Sea To Summit - Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated Air Sleeping Mat

Sharing cause I grabbed one - if anyone's looking Sea to Summit is dumping old inventory and the Ether Light XT Extremes that are still available are 40% off.

If it’s rare, yes. However I feel like failing welds is becoming more common with new baffle designs, and I don’t want to through the hoops of buying and then returning gear all the time, and I especially don’t need it failing on me when I’m in the middle of the woods. I wouldn’t want a tent that might not be waterproof just because it has a warranty. It’s actually worse because you could test a tent right away whereas that poorly designed sleeping pad might need a good deal of use to expose its weakness. Maybe I’m off base here, just going based off posts I’ve read while trying to upgrade my sleeping pad (ended up returning the etherlight xt extreme)

Oh yeah it’s nonsense lol. I’m so confused honestly. I got it before the R value standardization made a scandal out of it. I knew it wouldn’t be as warm as its stated r value, but found it warm enough down to around 34F on its own. If I found a lighter pad with baffles like that I’d try it. Used to have a thermarest with horizontal baffles, got hip pain. Ccf pad, hip pain. Tried the new quilted air spring baffles that everyone is raving about in the form of the etherlight, still got hip pain. The etherlight I would have returned anyway though as I found it to be the equivalent warmth of the insulated static v plus my ccf, and even pairing the etherlight extreme with a ccf, and having it fully inflated wasn’t nearly enough for sleeping on frozen ground or snow. Having a hefty pad that’s neither warm nor comfortable was just unacceptable for a $180 (on sale) pad. So for now I’ll alternate between the klymit and my hammock lol

I hope the etherlight works for you. I’d get it from Rei in case you need to return it. I returned mine as the extreme version wasn’t nearly warm enough to justify the price and weight. I’d have put up with that if it was super comfortable but I found that it hurt my hips even when I let out a bunch of air (which compromised the r value even more). I was really bummed about it all. Thought I’d found my holy grail pad

I'm 50, 6' and 280lbs (I'm working on it!) and a Scoutmaster of 12 years with three backpacking trips on top of monthly car camping, Klondike, and a week at summer camp each year. I burned through an cheap inflatable in about 6 months before I finally bit the bullet and got a decent pad: [Ether Light XT](https://www.rei.com/product/188370/sea-to-summit-ether-light-xt-extreme-sleeping-pad?redirect-pup=false) Worth every penny. Long enough, warm enough for Klondike, and comfortable enough for my fatass to actually sleep on rather than simply endure the night.

I’m a 6’4” 220 lb late middle aged side sleeper with a bad back. I got a Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Extreme Cold-Weather Insulated Sleeping Pad, Rectangular last year and I love it. It’s 4” thick. I sleep very comfortably on it and my hip bone doesn’t touch the ground like what happens with most other pads.

I’ve slept on the Comfort Plus for a couple dozen nights and just picked up the Ether Light XT Extreme after having a couple nights of bad hip pain using the comfort plus. I haven’t slept on the Ether Light yet, but it seems to be much more comfortable for side sleepers like myself. I got the regular sized Ether Light XT Extreme and have the rectangular Comfort Plus. The Ether Light is a lot smaller when packed and I’m sure the non-extreme would be even smaller yet when packed. I also think the 3” thickness of the Comfort Plus is slightly exaggerated, seems to be less than that, but that’s anecdotal. The Ether Light is markedly thicker and fellow side sleepers seem to really enjoy it. I think both are pretty nice, but based on the necessity to sleep on your side and reduce packed size/weight, would recommend the Ether Light.

The Ether Light XT was very comfortable, would definitely recommend if you’re primarily a side sleeper. If not, and you will be primarily car camping, the Comfort Plus will do well. The Ether Light’s are not on sale anymore either which is a bit of a bummer.

One of the guys I go on trips with got his this week. Be interesting to see how it performs vs my S2S ether extreme!

I picked up the Ether Light XT extreme for £150 other month. R value is 6.2 and comfy

have you tried NEMO Tensors? Trail, Trail Ultralight, or Extreme Conditions - all pack down to 10x4in, 1lb 1oz to 1lb 4oz. 3.5in thick so very comfy for me as a restless side sleeper with hip problems! smaller/lighter than the sea to summit Ether Light XT Extreme i was using.

