Price: $99.95

Type: Air Construction/Synthetic Insulation

Claimed R-value: 2.6

Weight: 26oz (737g)

Packed Volume: 2L

Thickness: 3.5″ (8.9cm)

LxW: 72″x20″ (1.8m x 0.5m)

Breaths to Inflate: 25-30

What We Like: Reasonable price, Comfortable, Built-in pillow

What We Don’t: Large packed size, Slow inflation, Not very warm

The NEMO Astro Insulated is an equal mixture of pros and cons. It’s a bit heavy and bulky, and its inflation leaves much to be desired. However, it’s also decently warm and incredibly tough for an air pad, and it is near the top of our charts on comfort thanks to its built-in pillow, 3.5” of cushioning, and quiet insulation. The Astro Insulated is so comfortable that we felt it bridges the gap between a sleeping pad built for backpacking and one made for camping. For backpackers who aren’t overly concerned about saving weight but need that extra bit of comfort to sleep through the night, this pad could be a perfect fit.

Compare to Similar Products

See Our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pad Review HERE!

Choosing the right sleeping pad will often come down to which qualities you value most. Perhaps you’re looking for a pad that’s supremely light and packable, or one that can handle even the most extreme cold, or that requires absolutely minimal prep time. However, some prioritize comfort most of all. At $99.95, the NEMO Astro Insulated was built with this last group of people in mind. Unfortunately, this focus on comfort seems to come at the cost of a couple other essential qualities, so you’ll need to decide for yourself if this is the pad for you.

Warmth

Warmth is amongst the sacrifices made to make this pad incredibly cozy. The NEMO Astro Insulated uses PrimaLoft insulation to give this pad an R-value of 2.6, making it capable of tackling moderate three-season conditions but less than ideal if you’re hit with a surprise cold front. There are also a few pads on our list that provide more insulation at a similar price point, such as the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Ultra, which has an R-value of 4.5.

Comfort

As you might have guessed, the Astro Insulated has quite a lot going for it in the comfort category. For one, the pad is a lofty 3.5″ (8.9cm) thick, making it one of the most well-cushioned pads in our 2021 review. Additionally, the aforementioned PrimaLoft insulation means that you won’t suffer the crinkles and squeaks that many other pads will deliver. Some hikers have stated that this pad can feel just a bit “bouncy,” but at the very least, there’s absolutely no chance your body will feel the cold chill of the bare ground.

Dimensions for this pad are the standard 72″x20″ (1.8m x 0.5m)—there is also a long wide version measuring 76″x25″—however, what really makes this pad stand apart is its integrated Pillow Baffle™. There’s an extra couple inches of cushion at the top of the pad that should act as a good pillow. For those who have experienced a pillow (or a makeshift pillow using their stuff sack) sliding all over their pad throughout the night, this feature is a very appreciated inclusion. If the Pillow Baffle doesn’t provide quite enough cushioning to meet your needs, it also acts as an excellent barrier to keep your secondary pillow from sliding off the top of the pad.

Weight & Packed Size

We did mention that all this comfort comes at a bit of a cost. At 26oz (737g), the Astro Insulated is not what you’d call lightweight for a backpacking sleeping pad. It’s the second heaviest pad on our list, behind the 31.2oz EXPED DownMat XP 9, which is jam-packed with insulation to handle extreme temperatures. If you opt for the aforementioned long wide version of this pad, that weight goes up to 2lb 1oz. The packed size is far from impressive as well. The Astro Insulation has a compressed volume of 2L, which is smaller than most self-inflating pads and double the packed size of several of the pads in our review. Much of this weight and packed size can be attributed to the PrimaLoft insulation.

Inflation

Ease of inflation was another quality of this pad that gave us pause. The NEMO Astro Insulated is quite a large pad when fully inflated. Big pads need a lot of air, and this particular pad will require roughly 25-30 breaths to fully inflate. We found ourselves needing to take a break midway through inflation. The Astro Insulated would greatly benefit from an included pump sack, and frankly, we were surprised that it didn’t have one considering that this is the case with many other pads that require even less exertion to fully inflate. For an additional $29.95, you can purchase NEMO Vortex pump sack to resolve your inflation woes. You could also opt for the NEMO Tensor Insulated, which retails for $159.95 and comes with the Vortex pump sack. Deflation, fortunately, is a relatively simple process by pulling the bottom tab on the one-way valve at the corner of the pillow.

Durability

Now that we’ve gotten through the bad news, it’s back to the good stuff—the Astro Insulated is a very tough pad, with an exterior fabric made up of 75D PU polyester ripstop. The pad should hold up to punctures and abrasion even with less-than-gentle handling, and its one-way valve is flat to the pad, making it less vulnerable to snagging on anything in your bag.

The Bottom Line

The NEMO Astro Insulated is an equal mixture of pros and cons. It’s a bit heavy and bulky, and its inflation leaves much to be desired. However, it’s also reasonably warm, incredibly tough for an air pad, and it is near the top of our charts on comfort thanks to its built-in pillow, 3.5” of cushioning, and quiet insulation. The Astro Insulated is so comfortable that we felt it bridges the gap between a sleeping pad built for backpacking and one made for camping. For backpackers who aren’t overly concerned about saving weight but need that extra bit of comfort to sleep through the night, this pad could be a perfect fit.

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