Neo-Air from thermarest

**Carolinahammockhanger** · 08-10-2009, 15:40

Just curious if anyone is using this pad in their hammock and what the results were, especially warmth. I currently use a ridgerest and a Marmot 40 degree bag. This combo does well down to 40-45 in the hammock keeping me warm. I like pads in case I have to go to ground so under quilts are out for me. It seems like the ridgerest would be warmer than the neoair but I wanted to here from someone who's actually used one. Thanks!

**lori** · 08-10-2009, 17:24

NeoAir Medium - narrow but warm, and since I don't move a lot in the hammock that's okay. Was in crazy gusty wind to 50 mph and low 30F temps for most of last week. I did put the Gossamer Gear 1/4" evazote under it (corners trimmed) to catch stray limbs and avoid some warmth leakage around the edges but don't doubt that the evazote by itself would have been inadequate. I can also say that the NeoAir on the ground was quite comfy for a side sleeping chick whose hips typically poke right through the normal thermarests. Slightly crinkly but once you're settle the noise is negligible.

**beep** · 08-10-2009, 17:48

I have a neoair large (77x25) that I use in my WBBB 1.1 dbl layer. Works well, though I haven't pushed it below 50 degrees yet in the hammock. On the ground, I've gotten comfortably to 35 degrees. So far, it's comfortable with a WM Caribou (35 degree) sleeping bag at that degree of coolth without adding more substantial layers of clothing.

I did notice my shoulder got chilly if I was maxing out the diagonal lay and pressing above the pad against the hammock body, but a small shift back toward center dealt easily with that. I insert the pad at a diagonal to get the "bottom" into the foot box and the "head" toward the zipper.

**Carolinahammockhanger** · 08-10-2009, 17:51

Thanks Lori! I'm like you with the the pad being narrow. My current one is only 20 inches wide and in my singlenest that's fine for me. I've never woke up and been off of it or cold. Thanks for the info. The Neo is a pretty penny but if it works good in a hammock then I'm for it. Anyone else with good results?

**Carolinahammockhanger** · 08-10-2009, 17:54

Excellent Beep! Thanks as well. For summer use I'm sure its great, I've been like you concerned about below 50.

**beep** · 08-10-2009, 18:09

Originally Posted by Carolinahammockhanger

Excellent Beep! Thanks as well. For summer use I'm sure its great, I've been like you concerned about below 50.

A week ago I received a Yeti UQ from Brandon and haven't had a chance to try it out yet. I'm sure some combination of Yeti, NeoAir and some CCF should get me into much lower temps, but I don't have any first-hand experience yet.

My neoair is just part of my kit now (carryover from ground-dwelling), and for warmer temps it's sufficient insulation in the BB all by itself.

For inspiration, I just rewatch Shug and Turk in their -23 degree F. video.

**koaloha05** · 08-10-2009, 19:48

Coldest night I've slept in the WBBB with a NeoAir was 48*F. It was suppose to get much colder that night so I chickened out and added the trimmed down Oware pad (3/16" ccf). With the Nest as a top quilt I was very warm. Other nights have been in the 50*Fs. NeoAir alone was warm. Am a cold sleeper.

Problem I have with the NeoAir is the need to deflate to ~1/2 full for comfort in the hammock. Not my choice for pads in a hammock. Needed a compact & light pad for non hammock "camping" so it wasn't a total waste of $$s. Preference for pad use is a torso length (Thermarest or OP) + ccf for the legs and shoulder. Summer light weight kit is a torso length pad + 1/8" ccf. Total mass ~11oz, packs small and if grounded you have some comfort. Sub 50*F I'm packing the UQ.

**lori** · 08-10-2009, 20:21

Originally Posted by koaloha05

Problem I have with the NeoAir is the need to deflate to ~1/2 full for comfort in the hammock. Not my choice for pads in a hammock. Needed a compact & light pad for non hammock "camping" so it wasn't a total waste of $$s. Preference for pad use is a torso length (Thermarest or OP) + ccf for the legs and shoulder. Summer light weight kit is a torso length pad + 1/8" ccf. Total mass ~11oz, packs small and if grounded you have some comfort. Sub 50*F I'm packing the UQ.

In high elevation/high Sierra pass trips I will be taking the NeoAir and 1/4" evazote, for ground/hammock sleeping, as it was perfectly warm below 32F and would probably get me lower. While the top quilt was better for radiating heat back to me, and I did experience some condensation that I never had before on the first night out in the hammock last week, the NeoAir was quite satisfactory. I still prefer UQ but for multipurpose use the NeoAir has my begrudging approval.