Nemo is an American brand that specializes in camping equipment for trekking and mountain activities. The Astro Air Lite 20R is a very lightweight sleeping pad (air insulation) compact and comfortable. 183cm long and 8cm thick when fully inflated. It provides good insulation, both physically and thermally, against the rocks, bumps and roots, as well as the cold and humidity from the ground.
The horizontal baffles provide good support without sinking unlike vertical baffles tend to. Rectangular in shape and 51cm wide it’s fine if you are not too large. Wide at the top and narrower at the feet would’ve been a better design. The fabric is nice but you slide a bit when inside your sleeping bag. If you are lying on a very slight slope you’d find yourself quickly off the edge of the mat… The fabric stains easily but also cleans easily. There is a raised baffle at the head to supplement your pillow that is not too voluminous so it can be increased or not with an extra pillow depending on individual needs.
There’s a large basic valve to inflate/deflate, with no air blocking system. So blowing it up takes practice so you don’t lose too much air when you stop blowing! A small pump (70g and 40 €) would be useful! The advantage of not having an air blocking system, once the cap is unscrewed it deflates in the blink of an eye! Once inflated you can adjust the hardness of the mat by letting a little air out, which is best done by lying on it and releasing the valve slowly to let air out and stopping when it’s comfortable – go slowly or you’ll have to re-inflate it! If it is fully inflated the insulation is at a maximum but stability is less, there is a tendency to roll on it.
Durability wise it needs to be tested over a long period of time. At first glance it is well designed and finished. It is really designed to be used in a tent or on softer ground bivouacs. Good thinking from the makers; a repair kit is included. It is a sleeping pad that has good weight, size and comfort ratio for use all year round (winter could benefit from extra insulation). The price is reasonable and justified if you want to look after your back after a long day’s trek.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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