Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT vs NEMO Tensor All-Season (2026)
Two four-season-claim inflatable pads at the same official Regular-class price. The official difference is R-value, thickness and the exact Regular size you pick.
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How this page was made: this is a research-based guide built from manufacturer spec and pricing pages and the findings of the reviewers we name and link. We haven’t field-tested these products ourselves, and we don’t give scores. How we pick.
Quick answer
Choose Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT ($199.95) if you want the lighter official Regular pad (13 oz) at $199.95. Choose NEMO Tensor All-Season ($199.95) if you want the higher official R-value (5.4) and 3.5 in thickness or you will accept 14.1 oz minimum (or more, on wider sizes) at the same $199.95.
Last updated Prices checked Nov 2026
Check Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT price (opens in a new tab)Check NEMO Tensor All-Season price (opens in a new tab)
Key facts at a glance
| Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT | NEMO Tensor All-Season | |
|---|---|---|
| Official price (fetched Nov 10, 2026) | $199.95 (OutdoorGearLab listed $210 in its Oct 9, 2026 roundup and May 12, 2026 review) | $199.95 (OutdoorGearLab listed $220 in its Oct 9, 2026 roundup and Aug 23, 2024 review) |
| R-value (official) | 4.5 (same official value on Regular Short, Regular, Regular Wide and Large) | 5.4 |
| Thickness | 3 in (7.6 cm) | 3.5 in |
| Weight | Official Regular 13 oz (0.37 kg). OutdoorGearLab weighed a Regular mummy at 13.6 oz (May 12, 2026 / Oct 9, 2026). Other official sizes: Regular Short 11.5 oz; Regular Wide 1 lb; Large 1 lb 1 oz | Official Regular Mummy: 14.1 oz (400 g) minimum, 1 lb 1 oz (480 g) packed. Official Regular rectangular: 15.5 oz minimum / 1 lb 2 oz packed. OutdoorGearLab weighed a Regular rectangle at 15.4 oz (Oct 9, 2026 and Aug 23, 2024) |
| Dimensions | 20 × 72 in (51 × 183 cm) | 72 × 20 in (183 × 51 cm), mummy shape |
We compared these pads using Cascade Designs’ official NeoAir XLite NXT page and NEMO’s official Tensor All-Season page, both fetched November 10, 2026. Both Regular-class options were $199.95 on those pages. Official R-values are 4.5 (XLite NXT, all four sizes in the official table) and 5.4 (Tensor All-Season). Those are ASTM-style manufacturer ratings on the pages we fetched, not a test we ran. We have not inflated these pads in the field. OutdoorGearLab’s sleeping-pad roundup, updated October 9, 2026, named the Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated “Best Overall” and the XLite NXT “Best for Thru-Hikers.” We do not republish that site’s numeric scores. In that roundup, OGL listed the Tensor at $220 and the XLite NXT at $210; both official pages we fetched the same day listed $199.95. OGL measured a Regular rectangular Tensor at 15.4 oz and a Regular XLite NXT mummy (described as 20 x 72) at 13.6 oz. Official Regular figures are 15.5 oz minimum for NEMO’s Regular rectangle and 13 oz for Therm-a-Rest’s Regular. A dedicated XLite NXT review dated May 12, 2026 repeated the $210 list price and the 13.6 oz scale weight, and it also said the Regular pad is advertised as 12.5 oz — that advertised figure disagrees with the 13 oz official Regular weight on the product page we fetched, so we cite the official page for the maker’s number and report the reviewer’s scale weight separately. A dedicated Tensor review dated August 23, 2024 (older than the October 2026 roundup) listed $220, measured 15.4 oz on a Regular rectangle including the Velcro strap but not the stuff sack or pump sack, and said a full kit with stuff sack, repair kit and Vortex pump sack totaled 17.7 oz, which is slightly under NEMO’s official Regular-rectangle packed weight of 1 lb 2 oz (18 oz).
Choose the NeoAir XLite NXT Regular if you want the lighter official Regular pad we fetched: $199.95, R-4.5, 3 in thick, 13 oz / 370 g, 20 × 72 in, packed about 9 × 4.1 in, with a pump sack, stuff sack and field repair kit included. Choose the Tensor All-Season Regular Mummy if you want the warmer, thicker official pad at the same $199.95: R-5.4, 3.5 in thick, 14.1 oz / 400 g minimum and 1 lb 1 oz / 480 g packed, 72 × 20 in mummy, packed 10.0 × 4.0 in diameter. Other Tensor sizes are heavier (Regular rectangular 15.5 oz minimum; Regular Wide 1 lb 3 oz; Long Wide 1 lb 4 oz). We haven’t slept on either pad, and we don’t give scores. Compare the same length and width, not a Regular against a Wide.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT vs NEMO Tensor All-Season: side-by-side
| Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT (Regular) | NEMO Tensor All-Season (Regular Mummy) | |
|---|---|---|
| Official price (fetched Nov 10, 2026) | $199.95 (OutdoorGearLab listed $210 in its Oct 9, 2026 roundup and May 12, 2026 review) | $199.95 (OutdoorGearLab listed $220 in its Oct 9, 2026 roundup and Aug 23, 2024 review) |
| R-value (official) | 4.5 (same official value on Regular Short, Regular, Regular Wide and Large) | 5.4 |
| Thickness | 3 in (7.6 cm) | 3.5 in |
| Weight | Official Regular 13 oz (0.37 kg). OutdoorGearLab weighed a Regular mummy at 13.6 oz (May 12, 2026 / Oct 9, 2026). Other official sizes: Regular Short 11.5 oz; Regular Wide 1 lb; Large 1 lb 1 oz | Official Regular Mummy: 14.1 oz (400 g) minimum, 1 lb 1 oz (480 g) packed. Official Regular rectangular: 15.5 oz minimum / 1 lb 2 oz packed. OutdoorGearLab weighed a Regular rectangle at 15.4 oz (Oct 9, 2026 and Aug 23, 2024) |
| Dimensions | 20 × 72 in (51 × 183 cm) | 72 × 20 in (183 × 51 cm), mummy shape |
| Packed size | 9 × 4.1 in (23 × 10 cm) | 10.0 × 4.0 in diameter (25.5 × 10 cm) |
| Included | Pump sack, stuff sack, field repair kit | Vortex pump sack (official includes list) |
What are the pros and cons?
