NEMO - Quasar 3D Lightweight Non-Insulated Sleeping Pad
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Jan 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
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92
"I just put up with the pinholes and patching them on trail because I can't sleep better on any other pad. ... There's a huge difference in comfort depending on your body between the dimpled baffling of the Etherlight/Tensor and the horizontal baffling of the Xlite. ... I can't sleep on horizontal baffling despite all the good features of the Xlite. ... I'm a side sleeper and my arms and shoulders ache and/or fall asleep or go numb on the Xlite. For whatver reason I can only sleep on dimpled baffles (tensor, etherlight)"
"I sleep all night and no body aches."
"This specific pad and its sibling, Ether Light XT Insulated, have been my primary pads the past four-ish years. ... They are 4" thick and the most comfortable pads I've used, probably tied with the NeoLoft. ... Never woken with my arm numb, and the only pad I've ever slept seven-plus hours straight-through."
414
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"saucony peregrines i like alot ... usually can find good prices ... got a pair on amazon for 50 bucks that was the 13s which r their best year haha"
"Mine has already been making this summer way more bearable than the last. ... It's very worth it for the amount of comfort it affords. I appreciate being able to think about things besides how overheated I am on a warm day. ... Yeah the high summer temps are savage. I cannot operate like that. I'd happily pay hundreds a month to keep my apartment cool when it's 30+ out, at a cost of tens it's not even a question."
"This is exactly what we do too. No point blasting the hvac in the entire house when the only room we want really cold is the bedroom. Has saved us a lot on the energy bill!"
376
17
"It also fits into the overhead compartment for flights!"
"I was able to carry it up and down the 2 flights of stairs to my apartment within 2 weeks of my cesarean which I think says a lot!"
"All of the strollers I just listed fit in the overhead bin of an airplane"
26
6
"I have used it almost every day in all weather, on the bus, with one or two kids, for the past 2.5 years and it's still in great shape."
"I've been using it for about five years, take it out 2-3 trips a year, up to four or five nights each time. It hasn't failed me in any sense."
"Love our 12 man core tent. We’ve had it since 2019 and it’s gone on a bunch of trips with kids and dogs."
10
3
"It works super well even in the winter"
"I keep a backpacking one, Nemo Astro Insulated, with no regrets. ... Combined with a zero below bag, I could sleep on top of packed snow without heat dissipation."
"Good r value"
Disliked most:
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"Both times I’ve hiked the PCT my thermarests have popped in the desert . ... My first one had multiple holes and was a write-off."
"Inflatables take a lot of babying, they often get holes. ... If a pad pops once every 10 weeks, you’ll have to replace the pad at least twice on a thruhike. Of course, some pads don’t pop, it’s just that they often do pop or leak at some point. I don’t want to spend 100-200 dollars on something that’s gonna fail after a couple weeks. ... “ often they do pop or leak at some point” meaning most pads will pop eventually. Once it pops or leaks, even if it’s once, the pad has failed and it doesn’t effectively function unless repaired or replaced. ... Based on anecdotal personal evidence, which of course isn’t a great measure, a lot of pads pop or leak without making it through a full thruhike. One failure is too many for me. There’s no other piece of gear, besides socks and shoes, that fail as often as pads. ... I’ve had one fail in as little as 2 days and I currently have one that has yet to fail after like 70 nights🤷♂️."
"leaked out the valve all through Washington, leaving me on the ground multiple times per night, waking me up every hour or so."
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"It’s 100% not ultralight ... Yeah it’s heavy."
"a tiny bit on the heavy side ... Not for those looking to shave weight"
"It is heavy and bulkier than the Tensor All Season"
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"Slippery AF. ... Like an eel slippery. ... It slid right off despite having a strap."
"The other two have a slippery surface that makes the last 1" on each side unusable since you slide off it anyway. ... the slipperiness is annoying for me since it just allows my leg to slide back down/off the pad (this is why I tried and ultimately moved away from the Nemo)."
"It is quite slippery, moreso than a Neoair. ... I often struggle to decide between putting my 1/8" foam below (protection and grip) or above (body grip). ... I think ultimately I will stick to below and put some Seam Grip on top for body/sleeping bag grip ... more slippery"
4
3
"I upgraded from an older therm-a-rest to a Nemo, it is thick, warm, and comfy but noisy!"
