NEMO Eclipse All-Season: The Sleeping Pad We'd Recommend to Every Side-Sleeper
A warm, lofty all-season sleeping pad that balances comfort and performance
August 18, 2026
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Our verdict
The NEMO Eclipse All-Season Sleeping Pad—at 4 inches—is now the thickest pad NEMO makes, and its 6.2 R-value makes for warm, comfortable nights sleeping on the ground. Over the years, I’ve had a lot of good sleeps out on trail…and some pretty bad ones. I am a side-sleeper, and that means sometimes I just can’t get comfortable as easily. This is where a comfortable, thick sleeping pad comes in.
We tested this sleeping pad dispersed camping, river camping, car camping, and backpacking from Colorado to California, and in a few places in between.
The thing that most impressed us after testing is the overall comfort-to-weight ratio, comfort-to-size ratio, and general warmth and performance. This is a very comfortable pad suitable for side-sleepers in a lightweight and small package.
NEMO Eclipse All-Season Sleeping Pad
Mary’s verdict: This pad was amazing for side sleeping while staying lightweight. It’s comparable to the Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft (though visually is slightly less thick/bulky/heavy), and I was surprised how hard it would be to decide between the two. The NeoLoft wins by a hair if you want to prioritize full “luxury,” high-level comfort with the thickness and brushed top. The Eclipse wins if you are prioritizing higher R-value, and balancing comfort and performance across conditions.
Liz’s verdict: This pad was excellent for side sleeping, super comfortable and plush, and very warm (though I think in all that testing, it only got close to freezing once or twice). I think it is more comfortable than the Sea to Summit XR I also tested alongside it, and more comfortable than more backpacking-oriented NEMO pads I also was testing side by side.
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NEMO Eclipse All-Season Sleeping Pad specifications
MSRP: $160-200
Options: Regular, regular wide, long wide
R-value: 6.2
Thickness: 4”
Weight : 16.0-22 oz
Insulation: Aluminized film
Lengths: 72” (regular), 76” (long)
Comparison table
| Sleeping Pad | MSRP | Weight (oz) | Type | Pump Sack? | R-Value | Thickness (in) | Packed Size (in) | Lengths (in) | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEMO Eclipse All-Season | $160 - 200 | 16.0 - 22.0 | Inflatable | Y | 6.2 | 4.0 | 4.5 x 9.5 | 72, 76 | Lifetime |
| Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft | $250 - 270 | 24.9 - 32.0 | Inflatable | Y | 4.7 | 4.6 | 9.5 x 5.7 | 73, 78 | Limited lifetime |
| Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT | $200 - 240 | 11.5 - 17.0 | Inflatable | Y | 4.5 | 3.0 | 9 x 4.1 | 66, 72, 77 | Limited lifetime |
| NEMO Tensor All-Season | $200 - 260 | 14.1 - 20.0 | Inflatable | Y | 5.4 | 3.5 | 10 x 4 | 72, 76 | Lifetime |
| Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated | $160 - 340 | 17.0 - 37.0 | Inflatable | Y | 4.8 | 3.5 - 4.25 | 7 x 4 | 66, 72, 78 | Lifetime |
Best for
Backpackers who want an all-season pad that’s comfortable and capable (with 6.2 R-value)
Bikepackers or packrafters who need a lightweight pad that doesn’t take up much room
Side-sleepers looking for a light but comfortable pad
What we liked
Four inches of thickness and long vertical baffles make this pad a great design comfort-wise for side-sleepers.
Overall comfort-to-size/weight ratio (close to 4-inch thickness is great for side sleeping!)
Small packed size great for multi-sport adventures
Fairly quiet face fabric and material
Included pump sack and stuff sack
Wide and long size options
What could be better
Could be more supportive for heavier side-sleepers
How we tested
Our first tester, Mary, tested the NEMO Eclipse All-Season Sleeping Pad tent camping, overnight backpacking, and car camping in variable Western and Front Range Colorado summer weather. After only sleeping on it once, she committed to bringing it as her sleeping pad for a 2-day packrafting trip. It was quite cool at night, and a comfortable addition to her ultralight tent and ultralight packed set-up. She also used this pad car camping and sleeping in her vehicle the day before setting off for her packrafting trip, after volunteering at the Silverheels 100 trail race.
