NEMO - Tensor™ Extreme Conditions Insulated Sleeping Pad

The therm-a-rest is the most popular and i have the blue one but depending on the conditions you camp in you could pick the lighter one (yellow). That being said this one and the nemo extreme conditions will have higher denier material underneath which makes them less prone to puncture. I don’t know about the other ones on top of my head. Nemo and thermarest both have good warranties and spare parts, so I’d be leaning towards that. It’s polarizing but both are known to make a lot og noise no matter what they claim.

Adding on to what Massey said **Sleeping bags** At those temps you would want gear rated to handle temps at least at -40F, maybe even -60F depending g on how you sleep and the manufacturer. Many will list the lower limit or survival temp so a -40f bag may only be comfortable down to -15 for you. You are hitting highly specialized gear at this point, even REI has very few bags rated for those temps. I would not try to DIY bag layering with your experience level and those temps. Your choices also break down in to two basic categories - down: lighter, packs smaller, expensive, different care requirements - synthetic: significantly heavier and bulkier but can be much more affordable For down bags western mountaineering is probably the gold standard but bags will be over $1,000. There are a few other major brands in this space but prices will be of a similar range, maybe a few hundred less. There are also some custom gear makers like feathered friends that make down bags in that temp range. For synthetic bags I have used a layered sleep system used by a company called wiggy's. Their two bag system for use down to -40 would take up most of my 60l bag even in the compression sack. I've had it down to about -10 or -15 and was comfy. A large percentage of my scout troop in Alaska used the -40 system from them. The other main synthetic system that I'm familiar with is the military modular sleep system which is supposedly rated to -50 when you use all 3 layers. **Sleeping pads** R value can be additive so you could get one really good pad like a nemo tensor extreme, exped megamat, Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm, or other high r value pad or you could layer multiple closed cell foam pads together and put those on top of a lower r-value Sleeping pad. **Body Sleeping system** Sleeping bags are rated with the following assumptions - the "average" man - wearing base layers - on a well insulated sleeping pad I covered the bag and pad but you also need to have some decent base layers and at those temps you should also be considering what to wear on your head and face. You will probably want to sleep wearing a buff and hat or balaclava and maybe even a hat as well. You want your mouth to be breathing out through the face opening in the bag whenever possible due to condensation buildup. Make sure you have a set of clothes ONLY for sleeping, you want to be completely dry getting in to the bag. **tent** Many tents will work as long as weather isnt a concern. I've used both coleman and ozark trails tent in below zero conditions. The big issue is good ventilation so that any condensation doesn't build up on your bag or on an inner tent wall that may touch your bag and saturate it with water. Double layer tents with a full rainfly would be my go to, especially one with a partial solid interior (the bottom half or so being a solid fabric) that will help block blowing snow and winds. Very few people actually need a dedicated winter tent. In my 4 years in Alaska I never ran in to anyone with an actual 4 season tent and we camped out every month of the year.

The Nemo Extreme is a winter pad. I have it. If you're a 3-season camper you absolutely don't need it. Its larger than a standard insulated pad in the \~4r range, but impressively not by much. Tensor extreme comes in at a whopping 8.5r and isn't needed unless it's winter and very cold.

The Nemo Extreme is a winter pad. I have it. If you're a 3-season camper you absolutely don't need it. Its larger than a standard insulated pad in the \~4r range, but impressively not by much. Tensor extreme comes in at a whopping 8.5r and isn't needed unless it's winter and very cold.

I use the same pad in the winter. I love it and don't find it particularly slick at all. I use it over top of a closed cell foam pad, and my winter sleeping bag has [pad straps](https://mountainsforeverybody.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/SynergyLink-Connectors.jpg) that keep things all lined up. Using it in a Black Diamond Highlight tent. Maybe the naturehike has lousy floor material? Look into modifications before tossing the pad for something else, it's an absolute performer at 8.5r for 1.6 lbs!

I have the nemo tensor extreme. Really comfortable and warm but expensive. Mec is doing a sale on full priced items so you can hopefully find one you like and get an extra 15% off for it.

An R value of 5 is not enough for winter. You need the extreme to sleep on cold ground or snow.

Not sure if they upgraded it for the XR but I have the XT and it sleeps much colder than the R rating suggests. I'm usually a hot sleeper too.

Did you notice your XT performing differently depending on if the ground was wet (raining) versus dry? The first time I used the XT it was around 10 C, dry, everything was fine. The second time it was maybe 8-9 C but pouring rain and I could feel the chill seeping in immediately. Same sleeping bag.  My old sleeping pad was a self-inflating with a similar R value and I never had issues feeling cold even dipping down to below freezing overnight.

Yeah, I agree. I regret not getting the Nemo Tensor like my friend did.  Interestingly we swapped pads after I got cold because she had the much warmer sleeping bag, and she didn't notice any coldness. But on the days we swapped it wasn't raining. On the last day we swapped back, it rained again, and I was cold.

The Nemo Tensor Extreme will hold your weight. I know because that's about how much I weigh. But I'm shorter so I'm actually fatter. It's overkill on the temperature. So technically a Nemo Tensor All Season should be plenty for the 30s. It's packable. It comes in 25 in wide so there's probably a long wide version that will accommodate your length as well. I don't know if that's any wider than the one you've already got. I'm a side sleeper and don't bottom out on it if it's inflated all the way. After that I think it's just all subjective. So it did not hurt my hips sleeping on my side. But everybody's different. So you just have to try it. Maybe an outdoor store near you has some that you can inflate and actually lay on and see. I can't personally vouch for the Thermarest Neoloft. But that's a comfort built pad. The downside is it weighs like 2 lb which is pretty heavy for an inflatable. But that's really not that heavy if you're getting comfort out of it. Nemo has the Eclipse coming out I think in March. And that might be one to look for.

