Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite | How durable is this ultralight pad? (Level 3 Hiking Nerd Full Review)
Vložit
- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- These are the pros and cons of the NeoAir UberLite inflatable sleeping pad after a year of ownership. As a bonus, I'm including a set of helpful tips for anyone looking to buy this pad. Is your pad really deflating overnight or is it something else?
Great deal on the NeoAir UberLite: amzn.to/2UuHMJk
Adventure on the Yosemite High Route: • A stunning route you'v...
How I categorize my gear review videos
Level 3 - Hiking Nerd Full Review: long-term field-tested, structured, and thorough
Level 2 - Early Review: field-tested but unstructured thoughts
Level 1 - Early Impressions: show and tell but minimal testing and usage
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This is at no cost to you and helps support this channel.
This gear sample was obtained from the brand with no conditions. All opinions are my own.
im going through uberlite reviews and the shock of seeing this guy put his pad in a river vs every other person treating this pad like it's porcelain is hilarious
To put this into perspective. The Supai inflated packraft, which is the lightest packraft I've ever come across at 800 gram, have about 60d if I remember correctly. Ordinary packrafts have 200-800d, for a good reason. This is 15d.
Please don't try this at home... or anywhere else. Haha xD
And SLEDDING! 😅 And some mild pole-stabbing.
It is kind of annoying. To see so many get a defecting product right out of the package…and then this guy rubbing it against rocks without any issue
@@bluesummers5051That’s what happened to me, first night. Two leaks - one each side of the valve. Woke up on the ground. Thermarest were quick to replace the defected item tho. 👍🏼
Completely underrated review. Why wasn't this the top recommended?
Used the UberLite August 2019 for 60 miles in the Sierras over Kiersarge, Glen, Pincho, Mather, and Bishop passes with a 1/8" Thinlite pad from GG under it and some low temps in the high 20's and slept fine and warm every night of the trip (in a Katabatic Palisade 30 degree quilt). Just did a three day over the Memorial day weekend in the High Sierras above 9,000 feet with the same set-up and froze each night. Night low temps of 26 degrees. The difference was the ground. A late snowstorm had hit the Sierras just before the last trip and the ground was still soggy from the snowmelt. Obviously a mistake on my part not bringing my Xlite for the wet ground conditions. But it was a good lesson. The air temp is not as important as the ground conditions for the Uberlite. Or any pad for that matter. Good review Hiking Nerd.
I thoroughly believe in not getting a product from JUST one review .. and if I hadn't already watched heaps of reviews on this pad (along with several others) then I would buy this pad JUST from this video alone. But since I've already watched a lot of video, yours is still my buying point.
Here are the weights for those not in the USA.
Small 162g without stuff sack; Small 170g with stuff sack.
Regular 242g without stuff sack; Regular 250g with stuff sack.
Large 330g without stuff sack; Large 340g with stuff sack.
You are a fantastic reviewer with excellent storytelling / videography skills all encapsulated in an amazing dry sense of humor (-using airpad to float down rivers). * subscribed *
I have this pad & agree with your evaluation. Apparently, I'm one of the few people who haven't had to return it for deflation issues. (Knock on wood 😄)
Bearanoia Mom who Hikes same here!!
Love it! Great review. It's good to see gear "used" in the real world. In the spirit of at least two uses for every piece of gear in my pack it's good to see someone else floating in a lake on their sleeping pad! Noise has been a significant issue in my use, I am frequently ostracized to the outer regions of a campsite. Spot on, on the arm issue...
Great review! I used an old x-lite in mid 30’s and was warm. Used the Uber lite in the same temps and was cold. I could feel the cold from the ground coming up through the pad. I was in a floored tent with a ground sheet under the tent.
Slippery is an understatement.
To reduce slippage, make a mixture of silicon and water like people do to seam- seal tents. Paint stripes lightly across the pad. When it dries, you'll have a thin layer of grippy silicon. I learned this watching a video of DIY seam sealing made by Henry Shires of Tarptent. He shows to do it on the floor of the tent itself, but should work fine on the pad as well
I'll be using this pad in another week plus out in the Sierra's in California. Looking forward to see how this works. The video gave some great hints for the pad, such as how in the heck to get the air out of the pad! Thanks for the video!
Excellent review. Just bought a small one two weeks ago. Set it up and slept on it for a few nights on my bedroom floor. So far so good. Did realize yesterday as I was packing it up for a trip this weekend, deflating it takes much longer time. I deflated it and tried to roll it up three times in order to get the air out of it.
I have the large version and have slept on it a few nights. The weight was the main reason for buying this pad and I think it's great but can't take it out on cold nights because I worry about it failing. I like your review and will try it again on an overnighter. 👍
Let me know how it goes! What do you consider to be a cold night?
32°F lol
Hi Senior Hiker 77, love your channel. Having a sleeping pad fail when it's cold out is always something i'm concerned with. Below 5c/40f I would switch to a bit more durable pad; below -10c/15f I always add a foam pad. I've seen an uberlite fail from a pine needle in someones tent; could make for a cold and sleepless night.
