Therm-a-Rest was founded by Seattle engineers and climbers Jim Lea, Neil Anderson, and John Burroughs, who wanted to design a more lightweight, comfortable, and durable sleeping pad than the thin, closed-cell foam mats of the time.
While gardening, Jim noticed air escaping his ground pad's closed chamber and considered if open-cell foam could be secured in an airtight chamber with a valve to control internal air pressure. The foam-and-air combination would protect and thermally insulate campers, and the open-cell foam would rebound, allowing the pad to self-inflate. In 1972, with a patent application filed, the Therm-a-Rest was launched.
In 1986, Therm-a-Rest revisited closed-cell pads and launched the RidgeRest mattress, and in 1989 it introduced the more compact Z Lite.
Today, Therm-a-Rest offers mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, hammocks, and more. It is owned by Cascade Designs, the parent company of MSR, Therm-a-Rest, Platypus, SealLine, and PackTowl outdoor brands.
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Contact
Therm-a-Rest
Cascade Designs, Inc.
4000 First Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98134
USA
(206) 505-9500
fax:
(206) 682-4184
blog: Camp Therm-a-Rest
Where to Buy
Therm-a-Rest In the News
Congratulations, Troy, our Therm-a-Rest Gear Winner
Congratulations to Troy from Texas, winner of a Parsec down sleeping bag, NeoAir XLite Max SV mattress, and Air Head pillow ($600+ total value), thanks to Therm-a-Rest. Read more
July 10, 2018
Congratulations, Robert, our Therm-a-Rest Contest Winner
Congratulations to Robert Martin, a lifelong outdoorsman from Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and winner of a Therm-a-Rest sleeping bag, pad, pillow, and Honcho Poncho insulation ($470 value) just for reviewing his gear. Read more
December 18, 2017
Outdoor Retailer Gear Show Highlights
Here are a few packs, sleeping bags, and other gear highlights we spotted from Lowe Alpine, Mountain Equipment, Gregory, Backpacker's Pantry, Jetboil, The North Face, and more. Read more
August 6, 2012
Outdoor Retailer: Backcountry Camp Gear Preview
From stoves to shelters to headlamps, new equipment promises to make your backcountry campsite warmer, lighter, safer, and more comfortable. Here are a few highlights that make their debuts at Outdoor Retailer next week. Read more
July 28, 2012
Therm-a-Rest Sleep System Review
Combine Therm-a-Rest's NeoAir All Season pad, Alpine Down Blanket, and Fitted Sheet and you get a full sleep system. Find out how comfortable and versatile the pieces were for our tester. Read more
September 12, 2011
Outdoor Retailer: All Season NeoAir from Therm-a-Rest
Winter ultralighters, Therm-a-Rest is adding an all-season NeoAir mattress to their sleeping pad lineup. It uses the same Reflective Barrier and Triangular Core Matrix layers as the original NeoAir, but more of them for a 4.9 R-value at 19 ounces. Read more
January 22, 2011
Outdoor Retailer: Platypus, MSR, Therm-a-Rest
New hydration packs, tents, cookware and sleeping gear from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2010 Read more
August 10, 2010
Outdoor Retailer: RidgeRest Solar
Read more
January 24, 2010
Outdoor Retailer: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir
Read more
August 9, 2008
Backpacking and Camping Pillow Comparison
Many backpackers consider pillows a backcountry luxury, one usually left behind to save weight and pack space. But a good night’s sleep can be worth a few ounces (and maybe more) in your pack. Read more
July 18, 2007
Q&A: Queen-Sized Sleeping Pad
Read more
January 13, 2007
Therm-a-Rest ToughSkin: Puncture-Proof Sleeping Pad
Heading to the desert or other prickly, puncture-prone locales? Then you’ll want to check out the new Therm-a-Rest ToughSkin sleeping pad. Read more
August 13, 2006
