[leadin]Take a deep breath. Now, purse your lips and exhale into the gaping ‘valve’ a few inches in front of your face. The magic is about to begin.[/leadin]
A new line of insulated camping mattresses from Therm-a-Rest seems to defy the laws of physics. A few breaths directed into the open mouth of the company’s just-released SpeedValve will inflate an air mattress in seconds.
Normally, a mattress of this size would require dozens of short breaths forced in through a small valve. Or, with foam-filled air pads, you can open a valve and let air slowly “seep” in over several minutes before topping it off to full pressure with your lungs.
The SpeedValve is different. It is a faster and better way to blow up a pad. In as few as four big breaths we were able to inflate a six-foot-long mattress to the amazement of fellow campers, most red-faced while attempting to blow up their backpacking pads the old way.
SpeedValve Explained
Despite the mentioned “magic,” this product does not defy physics. In contrast, it’s an innovation that leans on a little-known effect, Bernoulli’s Principle of fluid dynamics, where pressure variances result in increased airflow.
Therm-a-Rest was not the first to market with a speed-inflation air mattress. Early iterations of this technology have been around for decades, from early army mattresses like the Black Betty to a recent version from Windcatcher and a Pump Sack concept from Therm-a-Rest. However, Therm-a-Rest’s SpeedValve adoption will allow this style to see wide-spread availability and innovations.
More Info/Buy Now: SpeedValve For Sale At REI.com
For example, Therm-a-Rest’s SpeedValve mattresses are insulated (Windcatcher’s is not) and they feature an auto-reversing valve, allowing for quick and easy deflation.
In common use, say inside a tent at a campground, the Bernoulli’s Principle and the lab-speak translates simply to a faster-inflating air mattress. We tested three Therm-a-Rest products with the SpeedValve and were impressed.
Therm-a-Rest, a brand that has played in the air-mattress space for decades, notes the SpeedValve works because your breath sends fast-moving, low-pressure air through the neck of the mattress, “causing the static, high-pressure air outside the mattress to rush in to equalize the pressure.”

Left to right: NeoAir XLite Max SV, NeoAir Trekker SV, NeoAir Camper SV
Inflate/Deflate
NeoAir Camper, Trekker & XLite: The SpeedValve Line


Therm-a-Rest SpeedValve Mattresses
- NeoAir XLite Max SV: $159.95; 16oz
- NeoAir Trekker SV: $149.95; 24oz
- NeoAir Camper SV: $139.95; 37oz (3″ thick)
- Buy Now (at REI.com)