Price: $159.95

Type: Air Construction/Synthetic Insulation

Claimed R-value: 3.5

Weight: 15oz (425g)

Packed Volume: 1.2L

Thickness: 2.8″ (7.1cm)

LxW: 72″x20″ (1.8m x 0.5m)

Breaths to Inflate: 20-30

What We Like: Comfortable, Easy inflation, Several sizes available

What We Don’t: A bit pricey, Fabric could be sturdier

Suppose you’re looking for a high-quality pad and not concerned about spending a few extra dollars. In that case, the NEMO Tensor Insulated may be right up your alley. At $159.95, this well-built air pad uses synthetic insulation to deliver solid warmth and matching comfort without going overboard on weight or packed size. Although it’s far from a budget sleeping pad, the value associated with the NEMO Tensor Insulated more than justifies its price tag. It’s comfortable and quiet while providing an acceptable level of insulation, all with a very reasonable weight and packed size. Add to this the ultra-convenient Vortex pump sack, and you’ve got a combination that will be the envy of your fellow overnight hikers. We do wish that the bottom of the pad was a bit more reinforced, but as long as you’re not overly haphazard with your handling of this pad, it should hold up for years of hiking trips.

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See Our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pad Review HERE!

Suppose you’re looking for a high-quality pad and not concerned about spending a few extra dollars. In that case, the NEMO Tensor Insulated may be right up your alley. At $159.95, this well-built air pad uses synthetic insulation to deliver solid warmth and matching comfort without going overboard on weight or packed size. The question: is it worth the added cost? We found out.

Warmth

With an R-value of 3.5, the Tensor Insulated can definitely be considered a three-season pad and should be able to hold its own even when temperatures drop below freezing. The pad is insulated with two layers of suspended Thermal Mirror™ metalized film that’s also designed to keep the pad quiet when you’re tossing and turning. For the warm-weather hikers who aren’t concerned with insulation, the non-insulated version of the Tensor—which has an R-value of only 1.6 but is also 2oz lighter—can be snapped up for $20 cheaper.

Comfort

The Tensor Insulated is among the more comfortable air pads in our review, with a thickness of 2.8″ (7.1cm). Along with the Thermal Mirror™ metalized film that keeps the pad quiet at night, its Spaceframe™ baffles keep weight evenly distributed and ensure your body and the ground don’t get too well-acquainted, even if you’re a side sleeper. For the rectangular pad in our review, dimensions are a standard 72″x20″ (1.8m x 0.5m). However, there are several available sizes for this pad. Those who need a bit more room can spend an additional $20 for the regular wide version, which is 5” wider, while the long-wide version also adds 4” to the length. There’s also a regular mummy version (also 72”x20”) and even a short mummy that’s a full two feet shorter as well as 6oz lighter.

Weight & Packed Size

Yet another big plus for this pad is its comfort-to-weight ratio. The Tensor Insulated comes in at only 15oz (425g), which is well within the acceptable range considering its size but still more than 2oz heavier than the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite, which is only slightly thinner but also more insulated. Once packed down, the Tensor Insulated has a compressed volume of 1.2L even with the pump sack. All in all, the Tensor Insulated is more than capable of satisfying the needs of long-distance backpackers who need just a bit more comfort than ultralight options like the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite, which boasts just over half the weight of the Tensor Insulated and packed down around 25% smaller but also lacks its insulation capacity.

Inflation

While the Tensor Insulated should take 20-30 breaths to inflate (an unsurprising number given its dimensions), the process can be even easier than that unless you’re planning to cut every ounce possible. That’s because the pad comes with the brilliantly designed and light Vortex pump sack. All you’ll have to do is connect the pump directly to the pad’s valve and blow a full breath of air into the wide end of the sack. Then you’ll seal up the end and push in the air by rolling the sack closed. Repeat this a handful of times, and you’ll be good to go. It’s a slightly more straightforward process than the pump sacks we found on the offerings from Therm-A-Rest. On the other hand, deflation was just a bit difficult, only because it takes a bit of muscle to remove the inner valve. This wasn’t exactly an ordeal, but it could be slightly more elegant.

Durability

The inset valve on the Tensor protects it from damage when packed in tight with all your other gear, but once unpacked, we found that the durability became a bit more of an issue. The outer shell is composed of 20D PU polyester ripstop, which helps keep the weight down and makes this pad more prone to punctures than pads like the Klymit Static V2, which utilizes 75D polyester on the bottom. That’s not to say that the Tensor Insulated will pop at the sight of a sharp rock. Still, we would recommend you be delicate when handling this pad (and don’t forget to bring along that repair kit).

The Bottom Line

Although it’s far from a budget sleeping pad, the value associated with the NEMO Tensor Insulated more than justifies its price tag. This well-built air pad is comfortable and quiet while providing an acceptable level of insulation, all with a very reasonable weight and packed size. Add to this the ultra-convenient Vortex pump sack, and you’ve got a combination that will be the envy of your fellow overnight hikers. We do wish that the bottom of the pad was a bit more reinforced, but as long as you’re not overly haphazard with your handling of this pad, it should hold up for years of hiking trips.

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