Exped Down Mat XP 9 vs Therma-A-Rest NeoAir XTherm

[BAKPAKR]

I have a pretty good collection of older Therma-A-Rest pads but I am going to be wandering (or possibly wondering) around the Greys River in Wyoming for a week or two this fall and I am planning on upgrading. I am looking hard at the Down Mat 9 and the XTherm. I realize the Down Mat is 2x the weight of the XTherm. I also know that the Down Mat is an inch thicker than the XTherm (? more comfortable) and has quite a bit higher R value. Have any of you considered the same two mats and wound up with one of them? Are you satisfied with your decision and why? If any of you have tried both, I would really like to hear your take on the pros and cons of each. FYI - I am not an ultralight backpacker, but I am thinking about changing my ways. Also, I am 6’5” so I need a long pad. Thanks.

 

[WCS]

I own an Exped down mat 7 (little thinner) and the Xtherm. I use the Xtherm when I want to travel lighter and use the Exped when I'm more worried about comfort. I find my Exped to be slightly warmer than the Xtherm and also quieter.

 

[Owenst7]

I've never been cold with my xtherm. They are a bit minimalistic on comfort, but I sleep well on mine (also have an xlite).

I've read far too many posts where Exped baffles popped and rendered the pad unsleepable out in the field. I can patch a hole, but I can't repair a baffle. To make it worse, many of those statements were that Exped floundered on the warranty of an obvious manufacturing defect. Not something I want to risk with an expensive pad.

Pretty sure both my TARs said made in USA on the box too.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Only my experiences and not to counter anyone's thoughts...

I've owned both of these pads. I owned the Exped Downmat 9 first (bought in 2009) and it did indeed have a baffle failure after about 4 or 5 years. I contacted Exped USA directly and they replaced it with zero hassle. I didn't have to return the defective mat; they just had me send a couple images via email and had a new one on the way to me in 24 hours. I was told there were improvements made in the interior construction, but cannot verify that. I will tell you I've had no issues with my current Downmat and I trust it completely every year for 2 weeks in Alaska. It is BY FAR the warmest, quietest and most comfortable mat I've ever slept on period. I trust it 100%.

I bought the XTherm in 2015 for a solo caribou hunt in Alaska, as I didn't need the warmth of the Downmat. I thought the XTherm was generally comfortable though not as nice as my Exped. I found the surface of the mat to be a little slicker and my bag wanted to slide more. The 100% most bothersome thing about the XTherm for me was the noise factor. I could not move, adjust, turn or do anything on it without causing it to make a lot of crinkling/crackling noises in the night. I don't ask for a lot, but my bed needs to be quiet. I know this same issue (for me) is a non-issue for others, so it's a matter of knowing what you'll tolerate. Despite the negatives I thought the XTherm was an overall great pad.

In the end, I knew the XTherm was always going to be the pad I'd have to argue with myself to take. The Downmat would always win for quiet, warmth and comfort. I sold the XTherm after one season and have not wished for it since. If I had no experience with either pad...I would purchase BOTH and do a side-by-side eval in the home. Keep the best of the two and return the other.

 

[superA]

I have both. Despite the weight difference (down mat 7) I won't use the x-therm again. If it's too warm for the exped I'll just use the thermarest foam mat. Currently looking for a ul exped 5.

 

[Rokwiia]

I go out alone in weather that can take my life as I'm sure many others do as well. I have always erred on the side of being too warm and too dry at the cost of a minimal amount of weight.

I have 2 DownMat XP 9. I also have a SynMat 9. The XTherm was never on my radar.

 

[Freestone]

Just sold my Xtherm after I purchased the downmat 9. I never had a good nights sleep on the Xtherm and now sleep great on the exped. I am 6’1” and have the long/wide version and feel as though I am maxed out on length with it. Not sure how it would be for you but thought I should mention it. I have tried 8 different pads over the years and the exped is by far the best for me with a Sea to Summit coming in second place for warmer weather.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jtelarkin08]

Why are you guys going with the 7 over the 5?? the 5 is rated at 10 degrees it looks like and 8 oz lighter.. Any experience with the 5?

 

[superA]

Moosejaw is having a really good sale on exped right now.

 

[bbrown]

How do the vertical baffles on the Exped mats compare to the older Big Agnes vertical baffles? Never thought the older insulated BA pad was that comfortable

 

[sndmn11]

Why are you guys going with the 7 over the 5?? the 5 is rated at 10 degrees it looks like and 8 oz lighter.. Any experience with the 5?

I chose it because of the R value. I got ours directly from Exped, but might have gotten the Synmat UL Winter if they had them in stock directly. In my eyes, for our purposes of fourth season Colorado backpacking, (from what I remember) the Downmat 5 seemed to be a little heavier than similar R value pads.

 

[Jtelarkin08]

Moosejaw is having a really good sale on exped right now.

I’ve been trying to buy one on PayPal for the last hour there. Not letting me check out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BAKPAKR]

SuperA, your tip on the Moosejaw sale helped me make up my mind. An Exped Down Mat XP 9 LW is on its way.

Thanks, everyone!

 

[superA]

Everybody inflates the matt too much. When they are fully blown up it's not great. Let yourself sink into the pad a bit.

 

[superA]

I chose it because of the R value. I got ours directly from Exped, but might have gotten the Synmat UL Winter if they had them in stock directly. In my eyes, for our purposes of fourth season Colorado backpacking, (from what I remember) the Downmat 5 seemed to be a little heavier than similar R value pads.

I may be wrong but I don't believe Exped deals directly.

 

[superA]

I’ve been trying to buy one on PayPal for the last hour there. Not letting me check out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They don't negotiate with terrorists. All kidding aside, I'd just call them. Big shops do that a lot.

 

[superA]

SuperA, your tip on the Moosejaw sale helped me make up my mind. An Exped Down Mat XP 9 LW is on its way.

Thanks, everyone!

Nice. Now please bitch like crazy if anything goes wrong.

 

[TradLife406]

I love my Xtherm. A pound for the regular and 5.7 R!

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[superA]

Just received an exped ul airmat. Crazy how much lighter this thing is than my down mat 7. Headed to do a few days on the Colorado trail. Will report back.

 

[swanny]

Why are you guys going with the 7 over the 5?? the 5 is rated at 10 degrees it looks like and 8 oz lighter.. Any experience with the 5?

Two different baffle technologies. The DownMat Lite 5 is a welded through baffle, essentially there is a "gap" between each baffle. The DownMat 7 (or any current 7/9cm mat) is an I beam baffle.The attached picture should help show the difference in baffle types.View attachment 78129