Good to know: this sleeping pad is unisex
Pros / Reasons to Buy
- Very well made
- Made with fully recycled fabric
Cons / Reasons to Avoid
- Low R Value – especially in the non-insulated version
- Not the lightest
Nemo have a reputation for making good quality gear, and the Quasar 3D Sleeping pad certainly doesn’t disappoint: It’s beautifully made, comfortable and made from 100% recycled material. However, its R Value – how well it will prevent you from losing heat – is relatively low, it isn’t the lightest and its headline anatomically contoured shape made less of an impact on comfort than I’d hoped. Still, this is a respectable piece of kit and provided you are aware of its limitations, then it could still well be an attractive choice.
Compare to similar products:
Nemo Switchback | Nemo Tensor All-Season | Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT | Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT | Rab Stratosphere 4 | Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated | Big Agnes Divide Insulated | Nemo Quasar 3D | Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated | Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated | Exped Ultra 7R | Klymit Static V | Sleepingo Large | Tame Lands | Therm-A-Rest Z Lite Sol | |
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Buying Options | |||||||||||||||
Our Rating | Best Foam Sleeping Pad | Best Air Sleeping Pad | Best for Comfort and Ultralight | Best for Winter and Best Mummy Shaped Sleeping Pad | Best for Summer | Best for Side Sleepers | Best for Back Sleepers | Best Budget Air Pad | Best Rectangular Sleeping Pad | ||||||
Type and Shape | Folding, closed-cell foam | Rectangular or Mummy Inflatable | Mummy Inflatable | Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Rectangular or Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Rectangular or Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Mummy Inflatable | Rectangular Inflatable | Folding, closed-cell foam |
Comfort | Low | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Excellent | Very Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Average | Average | Low |
Warmth/R-Value | Average (R-Value = 2) | Excellent (R-Value = 5.4) | Very Good (R-Value = 4.5) | Excellent (R-Value = 7.3) | Very Good (R-Value = 3.8) | Very Good (R-Value = 4) | Very Good (R-Value = 4) | Low (R-Value = 1.8) | Very Good (R-Value = 3.2) | Very Good (R-Value = 4.8) | Excellent (R-Value = 7) | Low (R-Value = 1.3) | Low - Average (No ASTM FF3340 rated R-Value, but likely around 2) | Low - Average (No ASTM FF3340 rated R-Value, but likely around 2) | Average (R-Value = 2) |
Weight | Regular Version - 415g/14.5oz | Regular Version - 522g/1lb 2oz | Regular Version - 368g/13 oz | Regular Version - 453g/1lb | Regular Version - 695g/1lb 9oz | Regular Version - 845g/29.8oz | Regular Version - 652g/23oz | Non-Insulated Regular Version - 650g/1lb 7oz | Mummy Regular - 490g/17.3oz | Regular Version - 510g/18oz | Rectangular Medium Version - 650g/23oz | Regular Version - 530g/18.7oz | 408g/14oz | 600g/21oz | Regular Version - 410g/14oz |
Packed Size | Regular Version - 51x13x14cm/20x5x5.5in | Regular Version - 25.5x10cm/10x4in | Regular Version - 10.4x22.86cm/4.1x9in | Regular Version - 11.3x22.86cm/4.5x9in | Regular Version - 24cmx12cm/9.4inx4.7in | Regular Version - 12x23cm/5x9in | Regular Version - 20x13cm/8x5in | Non-Insulated Regular Version - 20x10cm/8x4in | Mummy Regular - 24x11cm/9.5x4.5in | Regular Version - 18x10cm/7x4in | Rectangular Medium Version - 23x14cm/9x5.5in | Regular Version - 20x8cm/8x3in | 27x8cm/10.5x3in | 23x10cm/9x4in | Regular Version - 51x13x14cm/20x5x5.5in |
Open Size | Regular Version - 183x51x2.3cm/72x20x0.9in | Regular Version - 183x51x9cm/72x20x3.5in | Regular Version - 182x50.8x7.62cm/72x20x3in | Regular Version - 177.8x50.8x7.62cm/72x20x3in | Regular Version - 183x51x8cm/72x20x3in | Regular Version - 184x55cm/72x21.5in | Regular Version - 183x51x8.25cm/72x20x3.25in | Non-Insulated Regular Version - 183x51x9cm/72x20x3.5in | Mummy Regular - 183x55-42x10cm/72x21.5-16.5x4in | Regular Version - 51x183x11cm/20x72x4.25in | Rectangular Medium Version - 183x52x9cm/72x20.4x3.5in | Regular Version - 183x58x6cm/72x23x2.5in | 187x54.6x5cm/73.5x21x2in | 188x56x5cm/74x22x2in | Regular Version - 183x51x2cm/72x20x0.75in |
