We’re a free review guide - run by passionate Divers, Sports, and Outdoor fanatics. We were skeptical, but after purchasing a Nemo pad and carrying it for 1,200 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, we’re convinced. We were able to patch it and it was fine for the rest of the trip and has lived on for thousands of miles of trips on other long-distance trails, including the Blue Mountains Trail and Oregon Desert Trail. We've had multiple testers take the Nemo Tensor from alpine climbing trips in the Trinity Alps to off-trail backpacking trips in the Sierra to a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail. It can be paired with a 4-Season Tent for winter backpacking, ski touring, or overnight snowshoe trips. They can still be purchased today! It’s not the highest airflow in its class, but it’s still capable of moving heavy, wet debris into piles. Unfortunately, although this pad is better for side sleepers than the XLite or other horizontal baffled pads, as a side sleeper, our hips still bottomed out which caused some pain during the night. It features a waffle/pocketed surface that some side sleepers find more comfortable than horizontal pockets. ’s 0.75 inches. But the NEMO Switchback is also more space efficient than other foam pads, including the Z Lite Sol.
At 3.0 inches thick, our testing proved it was ideal for side sleepers and felt more comfortable than many of the other pads we tested. The NEMO is actually thicker than other foam pads at 0.9 inches thick vs. Closed cell foam pads are a much cheaper option, and in our opinion the best among them is the NEMO Switchback. Here are some key features to look for when making the purchase that’s going to fit both your body and the protection you need. The product comes with polyester features and has a laptop compartment. The backpack features a water-resistant, breathable design and a built-in rain cover to keep your gear dry in inclement weather. Now, I do like that pants have pockets because pockets allow you to easily organize your gear. But these are also just super handy to have in case wherever you're staying only has, like, two hangers to utilize during your 10-day trip. The Lowepro Fastpack 150 is primarily a tale of two bags together as one - even in appearance. Anti theft slash proof bags can help protect your belongings by making it more difficult for thieves to rip your bag or cut the strap.
The NEMO Switchback compresses to a more compact size. Another option is to combine the NEMO Switchback with a second pad-ideally a short, inflatable, lightweight, low R-Value pad. Backpackers did notice the difference in R-value. As such, it’s for youth, who may or may not see the difference between jumping on an inflatable pad and jumping on a bed. As side sleepers who find the NeoAir XLite to be too uncomfortable for quality sleep in the backcountry ("unusable"), this was revelatory. For example, you can find the ultralight mummy non-insulated. Three great options are the Therm-a-Rest ProLite, the Sea To Summit Ultralight Air Mat (the non-insulated version), and the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite (the small backpack men is a ridiculously light 6 ounces). For example, we saw the Sea to Summit Comfort, Sea to Summit Comfort Light, and the Sea to Summit Comfort Plus as well as the Insulated Air and non-insulated versions. We also bought and tested the Sea to Summit Ultralight Full Length, but later noticed the women’s version of Sea to Summit Ultralight Pad is less expensive, has better insulation, and weighs less-almost the same as our current Overall Pick, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT. Close-up on the valve system on the XTherm NXT.
While no single piece of gear is enough to keep you safe in the elements in cold weather, the XTherm is the one gear item we crave for winter outings. With an R-value of 3.1, it was definitely warm enough even on below-freezing nights. Still, you get what you pay for, particularly with regard to the R-value and this pad’s durability; as the fabric is heavier than the XLite's, it’s also better able to take wear and tear. The increased R-value and the divots in the pad help improve heat and are more supportive. As with all foam pads, if you need something smaller, you have the option of cutting off one or more of the folding panels to lighten up a bit. It’s noisy but that’s the trade-off for having a robust machine that you can take to the farthest reaches of the largest garden and not have to worry about extension cables or battery charge. You can either add or remove them while keeping the camera. The extra-large camera backpack from Endurax can be a good choice when it comes to keeping your camera safe while hiking. It is capable of stowing two digital SLR camera bodies, up to six lenses, a tripod, and plenty of small accessories like batteries, memory cards, and filters.
