Help! air mattress needed

[dalling]

No I am not a princess and the pea type of hiker.

However I have a dilemma.

I am trying desperately to find the best all around air mattress/sleep pad.

I am an ultra-light fan but not a huge minimalist fanatic. (My pack for a 7 day is about 45lbs)

I am trying to find a pad that is:

lightweight

compact when packed

sturdy

and under 200

any ideas?

I am a big guy 6' 250 and would like it to be a little accommodating.

help me out here peeps!

[jeepingetowah]

I used a Thermarest Trekker on the AT hike for 6 months. Loved it, but did not have a very good R rating when it came to cold weather.

Now I use a Big Agnes Q core insulated SL (superlight) version. I love it and it is 1 inch thicker than the Thermrest Neoair Trekker.

My suggestion is to get something that will meet your needs for temperatures that you expect and weight that is decent for your pocketbook.

Big Agnes has a WIDE variety of styles and options. I would look at them first.

[PaulGS]

I use a Thermarest NeoAir All Season air mattress and have been very happy with it. It's 20"x72", 2.5" thick with an insulation value of R5 and I've used it comfortably camping down to 15 degrees. It weighs 19 oz which I find to be light enough for me. You might find the 25"x75" large size more suitable for you with its weight coming in at 25 oz and priced around $175. Good luck and happy trails!

[tmountainnut]

I have used neoair's ever since they've come out. I've owned the original yellow square one (short and regular length), the first generation of the all season, the first generation of the trekker, the Xlite, and the Xtherm. Currently i still own my Xlite, and it's great. Out of all of the neoairs i've had, i've never gotten a leak in the field by being careful with them. However, when i bought the Xtherm (used) it had a leak, and it was very easy to fix with their glue dot patch kit. I'm 6'1" and around 200#, and i've found the regular to be enough. However the large size is a little longer/wider.

I think for 3 season camping (always above 20*) the xlite is my favorite. However, if you want a warmer pad that's slightly heavier, the Xtherm is also a very good choice. If you ever plan on 4 season camping, the Xtherm could be a all in one pad. I've seen them advertised with 20-25% off on occasion, or sometimes they're sold used, so i'm sure you can find what you need within your price range. If you're shorter, there are plenty of medium sized ones on sale right now. Campsaver even does a 5% matching deal and they have a few in stock here - http://www.campsaver.com/neoair-xtherm-sleeping-pad#

[grizzled]

I too use a NeoAir, 20x72" and it weighs 13 oz. Completely satisfied with the performance. I have also used REI's Flash version and it too performed well but 3 oz heavier for same size. IMO, the REI's are a touch more comfortable to sleep on but the valving doesn't look like it will have a long life. I've had no leaks with either and both pack to about the same size.