo-air it makes all kinds of noises. I'll take the B.A. any day. I have given the neo-air to my wife and she uses it but she does say that she thinks that the B.A> is better....go figure...sabre11004...

"i just wasn t understanding what all the buzz was about with the neo air its a nice looking pad and probably comfortable too but $100 more comfy i don t know about that lol"


I don't believe the buzz is about comfort, or rather, it's about the superior comfort relative to weight and warmth, a sort of trifecta --- IMO comparing just one of those elements doesn't tell the story.

To do an apples-to-apples comparison, check the BA aircore non-mummy (rectangular) pad against the Neo-Air, for example, in 72" length. Now you have two 20" wide rectangular pads in same length and thickness.

The BA unit is listed at 22 oz with an R value of 1.0, whereas the Neo is 14 oz with an R value of 2.5.

Even if you were to compare to a BA mummy the Neo is still 5 oz lighter.

R-Values are hard for an individual to test out, and I've never slept on any variant of BA, but the Neo seems pretty good for me for an inflatable with no physical insulation material inside. A couple nights ago I was toasty in my 20F bag at 19 degrees; I had a 1/8" thinlight under the pad and a 1/4" thinlight on top of it, which surely helped, but that (still light) combo would certainly be comfy for me into the lower teens and I would guess at least "surviveable" in single digits. The internal baffles limit internal airflow.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Neo insulates better but don't forget that the OP is not concerned about R values.

Personally I never had a noise issue with the Neo but I know others have.

Not just more comfy. Lighter and more compact as well. And if you ever have a need for more insulation the Neo has it. Is that difference worth $100? Only you can answer that question

Lots of buzz about the Neo.
Possibly some have missed the point of it and expected too much. IE it isn't (and was not meant to be...) a winter mat, so not for the one tool for all jobs kind of people.
As for the OP, it sounds like to me that he would be the right candidate for the Neo.
Having used several mats, the Neo seems to me to perform to specification. I only went down to about 39f with it but it was still "warm" then.
Similar in warmth to my Insulmat Max Thermo, but a lot more comfortable. The rectangular shape and cross sections work for me.
My two companion also bought one after me, they also liked it. None of us had any issues with the reported "noise" and we all liked the weight/packed size for comfort warmth ratio.
In comfort the closest I have is the Exped Downmat 7, but of course it is 3 times heavier and 4 times bigger(when stored)
Franco

ok
im not trying to start a debate here so please do not flame me but
in reguards to comfort of the two pads how would the neo be more comfortable than the ba?? these two pads are 2.5 in thick when inflated right?? so in reality they should be pretty comparible in terms of comfort in my opinion the neo is a great pad im not putting it down just brecause i use the ba i feel like either one would work well for me but my theory is that if the two pads are identical in thickness then they should be comparible in comfort i would think not identical of course but comparible maybe im missing something but seems to me if you put two pieces of 3/8
ply wood side by side on the ground and layed on each one
would one be more comfortable than the other?? even though they were the same thickness ??
either way i think they are both great pads and weight wise
the winner would definatly be the neo but i still like my ba for the time being it seems to be a reliable mat that has lasted me a long time so im happy with it
k smith

Real or perceived some (me...) prefer the cross way tubes of the Neo to the long way version. It seams to work better for me.
For that matter I prefer the 8 tubes on the Exped to the 6 on the Insulmat, again just the way it feels to me, it isn't a "fact".
Franco

the difference would be in the approximation of a flat surface -- which would really matter to some and perhaps be a non-issue to others. In other words, the neo has a more consistent thickness whereas the BA is more "humpy" even though the average thickness might be the same.

Also, the BA has its "humps" running the same direction as you lie on it so you can have more of a perceived "mountain and valley" effect than with the Neo. You can't roll "into" a valley with the Neo.

For some, these differences may not matter.

This is a good summation, better than I could have come up with. The NeoAir "magic" became clear to me when I discovered I could keep less air in it than the BA/POE counterparts (both of which I own). The higher tube count and their being shorter seem to support me more evenly.

Cheers,

I see your point, but having used both, I found the NeoAir to be more comfortable - for me. I don't know why; I suspect it's the fact the tubes run across the pad instead of along it. It just seems, somehow, that it's easier to sleep on.

I just returned from a backpacking trip in the high Cascades of Washington in sub-freezing temperatures (mid to low 20's F). I'm typing this on a strange computer so it's not up to my usual standards, but as a result of this trip I have come to very strong conclusions about the NeoAir.

I used the NeoAir with a 1/8" Gossamer Gear Thinlight CC foam pad on top. I FROZE!!! I tried the Thinlight pad both underneath and on top of the NeoAir, and it was warmer with the Thinlight on top--but not enough. In the same conditions last year, with the same sleeping bag and clothing, I was fine with my POE Insulmat Max Thermo (predecessor of the Ether 6).