Materials | Polyethylene foam backed with metalized foil | 20D and 40D Nylon with two layers of metalized film | 30D Ripstop Nylon | 30D and 70D Ripstop Nylon with Thermacapture Reflective Film | 75D Polyester with 100% recycled polyester 'Stratus R' insulation | 30D/40D Nylon withThermolite insulation and Exkin Platinum film | Ripstop nylon with Thermalite insulaiton and heat-reflecting film layer | 100% Recycled Polyester | 30D/40D Nylon withThermolite insulation and Exkin Platinum film | Ripstop nylon with two layers of metalized film | 20D Ripstop polyester with down insulation | 75D Polyester | Ripstop Nylon | 40D Ripstop Nylon | Polyethylene foam backed with Thermacapture Reflective Film |
Durability | Excellent - will still work even if torn or damaged | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Very Good - supplied with repair patches and spare valve parts | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - Supplied with repair patches | Very Good - supplied with repair patches and spare valve parts | Good - Supplied with repair patches | Good - Supplied with repair patches | Good - Supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Good - supplied with repair patches | Excellent - will still work even if torn or damaged |
This article is part of our series on the best sleeping pads for camping, view all articles below:
- Best Sleeping Pads for Camping
- How we Tested Sleeping Pads
- How to Choose the Right Sleeping Pad for Camping
- Compare Sleeping Pads
Related content:
Analysis and Test Results
I found the Nemo Quasar 3D to be a comfortable and beautifully made sleeping pad. It’s 100% recycled textured material feels exceptionally premium and the pad’s lifetime warranty certainly lets you know that Nemo have faith in the quality of their products.
However, this is not the same as some of the more performance-focused products in Nemo’s range and the Quasar 3D does not score so well in terms of absolute light weight and R Value – especially in the non-insulated version. None the less, if you are aware of the product’s limitations, and especially if you don’t intend to use it whilst camping in very cold conditions, the Quasar 3D could well be a good choice.
Performance Comparison
See our video 360 of the Nemo Quasar 3D sleeping pad which takes into account some of it’s key features:
Type and Shape
The Nemo Quasar 3D is a rectangular inflatable sleeping pad. It’s available in several different widths and lengths including Regular, Rgular Wide, Long wide and Double. All versions are offered as an insulated version with an R Value of 3.3 and the Regular and Regular wide version are also offered in a non-insulated version with an R Value of 1.8.
The 3D part of the name relates to the subtle shaping of the sleeping side of the pad. This is slightly raised at the edges and Nemo claim this helps prevent you from rolling off the pad during the night – especially so if you are a side sleeper.
I generally sleep on my side, and whilst I didn’t find myself rolling off when using this pad, I also don’t know how much this really added. The pad also has a slightly raised section at the head to provide a little boost to your pillow. I have assessed the regular, non-insulated version of the pad.
Comfort
Aside from being made from 100% recycled material, comfort is the other unique selling point of this pad. Unlike other sleeping pads it is not completely flat and has a subtly shaped upper section. Nemo describe this as ‘Body-mapped baffles’. The pad is slightly raised at the edges and also slightly raised where your head is intended to go. Nemo claims this provides better comfort – especially so to side sleepers. The shaping is very subtle and I really had to look for it to start with.
The pad also makes use of more heavily textured material and Nemo’s Tensor All Season looks to be much shinier and slippery when the two are compared side by side.
Now, sleeping comfort is a very subjective quality to measure, and especially so when camping where many factors can play a part. I’m a side sleeper and in my experience, I didn’t find this pad’s comfort to be a revelation. It’s still a very comfortable sleeping pad, but personally I don’t think it was any more comfortable than, say, the Tensor I already mentioned. Personally, I’d prioritize other factors in this pad’s specification in any purchase decision I’d make.
Warmth
The Nemo Quasar 3D is offered as an insulated pad with an R Value of 3.3 and also two of the size options are offered as a non-insulated version with an R Value of 1.8. We have reviewed the non-insulated version.
