NEMO - Astro Lightweight Insulated Sleeping Pad

I just sped 2 weeks using Nemo astro and can't recommend it enough, very comfortable, easy to set up, thi next time I would pick up wide one.

1. Check your bag temp rating and consider investing in a layered system rated for negative temps. 2. Get an insulated sleeping pad. I keep a backpacking one, Nemo Astro Insulated, with no regrets. Combined with a zero below bag, I could sleep on top of packed snow without heat dissipation. 3. Keep a winter base layer set of clothes like Polartech silkweights. Your comfort starts with your body heat, and these do a great job as your foundation. 4. Or....change nothing since you now know what being unprepared feels like, and next time, jump into your vehicle's passenger seat and crank the heat on for the night :)

Hi fellow hikers and adventurers! In my search to upgrade my pad I've been in quite the rabbit hole last weeks. I started this search because my current pad - the Nemo Astro Insulated - is too cold at R2.6, too heavy at almost a kilogram and not giving the best comfort ever. My criteria are comfort, weight, durability, pack size and ease of use in their respective order. I mostly camp on easy terrain with no sharp objects, use an extra ground sheet and with temperatures with around 5 degrees Celsius or 30F at most. Maybe a bit colder if I want to do an Alpine trips. I camp from spring till autumn. I always sleep on my sides and curled up with my legs, so probably don't need a longer than normal pad but prefer wide I had quite a list of pads before. Ended up with the Big Agnes Rapide SL, the Nemo Tensor All season or the Sea to Summit Ether light XR. I've now unfortunately ruled out the Rapide SL. Reading a lot of experiences from here and the internet the pad seems to sleep very cold, even above 5 degrees Celsius (which even my Nemo doesn't really at R2.6) while advertised as an all season pad. Also I heard the baffles are not insulated? As a side sleeper I'm sure I'll get my knees and ankles on the side baffles so that wouldn't be comfortable. It's pretty heavy and although comfortable I'd like it to be durable enough and warm enough. The Nemo seems more aimed at warmth, a bit less comfort. But weight and pack size are as good as you can get. Also I'm already used to Nemo pads and I like their stuff sacks, patch kit and overall use. The Sea to Summit is a very close contender. It seems to be slightly more comfortable and thicker. Pack size is bigger and it's significantly colder at R4.1 vs R5.4. In the end I don't think I can go wrong with either. However I just want this over with and choose a pad that's overall the best jack of all trades. I'm leaning towards the Nemo. This is because I'm familiar, it should be comfortable enough, packs small, weighs less and offers more warmth for that. Price on both are similar and I'm ready to spend the premium... What do you think? If you could only choose one pad of these which one is it? And why did you go for it? I'm very curious to your opinion!👌🏼

I've done quite some research and have narrowed it down to these 3 pads. I got to test the Big Agnes, Nemo and a therm a rest NeoAir XLite in store and personally the big Agnes seemed the most comfortable. I didn't get to try the Sea to Summit myself since that was out of stock. I'm on the hunt for a good, lightweight sleeping pad that's warm enough for early spring and autumn. I need it to pack small and be lightweight too. I'm willing to sacrifice grams if the pad is way more comfortable. I want to buy once cry once, meaning a good pad that'll last me. I don't camp that often and don't put it on rocks or needles or anything like that. I'm a side sleeper so the pad needs to accommodate that. I think I want a pad that's regular wide, since I love the wider pads but I don't necessarily need the extra length since I always curl up my legs slightly. I'm around 188cm tall and 90kg/188 lbs. I've deliberately chosen these pads and not others since the dimples seems to be the most comfortable on sleeping pads. I didn't like the Exped 3R with the vertical baffles and the therm a rest felt like an air balloon. The pads are all quite similar in terms of warmth. The Nemo seems to be the warmest and the Big Agnes seems to be more comfortable. Pack size I think the big Agnes is the best because it's a bit wider but not as long. It's the heaviest of them all though. The Nemo wide long was 140 grams lighter than the same size big Agnes. Sea to Summit sits somewhere in between. Currently I'm using a Nemo Astro Insulated which is actually quite comfortable but very heavy and not always warm enough at R2.6. It's also a big pack size. I do really like their stuff sack, pump sack, valve system and the quality seems great. This got me leaning a bit towards the Nemo. However the big Agnes was quite a lot more comfortable in store and I do appreciate comfort a lot. I find it difficult to guess which one is the best since you basically must try them out camping. That's why I need some help deciding what's important and which one can work the best. What pad do you use and like the most? And did you try any of the pads I named here?