I've been curious about this: I've used the Ether Light XT Extreme (r-value 6.2) year round here in the PNW, and honestly felt like it has slept warmer than the Tensor Extreme Conditions (r-value 8.5) in the snow here. Unless you are talking about the original Ether Light XT *Insulated* (r-value 3.2)?

I've personally found the Ether Light XT Extreme to be pretty quiet. Along with it being the comfort king, imo. Been my primary pad for the past four years. This updated XR Pro packing down so much smaller and weighing somewhat less is very intriguing!

Nope! I’ve used the Ether Light XT, Ether Light XT Insulated, and Ether Light XT Extreme: all three are very quiet. Honestly think a lot of people have mixed up sleeping pads, or have some other/older Sea to Summit pad, when they mention noise on the XT models.

I do like to sleep comfortably when backpacking, and have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what works best for me. I've tried many pads over the past decades, including these two, along with similar Exped sleeping pads like the Ultra, Versa, and Dura. I am primarily a side sleeper, so that informs some of my sleeping experience on these, and am 190cm and 95kg. Personally I was not able to sleep comfortably on the Exped MegaMat Lite, or its siblings (Dura/Versa/Ultra). A through-line in my testing of these is the vertical baffling: I regularly wake up and find my arm is numb. I think these might work better for me if I was primarily a back or chest sleeper; lots of people like them and recommend them. But in my adulthood I've probably maximum only got about two hours of sleep at a time on a design like these. I have only had to contact Exped for warranty once, and they ended up shipping me a new unit before I even had to send the old one back: top marks here in support. I just picked up the Therm-a-rest NeoLoft before the holidays and took it on two trips in Mt Hood National Forest. Maybe the most comfortable backpacking pad I've personally used recently, even if the large (long wide, 78x26) weighs 2lbs! When fully inflated it is 4.6" thick. One of the few pads I've slept more than six straight hours on, which is kind of how I prioritize pads. Not only comfortable, but has a soft-touch stretchy fabric which feels good against the skin (I tend to sleep with quilts rather than bags). The first night I did wake up to find my arm was numb, so curious if that was a one-off with a weird sleeping position... R-value is 4.7, so I haven't used it at all in the past 45 days because of the cold where I am. It looks like the REI exclusivity is now over in early 2025, and this can be picked up lots of different places. Honestly the thing I dislike the most is the valves; I just don't care for the old-style Therm-a-rest valves. Realizing your question was specifically about those two, I also wanted to recommend what I have found to be my most comfortable pads in recent years: 1. Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Extreme Insulated. This specific pad and its sibling, Ether Light XT Insulated, have been my primary pads the past four-ish years. They are 4" thick and the most comfortable pads I've used, probably tied with the NeoLoft. Never woken with my arm numb, and the only pad I've ever slept seven-plus hours straight-through. In the PNW I use the non-Extreme-variant in the warmer half of the year, and the Extreme-variant in the colder half. The stuff sack with the inflation aid built-in is the smartest I've seen. Extreme version has an r-value of 6.2, and the non-Extreme version r-value is 3.2. The Extreme has that spider-web looking Thermolite insulation, which in my mind is the most reliable winter/cold insulation; it doesn't crinkle and potentially fail like newer thin reflective films in other lighter pads (NEMO Tensor, Big Agnes Rapide, etc). On the flip side that makes the Extreme very heavy, more than 2lbs, and also packs down the biggest of any backpacking pad I've owned. 2. REI Helix. Been using this on-and-off for the past few seasons. One of the few pads that has me sleeping through the night. It is only 3" thick, but I have found the trick is to fully inflate: the dimples do a good jump of evening out my weight and not experiencing any arm numbness. The long wide is 1lb 13oz, and seems pretty sturdy compared to other REI-brand pads I've used in the past; no leaks yet... R-value of 4.9. I always wake up refreshed and feeling good on those mats, baring any environmental issues outside of the pad. I cannot recommend the NeoLoft in that way yet, but will continue to use and test it out in the near future with an additional foam pad underneath to make it safe for snow conditions (as the r-value stacks). And I don't think I will ever recommend an Exped pad for backpacking. Exped does make fantastic foam inflating car-camping pads though!

I'm a side sleeper and I find the etherlight XT really comfortable. It creeks and croaks like crazy though so anyone you go with will hate you. And no, it doesn't go away. People say that but they are lying lol. I think they just got used to it.

