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 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 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.

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!

Self-inflating mats are basically 1990’s technology. Heavy and less comfortable than fully inflatable mats. Get yourselves decent comfortable inflatable mats like. Sea to Summit Etherlight XT insulated or Exped Ultra.

A fully inflatable mat like the Etherlight is lighter and much thicker. But significantly more money. Which is why I said what I said originally. 38 mm isn’t comfortable for most side sleepers.

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.

Imo yes. The Sea to Summit mats are incredibly comfortable with 4-6inches of foam. I have one that has a built in pillow that I use for my feet (helps blood flow at night after a shitty day with the infantry Joes) and bought a wider inflatable pillow for my head. Best part is both the mat and pillow deflate and fit inside the small front pockets of the ruck.

Exped Dura. It has down. I have the 6R LW. You can get a slightly lighter version which is lighter due to thinner face fabrics. Avoid StS Etherlight XT at all costs, as I have had two getting pinctures where the dividers attach. Constant flats from just lying on them. And I am not the only one. This is why I bought the Exped Dura.

Self-inflating foam mats seem like a good middle ground. I hadnt seen the nemo flyer. Looks very similar to the new sea to summit pursuit self-inflating that i just got (5cm thick, 600g). It's extremely comfortable and i cant wait to try it out, after getting zero sleep on my etherlight xt recently. Do you have the zlite for extra padding, or for extra warmth?

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.

Im not sure if I can trust S2S with another pad after my freezing XT. Comfort counts for nothing if using a quilt and you're cold.

\+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.

The new SeatoSummit XR Pro pads might be a good option. They seem to have really improved on the size/weight, and have around a 7 r-value. I have one of their older XT non-pro models and find it really comfortable.

Pad. The ul pick for high comfort is the s2s ether light xt

Some folks don't, especially if they're back sleepers. The s2s is thicker and seems more popular with side sleepers

The neoloft is about 40% heavier than the ether light xt and the megamat weight nearly twice as much. I don't think either of them are ul as even the ether light xt sacrifices quite a bit of weight compared to the neoair. UL is about sacrifices. What is the lightest pad you can sleep on? If that's the megamat then that's what it is for you, but if you could sleep on a neoair and you want a megamat because it's comfortable, you're carrying 24 oz you don't need. The ether light xt comes in at just over a lb in the women's size. There's no 4+ inch pad that can match or beat that weight AFAIK. Other pads are more comfortable but they're heavier.

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.

I also love my Etherlite rec. large. I have around 100 nights on it, and I sleep better than at home. But I am in the opposite boat now, trying to find something lighter. They are heavily discounted right now (for example at Bergfreunde, but that ships from the EU), so it might be worth picking one up to try.

I’d recommend looking at the Sea to Summit Etherlight XT insulated pads as they are currently on sale for 50% off direct from S2S. They generally are in the weight range of the pads you are looking at but right at the $100 price range right now. The R rating is only 3.2 so they won’t be as warm as some of your other options, but at the temps you mentioned it would be just fine.

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

Nemo Tensor, Kilos Gear AeroCloud Elite, Big Agnes Rapide SL, Thermarest NeoLoft. The Sea To Summit Etherlight XT is also comfortable but heavy and bulky for a backpacking pad.

Sea to summit etherlite xt has been my go to. Best nights sleep I've had as a side sleeper

I went from an OK REI inflatable to a NEMO tensor and then a Sea to Summit Etherlite XT. The waffle-looking baffles on the two latter pads were a huge improvement in comfort. I think the Etherlite is slightly more comfortable but I switched mostly for durability reasons. 3+ inch thick pad with the waffle pattern is the way to go in my book. Back feels better in the morning and I wake up way less often because some body part fell asleep.

Sea to Summit EtherLight XT Insulated. I also have a NEMO Tensor Ultralight but find it too thin for side-sleeping.

For another option... I had a sea to summit etherlite xt for 5 years and loved it. Eventually died. Tried saving weight and got a neoair xlite nxt. Hated it and it broke within a month. Crinkly and uncomfortable. Went back to the sea to summit and it's good.

Love my Sea to Summit Ether Lite XT. Recently went back to tent after hammocking for years and pad was biggest issue I had before with sleeping in tents. I found the Ether Lite a great pad (light, comfortable and pretty affordable relative to others)

Yup, if it's as comfortable as the previous model and delivers on the 4.1 R-value, it would be the dream pad for me. The current XT insulated is at best a 2.5 not a 3.2.

