11 in Sleeping Pads
Sea To Summit - Ether Light XR Insulated Air Sleeping Pad
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Mar 2, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
42
3
"I just put up with the pinholes and patching them on trail because I can't sleep better on any other pad. ... There's a huge difference in comfort depending on your body between the dimpled baffling of the Etherlight/Tensor and the horizontal baffling of the Xlite. ... I can't sleep on horizontal baffling despite all the good features of the Xlite. ... I'm a side sleeper and my arms and shoulders ache and/or fall asleep or go numb on the Xlite. For whatver reason I can only sleep on dimpled baffles (tensor, etherlight)"
"The extra 4cm in width feels good. ... I am a 181cm, 100kg side sleeper and this feels like a better size and shape for me. ... It is also wider near the foot which is very welcome."
"It was super comfy on my living room floor. ... Very comfy ... comfort totally justified it ... It's definitely comfier than the Thermarest!"
15
5
"The pad was great. No cold spots. ... For reference I slept terribly and was cold in 37° on a rapide pad in December last year. ... I had zero issues with the pad"
"Perfect. Freezing would be the coldest I'd use it. That's my cut off."
"upgraded r-value ... No but the values did translate to reality."
52
2
"I just put up with the pinholes and patching them on trail because I can't sleep better on any other pad. ... There's a huge difference in comfort depending on your body between the dimpled baffling of the Etherlight/Tensor and the horizontal baffling of the Xlite. ... I can't sleep on horizontal baffling despite all the good features of the Xlite. ... I'm a side sleeper and my arms and shoulders ache and/or fall asleep or go numb on the Xlite. For whatver reason I can only sleep on dimpled baffles (tensor, etherlight)"
"The extra 4cm in width feels good. ... I am a 181cm, 100kg side sleeper and this feels like a better size and shape for me. ... It is also wider near the foot which is very welcome."
"The pad was great. No cold spots. ... For reference I slept terribly and was cold in 37° on a rapide pad in December last year. ... I had zero issues with the pad"
14
3
"is a great all-rounder, one of the best actually when it comes to comfort-weigh-pack size ratio."
"packs down really small"
"Seems to pack even smaller than their shortest UltraLite pad (the orange one.) ... pretty packable ... still pretty small"
8
6
"It’s the first ultralight mat I’ve used that doesn’t sound like a bag of chips when I move around — no annoying crinkle from the heat-reflective foil. ... The outer fabric is also surprisingly quiet."
"make zero noise when you move around"
"The S2S surface has more friction, is quieter, and just isolates movement overall a little bit better than the other two. ... Of the 3, the STS XR pad is least slippery. ... The S2S had enough friction that it wasn’t an issue. I’m sure the dimples help, but the material itself is just different/better."
Disliked most:
11
5
"As a cold sleeper for the love of God do not get the ether light. I had it for a while and I was just dang cold all the time unless it was properly warm out."
"your Ether Light only has an R-value of 3.2 which is way too low for 0-15°F temps (you need at least 5+ for those conditions) ... no amount of merino will fix heat loss through the ground."
"I think it's a true 3-season pad, you could maybe use it solo down to freezing but any colder and I'd probably add a Z-lite under it."
12
4
"The only downside is the bulk. ... It takes up a lot of space in my pack. ... When I I’m out for long hauls I don’t have the room for it and switch to the Tensor All-Season."
"S2S is heavier and bulkier but still pretty small with a better r value and durability. although at 12L it probably won't win out over the tensor"
"Also it packs a little larger than some others ... The Sea to summit etherlight packs too big for what it is"
3
4
"which started leaking after 3 nights"
"Or if it's little seam weld pinholes, take advantage of the warranty (I use Sea 2 Summit pads mostly). ... but i'm not really talking about those kind of holes (that can be patched) - i mean the phantom leaks that can't be identified or fixed easily, like seam welds, valve stuff, etc. (especially on quilted/dimpled baffles) ... All my sea to summit pads have developed stress pinholes in the dimple welds, nothing to do with anything I could have done or prevented as a user, it's a common defect with that style of baffle. ... I talked to someone at Sea to Summit once who said that those type of failures are not due to external puncture/abrading but actually weaknesses that can occur when the seam welds are done that get exacerbated/worse over time. Typically they occur under the torso/arm area and are due to more contact from elbows specifically. ... sometimes (like quilted/dimpled baffles) the pads are just prone to little defects that emerge the longer the pad is used that no amount of babying can prevent. ... No matter how much you baby your sleeping pad, if it has a weak valve attachment, it's gonna develop a leak."