During testing, she carried a full sleep setup (1-person Big Agnes tent, a 30° bag, and this pad), and a backpacking chair, all in a 30L dry bag (when packrafting) then in a 40L ultralight pack (when backpacking). She tested this pad both with a Sierra Designs quilt, a NEMO 20° bag, and an unrated (discontinued) Patagonia bivy sleep sack.
Our second tester, Liz, used the Eclipse pad for a week in Redwoods National Park, Bodega Bay, and Big Sur, and then tested with another tester over a month camping in the Eastern Sierra. She used it alongside a 20°F Feathered Friends sleeping bag, a 15°F Exped Terra sleeping bag and a Coleman sleeping bag. In total, she had nearly 40 nights sleeping on this pad in car camping tents and backpacking tents. We also tested it alongside other sleeping pads in our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads guide.
Performance in the field
The cradling effect can be seen here slightly with the author’s full bodyweight centered on the pad.
Shape and support
The NEMO Eclipse All-Season has very subtle contouring of the baffles to keep your body centered on the pad. We found that this worked well in testing, even for those who tossed around when they couldn’t sleep, and for side-sleepers shifting position through the night.
The top of the pad’s 40d nylon is textured, but it’s not quite the same soft feel as the Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft’s brushed tricot topper. That said, this pad isn’t slippery by any means.
The slight “cradle” feeling in the center and the overall thickness is really comfortable.
Inflation
The inflation of the low profile, two-way valve on the NEMO Eclipse pad worked very easily with the pump sack. I found the pump sack opening slightly more difficult to balloon/get air into than some other sacks with larger openings at the end, designed to “scoop” air to inflate.
You also have the option to blow into the sack with your breath, which NEMO says is designed to save breath and effort when at elevation. However, I try to avoid doing that over time so as not to introduce moisture into the pad.
That said, the pump sack works easily, isn’t too large, and doesn’t take up too much room either (it’s a thin fabric that holds up well when packed away in the stuff sack).
Warmth and Insulation
I only had one or two cold nights in testing, but that was definitely due to my choice in sleeping bag, not pad. (I was using a small bivy sack instead of a full sleeping bag or quilt on a night that got down to about 34 degrees.) Still, while the temperature within my bag wasn’t quite at comfort level, the pad was comfortable!
Comfort and Sleeping/Side-sleeping
This pad was wildly comfortable for side-sleeping, and fairly quiet too. It was comfortable due to the “cradling” effect of the vertical baffles, and just for tossing/turning and rotating around in general.
The thickness is wildly impressive, however, I wonder if I was 50-80 pounds heavier if the same level of support would be true for a heavier user, specifically a side sleeper. Both of our testers had no complaints in testing at all after dozens of nights of side-sleeping (both tested the regular size pad).
Versatility
This sleeping pad is a fairly small size and is really packable for a variety of trips, from ultralight overnighters to lightweight backpacking trips to spur-of-the-moment wilderness trips with friends. We appreciate that the 6.2 R-value makes this “comfort” lightweight pad even more versatile. I wouldn’t hesitate to take this pad solo camping or solo backpacking…whatever adventure comes next!
Durability and wear
Between our handful of testers, we probably have close to 50+ nights sleeping (and side-sleeping) on the NEMO Eclipse pad. We are looking forward to further testing in later fall months this year for 4-season performance.
So far in our 30-50+ nights of testing, we haven’t noticed any wear spots or places of failure.
Ease of use
I really liked everything about this pad in testing in terms of weight, ease of use, comfort, and performance (except maybe the breath pump sack).
The pad is easy to figure out and inflate with or without the directions, especially if you’ve already used a pad with an integrated valve and sack. The baffles seem to inflate well and evenly, and I couldn’t notice any contouring to the naked eye while inflating (I did notice the effect while sleeping on the pad, though).
