NEMO Tensor Trail vs NEMO Flyer
In short: The NEMO Flyer costs $50 less; the NEMO Flyer is warmer by 1.4 points of R-value; the NEMO Tensor Trail saves 7.1 oz; the NEMO Tensor Trail is 3.5 inches thick against 2; one is air and the other self-inflating.
| Spec | NEMO Tensor Trail | NEMO Flyer |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$190 | ~$140 |
| R-value | R 2.8 | R 4.2 |
| Season band | Three-season | Cold three-season |
| R-value standard | ASTM F3340 | ASTM F3340 |
| Weight | 13.9 oz | 1 lb 5 oz |
| R per ounce | 0.20 R/oz | 0.20 R/oz |
| Thickness | 3.5 in | 2 in |
| Pad type | air | self-inflating |
| Inflation | pump sack | self-inflating |
| Dimensions | 72 × 20 in | 72 × 20 in |
| Packed size | 10 × 4 in | 10 × 6.5 in |
| Insulation | One suspended layer of aluminised Thermal Mirror film inside Spaceframe baffles | Die-cut open-cell foam |
| Top fabric | 20D | 75D |
Shaded cells mark the row where one has a measurable advantage. Weight, thickness, girth and shape are left unshaded on purpose: heavier is sometimes tougher, wider is sometimes warmer, and calling a winner on those would be an opinion dressed as a measurement.
What each one does well, and costs you
NEMO Tensor Trail
- 3.5 inches of loft at 13.9 ounces — the same thickness as the warmer Tensors for two ounces less.
- Quiet in exactly the way the rest of the Tensor line is.
- $190 undercuts the All-Season by $30 and the XLite by $20.
- Mummy and rectangular options at the same price in the Regular.
- R-value 2.8 runs out below about 40 °F of ground temperature; a frosty night on this needs a foam pad under it.
- Only $30 cheaper than the All-Season, which is nearly twice as warm — the value case is narrow.
- 20-denier fabric, like the rest of the line.
- A thick summer pad is a lot of volume to carry for insulation you could get from foam.
NEMO Flyer
- 21 ounces is the lightest self-inflating pad in this catalogue, three ounces under the closest comparison.
- R-value 4.2 from foam rather than film, so a puncture costs comfort rather than the whole night.
- Silent, and warm to the touch in a way reflective-film pads never are.
- $140 is at the bottom of the three-season price range for this much R-value.
- Two inches of loft is thin — side sleepers will feel the ground through it.
- Packs to 10 × 6.5 inches, roughly twice the volume of an ultralight air pad.
- Self-inflation is partial, as always; expect to top it up.
- Sold in mummy cut only, so there is no rectangular version for restless sleepers.