The "that" that was bothering you in the latest version of the Air Mat World, has finally been improved and there is no love
Written by Yasushi Hisatomi
After a long day on the field, it is essential to recover from fatigue and refresh your mind and body. The most important thing to do is to eat a calm meal and, above all, sleep soundly. The warm sleeping bag and comfortable mattress (sleeping pads) transform your harsh outdoor bed into a warm and comfortable bedroom.
THERM-A-REST was the first to realize the importance of this mattress and invented the first pad using air about 50 years ago He has released innovative sleeping pad products many times before and continues to be a top runner. Thermarest released in 2009 and has been used by many mountaineers to this day, the long-selling series "NeoAir" has been updated this season with some models.
This series has already received high praise from people for its outstanding performance and ease of use, but I was able to try out one of the upgraded models, one of the Neo Air X Light NXT , so I'll be reviewing it right away.
table of contents
- The "that" that has been said for a long time in the Neo Air series has finally been improved.
- Other small details also improve performance
- What is the weight, storage capacity, and usability you may be concerned about?
- Summary: Not only is it light and insulation at the top, but it's easy to use and even gives you a comfortable sleep!?
The "that" that has been said for a long time in the Neo Air series has finally been improved.
The Neo Air series is known as an air mattress that is highly popular all over the world, combining high quality with many elements that are valued in sleeping pads, such as lightness, high insulation, and speedy settings.
However, at the same time, that is often mentioned as a "point of concern" in many reviews. Yes, there is a "crazy and crispy" noise from the mat that occurs when you turn over.
To be honest, personally, I didn't think it was that unbearable, but after taking a quick look at the public opinion, it seems that people who are interested are interested in it...it's not that difficult to find comments online from people who say they can't stand that crunchy sound.
This troublesome "sound problem" that has been talked about for many years has finally been improved with this model change.
How the sound becomes smaller
The noise from the Neo Air series is mainly emitted from the aluminum heat reflectors sandwiched between the inside of the mat (center). Until the old model, this aluminum heat reflector was made of a single piece of film, and a sound like "crazy and crispy" was produced when it bent. In this new model, this aluminum heat reflector has a "structure made of three (thinner) films stacked on top." This will make the sound that is generated when the film is bent, much smaller than the previous model (photo below).
How much has the sound actually become?
Now that you know how it works, let's listen to the actual sound. When it comes to improving, it's a noise when you sleep, so even though the difference is clear, it's a very subtle difference. Please listen carefully to the comparison video below and compare it (earphones are recommended for those listening on a smartphone).
In the video below, I put the sound meter app on my smartphone in the middle so that I can compare the sounds objectively as much as possible, but the environment is normal indoors and the performance of the app itself is not very accurate, so please take a look at it for reference only.
When comparing it like this, we can see that the noise that was clearly "crying" in the old model is no longer noticeable than the average air mat with insulation film (although not silent) in the new model. Once you get this far, I'm sure no one is interested.
When I actually laying two of them side by side in a tent, I found that (habit is scary) that I had previously thought "not bothering me" was in the way, and on the other hand, the noise from the old model felt in the way, and on the other hand, the smaller sounds blended into the other sounds (such as the rubbing sounds of clothes and sleeping bags), almost no longer felt as a stand out as noise.
Other small details also improve performance
Besides the major advancement of improved quietness, the new model also has improved performance in several ways.
Increased cushioning (thickness) makes sleeping even more comfortable
Comparison of the thickness of old and new. *The new model (left) is actually thicker in the vicinity of the center, so the dotted line is slightly higher.
Thicker mattresses maintain the loft and provide richer cushioning even on rough ground, so it's hard to imagine them generally being more comfortable to sleep on. In this regard, this version upgrade has increased the thickness of more than 1cm when expanded from 6.4cm to 7.6cm. This will provide a stable flat floor even on uneven terrain where stones and wood roots are more noticeable, and is also good news for side sleepers (sleeping on their sides), where loads tend to be concentrated.
The unique horizontal baffle is still in good condition. The finely divided baffles minimize excessive rebound, and the grooves (dents) between the tubes are shallow, and the smooth finish makes it hardly noticeable when lying down.
Increased insulation (R value) to make it even warmer
Furthermore, due to the increased thickness of the new version, the "R value" that represents insulation has also been slightly improved from 4.2 to 4.5. Originally, "high insulation per weight" was one of the appeals of this series, so the update will continue to push the way it is by far the most "lightness and warmth." The R value of around 4 is a highly versatile range that can cover all seasons except for harsh winters. Also, by Thermarest standards, the X-Light NXT is positioned as all-season compatible from three seasons.
What is the weight, storage capacity, and usability you may be concerned about?
Size, weight, storage and ease of use are as good as ever.
If there were many things that had evolved, but another part had degenerated, it would not be a laughing matter. I'll also take a closer look at other parts of my concern.
First of all, when it was expanded (other than the thickness), there was no change in the old or new model at all (photo below). And the weight that is probably the most concerning is the same, so it's almost the same as "new: 354g, old: 340g", so I'm relieved.
As the size and weight remain almost unchanged, the packing size will also not change. As usual, the high compressibility of the Nalgene bottle size, even when including the pump sack, is outstanding (photo below).
WingLock Valve installed from the previous model is still in good condition. The large, sturdy valve allows for quick air injection and discharge with simple operation (photo below).
Summary: Not only is it light and insulation at the top, but it's easy to use and even gives you a comfortable sleep!?
updated Neo Air X Light NXT has successfully overcome the weakness of the "quietness" that is the only one of the Neo Air series, which was originally highly acclaimed. Furthermore, while performance and functionality improvements have been seen in a variety of other details, I am not sure what is particularly good about other parts is worse than before. For me, who had already felt that there were no blind spots even in the previous model, I felt like I had just placed a dessert in my full stomach.
Of course, another option is sure to be suitable for those who don't suit air mats in the first place, those who don't like horizontal baffles, or those who don't have a budget range, but in terms of quality alone, it would be difficult for hikers who at least value lightness, insulation, operability, and durability to find a more complete air-injected sleeping pad.
By the way, the Neo Air X Light NXT comes in four different lengths and widths, and the lineup includes the Neo Air X Light NXT MAX, which has a rectangular shape, and the Neo Air X Thermo NXT MAX, which provides the highest level of insulation, and there are also a wide range of options available depending on the season, purpose, and preferences.
Have a great hiking season with comfortable air mats that have reached the point of completion.
