Weight: All these pads are really light for their warmth, but making a sleeping pad warmer makes it heavier, all else being equal. Thus the warm XTherm is the heaviest and bulkiest of the three. The ultralight UberLite is the smallest and lightest, but also the least warm. The XLite strikes an excellent balance between the other two.

This matt has an R-Value of 2.3 which in real terms means that this matt is best suited to warmer weather trips and adventures.R-Values are an international standard of insulation and (in simple terms) indicate the materials ability to reduce heat flow through conduction, radiation or convection. Therefore, the higher the R-Value, the lower the heat transfer and the greater the insulation properties of the material. A tapered mummy shape is classic for ultralight pads. These taper from the hips down and cut on weight. More on sleeping pad shapes in our Guide.We tested the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite in a size Regular, which is the standard model most people will want. The NeoAir UberLight shares its mummy shape with the NeoAir XLite and XTherm. Some people feel the regular 20″ width is too narrow, leaving them feeling tippy or with their arms hanging off the side. (It doesn’t bother me, but I’m fairly narrow myself.) For these folks Therm-a-Rest offers wide and large sizes with 5 extra inches of width, but these aren’t available in the short torso length. Therm-a-Rest has one of the best sleeping pad warranties in the business. If parts of this fail, get in touch. A very low R-Value, making this pad only ideal for summer time in high-temperature environments. More on sleeping pad R-Values in our Guide. All of the NeoAir pads use horizontal baffles. We’ve found horizontal baffles are more comfortable than vertical. More on sleeping pad baffle types in our Guide.

NeoAir XLite: The best choice for most people. Excellent balance of weight and warmth, perfect for three-season adventuring and still suitable for occasional overnight lows into the 20’s F. Get the XLite if you adventure in spring, summer, and/or fall conditions but not often in snowy winter conditions. Punctures: In six nights of using my UberLite pad, I punctured it twice! Both times I was sitting cross-legged inside my bivy (which acts as a ground cloth) on what I thought was relatively smooth ground. Apparently sitting put too much pressure on a small area of the pad. Now I know better and am careful to only lie down with my weight spread evenly. It’s typical for ultralight gear to require careful treatment, but this pad requires VERY careful treatment and you should expect that punctures are likely. Standard width for most sleeping pads. Not enough room to splay elbows, but weight is the key here. It also tapers due to the mummy shape. The XTherm, as its name suggests, is the warmest of the three NeoAir sleeping pads. Its R-value of 7.3 stands up to even extreme winter adventures with overnight lows below 0 degrees F, especially if you layer a closed-cell foam pad beneath it. It’s not strictly necessary for those chilly shoulder-season nights that hover around freezing, but it wouldn’t hurt.

The UberLite is quieter than the XLite, but it’s not absolutely quiet. The 15d fabrics are crispy, and can replicate the sound of balloons being rubbed together when laid atop some shelter floor fabrics. In line with current health and safety guidelines, we reserve the right to refuse any items that are (for whatever reason) not returned to us in a clean and hygienic condition. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite is the lightest weight inflatable pad on the market. A bold statement, to be sure. Ready for those ultralight, ultra-fast adventures you’ve spent all winter dreaming of, this pad excels in hot environments, and hot environments only.

If you’re not familiar with the R-Value I can say that this insulation can keep you warm down to roughly 40 °F (I will get into details below at the detailed comparison section). Choosing between the XTherm versus XLite for chilly shoulder season weather? Choose the XTherm if you really value warmth and comfort more than weight. Choose the XLite otherwise.Finally, as mentioned in this review, Therm-a-Rest offers the NeoAir XLite and NeoAir XTherm. Both of those products have won our awards, and are more well-rounded, time-tested pads. Consider the UberLite is weight is the utmost consideration.