We all have days when we use our phones right before going to bed, even though we know we shouldn’t. Admit it. We know our phones keep us awake. Some people try to mitigate the negative effects on sleep with blue-light glasses, which claim to block out rhythm-affecting blue tones in screen light, but if you’re using a fitness tracker (and if you are, it’s probably one of the best sleep trackers or best fitness trackers from our lists) you’ve likely had at least one morning when you’ve woken up, checked your stats and seen exactly how little sleep you had the night before.
It turns out, it’s not the blue-light effect from your phone that’s keeping you awake at night, according to sleep scientist Dr Sophie Bostock. I met Dr Bostock at an event to celebrate the launch of the OnePlus Watch 2 Nordic Blue in Helsinki, and she was able to answer a few burning questions about late-night phone use.
“There are several aspects of light which affect your circadium rhythm. Brightness of light is really important. If you get very bright light it’s going to activate the receptors, which contain a pigment called melanopsin, in the back of your retina. This sends a message to the clock in your brain which tells you to be alert.
“This pigment is more sensitive to light in the blue visible end of the spectrum, true, and when you look at a phone, it tends to be rich in blue wavelength light. But that is completely irrelevant if the light from your phone is very dim.
“The light you typically get from your phone is about 80 lux. Usually, in the studies used to look at impact on your circadian rhythm, you expose someone to at least 2000 lux, perhaps 5,000 lux. A SAD lamp is usually 10,000 lux. The light from your phone’s impact on circadian rhythm is negligible.”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
So if it’s not the blue light beaming from your phone, what’s actually keeping you awake? Dr Bostock had the answer.
“Research has found using the bright light element of your phone only delays sleep for around 10 minutes. People getting locked into losing track of time, delaying sleep because of what they’re doing on their phone, probably delays sleep by closer to an hour. Relative to that sleep displacement, the blue light exposure is negligible.”
Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the TechRadar team.
Fear around phones comes from massive large-scale studies that state people who use phones before bed sleep really poorly, so the conclusion was always ‘phones must be causing poor sleep’.
“There are two more aspects to consider. One is that people leave their phone by their bed, while it pings and alerts during the night… but phones can be helpful, some people use it as a distraction. Audiobooks are phenomenally popular.”
While Dr Bostock’s main advice is to keep your phone out of the bedroom to avoid the temptation to doomscroll, if you use it to play sleep-aid content, it’s perhaps worth keeping it across the room on another surface, out of arm’s reach.
Nemo Equipment’s Tensor sleeping pad was my introduction to ultralight sleeping pads. I’ll confess that when I unwrapped the Tensor (I went for the insulated version) and inflated it for the first time five years ago, I immediately thought of a hiker joke I’d seen on Reddit: Inflatable sleeping pads are for people who want to sleep on the ground, just not right away.
How would this impossibly thin, light, seemingly fragile pad not leave me on the ground after a few nights on the trail? Fast-forward five years and that same sleeping pad has been under me for over 40 nights now, and it still hasn’t left me anywhere but comfortable and well-rested. That’s not to say it can’t fail—many a pad has left me on the ground over the decades, but the Nemo Tensor is still going strong.
Last fall, the company sent me review samples of its new Tensor line, which has been revamped for 2024 and consists of three pads, each with varying degrees of thickness and R-values (how much insulation the pad provides, which I explain in my Best Sleeping Pads guide), tailored to specific backcountry needs.
Three Little Pads
The three pads include the Tensor Trail, which is the lightest but has the lowest R-value; the Tensor All-Season, which has an R-value of 5.4; and the Tensor Extreme Conditions, which boasts a whopping 8.5 R-value and has the highest warmth-to-weight ratio on the market.
All three come in four sizes: regular, regular mummy, regular wide, and long wide. Put it all together and that’s 12 pads to choose from—from a single lineup from one manufacturer. This is why we have an entire guide devoted to sleeping pads to help you pick the best one for your needs.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Two of these pads, the Tensor Trail and Tensor All-Season, are updates. They see marginal temperature boosts, but the construction remains like previous iterations. Nemo still uses a quilt-like design that helps baffles stay inflated and eliminates that springy sensation you get with vertical baffles. The insulation consists of multiple layers of bonded mylar.
The difference in R-value between the Trail and All-Season comes down to how many layers of insulating metal film each pad has. The Trail uses one layer, the All-Season gets two layers, and the Extreme uses four layers of what Nemo calls Thermal Mirror insulation (a metalized film). It also uses a different baffle type (more on that below). Also new this year is the beefier fabric on the bottom of these pads. Nemo now uses 40-denier nylon on the bottom, up from 30D nylon, which makes it more durable. Take that, Reddit funny guy.
