The third best overall lightweight backpacking sleeping pad

Nemo Tensor Ultralight Insulated (shop now) is the third best sleeping pad for backpacking to consider if you dislike the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir and/or can’t find a Big Agnes Zoom UL insulated. It is comfy and has the third highest R-value-to-weight ratio.

• Price: $199
• Weight: 14.5 oz
• R-Value: 4.2 | R-Value/Weight: .29
• Thickness: 3”
• Fabric: 20d
• Sizes: Regular, Regular Wide, Long Wide.
• Pros: Comfy. Great baffles. Thick. Lightweight. High R-Value-to-weight. Eco-friendly.
• Cons: Expensive. Slightly delicate. Third best.

Features

In fact, compared to almost every other backpacking sleeping pad, Tensor UL Insulated is seriously excellent. Weighing 14.5 oz with an R-value of 4.2, it has an exceptional R-Value-to-weight ratio, lower only than NeoAir XLite NXT and Big Agnes Zoom UL Insulated. This is thanks to the thermal Mirror suspended metallized film. And weighing just 14.5 oz it’s very lightweight. It’s also the third lightest of all three season pads.

But perhaps where it shines brightest is the comfy Spaceframe™ baffle construction in conjunction with the 3” thickness. Laying on it feels more stable and less bouncy and generally is preferable, even to the horizonal baffled surface of the XLite. And it’s definitely quieter than the NeoAir series.

We like that NEMO offers a lifetime warranty, which is a huge plus for gear that can pop or puncture.

Verdict

Well it falls a just bit short of the very best, statistically speaking, we don’t want to undersell the Nemo Tensor UL Insulated. It’s still an impressive feat to be the third best lightweight sleeping pad for backpacking, and we recommend this pad to anyone who wants the very best, but dislikes NeoAir XLite NXT.

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Check out more great options in our guide to the best backpacking sleeping pads of year.