Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite has long been a favorite among backpackers who value an air pad that’s comfortable, warm, and lightweight. And now there’s more to like with the new XLite NXT: a dampening of the bag-of-chips pad noise that haunted the old XLite, a higher R-value, and more cushion.
NeoAir XLite NXT Specs
MSRP: $199.95 to $239.95
Weight: 12.5 ounces for the 72-inch-long regular
Inflated Thickness: 3 inches for all sizes
Temperature Rating: 4.5 R-value for all sizes
Fabric: 30D rip HT nylon
About the NeoAir XLite NXT
The new XLite NXT and XLite NXT Max continue to improve on Therm-a-Rest’s popular XLite air pad. Several years ago the company switched to the WingLock Valve that made inflating the pad easier. Now the XLite NXT has tried to quiet the biggest knock on the pad—that it’s noisy. The NXT is 83% less noisy, Therm-a-Rest says. After sleeping on the NXT I’d say it’s quieter, but not silent. Therm-a-Rest also increased the R-value to 4.5, boosted the thickness from 2.5 inches to 3 inches, and raised the weight for a regular mummy pad from 12 ounces to 12.5 ounces.
Therm-a-Rest also rolled out the new NeoAir XTherm NXT with the same sound-deadening features, 3-inch thickness, and a 7.3 R-value. The XTherm NXT’s 15.5-ounce weight and high R-value make it a good pad for serious winter adventures.
XLite NXT Features
Noise: The XLite NXT is significantly quieter than the old XLite, which Therm-a-Rest says it accomplished by redesigning the ThermaCapture insulation. But don’t expect total silence from the NXT. It still crackles while rolling it out and sleeping on it; it’s just not as loud as the old XLite.
Warmth: All lengths and widths of the NXT have an R-value of 4.5, an increase from the 4.2 R-value of the XLite. Gone is the old XLite’s women’s pad with an R-value of 5.4. Therm-a-Rest uses its ThermaCapture reflective technology to trap radiant heat inside the pad, while the Triangular Core Matrix construction minimizes convective heat loss.
In a nutshell, these technologies reflect your body heat back to you, rather than letting it flow to the cold ground.
About R-Values: Everyone sleeps differently but there are broad guidelines for matching R-values and seasons:
- Summer: 1 to 3
- Spring and fall: 3 to 5
- Winter: 5+
I was comfortable with the 4.5 R-value while sleeping in a 0F sleeping bag when the temperature was in the mid teens. Be aware that the XLite NXT is not a deep-winter pad.
Sizes / Weight: Pick the size that’s comfortable for you. All weights are for the pad only. Figure 3 ounces more for the stuff sack, inflation bag, and repair kit. All the pads are 3 inches thick.
- Regular Short: Mummy, 66 inches long, 20 inches wide, 11.5 ounces. This is the same length and width as the old XLite’s women’s model.
- Regular: Mummy, 72 inches long, 20 inches wide, 12.5 ounces
- Regular Wide: Mummy, 72 inches long, 25 inches wide, 16 ounces
- Large: Mummy, 77 inches long, 25 inches wide, 17 ounces
- Regular Wide NXT Max: Rectangular, 72 inches long, 25 inches wide, 18 ounces
- Large NXT Max: Rectangular, 77 inches long, 25 inches wide, 20 ounces
Comfort: 3 inches thick. I’m 5 feet, 10 inches, 160 pounds, and was comfortable with the 72-inch length and 20-inch width of a regular size mummy pad. Therm-a-Rest says the additional half inch makes it easier to adjust levels of inflation for a softer or firmer cushion. Does the extra half-inch made the pad more comfortable? Yes, if like me you want an underinflated, cushy pad.
Color: The XLite NXT now comes in two colors for some models: the new solar flare and the old lemon curry. Solar flare is available only in the NXT regular, regular wide, and large mummy pads.
WingLock Valve: This was new on the XLite several years ago and continues with the NXT. Twist the wings for one-way inflation, then twist back in the morning to let out the air. This is an easy-to-use valve for quick inflation.
Pump Sack: One criticism of the pump sack on the old XLite was that it sometimes detached from the WingLock Valve during inflation. The sack connection is much firmer with the NXT, but also takes more effort to connect.
Durability: The NXT has the same outer 30D rip HT nylon as the old XLite, which has proven to be durable. It’s still not a good idea to put the pad directly on a rough surface.
What You Get: Pump sack, stuff sack, and repair kit included with pad.
Packability: 9 inches x 4.1 inches for the regular short and regular; 11 inches x 4.6 inches for the regular wide and large. Despite the weight gain, the NXT packs as small as the old XLite.
Warranty: Therm-a-Rest offers a limited lifetime warranty for the NXT. Cascade Designs will repair or replace air pads found to be defective.
Point of Manufacture: Made in the United States from US and global materials.
XLite NXT Pros
Less Noise: The NXT is quieter than the old XLite, but it’s not silent. I haven’t been bothered by either models’ noise while sleeping alone in a tent and wrapped in a mummy bag. The biggest complaints about noise seem to come from others while sharing a tent or shelter.
Comfort: 3 inches of pad between you and the ground, which provides more flexibility for adjusting inflation levels to make make the pad cushier or firmer. I’m a side sleeper who likes a cushy pad so this is a plus for me. It’s worth noting that a less-inflated pad slightly reduces the R-value.
Warmth: I slept warm on the NXT in a 0F mummy bag when the temperature dropped into the mid teens.
Pump Sack: The attachment to the WingLock Valve is much tighter than on the old XLite, addressing complaints that the sack popped off. But the tighter connection is a double-edged sword (see the Cons below).
XLite NXT Cons
Women’s Model: The NXT does not come in a women’s model, which had an R-value of 5.4 in the old XLite. This seems like a strange move when outdoor gear companies are striving to get away from one-size-fits-all. Therm-a-Rest says the use of gender in sleeping pad design can confuse customers, and that warmer options are available in different pads.
Pump Sack: The tighter sack fitting is hard to connect to the air pad valve.
Overall Value
A regular size XLite NXT costs $209.95, $10 more than comparable air pads. But if warmth and light weight are what you value in a pad, the NXT leads the pack. Is it worth upgrading from the old XLite? Probably not. But if you’re looking to buy a new pad the NXT has a lot to offer.
Similar Air Pads
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This product was donated for purpose of review.
