Nemo Chipper Review

[Andrew Marshall]

Companion forum thread to: Nemo Chipper Review

The Nemo Chipper (MSRP: $19.95, 5.6 oz / 160 g) is a closed-cell foam sit pad made from scraps created in the production of the Nemo Switchback and other closed-cell foam sleeping pads.

[SIMULACRA]

I like the random color configurations. Art nouveau. I cut my 1/2″ thick Plastazote pad down to 72″, which gave me a 1.10 oz 9″x20″ piece to use as a sit pad. Had the Thermarest Zseat before that. Was a good pad

[Todd T]

13″ x 17″ and it weighs 5.6 oz?  What am I missing here?  My 13″ x 18″ chunk of blue mat from Walmart is 1.9 oz.  Are they blending lead into the multicolored mix?

[Michael B]

Probably the mix of higher density foams used in this pad. Blue walmart foam is pretty low density, so a lighter weight is to be expected.

[Todd T]

Probably the mix of higher density foams used in this pad. Blue walmart foam is pretty low density, so a lighter weight is to be expected.

Well, yeah, but surely it can be done better than that.  Per square inch, that pad is 3.12 times as heavy as a cheap-o blue pad.  A standard 20″ x 72″ pad would weigh 36.49 oz.  Reuse and recycling are great, but…ouch!

[Michael B]

maybe they found the heavier density to be more robust for their target demographic. who knows.

[Rex Sanders]

A brand new Therm-a-Rest Z-seat is 2 ounces and 13 x 16 inches. And it includes a free, built-in bungie closure!

But it’s not recycled or reused. Sometimes we need to pay ounces or grams for our sins.

I’m working through a lifetime supply of scrap Z-Lite and Thinlight sections that are much lighter than the Chipper but still big enough for my backside.

— Rex

[Rex Sanders]

And you can go even lighter but not recycled or reused: the Litesmith Folding Sit Pad is 1 ounce and 15.5 x 10.75 inches (again, big enough for my backside), plus it’s available in a rainbow of solid colors.

— Rex

[Greg Pehrson]

I love upcycling backpacking gear–it’s my favorite way to MYOG.

While it’s much better to upcycle production waste than to throw it away, I wonder what Nemo could do to change the manufacturing process of their pads to minimize or eliminate the production of cut-off material in the first place. I would love to see them take back used CCF pads at the end of their lives for upcycling into new pads.

Several years ago I made a Ray-Way 2 person quilt, and the instructions had you baste together two pieces of insulation to minimize waste. My first reaction was disappointment that I would have a patched-together quilt from day one, but that turned into appreciation for the resourcefulness of the design over time as the insulation never separated. Plus, I learned a new skill.

[Anonymous]

Great review! What is the pack in the photos?

[Josh B]

I totally agree. It looks great, glad to see Nemo is doing this. Sometimes the mindset shift in upcycling that is a bigger net gain than the physical savings itself.

[Steve H]

Thanks for the review. Will it fit in the bladder sleeve of an HMG 3400?

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