NEMO Tensor Elite Backpacking Sleeping Pad Review

Bottom Line

The NEMO Tensor Elite backpacking sleeping pad is an ultralight backpacker’s dream come true. We tested it sleeping in a variety of conditions and compared it against the market’s best ultralight pads. No other pad comes close to the weight savings of this pad, and it still manages a decent level of comfort. 

Despite its light weight and tiny size, the Tensor Elite provides some decent thickness and even integrates a thin aluminized film to bump up its warmth above the typical foam pad. The dimpled horizontal baffles allow for even weight distribution while still providing stability.

As with most ultralight gear, the Tensor Elite leaves a bit to be desired in the durability department. The material is fragile and wouldn’t take much to puncture it (luckily, NEMO includes several patches). So if you’re rough on gear or a restless side sleeper, you might want to check out alternatives from our full guide to the best sleeping pads.

How We Tested

We slept on the Tensor Elite for several nights in a variety of conditions to assess its comfort and warmth. We’ve checked the specs and compared its ease of setup, durability, and weight with countless other sleeping pads to provide an accurate, in-depth analysis.

Comfort

Choosing the perfect sleeping pad seems to be a constant effort to balance weight with comfort. The NEMO Tensor Elite clearly prioritizes weight and packability above all else, but still manages a decent level of comfort. 

The pad is just barely three inches thick, which doesn’t leave much compressibility for side sleepers. Although the thin fabric expands to hold a good amount of air, it is easy to compress. If you like to inflate your sleeping pad less than 100% full for a softer feel, there’s a good chance you will bottom out with the Tensor Elite.

The top material is slippery, and the mummy shape is highly tapered. The pad also doesn’t come in a wider option, so it’s best suited for sound sleepers who don’t tend to toss and turn.

On the upside, we like the dimpled horizontal baffles, which conform to your body better than traditional horizontal baffles. Despite this pad’s comfort downfalls, it’s still more comfortable than a foam pad, provided you can stay on top of it all night.

Weight

The NEMO Tensor Elite’s ridiculously low weight and tiny packed size are

 where it really shines. Although NEMO made a concerted effort to sacrifice as little comfort as possible, their target audience with this pad is clearly the ultralight backpacker.

The pad itself (not including the pump sack or stuff sack) weighs an impressive 8.5 ounces and packs down almost as small as a standard soda can. NEMO achieves these impressive specs with paper-thin 10D CORDURA nylon and highly tapered mummy shape. The most hardcore, gram-shaving backpackers can shed even more weight with the short, torso-length version of the Tensor Elite.

This incredibly lightweight pad comes with obvious sacrifices, such as durability, comfort, and warmth. So if you tend to hike to exhaustion and sleep hard, this is a great summer pad.

Durability

Ultralight gear doesn’t come without sacrificing durability, and the Tensor Elite is no exception. This pad requires gentle and mindful handling to ensure 

it’ll still be there to keep you comfortable night after night.

The Tensor Elite’s paper-thin 10D CORDURA nylon is featherweight and fragile. We highly recommend careful campsite selection with this pad to avoid any protruding sticks and rocks. Using a footprint with your tent is also a good idea to add an extra layer of protection between the ground and your sleeping pad. We even like to go an extra step and add a very thin piece of foam beneath the pad to protect it and keep it from sliding around (it also adds a little warmth).

That said, if you treat your gear carefully and take the proper precautions, there’s no reason the Tensor Elite shouldn’t last. NEMO also includes multiple patches in the unfortunate case of a puncture in the field.

Warmth

Warmth is another characteristic that comes at the expense of ultralightweight savings since insulation adds weight. With an R-value of 2.4, the NEMO Tensor Elite could reasonably be used into some shoulder seasons, but it is best reserved for summer backpacking. We wouldn’t recommend it as a single, do-it-all pad for a year-round backpacker.

Although its main goal is weight savings, NEMO does make an effort to provide some insulation to the Tensor Elite. Built into the interior of the pad is a very thin piece of aluminized film that helps reflect some of your body heat back at you. That and the air itself provide a small amount of insulation to make the pad a little bit warmer than a standard closed-cell foam pad.

Ease of Setup

The upside of the Tensor Elite’s low volume is that it doesn’t take much to pump it up. Nemo includes their signature vortex pump sack to make inflating quick and efficient. With about three to four fills of the pump sack, the pad is fully inflated in less than a minute and a half. If you lose your pump sack, it takes about 20 to 25 full breaths to inflate, which is still pretty quick.

The super flexible nylon makes folding and rolling easy when it’s time to pack up. While other pads tend to bulk up or hold on to excess air, the Tensor Elite quickly dumps air via its outlet valve and feels like rolling up a silk blanket.

Our one gripe with the material is that it’s very slippery, and dirt tends to cling to it. The valve connection to the pump sack also isn’t the most secure, but it works well most of the time.

Should You Buy the NEMO Tensor Elite Backpacking Sleeping Pad?

The NEMO Tensor Elite is best suited for ultralight backpackers, sound sleepers, warm sleepers, and summer use. Although it has limited warmth and durability, it offers maximum weight savings for those crushing miles on challenging terrain.

The Tensor Elite stands far out from the competition as a featherlight, extremely packable sleeping pad that you’ll hardly notice is in your pack. It prioritizes hiking comfort over sleeping. However, it still manages a decent thickness with a body-conforming baffle construction and insulating aluminized film. 

If you’re tough on gear, a side sleeper, or toss and turn at night, this pad might not be for you. However, if you’re dedicated to minimizing your base weight at any cost, it doesn’t get much better than the Tensor Elite.

What Other Backpacking Pads Should You Consider?

Check out our full list of backpacking sleeping pads for a variety of options, whether you value comfort, warmth, durability, or a good budget buy.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Review: The NeoAir XLite NXT is an updated version of a classic that has been a favorite amongst thru-hikers for years. It’s a little heavier than the Tensor Elite, but still ultralight while providing significantly more warmth.

NEMO Tensor All-Season Review: The Tensor All-Season is our favorite all-around sleeping pad for its balance of weight, warmth, and comfort. It provides all-season warmth and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, including a mummy and rectangular cut.

Big Agnes Zoom UL Review: The Zoom UL is another ultralight pad that offers more comfort and warmth with its thickness, rectangular shape, and multiple size options. It’s also a bit more affordable than comparable options.