Currently I'm using a Nemo Astro Insulated pad. It's actually a great pad and is pretty decently comfortable. However I do wake up during the night and it's very heavy. It weighs in at 950 grams and is "only" insulated with an R value of R 2,6. Also it packs pretty big. With the horizontal baffles it seems like the less comfortable option compared to dimples. I've been improving my setup lately, and the sleeping pad is next. Our camping trips are usually shorter than a week, sometimes do wild camping but mostly on campsites or dedicated spaces. I'm based in the Netherlands where the weather is reasonably mild. I camp between March and end of september mostly, so 3-season. In that period temperatures are usually as low as 5 degrees at night up to roughly 20 degrees Celsius. I do sometimes go to mountains, like the Alps or other places and have some bucketlist things like the Spanish Pyrenees and North of Finland + Sweden. For a pad I'm looking for: - at least an R-value higher than my current pad. Between 3 and 5 is fine for me. - a pad that offers a square version in wide (64cm/25") but not necessarily long (196cm). - a weight that's not much more than 600 grams. Otherwise I'm just better off keeping my current pad. - baffles that are preferably squared or with dimples I believe they call it. Like the Nemo Tensor or BA Rapide SL for the most comfortable sleep - A pad that's built well enough to not really worth about it breaking or puncturing - packing size which is smaller than my Astro pad which is 24 cm x 11 cm. - no or almost no noise when sleeping - optional: a pad that doesn't slip as much. - optional: a pad that works with my Flextail mini pump X My budget sits somewhere around €200 or $220. At that price point I think I can definitely get reasonable pads I've obviously did some research myself. Quite a lot actually, that's why I know all the specs out of my head lol. But I've landed in a rabbit hole of great, decent pads and every brand does things differently. Also I'm not sure if buying used pads is something I can look into. I think a sleeping pad is too delicate and you won't notice flaws with it. Better to get new? Anyway I already have some contenders myself that I looked on: - Nemo Tensor All season. Kinda a middle ground. Great pack size, around 600 grams, great valve system which can easily deflate and inflate, warm enough and has the dimples for comfort. It's price is high but might be worth it - Therm a rest NeoAir XLite NXT MAX. A well made durable pad that offers excellent warmth for its weight. It does seem to get negativity for the sound and especially comfort. I'd rather have slightly more weight, but being more comfortable. Valve system seems cool but doesn't seem to deflate easily and very expensive - Naturehike NKTR R5.8 sleeping pad. An option I haven't seen much but does get some love. Looks like the Tensor but costs around a $100. Not sure how the quality will hold up but their tents are great value. Pack size seems very small from reviews and weight is great too. - Sea to Summit Ether light XT or XR. Also kinda similar to the Nemo and Naturehike. It does have a mummy form I believe? Also seen some square ones. Seems to pack very thin but a bit longer. I think I prefer the other way around. Never tried their valve system, how's that? Seems to fit my budget as well - Big Agnes Rapide SL. A cheaper option but still seems to offer a lot of comfort. Does come in heavier it seems? I like their 2 seperate valves so you can easily inflate and deflate. Don't like the color on them, but thats something that doesn't really matter for functionally haha. Anyone tried these? My first feeling pushes me to the Nemo Tensor All season or Trail. Since I'm already used to the Astro with the valve system and thee reasonably soft top material. It offers those dimples that almost everyone experiences as more comfortable over horizontal baffles and isn't too heavy, packs small enough and folds down easily Of course there's a lot more pads from above manufacturers as well as Exped, Zenbivy, Flextail and more. I'm very curious what you think is a more comfortable pad that offers enough warmth for my use cases and doesn't pack as big within my budget. I'm very curious 🧐 Thanks in advance!

Got the long wide versions on both. Used my Nemo pad for the past years and just upgraded. Yet to test the new pad out but the difference in size is astonishing.

Sea to Summit is a lot warmer at R4.1 compared to R2.6. But yeah guess the Nemo has some synthetic material in there

