
NEMO - Tensor™ Elite Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Dec 10, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
14
10
"Because of this I bought the Nemo Tensor which is much quieter than the Sea to Summit."
"It's the quietest pad I've used"
"except quieter. ... much much quieter"
17
12
"haven't had a puncture over the four years I've had it"
"Nemo has life time warranty. ... If there is a leak or something, you can get it fixed or replaced. ... Nemo's support is top notch."
"Uses 20D nylon ... has been very durable for me"
41
18
"I sleep all night and no body aches."
"The tensor has a micro adjust valve to that allows you to adjust the pressure to what works for your body. ... Using that micro adjust valve to release some air while you re laying on the pad is a serious game changer. ... Allows the pad to contour to your body versus feeling like a hard bed."
"I’m heavyset and getting old with back injuries to boot. I sleep really well on the tensor, better than I thought possible in the woods."
39
5
"The Nemo elite is ridiculously small when packed down. ... If packed space is that much of a premium, I would go with the Nemo tensor elite (packed inside the 12L)"
"super light (~14oz)"
"really jealous of the Tensor Elite weight."
65
19
"I sleep all night and no body aches."
"recommend getting the wide version for comfort. Really makes a difference."
"The tensor has a micro adjust valve to that allows you to adjust the pressure to what works for your body. ... Using that micro adjust valve to release some air while you re laying on the pad is a serious game changer. ... Allows the pad to contour to your body versus feeling like a hard bed."
Disliked most:
1
6
"Slippery AF. ... Like an eel slippery. ... It slid right off despite having a strap."
"The other two have a slippery surface that makes the last 1" on each side unusable since you slide off it anyway. ... the slipperiness is annoying for me since it just allows my leg to slide back down/off the pad (this is why I tried and ultimately moved away from the Nemo)."
"It is definitely slippery and I sometimes use a 1/8" foam under it to mitigate this."
13
10
"potato chip bag noise effects"
"If noise is a dealbreaker for you, definitely listen to the people who say it is loud. It is. By any sleeping pad standard."
"I upgraded from an older therm-a-rest to a Nemo, it is thick, warm, and comfy but noisy!"
24
11
"I've only slept on it for one night with a Thinlight underneath, where it got down to 35F and I felt the cold under the pad for sure but it was fine. ... I would *never* use it without a Thinlight. ... not anywhere near as warm."
"I was FREEZING. ... It went down to 25° F. ... A few hours in, I added pad under the elite and put on the puffy, I was still cold."
"I can feel the cold seep through my Nemo Tensor Insulated (R4.2) from around freezing."
17
19
"I had a Nemo Tensor straight POP with a one-inch tear from a extremely tiny burr on the edge of my quilt pad strap!"
"The Nemo tensor has failed on me twice now (the second one was a replacement). It slowly loses air, and so you are on a 3 hour schedule until you are reinflating it."
"I’ve had multiple Nemo tensors and they all leaked and tore beyond repair."
5
7
"I am a flopper and tended to roll onto the edges, which made them collapse and dumped me onto the ground."
"I find horizontal baffles extremely uncomfortable … it feels as if anything closer to the edge falls down and doesn’t give any support."
"25 inches wide a must for me, ounces be damned. ... 25 inch wide + short is something I’d be interested in."
This inherently does not answer your question, because it is only R2.4, but I've been using the new Tensor Elite which packs to the size of my fist and weighs 7oz. I've used it on multiple 32F nights on shaded ground. I have used my torso-length 1/8" pad to supplement sometimes, but not all the time, and have not perceived a difference in warmth. I've mostly used it for grip. In summary, I've been impressed by it and would currently not consider anything else for a sub-20L pack system Edit: meant to say Elite, not Extreme
r/Ultralight • Most packable sleeping pad >3 R-value in 2025? ->Yeah I'm kind of in the same position. It's about what you'd expect, it's comfortable within the limits of a short, regular width pad. It's very slippery. I've used it for about 10 nights, mostly in Grand Canyon, and it hasn't leaked yet. I'm pretty good at fixing sleeping pads, so I bought it knowing that if a leak is fixable I can handle it in the field, and if it's not fixable they will warranty it for me and I could ask for something different. Like I said I've used it in combo with 1/8 ccf because that's part of my pack but I don't think that's necessary. So, in summary, I'm skeptical of it but I have yet to be given a reason to believe it's a stupid product. It's a huge gain in comfort:weight ratio compared to my Xlite.
