Sea To Summit - Ether Light XT Insulated Air Sleeping Mat
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Last updated: Dec 10, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
3
8
"I've personally found the Ether Light XT Extreme to be pretty quiet. ... Nope! I’ve used the Ether Light XT, Ether Light XT Insulated, and Ether Light XT Extreme: all three are very quiet."
"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."
"At least the XT insulated I bought last year is silent, not a even a hint of crinkling."
45
9
"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."
"Switched to a Ether Light XT Insulated (regular mummy, not wide), took a tiny weight penalty, slept like a baby ever since."
"Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated and Nemo Tensor are both widely regarded as The most comfortable pads. ... I have or tried both and they're great."
31
6
"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."
"Switched to a Ether Light XT Insulated (regular mummy, not wide), took a tiny weight penalty, slept like a baby ever since."
"Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated and Nemo Tensor are both widely regarded as The most comfortable pads. ... I have or tried both and they're great."
3
11
"They are extremely lightweight for that kind of warmth."
"at the temps you mentioned it would be just fine."
"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."
7
0
"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."
"The Sea to Summit mats are incredibly comfortable with 4-6inches of foam."
"I’m a side sleeper and the extra thickness is welcome"
Disliked most:
9
8
"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."
"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."
"It fixes the problems of the XT like ... bulky pack size."
4
9
"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”."
"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."
"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."
13
5
"I had to return the etherlite after waking up with a sore back every night."
"I'm a side sleeper and had one of the worst nights sleep on the S2S Ether ... Something about the S2S made my spine bend the wrong way on my side."
"I find horizontal baffles very uncomfortable."
2
15
"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."
"I had to return my Etherlight XT since it was too cold to use even in summer."
"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
7
"which started leaking after 3 nights"
"had multiple get air leaks in all the seams so I gave up on using it."
"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."
I tried the r-3.2 model, found it too cold. Exchanged it for the womans model, which has a slightly higher 3.5 r-value, and also found it too cold. (This was during spring trips at sea level.) I have not had this problem with other pads with roughly those r-values. There’s just something about the design of the old model, down insulation plus cold spots, that makes it sleep colder than the r-value would suggest. At least for me.
r/Ultralight • Any experience with the new Sea to Summit Ether Light XR sleeping pads? ->If I need more than 4 R insulation (I'm sleeping on snow most likely) I'm taking a ccf for backup because I don't want to die. After stacking both pads there is no need for more than 4 R. However, my insulated sea to summit pad with 4R is about the same weight as the Light Tour pad you tested.
r/Ultralight • Budget Cold-Weather Pads Test (Naturehike 8.8, Light Tour 7.5, & Hikenture 6.2) ->Hey I have the black S2S Ether Light XT Air Sleeping Mat (reg-wide) I normally hammock camp but tried a tent. I'm a side sleeper and had one of the worst nights sleep on the S2S Ether, I had to swap with my partner who has a thin 1 inch think Thermarest. Something about the S2S made my spine bend the wrong way on my side.
r/Ultralight • UL comfortable sleeping pad for side sleepers? ->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.
r/Ultralight • New EtherLight XR Pro photos/talk ->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.
r/backpacking • What’s the best self inflating sleeping pad for backpacking? ->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.
r/CampingandHiking • Recommendations on camp sleep pads ->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.
r/CampingandHiking • Sea to Summit has new sleeping pads for 2025, XR & XR Pro ->The sea to summit is 10cm thick, which is amazing for it's size and weight. But it's made of a noisy fabric
r/CampingGear • Sleeping Pad suggestion ->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?
r/Ultralight • Is it worth it to invest in an inflatable sleeping pad? ->Ive used the sts ether light xt and the ba zoom ul, and the zoom ul is more comfortable for a side sleeper imo. Not sure if the xr is much better than the xt
r/Ultralight • Very poor sleep on the NeoAir X Lite NXT. Recommendations? ->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.
r/motocamping • What‘s the comfiest (ultralight) camping mat for dual sporting? ->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.
r/motocamping • What‘s the comfiest (ultralight) camping mat for dual sporting? ->Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated and Nemo Tensor are both widely regarded as The most comfortable pads. I have or tried both and they're great.
r/CampingGear • Good sleeping pad? ->So that's why their XT pads have been on sale for the last few months. I finally snagged myself a short version after waiting over a year for a sale.
r/CampingandHiking • Sea to Summit has new sleeping pads for 2025, XR & XR Pro ->Just used my Helix last night and would recommend. To me it’s much comfier than than the Sea to Summit Ether Light XT I had before
r/WildernessBackpacking • How much better are “nice” sleeping pads? ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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