You've tested *all* of them? You find the Nemo more comfortable than an Etherlite XT? An REI Helix? An Exped? A Rapide SL? That doesn't compute for me. The Nemo is more comfy than a Neoair but well below all of those.

They're selling off the S2S XT right now. Good deals to be had for the most comfortable sleeping pad there is.

I had the old model and it made horrible noise in tent and especially when sleeping in cabins. My camping mates hated me. The spund was more like a rubbery groan instead of crinkly chip bag sound, very annoying. Hope that has been fixed.

In November I went to a store and blew one up new and laid on it on the showroom floor. It was comfortable but sounded like a loud squeaky balloon. Every time I shifted weight or switched sides it was loud. Even someone walking by looked at me and said “that’s really noisy”. Because of this I bought the Nemo Tensor which is much quieter than the Sea to Summit.

I mis-read the post. I didn’t know there is an XR model coming out. I tried the XT

When you put it on a hardwood or vinyl floor, does it sound like a balloon rubbing when you move on it? The XT was bearable on silnylon tent bottom, but with wood hut or a PU tent bottom everyone in a 50 foot range hears every move.

Go to REI and try them. Sea to Summit makes a 4” pad but personally I found it had too much of a “waterbed” feeling.

6’4”, 220, although with a back that does not require repair. Most comfortable backpacking pad I tried is S2S Comfort Insulated Plus. Weight is awful - 2.5 lb - but the double chamber system is excellent at balancing protection from the ground and support vs having a softer top to rest on. Large rectangular size provides enough space, especially if you are a back sleeper. Outside of double chamber systems like that one, basically Thermarest NeoAir are the best of the bunch. Pricy but thick and performant. The popular S2S Etherlight is thicker, but also requires being inflated firmer which makes it overall meh unless you specifically want ultra-firm.

His findings pretty much match my experiences. I have a S2S etherlight insulated. It's so cold with a quilt, It really feels like it's doing nothing, even in summer conditions. Comfortable though.

\+1 for the Ether Lite! I've got a bunch of pads, but I always end up going back to this one for comfort. The material is a little squeaky and I would trust it below freezing, but it's very comfortable. I've also seen it on sale regularly for less than $150.

I have the S2S Ether Light and it’s been great for me for side sleeping. I have not tried any of the others for comparison

So I know more about pads than back injuries (*knock on wood*). But I find pads with a dimple design to be most comfortable because you can usually avoid pressure points on them. Think the REI Helix or the Zenbivy pads or the Big Agnes Rapide or Zoom, or the Sea to Summit Ether Light or Comfort Plus. However, it may be that a firmer pad is actually better for your back?

I thought I needed a thick wide pad as a side sleeper. I got an S2S Etherlight. About half way thru a thru in ‘21 I had to try an XLite, because supply chain. Dropped about 9ozs and kicked myself the rest of the way down the trail for being so gullible. The XLite was much more comfortable for me sleeping and I could really feel those 9ozs off my back. Get that and bring a few ozs of Blue Chew and your gal will carry the rest of the gear! Ha!

They’re half off right now, about $100

I love the etherlight, I’m a side sleeper and it really helps prevent my arm from falling asleep. The only downside is the bulk. It takes up a lot of space in my pack. When I’m out for long hauls I don’t have the room for it and switch to the Tensor All-Season.

This is why I've switched to Kilos elite pads after wasting decades and £££s on Nemo, Thermarest, etc. Kilos pads are at least 1/2 the price of the 'premium', but still unreliable, pads and easily the comfiest I've ever used. They look similar to the S2S Ether lites (which started leaking after 3 nights) but are way comfier for some reason.

Ive had the same issue with the NXT. I went with S2S, its great for me and my tosses and turns.

Ive the new one. Its slipper as most of these pads. Ive put some silicon on it so I dont have that problem.

oh hello, followed the same route as you. Just picked up an S2S Ether Light today to test, as I'm a cold side sleeper and haven't quite found the solution yet. How have you found it for warmth? It is heavier, but sleep deprivation weights a lot as well.

The S2S Ether Light is GREAT. It is also heavy. Pick your poison, I guess.

I second the "very comfy" bit, it is probably the most comfortable sleeping pad I tried. However, nothing Ultralight about that pad. Stick with Nemo or try Thermarest.