r/Ultralight • Most packable sleeping pad >3 R-value in 2025? ->I have about 10 nights on one. It's comfortable and hasn't failed yet. It's very easy to use compared to Neoair because of the valves. It is definitely slippery and I sometimes use a 1/8" foam under it to mitigate this. I have yet to be cold on it, even with a few nights around freezing on shaded ground. I have a similar philosophy about its durability. I'm pretty good at fixing pads in the field so if occasional leaks are fixable I'm okay with that. If something stupid fails that's not fixable, I'll be asking for a different one when I warranty it. They are pretty great at customer service and if they are going to launch a product like this I'm not ashamed to hold them accountable
r/Ultralight • How are people liking the Nemo Tensor Elite? ->It's the quietest pad I've used, except for occasional little squeaks against the CCF I use under it
r/Ultralight • How are people liking the Nemo Tensor Elite? ->The Tensor Elite has thinner material than the Uberlite
r/Ultralight • How are people liking the Nemo Tensor Elite? ->Slightly more comfortable and completely silent unless you put it on something squeaky in my 10 nights of experience
r/Ultralight • Nemo Tensor Elite after 5 Nights (Warmth, Comfort, and Durability) ->I agree but also more slippery, and obviously less durable
r/Ultralight • Nemo Tensor Elite after 5 Nights (Warmth, Comfort, and Durability) ->10 nights here so I'll help -It is not noisy at all unless you put it on top of something squeaky. -It is quite slippery, moreso than a Neoair. I often struggle to decide between putting my 1/8" foam below (protection and grip) or above (body grip). I think ultimately I will stick to below and put some Seam Grip on top for body/sleeping bag grip -It's the easiest pad to inflate and deflate in existence IMO. This is because the valves are excellent, mine is the short version so it just doesn't take much lung time, the dump valve is wide open, and the material is so supple so you don't have to be careful about folding it nicely. I was actually struck right away by how all of these things contribute to its ease of use
r/Ultralight • Nemo Tensor Elite after 5 Nights (Warmth, Comfort, and Durability) ->I mostly agree with you. I was already carrying a Thinlight on 98% of trips even with a heavier inflatable. So that's actually why I decided to try the Elite. I personally got it for less than 200 as well.
r/Ultralight • Nemo Tensor Elite after 5 Nights (Warmth, Comfort, and Durability) ->Tensor Elite Short Mummy is 7.6 oz. With the stuff sack and patch kit it's 8.04 oz. With the included pad inflator that I doubt literally anyone will use, it's 10 oz. Source: I own it.
r/Ultralight • Sleeping Pad Comparison Table — UPDATED 2025 (reference to previous post) ->The released specs are exactly the same. Your assumption that "most" people will use all the extras that come with pads is flawed. At best I would include both minimum and full weights when available.
r/Ultralight • Sleeping Pad Comparison Table — UPDATED 2025 (reference to previous post) ->I've only slept on it for one night with a Thinlight underneath, where it got down to 35F and I felt the cold under the pad for sure but it was fine. A coworker that also bought the pad who is going on the PCT soon slept on it for a month indoors to test it out and had his rip open. He claims he just rolled over and heard it pop. [Here's a video of the damage.](https://imgur.com/a/lGLgBd3) I would *never* use it without a Thinlight.
r/Ultralight • Nemo Tensor Elite after 5 Nights (Warmth, Comfort, and Durability) ->I only use pads that are too short for me. I currently use an XLite Womens (66") and a Tensor Elite (63"). I like having my feet hang off the edge after a long day of hiking, it feels better. If I'm on a longer pad or in a bed, I will do the same thing.
