Therm-a-Rest Women’s NeoAir Xlite $429.99
Used by: Fussy mattress user Jo Stilwell
Used for: Two years

Because most of my nights in the hills are spent in a tent, I’m very fussy about my sleeping mat.

After a lot of trial and error, I finally found the (almost) perfect mat in the NeoAir Xlite air mattress.

It’s very light (340g) and extremely small when packed. The women’s-specific version is slightly warmer and smaller than the regular version. It’s still a good length (168cm) and I can lie stretched out on my back and it’s more than wide and thick enough for a comfortable side sleep. While it’s sold as a three-season mat with an R-Value of 3.9, I’ve used it on many winter trips in heavy frosts.

I say it’s the ‘almost’ perfect mat because if I was buying again, I would buy the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Therm for its extra warmth (R-value 7.2) so I can camp on snow.

This mat came with a good warranty – I had mine replaced when the valve started leaking after two years.

Verdict: A compact, light and comfortable mattress suitable for most conditions except for sleeping on snow.