Rab Ultrasphere 5 pad – why is no one is talking about it???

Recently, I came across a pad that looked so good, I ordered two and tested them the night it came. The bits first:

2026 Rab Ultrasphere 5 Long Wide
R5.5
16.65oz (weighed)
3.5” height
Packed size 7.5 x 3″ (packed size, measured after repacking from factory folding)
77 x 25″

2026 Rab Ultrasphere 5 Medium Wide
R5.5
15.50 (weighed)
3.5” height
7.25 x 2.5″ (packed size, measured after repacking from factory folding)
72 x 25″

Link

Lately, Ive been testing the Nemo Tensor Elite as well, so naturally I took them both out the same night.

Loved both. Like – real love.

Comfort
Comfort on Rab is fantastic, similar to Zenbivy Flex Air. (Comfort on Tensor Elite is just as fantastic too, btw.) They pack down to about the same mind-blown small size.

Size
The Rab packs down to 1/2-1/3 of the Nemo Eclipse of the same size. With a tarp and this pad and maybe a Timmermade false bottom bag we might be talking SUL holy trinity.

Warmth
Tensor Elite without a GG Thinlight underneath is comfy for me down to 45-40F. Rab Ultrasphere 5 is good down to mid 20s, warmth just a tad colder than Zenbivy FlexAir. What I’m surprised no one is talking about it. This and Tensor Elite are easily the best pads of 2026 so far.

Cons
Few so far. I don’t think it sleeps quite like R5.5, more like R5. Still to be tested. The deflate valve is crappy and hard to deflate, but works regardless. Could be a taller pad too. But that’s about it. Time will tell, of course.

I asked Jason Outdoors to test it, he’s got one in queue.

This is the brand new and revised 2026 Ultrasphere 5 version, not the largely failed Ultrasphere 4.5 which tried, but didn’t measure up at all to warmth and had widespread durability issues.

Looking forward to your thoughts.