Nemo’s new pads are made of Bluesign-approved nylon (Bluesign certification looks at both environmental impact and worker safety) and come with the company’s Vortex pump sack, which works well to inflate your bag via the zero-profile valve. I wish there were a standard for these valves so I could use the Nemo pump sack with other pads, but there isn’t. There’s also a stuff sack to store your pad, with a handy repair kit in the closure flap. The Nemo lifetime warranty covers any manufacturing defects, which is nice, but for more immediate solutions to that much-feared puncture, just remember the repair kit is in the stuff bag.
All-Season All the Way
If you want an all-around sleeping pad that will keep you comfortable not only in the summer but also during those shoulder seasons, the All-Season is the way to go. The All-Season’s second layer of mylar film increases the R-value to 5.4 and adds only 2 ounces of weight. The packed size is nearly the same. At only $30 more for a barely heavier pad with almost double the R-value, I think this is the best sleeping pad for most people out of Nemo’s current Tensor lineup.
The snow is melting, or it would be, if there had been any this year. Whatever the case, it’s March, which means outdoor retailers are slashing prices to clear out last year’s gear. The thing about last year’s gear is … it’s still great gear, and now it’s cheap. Here are our favorite deals from REI’s annual Member Sale, which goes through March 11. We’ve gone through the REI site and picked out the best deals from all the gear we tested last year.
If you’re not an REI member, fear not. The deals are open to anyone; members just get some extra discounts. If you’re not a member and you want to become one right now, you can make a $50 purchase, add a membership to your cart for $30, and get a $30 gift card.
Special offer for Gear readers: GetWIRED for just $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access toWIRED.com, full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.
REI Deals on Tents
Photograph: Big Agnes
The superlight Copper Spur HV UL tent is our favorite bikepacking tent. It weights just 3 pounds, 11 ounces, features twin vestibules and doors, DAC Featherlite NSL poles, and external webbing for hanging out wet clothes. There are also some nice bike-specific extras, like hidden helmet storage. The poles fold short and fit between drop handlebars. Our one gripe is that you’ll need to carry hiking poles if you want to create two awnings from the vestibules, which seems like an odd requirement for a tent aimed at bike riders. It you’re worried about space, grab one of the Big Agnes hammock-style Gear Lofts ($20), which create a huge stash space without cluttering up the tent floor.
The Big Agnes Copper Spur series is the king of ultralight tents. I’ve used both the two-person and four-person models over the years, and Big Agnes has continually refined the design to the point that I have nothing left to complain about. This is a high-quality, well-designed tent that’s very livable, with steep sidewalls to maximize interior space. Mesh pockets help with gear storage and give you a place to stick your headlamp for dispersed light. The ingenious “awning” design makes getting in and out a snap. I recommend sizing up; this three-person tent is a good choice for backpackers who don’t want to be too close to their partners.
We haven’t tested Big Agnes Tiger Wall line, but it’s generally very similar to the Copper Spur line. The difference is the Tiger Wall tents are lighter, using lighter fabrics (a 15-denier floor versus the 35 in the Copper Spur). That does make them less robust, but what you lose in durability you make up for in weight savings. The Tiger Wall UL 2 is 8 ounces lighter than the Copper Spur UL 2. If you’re an ounce counter, this is the tent for you.
Deals on Backpacks, Daypacks, and More
Photograph: REI
REI’s Flash backpacks are perfect for a bag you can keep by the door and grab on a spontaneous trip to the trails. It’s just big enough to carry a rain jacket, lightweight insulation layer, lunch, sunscreen, and water. This is last year’s version, but it’s still a great pack. The Flash 18 is another great pack, but we like the external water bottle pouch on the 22L version.
Mystery Ranch was once a little-known pack company with a cult following. That’s probably going to change now that Yeti has acquired it, but at least I’ll be able to assume everyone has heard of Mystery Ranch and skip intros like this. I have been testing the newer version of the Gallagator, which has wider chest straps, which I like better, but at this price I can live without the wide straps. You still get the three-zip system that made Mystery Ranch a legend. The 13L version is also on sale for $50 ($20 off).
Photograph: REI
I have not tested the Glacier, but if I were in the market for a gear-hauling monster, this pack would be high on my list. The Mystery Ranch packs I have tested all have one of the best suspension systems for making absurdly heavy loads comfortable. I know everyone obsesses about ultralight packing, but with three kids tagging along … “ultralight” is not a word I use. Mystery Ranch packs are well-made, durable, and if anything over-engineered (that’s a good thing).