Packability
This pad packs down really well and doesn’t take up much room at all. It is truly as big as a Nalgene, no thicker or bigger. I also liked how small it was to toss into my car camping bin for quick impromptu road/camping trips, as it doesn’t take up much room.
This pad is a similar size packed down to maybe a Sea to Summit Ultralight pad or Klymit Static V, or maybe a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm (rectangular large size). It packs down really well and is easy to fold back up into the included stuff sack, unlike some other pads on the market.
Key features of the NEMO Eclipse All-Season
4-Inch thickness and contoured construction
This pad has supportive baffles with subtle contouring, to offer a cradling feel that helps keep you centered and comfortable on the pad. We definitely agree this is one of the stand-out features of this pad.
The longitudinal baffles are constructed using NEMO’s Spaceframe technology, a design that uses low-stretch, die-cut trusses to eliminate springiness and offer stability and balanced weight distribution. Within each baffle, two layers of Thermal Mirror insulation are freely suspended to provide impressively quiet warmth (R6.2!) across all seasons.
R-value of 6.2 for true all-season warmth
A 6.2 R-value is a really great value for an all-around backpacking pad—the higher the number, the more heat transfer it can resist from the cold ground. This pad truly performed well down to 34-36 degrees at least across our summer testing, and we can’t wait to use it in other seasons.
Insulation technology
The insulation in this sleeping pad is aluminized film, which wasn’t noisy or notable really at all, but wasn’t the quietest ever of all pads we’ve tested. If you look closely at the pad from the outside in the light, you can see the layers that are there. The film doesn’t directly touch the top layer, so this reduces noise.
Unless you are camping somewhere where there’s no wind or any noise from your tent and it’s totally silent, you won’t notice much noise from this pad.
Fast inflation/deflation
NEMO uses its Laylow valve design to provide an easy, flat, and unobtrusive valve for inflation and deflation. Inflation/deflation was super easy each time we used the pad. It’s worth noting the NEMO Vortex pump sack is designed to reduce moisture from entering via breath upon inflation (though we aren’t sure how that works).
Lightweight and compact
Despite its impressive thickness and baffle insulation, the pad compresses down to a remarkably small size comparable to a standard Nalgene bottle. It packs small enough to fit easily in your backpack without sacrificing comfort or warmth. The lightweight construction makes it an excellent choice for backpackers who want comfort with a minor weight penalty.
Sustainability
The top half of the NEMO Eclipse pad features a slightly different face fabric than the lower half.
The fabric bottom (the lower half of the pad) is all bluesign-approved nylon. The top fabric isn’t bluesign, but it is recycled textured nylon for a comfortable feel against a variety of sleeping bag fabrics we tested alongside it. The inner aluminized film material is not noted as a recycled material.
NEMO builds all its products to last, and puts a premium on durability. We are happy to see at least some recycled content and bluesign-approved materials in many of their sleeping pads.
Should you buy the NEMO Eclipse All-Season Pad?
Buy if: you want impressive comfort and performance in a balanced lightweight and quiet package, with a high R-value too.
Skip if: you are a curvier or much heavier side-sleeper who doesn’t need the lightest comfort to weight ratio, or a pad with a higher R-value.
Where to buy the NEMO Eclipse All-Season Sleeping Pad
The NEMO Eclipse All-Season Sleeping Pad is a popular gear item, so you have options when it comes to retailers. Here are some of the pros of the retailers.
REI
Pros: 100% satisfaction policy for 1 year; 10% dividend for members.
Amazon
Pros: Free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime membership (can be same-day delivery in major metropolitan cities)
Garage Grown Gear
Pros: Small ultralight cottage focused retailer
Advice on where to buy
In general for gear, we recommend purchasing from a place with easy or free returns, like REI.
Similar backpacking sleeping pads
If the NEMO Eclipse All-Season doesn’t seem like the right fit for you, consider these other pads.