@@SublimatedIce I have a sleeping pad fail and it was a terrible night and it was the Uberlite. That why I'm so concerned about tge Uberlite.
Another fantastic video and very well put. I really like how simple but in-depth you make your videos. Thank you for your time and effort put forth in your videos.
Notification squad what up! Great video, Hiking Nerd :D
This video is phenomenal thank you
Thanks for the review. I'm new return to the whole thing. (My wife took me out of everything.) That said, I consider consider price in with the mix of the three. Hate to say it, but being blue collar, working class, price does matter. If I put out money for the stuff, it means food off the table, so I have to consider price. Over all, good reviews, thanks.
Thanks for watching. Just to dispel any misinterpretation, price matters to everyone. But in my reviews, I focus on performance because everyone has a different willingness to pay for gear and it would be inappropriate if I baked my own views on value (“do I get what I pay for”) into these reviews. Hope this price vs performance distinction helps you understand where I’m coming from in my reviews.
The only exception is if the price is so high or so low compared to similar products on the market that it is worth calling out.
Glad to hear you haven't been gutted like a fish to the point you gave up on getting back out there. You're free, this is great news.
Great tip on topping off your pad before sleep! Great review! Love the channel! Thank you!
Therm-a-Rest makes a regular-wide (25x72) version of the UberLite now. I hear you on the sizing gripe...20" wide mattresses don't work for elbows. But when weight matters, and two people are sharing a two-person tent, they won't fit if they're using 25" mattresses (typically). Mattress sizing and tent sizing go hand in hand. Also, the micropump is awesome with the winglock valve. It's worth the 2oz to me.
Thanks for the update. It sounds like they’ve been listening 🙂 Many two person 3-season tents (think BA Copper Spur, Nemo Dragonfly, Double Rainbow, etc) will support two 25” mummy pads but you can bet there won’t be much space for anything else.
Thanks for the review! I wanted to love this pad, but it definitely had a slow leak issue...not just deflation due to dropping temps, as I've experienced that with other pads. I had to add more air multiple times throughout the night..it would lose too much volume within an hour...I'd awake cold, etc.
I figured some of the valves were randomly defective. Shortly after it was released, there were a high number of complaints about it having a slow leak deflation issue.
Instead of replacing it, I opted for the xlite. Based on your vid, I might give it another try....especially since has a newer valve. It was light, compact, and comfy when full of air. Cheers!
Nice to hear from you again. Welcome back! Thumbs Up!
This is why I prefer ripstop nylon or silnylon over dyneema any day. Nylon is way more abrasion resistant.
Hopefully there will be some updates on this like the other sleeping pad they have. Great review BTW.
Nice review - I like your attention to detail 😊🇩🇰
I got a torso length uberlite and it didn’t hold air overnight sitting by itself in, no weight on it.
Xlite torso on the way and I’ll return once rei opens back up after quarantine
On size, I'm 62yo, 6'5" and I have a ProLite torso pad... and women's pad when it is cold. With so little ground contact with my feet, that I don't even notice. But geez... I'm with you on width. Those pads are so narrow.
agree with the pros & cons.... I do think the new 2020 valve makes it easier to deflate
I found that a good solution for slipping around and the awful noise it makes on your tent floor, was to put it inside a polycotton sleeping bag liner.
Hey, good review, I posed it on our website if that cool with you, hiking N 🙂
GREAT review!!!! You have answered all of my questions but one. 😉 What's the most comparable pad to this one that isn't very noisy?😉 I would buy this pad for every reason you list, except that it's noisy. I won't do that to my friends since I move around a lot at night.
Thanks! All inflatable pads produce some noise so your best bet is to test a couple of them out in a store and see which one seems “bearable.” I sleep with ear plugs and recommend anyone sharing my tent to do the same because I don’t normally sleep with ambient noise
Great review! Thank you ! 👍
Great review! Please not that oz is also not metric, we use g or kg. It's always nice if we don't need to have google open to convert all the time :)
I realized that I said I would include metric in the video and then the very next thing I said was the weight in ounces and forgot to put the grams on screen. I did the other measurements in both units though... something to improve on for next time. Thanks!
@@HikingNerd Thanks for caring ;)
Great review! Very thorough and straight to the point. As well, the video footage was filmed great! I purchased this pad last year for its small compressed size for bike packing and have had no complaints other than the deflation time and just how much effort it is to extract the air from inside the pad... definitely looking for a new pad. Do you or any viewers have recommendations for pads that also compress to a similar size?
Yes, DO check out the XTherm review, says someone with a bias, LOL. This one was another great review, well done!
Good to hear from you Louise! Hope you’re staying safe and healthy!
Awesome review !!!
Very good review 👍
very nice review. thanks
Amazing review
Great in depth review... Your thoughts mean a lot to me. I have an air mat that sound like an empty chip bag. I'm a big dude and have to get long wide. I don't think this pad is for me, but am looking into a neo air xtherm for winter. Thank you, take care.
Thank you! If you plan to camp on snow, I can't recommend the XTherm enough. R-value is king in the winter.
excellent review, this is the one I'm getting, thanks for all the info, nice hikes in the videos by the way! you bring it all together nicely, mahalo!
