Thermarest NeoAir Uberlite L Sleeping Mat

Product Information

Warmth / season is the biggest functional difference between these three pads. Sleeping pad warmth is designated by the R-value, a measure of how well the pad prevents your body’s heat from transferring to the colder ground. In a hurry? This section sums up my recommendations on choosing between the XLite vs. XTherm vs. UberLite. I’ll go into more detail on each down below.

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. If you only do summer camping and if you think you would be careful to your sleeping pad, don’t hesitate, go with the Uberlite (I said “be careful” to your sleeping pad because, Uberlite is made of low denier fabric, and it’s not exactly the best option in the durability department). The big sister of Uberlite (if you will), Thermarest NeoAir XLite, strikes the perfect balance among the weight, durability and insulation. The UberLite still crinkles like the XLite and original NeoAir but notably less so. The face fabric is slightly softer than these other mats and a bit slippier on a silnylon tent floor, but once you're on it there's no chance of it moving around the tent. Therm-a-Rest has one of the best sleeping pad warranties in the business. If parts of this fail, get in touch.The UberLite is smaller than the XLite (left) and Big Agnes AXL (right), all size Regular. But the difference is small, and I’d say that other factors should drive your buying decision. Leave a comment! As if the NeoAir XLite weren’t already pretty darn warm, Therm-a-Rest also offers the NeoAir XTherm, a true all-season inflatable sleeping pad that blows all other pads out of the water in warmth-to-weight ratio. The R-value of 7.3 means this pad can handle truly extreme winter conditions, if that’s your thing. Its relatively light weight (still under one pound) means you won’t mind carrying this pad in warmer weather either. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite is for those who want to be the fastest, the lightest, and don’t mind being the coldest to accomplish their goals. Where to Buy Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite This matt has an R-Value of 2.0 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. From Mountain Marathon runners to multiday hikers, those who need the lightest gear have a new standard for ultra lightweight comfort with this .25 kg sleeping mat.

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.

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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. 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. 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). 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. We tested the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite in a size Regular, which is the standard model most people will want.

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. Please note that inflatables such as sleeping mats are not considered as faulty if they become punctured during use and are not covered by the manufacturer's warranty in this event. In these events I typically spend between 2 to 4 nights out at a time, and sleep between 3 to 5 hours a night. The goal of my sleep kit is to keep me safe in remote places and warm(ish) enough to get a few hours of sleep, but not necessarily comfortable. Therm-a-Rest's lightest airbed. From alpinists to thru-hikers, those who need the lightest gear have a new standard for ultralight comfort with this superlight pad. Therm-a-Rest also offers the NeoAir UberLite in a Large, which has a 25-inch width and 77-inch length, weighing in at 12 ounces. This is a larger, more comfy pad, but weighs significantly more.

SEATING & COTS

An old-school twist and pull valve, which is one way, letting out air when you’re puffing it up. Not ideal, and Therm-a-Rest is changing their valves soon. More on sleeping pad valve types in our Guide. Therm-a-Rest have used an amazingly lightweight 15D nylon material for the outer, which is still incredibly durable, to keep the weight of this sleeping pad to a minimum. They have coupled this with their proven two-layer Triangular core matrix construction, the same as the other NeoAir mats, to minimise convection heat loss to be able to achieve the warmest most efficient pad in its class! With its compact design and feather-like weight, Uberlite is great, but as you might guess there are some trade-offs here, it’s not the most durable air sleeping pad on the market, it’s made of low denier (15D Nylon) fabric therefore if you decide to go with the Uberlite you need to be extra careful. 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. I would have some concerns about getting a rip/tear as the fabric feels paper thin but this is most definitely a risk I will take and I’ll just make sure to carry its repair kit with me.

Tip: If you need to patch your UberLite sleeping pad — and you probably will — I find GearAid Tenacious Tape stays on better than the included patch kit. I’ve had to patch my UberLite twice in six nights of use. Lesson learned, spread weight out evenly and carefully! Another good thing about this pad is it’s made of considerably durable material (for an air pad) therefore it offers you a great longevity for years of use. In my opinion the UberLite is best for athletes and adventurers who need to take their ultralight gear to the next level, who can’t sleep comfortably on closed-cell foam pads like the ZLite Sol (see below), and/or who care about space and bulk just as much as weight. Examples:From 2020, there is a new industry standard for measuring the R-value (level of insulation) of sleeping mats – ASTM F3340-18. This new standard is the sleeping mat equivalent to the EN rating for sleeping bags. It has comparable comfort to the NeoAir XLite and XTherm but at a lower weight. As a woman, and a side sleeper, my hip sunk into the UberLite without hitting the cold ground. The customer base are already calling for a wider, shorter version of the UberLite but this size was perfect for me.