They might have fixed that already with the XT. At least the XT insulated I bought last year is silent, not a even a hint of crinkling.

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

I had the opposite experience somehow. I had to return the etherlite after waking up with a sore back every night.

Agreed, I had to return my Etherlight XT since it was too cold to use even in summer. If these live up to their R-values this time it could be new king of comfort.

For me, only the S2S Ether Lt XT and the Nemo Tensor work. Horizontal baffles are a nightmare with the "slipping off" feeling and movement! I sleep on my side and stomach and sometimes back, and those two work great.

For me the S2S works where others don’t work. I find horizontal baffles extremely uncomfortable … it feels as if anything closer to the edge falls down and doesn’t give any support. So for me the S2S works for longer trips and for shorter I use a short version of the Nemo Tensor.

Agree. I have Nemo tensor and S2S Ether Lt xt because I find horizontal baffles very uncomfortable.

When I do use an inflatable, my S2S Ether XT is my favourite (best baffles and system with pillow etc).

The Rapide SL is really excellent. My partner and I have both been using them for quite a while now and I think it’s the comfiest pad out there. I’m also a side sleeper. I tend to agree it’s not quite as warm as it claims but I still use it during autumn and spring. However I do tend to sleep quite cold so that’s a factor to bear in mind with my opinion. I have the Sea to Summit Etherlite XT (my mid winter mat), which has a similar construction to the XR, and it’s also a very, very comfortable pad. The XR is the newer version of it and looks like an excellent pad and will be perfect for year round use. They are extremely lightweight for that kind of warmth. The Sea to Summit pads also come with little velcro stickers that keep your pillow in place, if your pillow is covered in fuzzy fabric (they’re made to lock Sea to Summit’s own pillows specifically but any fuzzy fabric pillow would work) which is a feature I really love. Broadly speaking, the pads with a “cushioned” build like the Rapide and the Etherlights, are the most comfortable for most sleepers, but they do weigh slightly more than horizontal or vertical baffle pads. For me, as an increasingly creaky 40 something, it’s worth the extra weight for a good night’s sleep.

You can’t go wrong with them. Another feature I love about the Sea to Summit is that their storage sack is also the pump sack. I’ve often forgotten to bring my Big Agnes pump sack when I’ve had my Rapide with, whereas that never happens with the S2S one. When they brought out the XR range a few months ago, I actually seriously considered getting one but just couldn’t really justify it when I already have the XT. They really are fantastic mats.

I love my Ether Light highly recommend and from what I've heard there warranty is exceptional. I went with the XT Insulated req wide amazing sleeps on it.

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.

they both kinda suck tbh try a nemo tensor, big agnes rapide, or sea to summit etherlite, or thermarest neo air

i have a couple etherlights for different seasons. My partner got the REI helix which surprised me for how good it is for the price

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.

I was sporting the s2s ether light and had to let so much air out. Got zenbivy ultralight fully inflated is wonderful. 200 pounds side to stomach sleeper. Seems to have a different type stretchy material.

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.

Check out the sleeping pad comparison chart I posted. It's a quick reference for pack size and weight across multiple brands. The best 2 light air pads that are still comfortable: Big Agnes Rapide SL NEMO Tensor (any version really) I personally prefer the Rapide SL but my wife really likes the Tensor. Both available in 20x72 up to 25x78, I always recommend at least a 25" wide. Both insulated and smaller packing that the other that may offer more comfort or insulation like the Big Agnes Campmeister Deluxe or Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft. Maybe not as small as some cheaper Amazon pads or the infamous Klymit static V but guaranteed more comfortable. They also have lifetime warranty which I know doesn't help you in the woods, but does protect your investment in the event there's a leak you can't find. The Big Agnes zoom is too crinkly like all the Thermarest air pads are. 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.

You need a warmer sleeping pad. Or double up the S2S.

Went from Tensor to a S2S Etherlight and it is even better. The extra 1/2” of thickness makes a lot of difference if you’re a side sleeper (or heavier)

That’s what I did also. Went from crappy Amazon pad, to x-lite, to Tensor, to Etherlight. Each one was leaps and bounds improvement over the previous.