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT: pros
- Lighter official Regular weight (13 oz vs 14.1 oz minimum / 1 lb 1 oz packed for the Tensor mummy)
- Same $199.95 official price, with a pump sack and repair kit in the official includes list
- Four official sizes, including a Regular Short at 11.5 oz
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT: cons
- Lower official R-value (4.5 vs 5.4)
- Thinner official profile (3 in vs 3.5 in)
- Horizontal NeoAir baffles are a different feel than Tensor’s Spaceframe layout — we have not slept on either, so we do not pick a “more comfortable” winner
NEMO Tensor All-Season: pros
- Higher official R-value (5.4) and a 3.5 in official thickness
- Same $199.95 official price for the Regular Mummy
- Official Regular Wide and Long Wide options if you need more than 20 in of width
NEMO Tensor All-Season: cons
- Heavier: 14.1 oz minimum and 1 lb 1 oz packed on the Regular Mummy, more on wider sizes
- Slightly larger official packed diameter (10 × 4 in vs 9 × 4.1 in)
- A mummy shape is not the same as the XLite’s rectangular Regular — confirm the shape you want
Which should you choose: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT or NEMO Tensor All-Season?
At the same official $199.95 Regular-class price, the documented trade is warmth and thickness versus packed weight. The Tensor All-Season Regular Mummy is officially R-5.4 and 3.5 in, at 14.1 oz minimum. The XLite NXT Regular is officially R-4.5 and 3 in, at 13 oz, with a slightly smaller official packed size. We have not slept on either pad. If you need a wide pad, use the official Tensor Wide figures or the official XLite Regular Wide (1 lb, 25 × 72 in), not the Regular numbers on this table.
Choose Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT if…
- You want the lighter official Regular pad (13 oz) at $199.95
- An official R-4.5 and 3 in thickness are enough for your shoulder-season or three-season nights
- You want a Regular Short option at 11.5 oz
Choose NEMO Tensor All-Season if…
- You want the higher official R-value (5.4) and 3.5 in thickness
- You will accept 14.1 oz minimum (or more, on wider sizes) at the same $199.95
- You prefer a mummy outline, or you need an official Regular Wide or Long Wide Tensor
Regular is not one size across both brands
Therm-a-Rest’s official Regular is 20 × 72 in and 13 oz. NEMO’s official Regular Mummy is also 72 × 20 in, at 14.1 oz minimum, but NEMO also sells a Regular rectangular at 15.5 oz minimum. Regular Wide and Long Wide Tensors are 72 × 25 in and 76 × 25 in. XLite NXT Regular Wide is 25 × 72 in and 1 lb; Large is 25 × 77 in and 1 lb 1 oz. Compare the size you will actually buy.
Who should skip both of these inflatable pads?
- People who want a foam pad that cannot puncture. See our foam vs inflatable guide; the official Z Lite SOL Regular is R-2 and 14 oz, which is a different warmth job.
- Campers who need a wide rectangular pad and only looked at the Regular mummy numbers. Use the official Wide figures.
- Anyone treating an official R-value as a sleeping-bag temperature rating. R-value is a pad insulation number, not a “good to X degrees” guarantee we can invent.
Frequently asked questions
Which pad is warmer on paper?
Which is lighter?
Do they cost the same?
How thick are they?
What comes in the box?
Sources
Prices, specs and land-unit rules were checked on the pages below as of Nov 2026. Brands and land units change prices and rules often, so confirm them on the seller’s or official land-unit page before you buy or go.
- Cascade Designs / Therm-a-Rest: NeoAir XLite NXT official product page (price, R-value, weights, sizes, includes; fetched Nov 10, 2026) (cascadedesigns.com)
- NEMO: Tensor All-Season official product page (price, R-value, size-by-size weights; fetched Nov 10, 2026) (nemoequipment.com)
- OutdoorGearLab: Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads (updated October 9, 2026; Tensor named Best Overall at $220 list, measured 15.4 oz Regular rectangle; XLite NXT named Best for Thru-Hikers at $210 list, measured 13.6 oz; we do not republish numeric scores; fetched Nov 10, 2026) (outdoorgearlab.com)
- OutdoorGearLab: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT review (May 12, 2026; $210 list; Regular mummy measured 13.6 oz; review also said the pad is advertised as 12.5 oz, which disagrees with the official 13 oz Regular figure; fetched Nov 10, 2026) (outdoorgearlab.com)
- OutdoorGearLab: NEMO Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated review (August 23, 2024; $220 list; Regular rectangle measured 15.4 oz; packed kit 17.7 oz vs official 1 lb 2 oz packed; older than the October 2026 roundup; fetched Nov 10, 2026) (outdoorgearlab.com)
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