Therm-a-Rest is launching the NeoAir Topo Luxe sleeping pad in February. I got a chance to test it early, and it impressed me as a balanced sleeping pad for three-season use.
Insulation, comfort, weight, and inflation technology: The NeoAir Topo Luxe sleeping pad by Therm-a-Rest ($140) is a king of the luxury camp pad category. With its NeoAir fabric line, Therm-a-Rest has redefined its place in the sleeping pad market.
At 4 inches thick, the Topo Luxe is the thickest pad in the NeoAir line, resulting in a three-season pad that offers maximum comfort and good heat retention while keeping the pad lightweight and packable at 1 pound 7 ounces (size regular).
In short: If you’re looking for a pad that accommodates broad activities from warm through cool weather, this is the pad. It’s a bit heavier than some models for self-supported travel, but the improved sleep may very well supply you the extra ounces of energy to carry it along.
Inflation and Deflation
The Topo Luxe has Therm-a-Rest’s new TwinLock valves for more efficient inflation and deflation. It’s a fancy way of saying there are two valves: one to inflate and one to deflate. The system is simple and effective, with a one-way valve for inflation and a separate one-way valve for deflation (which releases air five times faster than a typical release valve).
The only flaw is the potential for user error. I discovered after a few beers that the pad will not inflate, even if using lungs of steel, if both valves are simultaneously open. But this is easy to avoid, as both valves are well-marked “in” and “out.”
Therm-a-Rest Topo Luxe Sleeping Pad Design
Using a double layer of the brand’s Triangular Core Matrix technology creates a thick yet firm sleeping platform, removing the dead air space that can result in that sinking effect with thicker inflatable pads.
This construction helps improve the pad’s insulation and brings the R factor up to a cool-weather-capable 3.7.
NeoAir Topo Luxe Sleeping Pad Review
I tested this pad on a fall river trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, where cool mornings (lows in the high 30s) and rainy afternoons made nighttime warmth a consideration.
Coming off the boat, my feet were chilled. I worried my 30-degree sleeping bag wouldn’t be enough to warm me back up. I’m the type of person who can comfortably sleep in a zero-degree sleeping bag year-round, as I love being cozy at night.
Surprisingly, I woke up and felt perfectly warm thanks to the noticeable insulation. I felt zero heat loss through my pad. I also slept soundly thanks to the stable platform and width of the Topo Luxe, which made it possible for me to comfortably toss, turn, and roll around all night long.
At 1 pound 7 ounces and packing down to 5 x 10 inches, this pad is a bit bulkier and heavier than I’d typically carry on a backpacking mission. But it’s certainly still packable in a backpack.
My quality of sleep and comfort using the Therm-a-Rest Topo Luxe is making me consider bringing a few more ounces in my pack. This will undoubtedly come along with me on every cold-weather and car camping trip.