r/Ultralight • Anyone here use a too short sleeping pad? ->I’m a side sleeper as well and I stopped using my Nemo tensor so much because of the potato chip bag noise effects heh. This past winter, I’ve used the Sea to Summit comfort plus. It is easily the most comfortable pad I’ve ever used for side sleeping. And inflates and deflates easily. Highly recommend!
r/REI • Looking forward the unicorn of a sleep pad. Quiet. Side sleeper. Lightweight ->Is it noisy? The tensor I bought a couple of years ago is still going strong but man it’s like sleeping on top of a potato chip bag. I’m a guy that moves from side to side so it can be a problem some nights.
r/Ultralight • How are people liking the Nemo Tensor Elite? ->25 inches wide a must for me, ounces be damned.
r/Ultralight • NEMO Tensor Elite, lightest pad ever? ->It’s subjective, of course. While I’d agree the Tensor is no where near the most comfortable, I’ve found it to hit the sweet spot in terms of being comfortable *enough*, light *enough*, warm *enough*, etc. Every other pad I’ve tried excels at one thing while falling far short in another. (Etherlite: comfy but cold. Xlite: warm and light but uncomfortable and loud. Etc.) Tensor is good *enough* in my experience.
r/Ultralight • NEMO Tensor Elite, lightest pad ever? ->25 inch wide + short is something I’d be interested in. (Paired w/ 1/8 inch ccf)
r/Ultralight • NEMO Tensor Elite, lightest pad ever? ->Same. Love the 3R (not slippery, not noisy, vertical baffles and “rails”) but really jealous of the Tensor Elite weight. Now, if Tensor made the Elite in a 25”, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
r/Ultralight • How are people liking the Nemo Tensor Elite? ->I just spent my first night sleeping on a tensor elite. Loved it! 40F was the nighttime low temp and I was fine. It is comfortable but slippery. More comfortable than either an xlite or an uberlite for sure. I got the short version which weighed 7.5 oz on my scale. I added pillow attachment loops at a point that my Big Sky Dream Nation pillow slightly cantilevered off the head end and that worked great. The net effect is that it worked like a full length and I am 5’-10” — I wasn’t expecting that. A pleasant surprise all around.
r/Ultralight • Nemo Tensor Elite after 5 Nights (Warmth, Comfort, and Durability) ->You've tested *all* of them? You find the Nemo more comfortable than an Etherlite XT? An REI Helix? An Exped? A Rapide SL? That doesn't compute for me. The Nemo is more comfy than a Neoair but well below all of those.
r/Ultralight • NEMO Tensor Elite, lightest pad ever? ->The Nemo Elite pads have been discussed on this sub as a potential (even lighter) successor to the Uberlite. All the weights referenced are pad-only. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/1hwnj25/nemo\_tensor\_elite\_lightest\_pad\_ever/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/1hwnj25/nemo_tensor_elite_lightest_pad_ever/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/1dv0yrp/nemo\_tensor\_elite\_2025\_a\_potential\_uberlite/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/1dv0yrp/nemo_tensor_elite_2025_a_potential_uberlite/) Your tables, your rules. Just thought I'd let you know.
r/Ultralight • Sleeping Pad Comparison Table — UPDATED 2025 (reference to previous post) ->Yes it's a concern. It's filling a niche formerly occupied by the thermarest uberlite, which was recently discontinued presumably because of the prevalence of durability issues. It feels a bit more substantial than the uberlite. But if I were going to rely on it, I would make sure I had a patch kit and knew how to use it, and be more careful with site selection than normal.
r/Ultralight • Most packable sleeping pad >3 R-value in 2025? ->15D vs 10D on the Nemo💀 (And they admit it got pinholes during testing)
r/Ultralight • NEMO Tensor Elite, lightest pad ever? ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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