The R Value is a standardized measure of how well the pad will prevent you from losing heat into the ground. High values equal better insulation. Note that a pad won’t keep you warm on its own and needs to be considered as a system alongside your sleeping bag. As such, using a high R Value pad in warm weather is unlikely to make you overheat provided you’re using a climate appropriate sleeping bag.
Now, back to the Quasar. The insulated version has a high enough R Value to make it suitable for three season camping, but the non-insulated version I’ve tested is really best suited for warmer weather camping. Whether that makes the Quasar right for you really depends on the kind of camping you do.
Ease of Use
Inflatable camping pads like the Quasar will never be as easy to deploy as folding pads which can literally be deployed and packed back down in seconds. However, inflatable pads are generally more comfortable and pack down smaller.
I didn’t find the Quasar 3D is not difficult to use at all. Once unpacked and unrolled from its stuff sack, a supplied inflation tool – which Nemo call the ‘Vortex Pump Sack’ is used to inflate the pad. The inflation tool works by attaching one end of what looks a bit like a roll-top dry bag to the pad, opening it and gently blowing to expand it, then rolling the bag to pump air into the pad. I’ve found that with a little practice, the bag can be inflated in a few minutes and with very minimal physical effort.
The valve on the bag allows fine-tuning to the inflation, or more precisely deflation, as you can let a little air out in a controlled way to adjust the firmness. Deflating the pad is a quick process and the bag is rolled and packed away with the inflation tool in a similar way to a sleeping bag.
Real time set up: Our video below shows a real time inflation of the Nemo Quasar 3D, which takes around 3 minutes 11 seconds to put up.
Weight
The Nemo Quasar 3D in the regular non-insulated variant I tested, weighs in at 650g/1lb 7oz complete with its stuff sack, inflation tool and repair kit. If you carry the pad on its own, you can get the weight down to 570g/1lb 4oz – though I’d suggest you think carefully if you’re planning to do this because unless you’re carrying another inflation device, this would make setting up the pad way more laborious as you’d have to inflate it with your breath alone.
Whilst the Quasar 3D is not a heavy piece of equipment in the grander scheme of things, it doesn’t stack up too well next to the competition when we consider its weight and relatively low R Value of 1.8. The Nemo Tensor All Season that we’ve also reviewed is lighter in the equivalent size and has a higher R Value – though it’s also roughly 30% more expensive.
Version | Weight |
Non-Insulated Regular | 650g/1lb 7oz |
Insulated Regular | 790g/1lb 12oz |
Non-Insulated Regular Wide | 760g/1lb 11oz |
Insulated Regular Wide | 930g/2lb 1oz |
Insulated Long Wide | 1.02kg/2lb 4oz |
Insulated Double | 1.55kg/3lb 6oz |
Packed Size
The regular, non-insulated variant of the nemo Quasar 3D packs down to a cylinder roughly 20x10cm/8x4in in size and the table below shows the different packed sizes of the various different size options of this sleeping pad. Obviously, the larger the pad, the larger the packed size!
In practice, I was impressed by how compact the Quasar 3D was and I didn’t have any issues squeezing it into my pack around other gear. The supplied stuff sack not only holds the deflated pad, but also the inflation tool and some repair patches too.
Version | Packed Size |
Non-Insulated Regular | 20x10cm/8x4in |
Insulated Regular | 20x11.5cm/8x4.5cm |
Non-Insulated Regular Wide | 23x10cm/9x4in |
Insulated Regular Wide | 23x12.5cm/9x5in |
Insulated Long Wide | 23x14cm/9x5.5in |
Insulated Double | 24x17cm/9.5x6.5in |
Real time pack down: Our video below shows how long it takes to pack down the Nemo Quasar 3D sleeping pad (around 3 minutes) in normal conditions.
Open Size
The Nemo Quasar 3D sleeping pad opens up to 183x51x9cm/72x20x3.5in in the regular uninsulated version I’ve tested here. That’s more or less a standard size across the industry for a ‘regular’ or ‘normal’ sized pad. Of course, one of the selling points of the Quasar 3D is that it has a subtly shaped sleeping surface – dipping a little in the middle and also having a raised section at the head. These are all intended to improve comfort, though, as I mentioned in the ‘Comfort’ section of this review above, the difference here was subtle at best for me.
