The NEMO Tensor Elite is the Lightest Inflatable Pad Ever

If you’re an ultralight hiker, chances are the sleeping pad category is one where you’re forced to make concessions. If you really want to lower your pack weight, you’ve at least experimented with sleeping on a thin foam mat that’s cut down to torso length. But for less masochistic sleepers, there isn’t much of a middle ground between those spartan foam pads and plush inflatables. While inflatable pads have gotten warmer, lighter, and more comfortable over the years, most of them don’t really qualify as ultralight. By and large, ultralighters opt for the same inflatables as everyone else.

For a few years, there was one featherweight alternative: the Therm-a-Rest Uberlite. That was discontinued early in 2024, with the brand citing supply chain issues. (We wouldn’t rule out an updated ultralight model from Therm-a-Rest in the future, but haven’t heard anything yet; their new model for 2025 is the super-plush-but-heavy NeoLoft). So when we heard about NEMO’s upcoming pad, the Tensor Elite, which launches in spring 2025, we were eager to get our hands on it.

Tensor Elite vs Therm-a-Rest Uberlite

Since the Uberlite was such a popular pick among ultralighters, we’ll start by comparing the two. The basic stats are very similar: The Uberlite weighed 8.5 ounces and boasted an R-value of 2.3, while the Tensor Elite weighs in 0.2 ounces lighter, at 8.3 ounces, with a reported R-value of 2.4. It also has an extra half-inch of thickness compared to the Uberlite’s 2.5-inch-thick construction. If you’re wondering how the Tensor Elite boasts better stats and a lighter weight, that’s down to the shell fabric: The Tensor Elite uses a 10-denier Cordura nylon where the Uberlite had a 15-denier nylon fabric. The Tensor Elite is available only in a mummy shape that maxes out at 20 inches wide at the shoulders, and two lengths, regular (72 inches) and short (63 inches). Unlike the Uberlite, there’s no wide or extra-long version. Finally, the price is competitive. The Tensor Elite will retail for $230, whereas the Uberlite was between $200 and $260, depending on the size and width.

Comfort

All of that makes the Tensor Elite the lightest full-length inflatable pad we’ve ever tested. So how did it hold up to a full summer of testing? Remarkably well, it turns out. The Tensor Elite wasn’t just light, it also proved quite comfortable and reasonably durable, surviving 920 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, plus several two- and three-day trips in the Canadian Rockies. Through it all, the Tensor Elite proved comfier and warmer than we expected. At 3 inches thick, it’s only a half-an-inch slimmer than other pads in the brand’s new Tensor line, and on par with Therm-a-Rest’s NeoAir Xlite and Xtherm pads. One tester, who weighs more than 200 pounds, reported bottoming out briefly while rolling side-to-side, but testers in the 150-180 pound range had no issues.

The Tensor Elite’s ability to keep us warm was another nice surprise. We were able to continue using this pad comfortably in September and October in Washington and British Columbia, with testers reporting that they could begin to feel the cold at temperatures between 32-40 degrees. Depending on your cold tolerance, the pad could be a true three-season option. NEMO’s reported R-value of 2.4 seems accurate, and goes beyond what we expected from such a lightweight pad.

Durability 

With current technology, there’s no way to achieve a pad weight under 10 ounces without using a thin fabric, and the 10-denier Cordura nylon found in the Tensor Elite is the thinnest fabric we’ve ever seen in a pad (for comparison, NEMO’s next lightest pad, the Tensor Trail, employs a combination of 20- and 40-denier shell fabrics). After several months of testing, we did manage to create a few pinhole leaks—but that was only once we abandoned careful campsite selection in favor of stress-testing the pad against rocks, gravel, and brush. Our PCT tester, who slept with a thin foam pad beneath the Tensor each night, never encountered a leak.

In other words, we found the Tensor Elite to be plenty durable as long as we handled it with care. We never popped a baffle in hot weather or had any issues with leaks from the inflation valve, and any problem you encounter will almost certainly be down to pinholes or tears in the shell fabric itself. (Side note: we did find that the pad’s fabric readily accepted patches and duct tape repairs, even in the field when we weren’t able to wash the pad beforehand). If you use a thin pad like a Gossamer Gear Thinlight as protection, it’s unlikely you’ll encounter issues. But if you’re banking on using this pad on its own with just a thin tent floor or polycro groundsheet as protection, prepare to patch some leaks or rethink your setup.

Features

There were a few more perks to note. In addition to its light weight, the Tensor Elite packs down very small. “It’s amazing how far the technology has come,” our tester in British Columbia marveled. “This thing is tiny, about the size of a fist when rolled up.” Testers also said the pad was quiet—there’s the swoosh of nylon when you wriggle around but none of the crinkly sound that some pads create. That’s likely because the Tensor Elite contains just a single layer of insulating mylar, while warmer pads stack multiple layers to boost warmth. Nemo’s updated inflation valve, made of a relatively pliable plastic, was easy to use and quick to open for rapid deflation. One downside: testers thought the supplied inflation sack, which narrowed down to just a small channel near the valve, didn’t move enough air. But thanks to the Tensor Elite’s relatively small size, ditching the sack in favor of using lung power wasn’t a big deal.

Should you buy the Tensor Elite?

In all, the best-in-class weight and acceptable durability of the Tensor Elite should find an audience among ultralight gearheads. A word of caution, though: If you’re already underwhelmed by the lack of durability found in pads like the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite or Nemo Tensor Trail, this is definitely not the pad for you. On the other hand, if you’ve looked over your gear list and realized with dismay that most inflatable pads weigh nearly as much as an ultralight shelter or summer-weight sleeping bag, the Tensor Elite might be the answer you’ve been looking for. Anyone who’s familiar with the Uberlite will find a very similar pad in the Tensor Elite, only a bit more comfortable, a bit less durable, and much easier to find once it hits shelves next year.