Question answered.
Come to WA for some backpacking trips this summer! Your tips are spot on
Great review thank you!
You're welcome!
Hi.
Like you, I also have incredibly muscular shoulders.💪😎🤜 This is my method to solve the issue of having a narrow pad:
You need:
- One strap, slightly longer than a belt. Personally, I use a lightweight, nylon strap with a plastic buckle. Its similar to cheap hip belt. Normally I use it as a belt, but it has a dual purpose for sleeping.
How to:
Wrap the strap loosely around your waist. While you're in your sleeping bag, put both your arms inside the strap. Now, with your arms secured inside this "belt strap" your arms won't fall down to the cold ground.
Have a good night.
There’s an idea I’ve never thought of! I’ve got to give this a try. Thanks for the note!
Nice work. Probably the most useful review of this pad I've come across yet. Took it out on the length of the Arizona trail in March during record snowstorm and it did fine but I had it paired up with a 1/8th gossamer gear thin lite (evazote foam) pad underneath which was great for puncture proofing, added warmth and slippage issues. That pad is now shredded and I'm looking for another option, similarly light. What sort of ground sheets has worked for you? I've yet to try it stand alone on tyvek, a bit hesitant. I do agree that this pad is definitely a three season capable pad with a complementary set up of a decent quilt + merino layers. Ditto on width. I wish these things were wider or just rectangular (like the old women's pro lites 4s). Cheers
Thanks Amiththan. In 3 season conditions, I usually use polycryo as a groundsheet. Since it is slippery, I add seam grip to the pad to add tackiness. As long as the ground is quite flat, it works fine.
@@HikingNerd btw I did some fun puncture resistanncy tests the other day with tyvek and polycro....tyvek was able to take about 220 g of pressure before breach vs poly which was around 60g. And cuben was actually in the 100s too. (basically taped a needle vertically to a scale and pressed down with the taught fabric ).... it reinforces your poijt about the abrasion resistancy of the 15d nylon face .....(I used to work for arcteryx testing things like this for fun )
That’s neat! Those results suggest that you used the standard HomeWrap version of Tyvek instead of the kitemaking version which is softer. The Uberlite is quite abrasion resistant but you do have to careful of those pokies, I have a 1/8” evazote foam pad I now use similar to you to add friction and minimize damage from the sharps (and as a sit pad) but I would guess that Tyvek HomeWrap works better.
If you say the imperial weight on the audio, please can you put the metric weight in writing on the visual? I don’t think there is any point saying the imperial weight and then also writing the imperial weight on the screen ?
+1 on a 25” wide and 72” long
About to invest in a mat - the nemo looks good - any thoughts?
greets from germany ✌
I am having a really hard time picking out a new sleeping pad. I am pretty careful with my gear to say the least, but is this durable enough? Or should I go with the xlite?
Two thoughts: how important is it to save 3oz over the XLite and how annoying do you find crinkling noises? XLite is warmer, heavier, crinklier, and fabric should be a bit more puncture resistant.
@@HikingNerd It does not make that much of a difference for weight. I currently have the sea to summit comfort plus, which is 25 oz. I really want something durable but I do not want something loud.
@@christopherclark928 Do you spend much time sleeping in really warm temperatures? If not, the XTherm might be the answer. Or you'll need to sacrifice warmth-to-weight and go with Big Agnes or NEMO or another Sea to Summit.
@@HikingNerd I wouldnt say really warm Im looking for a 3 season pad I mostly camp in the north east
Does it help if I say that I’ve never camped overnight in temperatures warmer than 60F? So the XTherm is the right one-pad-to-rule-them-all for me.
Opening the valve is like pulling the plug in the bath. Oh the finality. Time's up... 😑
subbed
Do you still recommend this pad in 2021? Any failures? So tempted to get it...
I slept on a pokey once and it caused a micro puncture that caused the pad to partially deflate by morning. Easy fix and likely would’ve happened to other pads. Would suggest a GG Thinlite or MLD 1/4” CCF pad for 2oz as a sit pad and for protection.
@@HikingNerd Thanks for the data point. What is your go to field repair kit? How did you repair the leak?
@@BackpackingVideos Tenacious Tape and TearAid for in the field repair. Aquaseal for at home repair.
@@HikingNerd Is Tenacious Tape without glue good enough for a field repair? I’ve been bringing the glue tube but may just bring Tenacious if that’s good enough to save weight
15D thickness just scares me. I wish they had one at 30D without the insulation.
That would be the XLite!
Ah ok, did not know that. Thanks
Hey what kind of Garmin watch is this?
It’s the Felix 3 - an older model but has held up well with age
@@HikingNerd thank you sir
like!!!
But... where’s the metric
This pad is garbage went thru 3 of em and returned it back to rei for a refund. Baffled kept coming apart and new wing lock valve is very weak at that spot and leaks.
Using it as a raft. kek.
"we'll put the metric units up on the screen" ... You know ounces are not metric right... Probably not... Muricans...
uberlite is garbage ! i gave it away !
Excellent review