"I'd say it's at the very least quieter than my Big Agnes that I used most recently."
"It's a little "crinkly" sounding"
Appropriate-Lettuce 0.3I love my quasar, but I’ve also never had it get a hole on a trip
Backpacker_billy97 0.3I prefer the quasar sleep pad to the STS option - but that’s a personal preference thing. Sleeping bag or quilt definitely isn’t something to skimp on. When I first started, I bought a sub 150 sleeping bag and quickly found out its “rating” wasn’t even close. Wife and I were in the same boat years ago. We went “cheap ish” with gear and quickly realized we wanted to upgrade certain things. Looking back - we wished we just went with the good gear from the get go (of course, if funds allow) - because we ended up rebuying the gear we actually wanted shortly after, and spent money on the “cheaper” gear that we didn’t like that then felt like a waste. We would have saved money if we just bought the nicer kit in the beginning.
How much weight is too much for you, though? I’m a larger guy (230lbs) and find the tensor uncomfortable. It’s usable, but I don’t sleep great on it. My wife has the quasar and it’s way more comfy for me. Recently, I said screw it and tried an Exped Ultra mat. It’s quite large, and has some weight to it. BUT I sleep better than I ever have in the backcountry. So it’s my luxury item - and I’ll gladly carry the extra weight for the improved sleep I get.
I totally recommend the quasar. I think it’s a great balance of size, weight, and comfort. My wife is a side sleeper and loves it. The extra thickness definitely helps if you are a side sleeper. She’s small. Loves the quasar. Hates my tensor - just for the side sleeping. For what it’s worth!
bungalowpeak 0.3Hah...I do overnights with the same tent. Nice and roomy at least. Good news, it's not just huge it's also heavy! I did go with an on sale Nemo Quasar 3d pad. That helped weight and space some.
colinjo3 0.3Megamat is wonderful but it's not fitting in a backpack, you'll have to take a second trip for it. It takes up a lot of space in the car even. I think you should check out the nemo quasar or (only during an REI sale) the REI helix. Something about the honeycomb pattern is really comfortable.
Female_Silverback 0.3It’s not lightweight, but I’ve got the Nemo Quasar 3D and upgraded to the Zenbivy system with my sleeping bag. I’ve used the Nemo in Scotland last year and it was a game changer to my previous mattress simply due to the height. I got the Zenbivy in November, so I’ve only tested it at home, but it was lovely! Full set up test in April! I’m an active female plus-size side sleeper, so I need space and height.
Hey-ThatsNotBad 0.3I’ll second the trip to REI to test out sleeping pads. It helped us settle on the Nemo Quasar. I have a bad L5/S1 disc and I sleep like a baby on both my back and side.
jeswesky 0.3I camp a lot with 2 large dogs (75 and 90 pounds). We use a Coleman double high air mattress or Coleman cot with air mattress when camping near the car. Been using the same ones for the last 4 years with no issues. Tried an intex air mattress once and was on the ground by morning. For hike in sites and backpacking I use a Nemo quasar and love it. Good r value, lightweight, and comfortable. If camping near the car you may want to look at Exped megamat. Ridiculously comfortable. For a knock off look for Lost Horizon brand on Amazon. It’s a foam and air combo and very popular. When it’s time to replace the air mattress on the cot that is likely what I’m going with.
MadMacs77 0.3I’m fine side sleeping with a Nemo Tensor All Season. My wife uses a Nemo Quasar, which is definitely more comfy, but also colder and takes up more pack space and weight.
Pristine-Ninja-31 0.3I personally use the Nemo Quasar 3D. Its inflatable but its super comfortable and packs down pretty small! I've had it for about 3 years now and love it!
Shroomasaurus_rex 0.3I have the NEMO quasar and absolutely LOVE it. I’m a 200lb side and stomach sleeper and it’s thick enough to get me off the ground without having to be super firm and wider than other backpacking pads. It’s definitely gonna be smaller than the Exped but it’s the only pad I’ve found that I actually sleep well on. I bought it for backpacking but for the last 3 months I’ve used it just about every night to be next to my dog. It’s pretty light, insulated for cooler temperatures, rolls up relatively small for portability, and it’s comfortable. Checked every box for me, and I’m insanely picky. Checked it out on YouTube
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