Comfort Plus XT Insulated Air Sleeping Pad

Yeah, S2S Etherlight models have a bit of a bad rep for not being the quietest of cleeping pads whereas my S2S Comfort Plus XT is extremely quiet. For summer use only (and not near freezing temps) I use a Tensor Nemo Trail which is extremely quiet and the Exped Ultra 3R is also extremely quiet. A simple hack for eliminating the squeaking noises is to put a layer of spare clothes between the pad and the tent floor. If that's not possible consider having a pad liner made from a lightweight fabric that'll go over the pad much like a duvet cover. I made my own from a cotton/silk blend that I also used to make sleeping bag liners as I dislike the sensation of pure slik against my skin. The only completely silent option is a closed cell foam matt, but as a side sleeper myself I know they typically don't work out well for sleeping on your side especially if the ground is quite uneven.

Since weight isn’t a concern and you’re staying in one place, comfort should absolutely come first. The Exped Megamat LXW is kind of the gold standard for plushness — it’s wide, super supportive, and feels almost like a real mattress. It’s bulky, but since you’re not carrying it, that doesn’t matter much. The Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe is also great, but the shorter length might be annoying at your height. Your feet will probably hang off a bit unless you sleep curled up. The Comfort Plus 8cm version is nice too, but it’s more of a premium backpacking pad, not a “sleep like home” pad. If you want to sleep well all week, go with the Exped. You’ll wake up rested and not sore, which matters a lot for long ski days. The S2S pads are decent backup options, but you’ll probably end up wishing you went for the thicker, wider Exped after the second night.

Sea-to-Summit Comfort Plus Insulated. It is a dual-chamber sleeping pad, so you can tune the bottom chamber to provide protection from the ground and top chamber to give you the right level of cushion. None of the other pads on the market can do this, including celebrated Therm-a-Rest and Exped offerings. Exped Megamat is still more comfortable, but it won't fit inside a kayak and weights a lot more. S2S Comfort Plus is the next best thing.

Check out the Sea to Summit Comfort Plus XL - it's literally designed for bigger folks. The dual air chambers prevent you from bottoming out when side sleeping (i'm also a side sleeper at 260lbs). Usually around $199 but goes on sale sometimes and packs down surprisingly small.

exped megamat 10 big agnes captain comfort deluxe sea to summit comfort plus insulated

I'm pretty much exactly like you. Tried and DONT LIKE: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe. It's thick! But the horizontal baffles suck for side sleepers. Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated. Not thick enough. Hip pain. Noisy. The one I want to try next: Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft.

I’m a side sleeper as well and I stopped using my Nemo tensor so much because of the potato chip bag noise effects heh. This past winter, I’ve used the Sea to Summit comfort plus. It is easily the most comfortable pad I’ve ever used for side sleeping. And inflates and deflates easily. Highly recommend!