Nemo Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated Review

The Tensor All-Season is an updated sleeping pad from the well-loved Tensor line. This model is warmer than previous Tensor models without being any heavier. It also has a thicker material on the bottom of the pad. Previous Tensor models have a reputation for being prone to punctures, so the more durable bottom material is a welcome addition. This model is extremely comfortable and light enough for even the most ultralight endeavors.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

The Tensor All-Season is exceptionally comfortable. It's 3.5 inches thick, has stable yet supportive baffles, and is great for back, side, and stomach sleepers. You won't slip off while you're tossing and turning, but this pad is seriously comfortable, so you might do less tossing and turning than you think.

The pad is 3.5 inches thick. This is thick enough that you don't have to worry about setting it up on uneven surfaces. While you shouldn't pitch it directly on sharp rocks, the bottom will conform to uneven surfaces below you. And you won't feel any bumps while you lay down because the pad is so thick.

The baffles run horizontally across the pad, but there is a secondary grid pattern in the design that runs perpendicular to the baffles' length. This gridded design, which Nemo calls its Spaceframe™ baffle design, makes the pad feel less like sleeping on a balloon than many sleeping pads. It cradles you in the center and has enough give to keep you from rolling off the sides without feeling too mushy.

The face material is also soft and less slippery than many other sleeping pads. It's not quite as soft as heavier, comfort-oriented sleeping pads, but the material is comfortable enough to sleep directly on. This is important for ultralight backpackers who use a quilt rather than a full-zip sleeping bag.

Whether you sleep on your back, your side, or your stomach, this pad will keep you comfortable. When sleeping on your side, your hip doesn't sink into the pad, which isn't the case with many ultralight sleeping pads. But as we tossed and turned, trying every position as we drifted away to sleep, we never felt that rock underneath our hip when we laid on our side.

Weight

The Tensor All-Season weighs 15.4 ounces on our home test lab scale. This weight doesn't include the stuff sack or the pump sack but includes the Velcro compression strap. This is very light for a backpacking sleeping pad with this high of an R-value. We tested the “regular” version of this pad. If you get the mummy-shaped pad, which has rounded edges, it will be even lighter.

You can simply carry the pad with the velcro compression strap and the repair kit to minimize weight. We also carried the Vortex pump sack, which makes inflating the pad faster and easier but adds about 2 ounces of extra weight.

For reference, the stuff sack weighs 0.3 ounces, the repair kit weighs 0.1 ounces, and the pump sack weighs 1.9 ounces. If you carry all these items plus the sleeping pad, the total weight is 1 lb 1.7 oz (or 17.7 oz). This is still less than Nemo's advertised packed weight of 1 lb 2 oz.

Warmth

The Tensor All-Season has an R-Value of 5.4. This is warm enough for winter camping, but it's not the absolute highest R-value available for a sleeping pad of a comparable weight. Overall, this pad is warm enough for any conditions that most people will encounter, from cold alpine summer nights to early and late shoulder season trips.

It's also warm enough to use with a backpacking quilt. If you use a quilt to save weight, there is less insulation underneath you. This makes having a sleeping pad with a higher R-value more important. But if you've slept with a less insulating pad when the temperature drops unexpectedly, you know a warm sleeping pad is just as important as a warm bag for staying comfortable all night.

Packed Size

The Tensor All-Season packs down to a small 10 by 4-inch diameter size. This is approximately 2 liters, slightly larger than a Nalgene water bottle.

It's worth noting that getting the sleeping pad into the small stuff sack is challenging, but this is the case with most sleeping pads. It also feels liberating not to stuff every item into an individual stuff sack every morning—it saves weight and time when packing up, and it allows you to pack your gear more tightly into your backpacking pack.

The stuff sack is pretty small, and getting the pad into it daily is difficult. One morning, while packing up camp, we hurriedly attempted to cram the Tensor All-Season into the small stuff sack, and it ripped. This was honestly a relief because it meant we didn't have to try to cram the pad into the stuff sack anymore.

Quality of Construction

The Tensor All-Season is a high-quality sleeping pad. It has 40d nylon material on the bottom and 20d on top. This makes the pad comparably durable to other ultralight backpacking pads. It also has an easy-to-use inflation valve and inflation bag.

Previous versions of the Tensor had a 20d material on the top and bottom. The Tensor All-Season uses a thicker material on the bottom, increasing durability. However, the stuff sack wasn't nearly as durable, tearing open during our in-field testing.

The Vortex pump sack works better than most other inflation bags that come with ultralight sleeping pads. We're usually content with inflating a sleeping pad with our lungs, but the Tensor All-Season pump sack works well enough that we sometimes actually carry it on a backpacking trip.

The Laylow valve is easy to use in any condition. It has a pair of rubber caps that fit in place. Removing the top cap reveals a one-way valve so that you can blow into it, but air won't escape. If you want to let out a small amount of air to fine-tune the inflation level of your pad, you can press a small button in the middle of the valve. To let all the air out of the pad in the morning, the second, larger cap that contains the Laylow valve will let all the air out quickly.

Should You Buy the Nemo Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated?

The Tensor All-Season is lightweight, very comfortable, and warm enough to be the only sleeping pad you'll need for most backpacking trips. It's more expensive than many sleeping pads, but you won't find anything cheaper if you want something in this weight range with a high R-value. This all makes the Tensor All-Season a great value.

What Other Sleeping Pads Should You Consider?

If you want an even lighter sleeping pad and are willing to pay slightly more and sacrifice some comfort, we recommend the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT. If you're looking for an even warm pad for winter or extreme expeditions, check out the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT or combine the Tensor All-Season with a closed cell foam pad, such as the Nemo Switchback.