Nemo Chipper Review

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

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?

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.

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!

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

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

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

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.

Great review! What is the pack in the photos?

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.

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