I've done quite some research and have narrowed it down to these 3 pads. I got to test the Big Agnes, Nemo and a therm a rest NeoAir XLite in store and personally the big Agnes seemed the most comfortable. I didn't get to try the Sea to Summit myself since that was out of stock. I'm on the hunt for a good, lightweight sleeping pad that's warm enough for early spring and autumn. I need it to pack small and be lightweight too. I'm willing to sacrifice grams if the pad is way more comfortable. I want to buy once cry once, meaning a good pad that'll last me. I don't camp that often and don't put it on rocks or needles or anything like that. I'm a side sleeper so the pad needs to accommodate that. I think I want a pad that's regular wide, since I love the wider pads but I don't necessarily need the extra length since I always curl up my legs slightly. I'm around 188cm tall and 90kg/188 lbs. I've deliberately chosen these pads and not others since the dimples seems to be the most comfortable on sleeping pads. I didn't like the Exped 3R with the vertical baffles and the therm a rest felt like an air balloon. The pads are all quite similar in terms of warmth. The Nemo seems to be the warmest and the Big Agnes seems to be more comfortable. Pack size I think the big Agnes is the best because it's a bit wider but not as long. It's the heaviest of them all though. The Nemo wide long was 140 grams lighter than the same size big Agnes. Sea to Summit sits somewhere in between. Currently I'm using a Nemo Astro Insulated which is actually quite comfortable but very heavy and not always warm enough at R2.6. It's also a big pack size. I do really like their stuff sack, pump sack, valve system and the quality seems great. This got me leaning a bit towards the Nemo. However the big Agnes was quite a lot more comfortable in store and I do appreciate comfort a lot. I find it difficult to guess which one is the best since you basically must try them out camping. That's why I need some help deciding what's important and which one can work the best. What pad do you use and like the most? And did you try any of the pads I named here?

I cut a Nemo astrolite pad in half and gave my girl her own WM megalite quilt to sleep on. She’s ten years old, and I just can’t make her sleep on a thin foam pad in her golden years. 

Nemo tensor. I went with the alpine long wide.

Dump the nemo Astro out of the running: Its R value is listed at only 2.6 and it's 1lb 11 oz. The others are warmer and lighter. Plus it's a 20" wide pad. I don't know why, after all these years, we don't have a 23" option - more comfy than a 20", which tbh sucks but lighter than a 25". But I digress. We don't. It's either 20" or. 25". 25" is a way nicer nights sleep and Some of the pricier pads you've chosen here come in at this size for a very similar weight and significantly more warmth. And since all of these options are in your price range, according to you, then I'd say dump the nemo Astro. By comparison, the other Nemo pad, the extreme conditions, is an 8.5 r value and the Long and Wide size Is only 1 lb 10 oz. That's WAY warmer and more comfortable. It may suffer from a little less durability. Rab is a REALLY solid brand. I would categorically buy anything they made, and I have a lot of Rab gear. So if you are ok with a 20" pad, then this might really hit a sweet spot for you if price is an issue. I would forever and always buy a 5.5 R rating pad over a 2.6. The Thermarest has a very, very good 7+ R rating while also being very light for a long wide mat at 1lb 8 oz. Kinda seems like the winner to me. Again, the question is durability and how you will use it. If you expect to be at altitude or in cold weather or shoulder season, you'll want at least a 5 R value. Fyi Exped pads are really super too. I rock an older down filled Exped mat that's been good to me for a very long time now. R rating of 7+ - Have taken that into 20 degree temps on Mt Rainier for winter camping etc.

Tents you can rent from REI and other shops. REI does have some good deals at the moment. -15 degree bag and a insulated pad can make all the difference. I go ice cave camping on Mt Baker every late January. I sleep perfectly fine on my Nemo insulated pad and my -15 degree Marmot sleeping bag.

In my research a couple years ago, it felt like there was a triangle of: price, comfort, weight. The Big Agnes moves a bit toward the comfort away from center, and the Thermarest moves a bit toward the weight savings. I didn't see sea to summit in my research, but I gather it's also more in the weight savings side. The Nemo seemed the most balanced in the triangle. That's what I bought. I've been happy with it. Although it's the insulated, not all season (was the prior gen). If you favor comfort, BA, if you favor weight, Thermarest or StS. If you want the all around balance, Nemo. But that's just my take.

Oh, interesting. When I bought, the Nemo was the middle and Thermarest was on the weight side. But as I said I haven't looked as recently. And you're right, the packability is as much of the criteria for the "weight" corner as the few teams of difference. BA seemed a little bulky for me. I will say when I get the right level of inflation on the Nemo, I find it very comfortable. I don't always nail it though. I've had some nights where I get the sore/misaligned hip and turn over a bunch, and some nights when it feels like I slept on a mattress. The good nights really impress me though, considering how small and light it is.

Exped and Nemo both have thick pads and they aren’t crinkly like Thermarest. :)

Comfortable, I have one now. Before I had a Nemo pad I returned and honestly, kind of wish I had kept it. Only downside was it took forever to inflate. Also, these things go on sale/get returned all the time. I’d look for one second hand if possible.