RENO, Nev. (Oct. 15, 2026) – Today, TIME reveals its annual list of the Best Inventions, which features 300 extraordinary innovations changing lives, and has selected the Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft™ sleeping pad as an award winner. Therm-a-Rest, a pioneer in outdoor comfort innovation, first launched the NeoLoft in Spring 2025, designed to revolutionize backpacking comfort. The NeoLoft’s inclusion in TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026, alongside the numerous accolades the pad has received to date, further solidifies its claim as the most comfortable backpacking pad in the market today.
TIME’s editors wrote: “After decades of creating some of the lightest sleeping pads for camping, Cascade Designs’s latest release is also one of the plushest. At 30 oz., the new Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad is still quite light. But instead of crinkly, unbreathable nylon, the inflatable mattress is constructed from a stretch knit polyester usually reserved for apparel, which feels smooth against your skin and is virtually noiseless when you shift in your sleep. It also inflates to 4.6-in. thick, unprecedented for a mattress that—when rolled up—is hardly larger than a 1L Nalgene water bottle.”
At 4.6 inches thick, the NeoLoft is the thickest backpacking pad ever offered by Therm-a-Rest, designed to provide exceptional cushioning and support. The 3D construction and ContourCore Matrix technology ensure optimal body alignment and pressure relief, while side rails enhance stability during sleep. The NeoLoft boasts a remarkable 4.7 R-value for warmth, making it suitable for a variety of climates. The stretch knit fabric is soft to the touch, and the TwinLock Valve system makes inflating and deflating a breeze. NeoLoft packs down to the size of a one-liter water bottle and starts at 25 ounces (size regular). For more information, see the product video here.
“Being named one of TIME’s Best Inventions is an incredible honor for all of us at Therm-a-Rest,” said Jeff Moberg, VP of Product for Cascade Designs. “For more than 50 years, our mission has been to create the most comfortable night’s sleep outside, and the NeoLoft is one of our boldest steps towards that goal. We set out to bring comfort to the backcountry without weighing down your pack, and seeing the NeoLoft recognized alongside the year’s most important innovations is a huge milestone for our team.”
The NeoLoft has received numerous awards and accolades throughout this year, including “Most Comfortable Sleeping Pad” from Better Trail, Men’s Journal, OutdoorGearLab, and CleverHiker, and an award from GearJunkie for “The Best Backpacking Sleeping Pad for Side Sleepers.” The NeoLoft also took home one of Outside’s coveted Editor’s Choice awards in Summer 2025 as the Best Sleeping Pad. Next Spring, Therm-a-Rest will expand its NeoLoft line to include an XXL version, launching January 2027.
To compile this year’s list, TIME solicited nominations from TIME editors and correspondents around the world, and through an online application process. TIME then evaluated each contender on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact. View the full list of award winners here: ti.me/best-inventions.
The NeoLoft is currently available at thermarest.com, and select retailers. To learn more about Therm-a-Rest and its award-winning collection of camp comfort gear, visit thermarest.com.
Downloadable Image Assets (photo credit: Therm-a-Rest®)
About Therm-a-Rest®
Since 1971, Therm-a-Rest® has been dedicated to providing outdoor enthusiasts with high-quality, innovative gear designed for comfort and performance. From sleeping pads to sleeping bags and camp furniture, Therm-a-Rest products are engineered to enhance outdoor experiences and help adventurers get the best night’s sleep possible. For more information, visit thermarest.com.
About Cascade Designs, Inc.
For over 50 years, Cascade Designs, Inc. and its brands, Therm-a-Rest, Mountain Safety Research (MSR), Platypus, SealLine, and PackTowl, have led the outdoor industry in designing innovative, useful, and long-lasting equipment, manufacturing the majority of its products in market at its Reno, Nev., U.S.A. and Cork, Ireland facilities. From the original self-inflating Therm-a-Rest camping mattress to the first multi-fuel stove from MSR, Cascade Designs has developed leading products that explorers, travelers, adventurers, outdoor enthusiasts, and weekend campers can rely on to deliver optimum performance in the outdoors through exceptional engineering and quality. For more information, please visit www.cascadedesigns.com.
