NEMO Tensor Trail vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Insulated
In short: The NEMO Tensor Trail costs $9 less; the Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Insulated is warmer by 1.3 points of R-value; the NEMO Tensor Trail saves 2.7 oz; the Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Insulated is 4 inches thick against 3.5.
| Spec | NEMO Tensor Trail | Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Insulated |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$190 | ~$199 |
| R-value | R 2.8 | R 4.1 |
| Season band | Three-season | Cold three-season |
| R-value standard | ASTM F3340 | ASTM F3340 |
| Weight | 13.9 oz | 1 lb 0.6 oz |
| R per ounce | 0.20 R/oz | 0.25 R/oz |
| Thickness | 3.5 in | 4 in |
| Pad type | air | air |
| Inflation | pump sack | pump sack |
| Dimensions | 72 × 20 in | 72 × 22 in |
| Packed size | 10 × 4 in | 8 × 4 in |
| Insulation | One suspended layer of aluminised Thermal Mirror film inside Spaceframe baffles | ThermalCore multi-layer polyethylene film inside Air Sprung Cells |
| Top fabric | 20D | 30D |
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.
Sea to Summit Ether Light XR Insulated
- Four inches of loft at 16.6 ounces — the best thickness-to-weight in this catalogue outside the Tensor Elite.
- The Air Sprung Cell grid stops the wobble that ruins most thick air pads for side sleepers.
- Five sizes across mummy and rectangular cuts, so the fit choice is real rather than nominal.
- The Airstream pump is integrated into the stuff sack, so there is no extra item to lose.
- Sea to Summit publishes the ASTM figure and explains the test on the product page, which is unusually straight.
- R-value 4.1 is lower than several lighter pads here — the XLite is 4.5 at 13 ounces.
- Four inches is a long way to fall if it deflates, and a tall pad in a low tent is a tight fit.
- $199 for the Regular puts it in the same bracket as warmer pads.
- The many-celled construction makes it slower to deflate and pack than a simple baffled pad.