WIN! – Thermarest Prolite Apex – 50 Years of Thermarest

This year, we’re celebrating 50 years of Therm-a-Rest, the brand who brought us the very first self-inflating mattress as well as a host of innovative inventions over the past half-century. Whether you’re a novice in the outdoors, or someone who has spent the past few years relishing the natural environment, we invite you to enter our giveaway competition and win a Thermarest Prolite Apex!

“We got started because I wanted a better mattress,” says John Burroughs, co-founder of Therm-a-Rest. As an experienced mountaineer, John knew that the thin foam mats of the early 70’s left a giant opportunity for the creation of a mattress that offered greater comfort. And when friend and fellow Boeing employee Jim Lea discovered a way of enhancing these uncomfortable mats with air-tight fabric and a regulated airway, the self-inflating mattress was born. In 1972, the friends filed for a patent for the “Therm-a-Rest” mattress, and launched the company Cascade Designs Inc.

The very first Therm-a-Rest mats were produced in Seattle in 1973, and were called the Standard 3/4. From the outset, the Standard 3/4 was very popular,and caught the attention of REI, the brands’ very first customer. As manufacturing techniques became more advanced, Therm-a-Rest’s ability to create lighter, more efficient mattresses continued. 1983 saw the launch of the Ultra Lite and Camp Rest mats, and in 1984, the RidgeRest was introduced, a mattress which reached its iconic status early on,and has been a staple for novices and experts in the outdoors ever since.

As popularity and demand increased, in 1985 Cascade Designs set up a second manufacturing facility in County Cork, Ireland, to supply the European market, and it remains the hub of the European business today.

What was the first Thermarest mat called?

This competition is now closed. Thank you for your entries.

• The competition will close 2:00pm 7th September 2022
• Two winners will be chosen from correct entries
• Each Winner will receive a Thermarest Prolite Apex Regular.
• A valid email address is required to enter.
• Only one entry per person will be counted.
• The winner will be notified by email.
• The prize can only be posted to a UK address.
• Your email address will be stored for administration of this competition only. It will not be added to our marketing mailing list unless you opt-in.