If you want to dip a toe into the ultralight waters, Granite Gear’s packs are a good way to do that without overspending (which is easy to do in the ultralight backpacking world). With a 50-liter capacity (3,051 cubic inches) and weighing only 3 pounds, 1.6 ounces, the perimeter has a good weight-to-strength ration. I found the suspension system allowed for a number of different carries, letting my shift the load depending on terrain. The spring-steel rods on the sides give the pack a 40-pound load rating, but in my testing it feels and rides best at about 25 pounds.
Deals on Camp Gear and Binoculars
Photograph: REI
It’s big, but the Stargaze is the closest you’ll come to bringing a La-Z-Boy in the woods. I’ve been testing one for a few weeks now and I love it. It’s easy to set up and break down, comfortable to sit in. I don’t recommend trying to eat in it, and using the cup holder can be risky, but it’s very comfortable. My kids can curl up in it like a papasan. I should probably add that my wife hates it, so it’s not for everyone. You might want to try one out at your local REI if you can.
Before Stanley took over the internet, Hydro Flask was the choice of outdoorsy folks, and we still love this water bottle. It’s not on sale, but Hydro Flask’s 6-oounce mug is the best coffee mug I’ve ever had. Well, the lid isn’t the best, but the mug is outstanding.
The key to backcountry organization is the stuff sack. Everyone needs more stuff sacks. I like these mesh Sea to Summit bags because the color-coded draw cords make it easy to figure out what’s where, and there’s a handle on the bottom that makes it easy to pull them out of your pack. This set includes 5-liter , 8-liter, and 13-liter sacks. They’re all made of 150-denier black mesh, which has held up well in my testing.
Photograph: Nocs Provisions
These are wonderfully compact and light (11.8 ounces) binoculars, and the price is right. The image quality could be better, but you get good magnification with a waterproof (IPX7 rating) and fogproof design. The rugged construction and rubberized grip make these a great option for kids.
REI Deals on Sleeping Bags and Pads
Photograph: REI
Mountain Hardwear’s Bishop Pass bags rank high in our forthcoming guide to sleeping bags. This is the Gore-Tex model, which nets you the Windstopper membrane, which is windproof and weather-resistant. It’s not the waterproof Gore-Tex you find in rain jackets, but I’ve found it fares better than regular nylon against a dew-covered tent wall. The 15 degree model here uses 650-fill-power goose down, which earns it a tested comfort rating of 26 degrees. I found it plenty warm down below that in my testing, but I do sleep warm. The 0-degree model is also on sale for $352.
We have not tested any Big Agnes sleeping bags, but we’re looking forward to trying them, because if they’re anything like the company’s tents it’s hard to go wrong. The 600-fill-power DownTek down is PFC-free water repellent down. That doesn’t mean it’s harmless, but it’s a step in the right direction. The shell is made of recycled 20-denier polyester ripstop nylon with a PFAS-free water-repellent finish. The comfort rating is 23 degrees.
We say if you’re going to go big, go big. The MegaMat Max 15 is big in every sense of the word. This is the beefy, ultra-luxury pad that started the trend of huge car camping pads. The MegaMat doesn’t pack down as small as our top pick, the ThermaRest Mondo King (not on sale), but it has more insulation and makes a great option if you sleep cold. The MegaMat Max 15 Duo is also on sale for $375 ($125 off)
If you’re thinking about an inflatable Exped but are not fully committed to shelling out for the MegaMat above, there is the DeepSleep. The DeepSleep is 3 inches thick instead of 4, and we don’t like it nearly as much, but it is a sturdy mattress and probably fine for some people. But it’s not the Exped experience most sleepers are looking for. We say stick with the MegaMat above.
Photograph: Exped
Exped’s Ultra 7R is our favorite 4-season sleeping pad. It offers (as the name suggests) an R-value of 7 in a pad that weighs under 2 pounds for the wide version. And I do suggest going for the wide version. I found the regular to be a bit on the narrow side, and the weight difference (5 ounces) doesn’t justify the lost sleeping space. I used this pad down to 30 degrees Fahrenheit and was very comfortable (in a 20-degree bag). Exped rates it to –20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nemo’s Tensor series are some of the best ultralight sleeping pads on the market. As with most things in this sale, this is last year’s model, but having slept on both this and the new one, at this price go with the old. The Tensor is thick, comfortable, and most important, dang near silent. I hate that swish of nylon that’s pretty much synonymous with backcountry sleeping and there’s very little of that here.
All the Sea to Summit sleeping pads I have tested were ultralight models, and my overall gripe is that they weren’t quite enough padding. That’s where this Comfort Plus comes in. At 3 inches thick you aren’t going to feel that pea—or small twig. It’s 2.2 pounds, which is heavy, but sometimes a comfortable night’s sleep is worth a few more ounces.