Version | Open Size |
Non-Insulated Regular | 183x51x9cm/72x20x3.5in |
Insulated Regular | 183x51x9cm/72x20x3.5in |
Non-Insulated Regular Wide | 183x64x9cm/72x25x3.5in |
Insulated Regular Wide | 183x64x9cm/72x25x3.5in |
Insulated Long Wide | 193x64x9cm/76x25x3.5in |
Insulated Double | 193x132x9cm/76x52x3.5in |
Features
Nemo has two key selling points for the Quasar 3D: First, is the pad’s anatomically formed shape. It isn’t flat and is subtly shaped to help improve comfort – or so Nemo’s marketing claims! In practice, whilst I still found the pad to be very comfortable, I don’t think the ergonomic shaping made the pad noticeably more comfortable than a good quality ‘flat’ pad and there are some flat pads – such as Nemo’s Tensor All Season – that I think are more comfortable than the Quasar 3D (though the difference here is small).
The second main feature of the Quasar 3D is that it’s Nemo’s first sleeping pad to be made from completely recycled material. Manufacturers seem to like to make a big deal about it when products integrate recycled material, so the fact that it’s difficult to find figures for recycled content in many of the sleeping pads we’ve reviewed indirectly tell us that many of them likely do not contain any recycled material at all! In this regard, the Quasar is quite unique in the market, and this will likely appeal to many potential buyers.
Materials
As we’ve mentioned above, the Quasar 3D is Nemo’s first sleeping pad to be made from 100% post-consumer recycled fabrics. However, the materials used aren’t just notable because of this: The Quasar feels like a very premium product. It’s very well made and the Polyester Ripstop fabric that comprises its outer shell feels substantial, less plasticky and even, dare I say it, luxurious next to some of the other sleeping pads we’ve tested out (and that includes sleeping pads that are substantially more expensive than the Quasar 3D).
The fabric of the Quasar 3D has a more heavily textured, matt-finished surface relative to the shiny, smooth surfaces of many other inflatable pads, and as such, you feel like your sleeping bag is less likely to slide around on it in the night. All in all, I feel like the Quasar does very well in this category.
Durability
As with all inflatable sleeping pads, the Nemo Quasar 3D can be punctured. The fact that Nemo provides a puncture repair kit with the pad is clear testament to this fact. However, this isn’t to say the pad is overly fragile: the premium-feeling fabric and thick, welded seams give a solid impression of quality and, whilst only time beyond the limits of my tests well tell how long the pad will hold out, I would be surprised if it didn’t last a long time indeed.
Nemo have a well-earned reputation for making high quality gear, after all! As with all Nemo products, at the time of writing, the Quasar 3D comes with a lifetime guarantee, which will definitely add peace of mind of potential buyers.
Sustainability
Nemo as a brand are actively committed to reducing their carbon and environmental footprint. The Quasar 3D is their first sleeping pad to be constructed from 100% recycled fabrics – and these are Bluesign approved fabrics, so there’s full transparency with the sustainability credentials of the materials used.
The polyester fabric used in the Quasar 3D is also easily recyclable at the end of the product’s life and the fact that the product does not use any metalized film layers should also ease recycling (though this likely also factors into why the pad has a relatively low R value).
Price
Whilst this sleeping pad is certainly more expensive than generic unbranded pads and even some branded folding pads, it is at the cheaper end of the scale when it comes to ‘big name’ inflatable pads. For many buyers, the fact that this comes from a well-respected brand, has a lifetime guarantee and clearly high-quality build will be enough to swing to balance. I should mention that the insulated version can often be purchased for only a little more and unless you only camp in relatively warm conditions, its higher R Value makes it a more attractive option, in my opinion.
Conclusion
Nemo have a reputation for making top-quality gear. When we’ve reviewed their products in the past, they’ve generally always been amongst the lightest or best-featured product in their category. With this in mind, reviewing the Quasar 3D has been a bit of a different experience as it’s clearly more of a mid-range option. We’ve assessed other pads that are both lighter and provide higher R-Values than this pad – these are generally also substantially more expensive too.
This pad comes in at an attractive price point, has a beautiful build quality and also boasts some great sustainability credentials. I can see this pad being an excellent option for hikers who aren’t counting every last gram or fraction of an ounce in their kit and who aren’t camping in extreme conditions – and the fact that it comes with a lifetime warranty is surely a bonus here.
However, if pure performance is your focus or you camp out in more extreme conditions then I can’t deny that there are better choices out there. Read our main review of best sleeping pads for camping for other options.
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