NEMO Eclipse All-Season vs. Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft
MSRP: $250-270
Options: Regular, regular wide, large
R-Value: 4.7
Thickness: 4.6”
Weight: 24.9-32.0 oz
Insulation: Aluminized film
Lengths: 73” (regular), 78” (large)
This pad fits the definition of luxury backpacking. It’s not a thin Z-pad or a traditional mummy pad meant to shave weight. It’s not ultralight. It’s thick, lofty, soft (and not slippery), and warm and supportive. The sidewalls are designed well so that the edges don’t buckle, making it great for side-sleepers. That being said, it will take up more room in your tent than other pads because of its length and height/thickness.
The Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad weighs about 25 oz, and has a packed size of 5.7 x 9.5 inches (a bit larger and chunkier than a Nalgene). Therm-a-Rest’s claim of “car camping comfort” in a backpacker-friendly package is spot on with this pad.
I equate the firetruck-red Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad to stopping traffic when it comes to true comfort, while the NEMO Eclipse I equate to more of a “dark horse.”
Learn more in our in-depth review of the Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft Sleeping Pad.
Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft
NEMO Eclipse All-Season vs. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT
MSRP: $200-240
Options: Short, regular, regular wide, large
R-Value: 4.5
Thickness: 3”
Weight: 11.5-17.0 oz
Insulation: Aluminized film
Lengths: 66, 72, 77”
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT has almost the same R-value as the NeoLoft, but is much lighter (the short version is only 11.5 ounces). It also packs up a lot smaller. What you're sacrificing here is comfort–the Eclipse is much more comfortable for side sleepers than the NeoAir XLite. The NeoAir XLite is slightly thinner in height/thickness, but lighter weight. Choosing between them comes down to your priorities.
Learn more in our in-depth review of the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT
NEMO Eclipse All-Season vs. NEMO Tensor All-Season
MSRP: $200-260
Options: Regular, regular mummy, regular wide, long wide
R-value: 5.4 (All-Season), 8.5 (Extreme)
Thickness: 3.5"
Weight: 14.1-20.0 oz
Insulation: Thermal Mirror film
Lengths: 72” (regular), 76" (long)
If you can't bring yourself to carry a pad as heavy as the Eclipse, the NEMO Tensor offers nearly the same comfort but with a higher R-value (in the Extreme version) and lower weight. We found the Extreme version sheer noisy, though. (And the All-Season is still more noisy than the Eclipse, just not as noticable.) Also, the NEMO inflation bag, while light, is large, which may make some people just want to leave it at home.
Learn more in our in-depth review of the NEMO Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad.
NEMO Tensor All-Season
NEMO Eclipse All-Season vs. Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated
MSRP: $160-340
Options: Petite, regular, regular wide, double wide
R-value: 4.8
Thickness: 3.5-4.25"
Weight: 17-37 oz
Insulation: Aluminized film
Lengths: 66, 72, 78"
A common complaint with ultralight sleeping pads is feeling like you're always going to slide off the sides. Big Agnes has solved this issue with their Rapide SL Insulated pad. The pad's outer chambers are 4.25" high, while the inner chambers only inflate to 3.5". This 0.75" differential helps to keep you centered in the middle of the pad. The NEMO Eclipse doesn’t have side rails that fix this problem for side sleepers, but even so, we didn’t find it very slippery or find ourselves sliding around.
Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated
About the author / Why you should trust us
Mary Murphy has been a gear tester, writer, and editor for the past nine years. She’s organized and led backpacking trips over steep mountain passes, across dunes and deserts, and into narrow slot canyons. Over the years, she’s learned a thing or two about how to pick out a camp spot, how to get a good night’s sleep in a rocky boulder field, or how to not blow away in a 60+ mph windstorm. She’s section hiked on the CDT, CT, and AT, and backpacked abroad. She’s been rained on, snowed on, and nearly washed out of her tent during a monsoon. For Mary, no matter the weather and circumstances at hand, having a comfy place to rest at night is essential.
You can read more about Mary and read her other Treeline Review articles on her author page.