The NeoAir was a little warmer if I blew it up more than was comfortable, but then it was too firm for my comfort (translation--pressure pains in my hips when on my side) and kept "bucking me off" every time I turned over (which I do a lot). It still was too cold, though. I wouldn't take it out again in below-freezing temps without at least a 3/8" closed cell pad on top (which negates most of the weight savings).

I frankly got so mad at the NeoAir that I am going to go back to carrying the extra 8 oz. of my POE insulated air pad. The extra weight is worth the extra comfort. The NeoAir has never been as comfortable as the POE even in optimal conditions. With the POE I can blow it up halfway and it is perfectly comfortable for me. With the lengthwise tubes and partial inflation, the outer tubes tend to cradle me so I don't fall off it when I turn over, which has always been a problem with the NeoAir. Finally, the larger tubes on the POE pad are effectively thicker,providing more comfort for me and making it harder for my dog to slide onto. The NeoAir with its many small tubes makes a flat enough surface that my dog has a tendency to migrate to it. And of course with the price of the NeoAir, I don't want his claws anywhere near it!

Conclusion: NeoAir not nearly as warm as insulated air pad. For me, not as comfortable (Your Mileage May Vary). Sleeping styles are so individual that you'll have to try it yourself. The one advantage for me is the lighter weight, but I've decided that the weight savings are not worth the reduced comfort. I definitely do not recommend the NeoAir at temps below 35* F.

I haven't decided whether to return the NeoAir to REI, from which I bought it, or to sell it. I will make up my mind when I get home--I can't wait to get rid of it!

Wow, Mouse - that had to be frustrating.

I should have mentioned, in my first post, that I'd never want to trust the NeoAir - or the BA, for that matter - for below-freezing temperatures. I tried the BA Insulated Air Core (which BA rates at 15 degrees) one night when it fell to just below freezing (probably 25 - 30 degrees) and found that I got very cold on it. I tried my NeoAir in 45-degree temperatures, and felt no cold - but there's a lot that can happen between 45 and 25! (I haven't had a chance to test the lower limits of the NeoAir; that might make an interesting test come January, but rest assured it will be done while I'm sleeping next to the car - and my Prolite will be in that car!) Cold weather is why I still have a Thermarest Prolite Plus (the old Prolite 4) that I use for winter. I've had it out in 15 and 20 degree weather, and never the first hint of cold seeping through it.

By the way, another aspect of air mattresses versus self-inflating pads: I've never been able to use the BA or the NeoAir easily in a chair kit. They're just too fat! Prolites, on the other hand, have never been a problem in a chair. That same thickness that provides so much comfort when sleeping also poses another problem (unique to me): I like to put my Granite Gear pack at the foot of my tent, using its backpad to extend my 3/4 pad to full-length. This doesn't work so well with the short NeoAir, since there's an inch or so "drop" that bends my lower legs a bit awkwardly.

All in all, the NeoAir is marginally more comfortable than a Prolite Plus, but I've never been uncomfortable on the Prolite Plus. I'm still not entirely sure that I'll make the switch to the NeoAir. The lighter weight (saves a half pound - nearly a pound, if I decide not to bother with the chair!) is attractive, and there is some additional comfort, but the loss in function in cold weather (and as a chair) may make me decide to carry the extra weight of the Prolite Plus. Like you said, sometimes the extra weight is worth carrying.

I was out for four nights in the southern Sierra, two of the nights were nine degrees and four degrees, using the small NeoAir and a WM Apache, 15 degree bag. Toasty.

Glenn, I have to use an air pad at least 2.5" thick to be able to sleep comfortably. That lets out any other Thermarest product. Until it got too thin (more accuarately, my hips got more sensitive with age!), I used a 2" thick Thermarest LE. It wasn't all that warm in below-freezing temps. I've found my POE insulated air pad fine down to 20*. Lower than that, it's still comfy with the 1/8" CCF pad. I've heard (mostly subjective ratings, of course) that the POE pad tends to insulate better than the BA insulated pad. I don't know because the one time I tried the BA air pad, it wasn't as comfortable for me as the POE air pad.

Just in case anyone is interested Neo's are starting to go on sale. This is the best deal I've found. 20% off and the stuff sack is free.

http://www.campsaver.com/itemMatrix.asp?GroupCode=thr0039&MatrixType=1

(deleted - missed something in the original post that made my reply irrelevant.)

How did you get 20% off. I see where the stuff sack is free.

Look like that part of the sale is done. Maybe call them and see?? The 20% off was right under the reg. price.

Summit Hut is now offer 20% off. Shipping is free. http://www.summithut.com/products/neoair/

BTW, this thing is expensive enough as is, why didn't they include the stuff sack?????

Keeps the price down.:( Maybe it was aimed at ULers who find a way to cut weight/price.