Two Years in the Making, Therm-a-Rest® Debuts New Valves for Speedier Inflation & Deflation

June 12, 2019

After hundreds of prototypes, more than 500 nights in the field and countless tests in the lab, Therm-a-Rest introduces the WingLock™ and TwinLock™ Valves.

SEATTLE, Wash. (June 12, 2019) – Since the introduction of the first-ever self-inflating pad in 1974, Therm-a-Rest has been focused on a single mission: promising the best night’s sleep under the stars. Carrying this focus into 2020, the brand continues to craft the highest-performing and thoughtfully designed outdoor sleep systems with the introduction of two new valves, the WingLock and TwinLock, making inflation and deflation easier and quicker than ever before. The new valves will be featured on the full line of Therm-a-Rest’s award-winning pads, including the brand-new NeoAir^® Topo™ Luxe and Topo™, two of the most luxurious pads available for comfort-conscious backpackers.

Therm-a-Rest’s team of engineers, designers, mountaineers and explorers take their jobs very seriously, which is why it took more than two years, hundreds of prototypes and approximately 500 nights in the field to perfect the new valves. The WingLock uses a large one-way valve for three times faster inflation, while the deflation ‘wings’ open the one-way valve to deflate your pad twice as fast as Therm-a-Rest’s classic valve. The intuitive, easy-to-use design is built for the rigors of the backcountry. The TwinLock valve, for Therm-a-Rest’s larger pads, utilizes two one-way valves, a one-way inflation valve and a one-way deflation valve, that allows for five times faster deflation.

In addition to the new valves, Therm-a-Rest is introducing two new pads to its award-winning Trek & Travel™ line of comfortable, packable pads for the backcountry. The 4-inch thick NeoAir Topo Luxe, the thickest NeoAir ever made, offers next-level comfort with the Triangular Core Matrix™ technology, two stacked layers of triangular baffles that create a stable sleep surface while minimizing heat loss. The Topo Luxe packs down to fit in your backpack and features the new TwinLock valve to make inflation and deflation a breeze. The cush, 3-inch thick Topo pad comes in at a more approachable price point and uses Therm-a-Rest’s Wavecore™ construction, a single layer of horizontal wave baffles that slow heat loss without adding bulk. Both pads weigh 1lb 7oz (size regular). The Topo Luxe has an R-value of 3.7, the Topo has an R-value of 2.3.

Therm-a-Rest will be showcasing the new line of valves and pads at the upcoming Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, June 18-20, in Denver, Colorado. Booth #44031.

About Therm-a-Rest^®

Our founder’s mission was simple: create a better way to sleep outside; because when you rest better, you play better. Their ingenuity and vision back in 1972 led to the creation of the first self-inflating sleeping pad. Today, we’re still working towards the same mission to craft the best sleeping pads and bags on the market. We’re not just giving explorers a better way to camp, we’re giving them better adventures tomorrow. For more information, visit www.thermarest.com.