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

100% this - 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 love my sea to summit ether lite. Im also a big dude who sleeps on his side. I have the biggest one and the insulated version. Its more than $200 but goes on sale occasionally and its well worth it

I really like the Sea to Summit Etherlite. I use it for bikepacking, backpacking, music festivals...pretty much everything. I need an alarm to get up in the morning. 4 inches thick. Quiet. Mine weighed in at 20.8 oz. If you aren't super tall. I reccomend the women's version. You can get a 25"x72" "women's" pad and it is a little bit warmer in R value than the men's version. But no matter what you get for length...the 25" wide version is worth it for sure.

is that the new one that just came out? they say its a bit warmer but packs down smaller than the old one. they were selling off the old model cheap on the company website a few weeks ago. I don't know if they have any left but I got the women's wide for $60. Its my backup now! 🤣

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.

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. The winter version is absurdly bulky. Even worse is I can't sleep on fully inflated pads so had to let some air out which reduces the r value even further. Then it developed a slow leak. I bought the nemo all season in wide and it's night and day on warmth and noise. Tbh though if dealing with freezing temps I'd be taking a winter mat as a cold sleeper. Or be prepared to bump with a foam supplemental mat. After some absolutely freezing nights I don't push boundaries on this. ETA thermarest wasn't thick enough for me but this was the old model the newer one is 0.5 thicker so maybe it's enough.

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.

Basically the best value pad you can get right now. I have a S2S Etherlight, which is a great pad, but I'm looking to cut down the weight and pack size.

First thing is to experiment, try some ideas and figure out what combination of tricks work work best. Don't worry about having the lightest kit until you figure out what you want to do, then you can figure out how to trim weight. Here's a few cheap ideas that should work in some combination: I'm looking at your ether light and thinking that's probably too cold to be used alone, I'd start with layering a foam pad on top, ⅛in foam should do it or just try whatever is cheap. Putting the foam inside the sleeping bag can be a big warmth boost. Experiment with a VBL, you can try a Christmas tree bag for a few bucks, but beware of overheating and sweating too much. Get a lightweight blanket and trim/hem it to make a simple overquilt. Try an extra fleece sleep layer from amazon or something cheap. Bring a heat safe bottle and pour hot water in and sleep with that. Wear a beanie or pehaps a balaclava that you can roll down over your nose to your lips just enough to help pre warm the air before inhale but not too much to restrict breathing. It's tough to find a beanie that fits just right where it is bothe comfortable and functional but the right one can be very helpful at keeping warm. Try a mix of these, you probably have some of these already, see what works and what doesn't, then iterate until it's working for you.

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

It's literally not possible. The megamats are comfortable because they have several inches of foam inside of them. The foam makes the pad super soft and supportive. There is no way to make that packable. Backpacking air pads are either air with insulation or foam filled but really thin, like 1.5 inches. The most comfortable backpacking pad I've found is the sea to summit light because it has a lot of small baffles instead of long continuous tubes like most pads. That makes it a lot more supportive. But it will never compare to a megamat.

Sea to Summit has a structure they call "air sprung cell". I personally own an old NeoAir but have tested a Sea to summit pad with that structure and I must say, it was much comfier. I've been trying to justify chucking in the money for a new pad, but am not there yet.

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.

Ended up getting a couple sea to summit mats on sale for $60.

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

Rapide sl is peak. My favorite pad. Ive got a sea so summit pad that i love too but can't remember the name of it. It has like a 7 or 8 r value tho.

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

Buy once cry once. Thermarest, Nemo, Sea to Summit. They make the best small, lightweight, comfortable pads.

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.

My wife has S2S mattress - the one you are looking at or slightly colder and she likes to sleep warm. We were doing Tour du Mt Blanc this year and you want all the comfort you can get for multiple days of 1000 m up and downs even if it is worth few grams more. Nemo seems to be thicker though? And you don't have to inflate it all the way, so it will make more room for your hips but watch out, too close to the ground and it'll get cold in the middle of the night. We both use Cumulus 250 quilts and I have Thermarest NeoAir Xlite (R 4.5) - I was sweating some nights so if anything, Nemo will be too warm for the proper Summer and maybe shoulder months.

I can’t say for these specific models but I have owned three sleeping pads in my 41 years, Sea to summit, Nemo, and thermarest. The only one that has never gotten a hole in it is the thermarest and it is my oldest pad!

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. 

Samw with my sea to summit absolutely unbelievable how comfy it is.

Can't say long term but I just replace my sea to summit pad with a Tensor All season. Very comfy just about to leave on tour with it.

I just picked up a Sea to Summit sleeping pad earlier this summer after years of making do with the cheap Walmart foam pad. I've slept so much better with my new setup, especially because I also bought their inflatable pillow that attaches to the sleeping pad. Wasn't the cheapest setup but very well worth it.

I have the S2S and love it! Side/back sleeper.

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.