Therm-a-Rest has led the industry with award-winning outdoor sleeping gear since 1971 when it introduced the first self-inflating sleeping pad to the market.
In 2022, the iconic outdoor brand celebrates its 50th anniversary and five decades of innovation and helping people enjoy the outdoors.
Jim Lea, one of three Therm-a-Rest founders, invented the first self-inflating sleeping pad in 1971. A year later, the company was founded by Lea, John Burroughs and Neil Anderson – three former Boeing engineers from Seattle.
Inspired by a foam gardening pad, the three founders set their sights on a more comfortable night at camp and forever changed how we experience the outdoors. Since 1972, the company set a number of firsts including:
- 1986 – Therm-a-Rest brought the ultralight and ultra-durable RidgeRest mattress to market. Three years later in 1989, Therm-a-Rest introduced the slightly lighter and more compact Z-Rest [now the Z Lite and Z Lite Sol] to the line. It remains the go-to closed-cell foam pad for hikers seeking ultralight comfort.
- 1996 – Therm-a-Rest builds an in-house Cold Chamber to test and measure the R-value of its sleeping pads and the warmth ratings of its bags. The in-house testing facility is the only one of its kind owned and operated by an outdoor gear manufacturer.
- 2009 – Therm-a-Rest introduces the game-changing NeoAir technology. The patented Triangular Core Matrix technology delivers the best warmth-to-weight ratio in sleeping pads today.
- 2011 – Sleeping bags were re-introduced to the line along with many new design features including ThermaCapture technology, Toe-asis foot warmer pockets, Zoned Insulation and SynergyLink
- 2020 – WingLock and TwinLock valves are developed to make inflation faster and easier.
Over the last 50 years, Therm-a-Rest’s team of designers and product engineers have been awarded top accolades.
A key differentiator that sets Therm-a-Rest apart is that all its pads are made in-market – in Seattle; Reno, Nevada; or Midleton, Ireland. Having products built in-market allows Therm-a-Rest to maintain greater quality control and has benefits in terms of innovation, quality and sustainability – three pillars Therm-a-Rest is committed to as it looks forward to the next 50 years.
Therm-a-Rest will celebrate its milestone birthday throughout 2022 with new gear launches, giveaways and donations to its favorite conservation and advocacy organizations.
For information about Therm-a-Rest’s 50th anniversary, including its spring 2022 line of ultralight sleeping bags, pillows, blankets and gear from throughout the years, visit Thermarest.com.
