NEMO - Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad

I hate my NeoAir, I don’t find ThermaRest pads comfortable at all. I’d take a CCF over a Thermarest. For trips where I want an inflatable over a CCF, I just got a Nemo Tensor since they’re on sale at REI (25% off). At least in store, it felt a lot better than my NeoAir or CCF.

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.

nemo tensor. buy it on amazon.

Nemo Tensor Alpine is what I run it's good

This! I started buying tensors because they were the only reg/wide rectangle pads at the time.  They work great and are comfy enough for side sleeping for me. 

I’ve got 2 BA pads for my kids but haven’t had any issues with them at all, but they don’t seem anywhere as nice as my Nemo Tensors. A buddy has an BA pad and did get it replaced via warranty.  With that said, my Nemo Tensors have been amazing and one of them lasted over 7 years. Got it replaced very easily with Nemo, too!

I have the Tensor All Season, my brother has the Rapide and I’ve had the Dura 3R in the past so I have a decent idea of what they’re like. For one thing those specs are off, the Nemo packs the smallest and it’s definitely lighter than the Rapide at the same length and width. I use 25in wide pads though. As for comfort, these are all comfortable pads, it’s really going to come down to preference. The Exped and BA have more of a vertical baffle feel while the Nemo is more dimpled. If I had to rank them I’d go BA, Nemo, Exped. But it’s close, they are all good. For durability only the Nemo and Exped list the denier, w Nemo being 20 top, 40 bottom nylon. The Exped is 20d poly which is not only the thinnest but Poly isn’t as strong as Nylon. The BA doesn’t say the material but it seems durable. All of them should sleep true to their R value, so Nemo would be the warmest, and I’ve heard the Rapide has complaints of cold spots but my brother never experienced that, though he hasn’t tested it when it’s been cold enough. I really like that Exped uses synthetic fill rather than reflective film as it will be more comfortable in summer. So maybe go w the Exped if you’ll do a lot of summer camping and either the Nemo or BA depending upon what’s more important, comfort & durability -Rapide or weight & warmth - Nemo. Also look into warranty terms, being in Germany the Warranty won’t be the same buying from either US company.

Tensor is the best all around UL pad. The S2S isn’t meaningfully more comfortable, none of the ultralight options are. Try it next to a pad like the Megamat Ultra that has vertical sidewalls and you’ll see what I mean by meaningfully more comfortable, but it’s much more bulky and about a pound heavier. I use mine on all my rafting/kayaking trips. For backpacking it’s the Tensor every time.

The Featherstone Calcatta is also supposed to be a good budget pad. I have a Tensor All Season, the lifetime warranty justifies the extra cost imo.

No the sleeping bag won’t help much. To get a significant bump in comfort you’ll have to jump into some heavier pads that are still compressible enough to bring backpacking. Pads like the Thermarest Neoloft or Exped Megamat Ultra. I have a Tensor All Season and find it comfortable, however my Exped Synmat 3D (older version of the Megamat Ultra) is definitely more comfortable. My brother has the Rapide SL which is similar to the Tensor in comfort.

I don’t think that’s a noticeable improvement in comfort to make the switch from the Tensor.

OP has a medical issue and if they can’t get by with an already comfortable pad like the Tensor, chances are they’re probably not going to do well with the Either light either, which is a marginal improvement at best in comfort. UL means being as light as possible while still being comfortable, it’s not necessarily just about sacrifice, but being smart with what you choose not to take. Both the Megamat and Neoloft pack reasonably small, and maybe an extra pound is well within their carrying capacity and worth it if they can sleep soundly. The whole point of UL was to make life on the trail easier, but if the camp experience sucks then what’s the point. A pissing contest on base weight? I think you might be confusing UL with the show Naked and Afraid. Because that’s your endgame.

Second for the Megamat Ultra. It’s a big jump in comfort over any ultralight pad. Depending upon how far I’m hiking I’ll bring it over my Tensor All Season which is a decently comfortable pad in its own right.