I was referring to the Insulated version from StS. My bad (-:

I tried the Exped Ultra 3R at some point and especially for a side sleeper it is not a good choice. The outer tubes are thicker, meaning if you stick your arm out it feels weird. I owned the StS Ether Light (Insulated) and it was so far the most comfortable pads I had. Unfortunately it is not light. At the moment I use the Nemo Tensor (Insulated) and it is comfortable enough for me. No experience with the other pads.

I got the S2S this year and I sleep very well. Side sleeper, 5'10", 210 lbs.

Side sleeper here. +1 for the Ether lite. On sale right now for $100

I have a S2S ultralight insulated air and it’s very comfortable as a side sleeper. I never bottom out.

The Ether light has a layer of foamy stuff rather than metal foil, so it is a lot quieter. But in my experience not very warm

Agreed the Exped is surprisingly comfy for a side sleeper. I went with the ultra 5r but that shouldn’t make a difference. Tried and eventually got rid of: thermarest, ether light, klymit.

Agree, I had one and it was very squeaky, sometimes even like rubbing balloons together. Could also be due to pad rubbing against tent floor. Exped pads never have the same issue.

I have the sea to summit ether light insulated, they have the rectangle shape that is pretty wide and is currently on clearance. Lifetime warranty. I use it with the nemo disco, love the spoon shape. Might be worth a look at the s2s site, might still have some available

Some mats have internal noise when you move: the crisp packet effect. Etherlights it’s the surface. It’s a much more rubber-like surface that produces a squeaking noise when you rub your skin over it. Doesn’t bother me, but it’s a different noise effect than other brands.

When I did Baker I brought a closed cell pad (Nemo switch back) and an inflatable (Sea to summit) for comfort and redundancy. You'll be hard pressed to find a new bag that's also lightweight for $200. You'll probably need to see if you can find something used or I would recommend you see if you can rent one.

Big Agnes and sea to summit checks all your boxes. Small/compact, uses vertical baffles to prevent that bouncy castle feeling and provide actual support

I personally think Sea to Summit pads are comfortable.  Nemo Tensor might interest you as well. 

We love our Sea to Summit pads!

Most don't last very long if you're using them more than 30 nights a year in my experience. These manufacturers are banking on most buyers using them less than that. For super avid backpackers and thru-hikers, obviously we use them way more and therefore need to replace them more frequently. I've always bought them from REI and get them replaced under their policy within the year. Or if it's little seam weld pinholes, take advantage of the warranty (I use Sea 2 Summit pads mostly). But yeah I think the companies just absorb the loss from heavy users, who are a minority of total sales they make globally. Most people just buy a pad to go camping once or twice a year and it just sits in their closet for years before it gets the same amount of camp time as we'd put it through halfway into a thru-hike. Not sure if that made sense - still pre-caffeine today edit: getting holes from pokey things is a given despite the best careful babying if you're out enough, especially in the desert. 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) whenever i've returned a pad it's got several patches on it - i keep the solider well bandaged until he can't fight any more

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.

Good for you for taking care of all your gear. I also take good care of my gear and get many miles out of it. Your response sounds quite lecture-y and finger waggy tbh, making the assumption that others don't take good care of their gear. 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. Manufacture defects on pads are quite common and have nothing to do with user care. No matter how much you baby your sleeping pad, if it has a weak valve attachment, it's gonna develop a leak.

I have one and will only use it on the warmest of nights.  I use a sea to summit most of the time because it's pretty light and has a much higher R value.  It's also very comfy.

Tra i menzionati possiedo il Sea to Summit e posso parlarne bene. A pari caratteristiche c'è il cinese Naturhike di cui ne parlano molto bene.

Don’t go self inflating if you want that much height. Car camping, yes, any of the massive, tough, heavy self inflating mats will be fine.   Go to a camping/bushwalking shop and try a Nemo tensor insulated (wide). Fill it up then let out juuuust a bit of air. You can put a closed cell foam mat underneath if you can’t get a balance between a comfortable shape and your hips touching the ground.  Sea to summit are also comfortable but don’t insulate as well.   Also - I know you know this - it’s easier if you can lose a bit of weight. I find it much less comfortable sleeping on the ground after gaining weight. 

Love my S to S pad also. Rivals my Select Comfort bed at home. Bought a back up in case they go out of business.