Here you have my comparison Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm vs Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Pad, so have a look and see which is better.
Why this comparison?
Both Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm and Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL pads are among the best backpacking pads currently on the market. Both are inflatable and with more or less the same dimensions regarding their regular sizes. They are ultralight and ultra-compact.
These two brands are also among the best known outdoor brands, and they are particularly famous for their sleeping pads.
Some basic numbers and parameters
In the table below you can see the usual numbers side by side, so you can compare. For more details please follow the links to my full reviews.
Weight, oz (g)
Packed size (L x D), in (cm)
R-value
Thickness, in (cm)
Sizes
Price
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm
15 (425)
9 x 4 (23 x 10)
6.9
2.5 (6.4)
2-3
$$$
Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL
15.9 (450)
7 x 4.5 (17.8 x 11.4)
4.4
2.5 (6.4)
1
$$
In view of these numbers, and based on my mentioned detailed reviews, see how I compare the two pads:
Weight
Packed size
R-value
Support
Valve
Fabric
Size
Price
Therm-a-Rest
NeoAir XTherm
Klymit Insulated
V Ultralite SL
Here are some reasons behind those signs ‘plus’ and ‘minus’:
The weight
The difference is almost negligible, but it is true that the NeoAir XTherm pad (regular) is a bit lighter.
The packed size
The numbers look different, but if you recalculate them in terms of the packed volume, they are exactly the same. Both pads reduce to only 1.8 liters volume when packed.
R-value
The difference is significant, so the Therm-a-Rest pad insulates better.
Support
The Klymit brand is celebrated for its body mapping design, and this is what you have in this Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL pad. For inflatable pads of this kind, it is hard to find a match for this design.
Valve & inflation
Both pads have a single-valve design, but note that the new version of the NeoAir XTherm pad has what they call the WingLock valve. It is better than what you have in the Klymit pad.
Note also that the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm pad comes with a pump bag bonus.
Fabric
In the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm sleeping pad you have a combination of a 30D ripstop HT nylon on the top, and a 70D nylon on the bottom. In the Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL pad, you have a 20D polyester. So the former is better.
But the Klymit pad fabric is far quieter than the Therm-a-Rest pad fabric. Thanks to Bill who mentioned this in the comment box below.
Sizes and dimensions
The regular size is the same in both pads, but note that the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm pad is built also in a large version. They have it with the trimmed mummy-style shape and rectangular. The Klymit pad is more or less rectangular and built in one size.
The prices
The Klymit pad is considerably more affordable. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm pad is expensive and I doubt that this will change in time.
Final thoughts
So based on the numbers and the most important features the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm pad scores better. But things are not so simple, see why.
i) There is one feature that, in my view, should have far more ‘specific weight’ in this ranking than any other feature. This is support and stability. The Klymit pad with its V-shaped baffles and its peripheral short transverse baffles is far better here.
ii) About sizes: If you buy a regular size, then it does not matter for you that NeoAir XTherm pad has several other sizes. In fact, the regular sizes of the two pads are equal, but the design of the Klymit pad with its specific baffles is such that the feeling is that you have more space. So this would give an advantage to the Klymit pad, and it would reduce the overall score difference by one point.
iii) Note also that the weight difference is immaterial. You can easily disregard it, and the overall score of the Klymit pad would increase by yet another point.
So taking these facts into consideration, the overall rating difference may become quite negligible.
It would be great to hear what you think. Have I missed something important? So let me know, there is a comment box below. Thank you for reading and have a nice day.
Bill G. says
I use the Therm-a-Rest. It is very noisy when shifting positions while sleeping. Is the polyester of the Klymit quiet?
Jovo says
Hi Bill, good that you mentioned this, the Klymit pad is absolutely quieter. I forgot to mention this, going to add a sentence above, thanks.