Go with the Tensor all season. It’s a buy once, cry once type of item. The cheap pads for half the price come with very limited warranties. Nemo has a lifetime warranty, and when it comes to air mats in particular, there’s a good chance you’ll have an issue at some point that you can’t repair. Nemo replaced my mat twice over a 7 year period, once for a valve issue and the other was the baffle failure that many of their older pads had. Each time I got the updated version. To me the warranty alone is worth the extra cost, just make sure you get it from an authorized retailer. REI is really nice because you can access your purchase information as a member making any warranty claim a snap. The All Season also happens to be the best overall pad for its blend of comfort, weight, durability and warmth. It’s R value will get you through most of the year on its own, and the full year when combined w a ccf pad if you dare to camp in the middle of winter.

The Nemo is more comfortable,and its 5.6 R value is plenty warm down to around -10 or so which would mean your sleeping bag would be the bottleneck. They are releasing the Elipse soon though which is a less expensive version of the Tensor and has some impressive specs including a 6.2 R value, so if you don’t have a trip soon it might be worth waiting a little longer.

Get the all season, it’s more comfortable then the Xlite especially if you move a lot and are a side sleeper. One thing to note is that the Tensor Elite is going to be released soon in a wide version. If you are really concerned about weight that may be the way to go, but I think it will be wide mummy, not wide rectangle.

This pad is worlds more comfortable than the fully inflatables and it has a good r-value (5.1). I returned the Nemo tensor everyone loves so much and replaced it with this and I think it was well worth it. Yes, the weight and packability are worse, but I just can’t find an inflatable that is comfortable enough for me to think the weight/size savings are worth it.

Feels the same, except quieter.

I had a Tensor and it was uncomfortable for me as well. I’ve found Exped inflatable pads comfortable. My favorite right now though is the Neoloft.

So my girlfriend and I have been through a couple different sleep systems for backpacking and car camping, and I figured I’d share what’s worked (and what hasn’t). **The old setup:** We used to run a pair of Big Agnes bags with pad sleeves that zipped together. It was great in theory—we could cuddle, and she could steal my body heat (I’m basically a furnace). Each of us had our own EXPED DownMat, which fit into our bags, but the problem was the gap that always formed in the middle. That little cold trench would wake us up and force us apart, which killed the whole “together” vibe. **Backpacking setup (current favorite):** Now we’re running a Sierra Designs Backcountry Duo 20F down bag (4 lbs 10 oz), and holy crap—it’s a game-changer. It’s like a hybrid between a quilt and a mummy bag, but zipperless. At the foot end, there are slots so either person can pop a foot out if they’re overheating without messing with the other. The top half works more like a comforter at home, which is a dream for me since I’m a side sleeper who likes to stick an arm out. I can just fold my corner down and sprawl without pulling the cover off her. Bonus: it’s got this little hand pocket in the corner that keeps your hand warm while you’re stretched out. Paired with two NEMO Tensor pads (78” x 25” x 3.5”), it’s insanely comfy. The pads fit perfectly in the sleeves (can even go up to 30” wide if you’ve got bigger ones). All in, the bag + pads are around 7 lbs, but honestly? It feels like we’re sleeping on a queen bed in the backcountry. I’ve never slept better outside. **Car camping setup:** For car camping, I use the same bag but swap the two NEMOs for an EXPED MegaMat Duo LW (78” x 52” x 4”). The Duo doesn’t slot into the bag sleeves (since it’s just one big pad), but it’s wide enough that the bag doesn’t really move. I rigged a simple strap through the head/foot sleeves to keep it centered, since the bottom of the bag isn’t insulated. Works great, super comfortable. That said, I’m thinking about upgrading to the Sierra Designs Frontcountry Duo Queen 20F bag. It’s synthetic, a little bulkier, but it’s designed for a single big pad up to 60” wide—basically a perfect fit for the EXPED. **Final thoughts:** The Big Agnes setup was fine, but the new Sierra Designs system feels like a massive upgrade—especially for side sleepers or couples who hate the “cold gap.” Backpacking version feels like a queen bed at \~7 lbs, car camping version feels like glamping. Honestly, I don’t think I’m going back. https://preview.redd.it/jjbie317nyqf1.jpeg?width=1857&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e10676b44eb56cd5bb48b50e1f7dba11f45b541

Love my tensor all season. It checks all the boxes. Very comfortable