"I just put up with the pinholes and patching them on trail because I can't sleep better on any other pad. ... they can develop pinholes especially around where your elbows contact the pad when rising or laying down."
1
5
"Dropped about 9ozs and kicked myself the rest of the way down the trail for being so gullible. ... I could really feel those 9ozs off my back."
"Heavier. On my scales the Xtherm is 440g. S2S was 481g. ... Weight is a bit higher"
"S2S is heavier and bulkier but still pretty small with a better r value and durability. although at 12L it probably won't win out over the tensor"
7
6
"My only dislike from the Etherlight is the exterior finish on the materials they used makes it squeaky on the tent floor and against some sleeping bags. ... The Sea to summit etherlight packs too big for what it is and the external material is super squeaky on a tent floor."
"Ether light I found noisy and sold it."
"The Etherlight sounds more like a thick balloon - still makes a noise but a lower pitch."
4tunabrix 1.0The ether light XR is the first pad that’s given me just as good a night sleep as I do at home. It’s such a comfortable pad. I’m a side sleeper and nothing compares to it for comfort for me. It can be a bit noisy so when I’m tossing and turning before falling asleep it can be a bit of a nuisance but it’s never hindered my sleep
It’s not crinkly or rustly, can be a bit squeaky! But think it also depends on sleeping bag material. Like I said it’s never cause me an issue but my partner has commented on it before
artdecodisaster 1.0I tried both and went with the Ether Light XR. It came down to what felt good. I didn’t think the baffle design on the Tensor AS was comfortable or distributed weight well and much preferred the baffling on the Ether Lite as a side/stomach sleeper. I plan on upping the R value with a Z-lite pad if necessary.
The Ether Light is woven nylon just like the Nemo, but 30D vs 20D for the top. I compared them back in May, but I remember they felt fairly similar material-wise. I did think the Nemo was slightly more crinkly. The Ether Light is a little slippery, but I think it makes it easier to flip around. My last pad was a polyester Exped Dura which had a lot of friction going on with my clothes, which made it annoying to flip around at night because my clothes and quilt would get bunched up and twisted.
No problem! It was one of the reasons I switched pads. The other was that I didn’t find vertical baffles all that great for side sleeping. The arm I slept on frequently went numb, and I’m pretty sure it was from the baffles pressing against it.
I’ll second the XR. It’s pretty comfy for stomach/side sleeping. But also, I tried out the NeoLoft at REI this weekend and holy crap is it a comfy cradle of air.
I have an Exped Dura 3R and it’s very warm and so far, has proven to be durable. I’ve taken it down to 30°f with no extra foam pad beneath and slept warm. Never had any air leak out. I’m not a huge fan of the vertical baffles, but I must say that the edge baffles being slightly thicker does help keep me centered. Exped uses a microfiber insulation on these pads instead of reflective film, and I’m sold on it. I intended to swap the Exped for the new Sea to Summit Etherlite XR that has reflective insulation, but I shivered my way through a 42°f night on it.
So I bought the ether light XR in the spring and was happy with it until October. My backside was constantly chilled on a 38°f night with a z lite sol under it and 10° down quilt. I was wearing wool socks, beanie, and baselayers. The second night was 45°f and I was more comfortable, but I was pretty disappointed given that it slept colder than the 3R Exped it was meant to replace. The old XT had reports of sleeping cold, but I was hoping that S2S had fixed that with the new iteration. If I were you, I’d get the Exped.