I have the tensor extreme. I've only slept on it two nights. Low temperature was 35 f. My sleeping bag is solid. Between the two, I was too hot to keep my sleeping bags up. That doesn't mean uncomfortable. It just means nothing. That being stated, it is super super slick. I fought with it both nights. It was sliding out from under me. I've written Nemo to see what suggestions they have about that. No answer yet but I just sent the email. I've read several threads about putting same grio on it. Using various items. I'm still well within my return window. If I can figure out a sleeping pad that I'm not going to slide off of so easy, I'm going to switch. But I did specifically want the high r value and the comfort and that kind of limits the options a little bit.

I don't have an answer exactly. I went from using a '90s Thermarest to a new Nemo tensor extreme. And what I can say is make sure you're sleeping pad is not super slick or slippery like the Nemo. Because otherwise you're going to be fighting sliding off of it constantly. The only way I can say to do that is to go to a store with your sleeping bag and get on it. But really you need to test it on a slight incline because how often do you really set up a tent where it's perfectly level?

Best sleeping pad is a 1,000% subjective. Different pads will be comfortable to different people depending on their preferences and sleeping habits, and the most important thing is finding a sleeping pad that is comfortable for you to sleep on. Now, there are **objective** differences between sleeping pads when it comes to things like price, R value, weight, packability, durability, etc. Many of these qualities are going to be directly antithetical to each other (e.g. higher R values and durability are generally going to come with a weight penalty; lighter weights/more packable are almost always going to be more expensive as well as more delicate). You just gotta try to find the pad that feels comfortable to you AND has the best combination of those objective qualities that matter most to you. Personally I've settled on the Therm-A-Rest Neoloft as my 3-season pad and the BA Campmeister Deluxe as my colder weather pad. Those pads are bigger and heavier than a lot of options on the market but they are super comfortable for me to sleep on and are made from more durable materials (75D on the BA and I believe 50D top/75D bottom on the Neoloft) so hopefully the odds of me waking up on a flat pad on cold hard ground are greatly reduced. Although I do also own a Nemo Tensor if I ever feel like I need to go super light for some reason. I am lucky to be in a position to own several high-end sleeping pads to keep around as options for different conditions!

Get something with a super high R rating - higher than you think you need. Look for a baffling system that is either dimpled or vertical. For whatever reason, horizontal baffles don’t have a lot of “give” to them so they are less comfortable for side sleepers in general.  Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xtherm is probably the warmest pad out there (not the highest R rating per se but the most effective insulation system means it is still warmer than other pads with higher R values). It may not the most comfortable for a side sleeper because of the horizontal baffles, however. But this is the pad you want if you want to prioritize warmth. If you want to prioritize comfort, Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Pro will probably not sleep as warm but will be more comfortable for a side sleeper because of the dimpled baffling system. Nemo Tensor Extreme Conditions is also very warm and only slightly less comfy than the Ether Light.  Exped Ultra 7R is a bit heavier and bulkier but is very comfy for a side sleeper. It uses down rather than reflective film for insulation. So it won’t be quite as crinkly as a lot of warm pads, but I’m not sure if the down insulation is more or less effective in this application.  Big Agnes Campmeister Deluxe is quite bulky and heavy for a backpacking pad but is super, super comfortable and has a very respectable R value of 7.  The other big, bulky “luxury” comfort backpacking pads - Exped Megamat Ultra and Therm-a-Rest Neoloft - are great options for comfort but with lower R values so they may be less warm than you might want.  Other things to consider - even a well-insulated sleeping pad will only stay as warm as your body is able to heat it. The bigger the pad, the more of your body’s heat it will draw away from you. So don’t buy a massively oversized sleeping pad thinking it will automatically be more comfortable. For insulating purposes, something that is only as big as you need it to be will be more efficient for your body to keep warm.  Make sure you take advantage of all the usual strategies for staying warm in the backcountry: Use your Nalgene as a hot water bottle and keep it in your sleeping bag/quilt with at night. Do some jumping jacks or other activity to get your heartrate and body temperature up before going to bed. Make sure you are properly hydrated and getting enough food to keep warm. Etc. 

Nemo Tensor Extreme Conditions will be warmer than the All Season.  I find the Tensor series to be a bit more comfortable than the NeoAirs. But she’s already uncomfortable with the Tensor. I would consider instead the Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Pro, which has a high R value and most people have found to be more comfortable than either the Tensors or the NeoAirs. 

I wish we could get something scientific to back this up. Everyone knows the XT was a cold pad. But with the XR its all he said/she said and no one knows if its followed the path of the XR. Im looking to replace my XT (Probably with a Nemo Tensor All-Season Ultralight) but I would really like to know how the XR sleeps IRL for quilt users.

My XT has been cold every time i have used it. Never had to have used it in the rain. That this was with quilts which were way overspecced. Im just scared to put my money down for n XR and end up in the same place as the XT. Nowhere have I seen in any marketing or case studies that the cold seep issue was addressed. IMO warmth is far more important that cushioning.

Mine was the same way after I bought it. After a season of backpacking with it, I think it is dirty enough that it isn't as slick anymore. Still the loudest goddamn pad I've ever slept on!