Yes, I could feel the cold coming through the XR with the ccf under it. I’d never had that issue with my 3R Exped, in fact, I have taken that down to 32°f with no ccf under it and never felt the cold. They have different insulation types, but I didn’t think that would matter based on the R ratings. The XR is more comfortable though, so I’ll probably keep it for warmer temps.
awartman 1.0Picked up a S2S Etherlight XR and had my first 4 days on it recently. Super comfy, even as a side sleeper.
Sea to summit etherlight xr is very comfortable for a side sleeper as well, while not being too heavy or bulky.
cats_n_tats11 1.0I just got the updated Sea to Summit Ether Light XR and can't wait to give it a proper test run next weekend. It was super comfy on my living room floor. Comes in a few 25" wide options. If you need higher R value, there's the pro version which is 4-season.
I'd give it a 9/10. Very comfy, great packed size, teeny bit heavier than I'd want (but comfort totally justified it). There were a couple cold spots but the pad had deflated as the temp dropped, so I just topped it off and all was well.
cnix435 1.0I own all the pads you have listed, I would go with the Tensor All Season. You might also take a look at the new XR version of the Ether Light. I believe they updated this version with a more traditional mylar style insulation resulting in better weight and a higher R-Value. If it's anywhere near the comfort of the old version, it would be a solid option. You might also look at pairing any potential pads with something like the Gossamer Gear thinlight. It would add quite a bit of protection with around an additional 0.5 R-Value.
CurseMeKilt 1.0Sea to summit has a lifetime guarantee on their products which ultimately became my deciding factor in choosing them between the same two pads you mentioned.
Fun_Stupid_Adventure 1.0Yes on the ether light but get the newer XR version which has a higher r rating.
heyheni 1.0The new **Sea to Summit Etherlite XR** Mummy Large. 10cm/4inches thick and comfy. Packs small. 580grams. other good current inflatable pads - Nemo Tensor All Season - Thermarest NeoAir NXT - Naturehike R5.8 (Budget option at $90)
Sea To Summit Etherlite XR
The Sea to Summit Etherlite Woman has been replaced by the new Etherlite **XR** which is warmer lighter and packs smaller. My advice would be to test lie in a shop - Thermarest NeoAir NXT - [Sea to Summit Etherlite XR](https://seatosummit.eu/en-ch/products/ether-light-xr-insulated-air-sleeping-pad) - [Nemo Tensor All Season](https://www.nemoequipment.com/products/tensor-all-season-insulated-sleeping-pad)
The newly updated version Etherlite X**R** which came out around April is a much better pad. Packs smaller, weighs less and is much warmer. It uses silver reflection film instead of insulation. I owned the XT before and let me tell you if you can sell the XT and buy the XR it's that good. https://seatosummit.com/products/ether-light-xr-insulated-air-sleeping-pad?srsltid=AfmBOoq_8pObfHzj71aOkuP45MvfnKwCO0wnHfKuJmTFyxk1hzqLM942 Ether Light XR Insulated Air Sleeping Pad
hollowsocket 1.0I went with the S2S Ether Light XR for side sleeping comfort, good weight and size, and upgraded r-value. No regrets!
They did fix that problem by changing the weld shape. I'm not a fan of the pad for other reasons, but it was comfy and reliability has been improved.
I returned the Ether Light XR because it slept way colder than the hyped 4.1 r-value. I was cold over two nights in the mid-40s with a quilt comfort-rated to 30. I was wearing full thermals, socks, and a grid fleece. I could feel the cold from my waist down. Terrible experience. Got the Nemo Tensor All Season on sale to replace it.
N8ureP 1.0I own and use both. Both are now backups to my therm a rest neo loft bc that big boy is like sleeping in a real bed and is worth every ounce. But between the Nemo and ether light I’d say the Nemo is lighter and comfy, but the ether light is a tiny bit thicker and more comfortable, and the ether light is also more durable. My Nemo is still functional but I did have to patch it up once.
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