Sea To Summit - UltraLight Insulated Mat

I was like OP and had the Klymit but then switched to the Sea to Summit ultralight insulated pad (oval shape) a year ago and it’s been amazing. I used my Klymit again last month on a father-son trip and the difference in comfort is noticeable.

Seems relatively heavy. The Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Pad is much lighter but cost more. [Sea to Summit - Ultralight Insulated Air Sleeping Pad](https://seatosummit.com/products/ultralight-insulated-mat?variant=7896105451548) This was my first inflatable sleeping pad, it was a work horse. The S2S has a slightly lower R value, it’s 1.5” wider and has the same thickness. I got the S2S for like $70 at the beginning of the pandemic, and it’s been a great value. I’ve recently upgrade to a Therm-a-rest xlite. I think the sea to summit is a little bit too expensive now, it should be closer to the price of the Trail Pro light. The Therm-a-Rest xlite is a much better value but for a higher price.

I've bought the Sea to Summit ultra light sleeping pad, and have a few problems with it. The biggest issue is the noise it makes, I move a lot from side to back and vice versa during the night. The noise sounds like balloons rubbing against each other. I've tried wrapping it in a blanket, which helps a bit but still makes a lot of noice. The second problem is that, even when the pad is fully inflated, my hip bones still slightly touch the ground which is uncomfortable and make me change position even more often. I am looking for something lightweight, but now realized how important a good night of sleep is. I am 175cm (5'8) tall and around 65kg (143 pounds). What would be a good alternative sleeping pad to try? Something without noise and maybe thicker/comfortable as well?

Sea-to-summit. Expensive but good stuff

Ultralight insulated Air is the model i use, but there's more [https://seatosummit.com/collections/sleeping-pads?srsltid=AfmBOopTHS7LFp27EmtztP1MZpAchicKxS1C6JZdyuV8\_Hk0ZEySVc7N](https://seatosummit.com/collections/sleeping-pads?srsltid=AfmBOopTHS7LFp27EmtztP1MZpAchicKxS1C6JZdyuV8_Hk0ZEySVc7N)

Here’s a question that’s been asked a million times. I’m about to pull the trigger on a Nemo Tensor All-Season Regular Wide. I’ve done a bunch of research and it seems like the best option but I often discover new brands here so let me know if you think something would suit better! I care a lot about: - width, I’m a side sleeper and like to stick a leg out - stability, I don’t want to slide off the mat - weight, current pad is 350g which is nice - packability, I often do long hikes with a small pack - pump sack, I really like these I care less about: - warmth, current pad is 3.1R which is fine, in super cold weather I layer with CCF - noise, I don’t love it but I can live with it - features like being able to tie pads together, I go solo - price, happy to pay for the right mat I’ve used a S2S Ultralight Insulated for years and it’s done a pretty good job but the mummy shape is not ideal for how I like to sleep. I always end up with a leg off (and freezing) or struggling to find a comfy position. All advice appreciated!! Thanks!

6ft side sleeper, I can recommend the Sea2Summit ultralight insulated. Comfortable and light. Tried it side by side with my wife's Thermarest NeoAir X Lite and I found the S2S more comfortable as a side sleeper.

Same. I have a Sea to Summit Ultralight and I sleep so well on it… 2” thick, weight is 15 oz, R-value 3.1

Sea to Summit ultralight pad had nothing but punctures (or material defects) for me over the years. Although their warantty is spotless, this doesnt help when you are traveling and you need a new pad immediatelly. Also consider if you plan using it in thorny landscape, you would be better with some kind of foam mat.

I have just upgraded my sleep system and bought the sea to summit 3.1 from sports pursuit and will be testing it out next week along with a Rab 500.

Since a good part of how you want to use this is in airports, while you’re traveling, I agree with the suggestion of getting a “quilt”. They’re light, packs small and would give you more comfort and flexibility in fitting in where you can in the airport. I wish I’d thought of that - I’m remembering a long, overnight layover in Bogota Colombia. A problem I see is that you probably don’t want as much warmth for “Travel” backpacking as you would for “wilderness” backpacking. You’ll have to find the right balance that works for you. For a sleeping pad, I’m currently using a Sea to Summit ultralight mattress. It’s light and compact but probably not as inexpensive as it sounds like you’re looking for.

I just got the 20 bucks Decathlon ccf pad and actually manage to sleep ok on it when I don't bring an inflatable. It's fairly warm as well, have used it down to -12 C in winter, placed over an uninsulated inflatable mat, and it was almost enough (had to add a few clothes layered under the ccf pad). Just went on a longer basecamping trip to the Alps (so just staying at campings) and guess what? My new fucking Sea to Summit Ultralite decided holding air is not its thing despite very careful handling and making sure it wasn't left inflated during the day. Would have saved a lot of trouble to just bring the stupid ccf pad. It weighs about 400 grams, as well, so there's not a big difference in weight, just comfort.

StS Ultralight Insulated. Anything packable with R value about 3 should be OK.

I'm using sea to summit ultralight insulated pad since many years. Weight and volume are critical for me. Works better than an underquilt for me.

I don't like the horizontal baffles and height. I tend to fall off an xlite. That's why I got that sea to summit ultralight insulated one - much more stable and despite being thinner it's warm and comfortable on my hips.  But some people don't have that issue with xlites.  I'm selling my old xlite on gear trade subreddit. I'm sure it makes no sense for someone in the EU to buy from me in NA. But I'd it does then take a look at my profile and see if the price makes sense for you. 

Yes. Camped in around -7 deg C in the snow with it as a longer trip shakedown.  No issues with cold due to the pad  Also on the PCT we started in late March so we had cold nights (close to -5 C) in the desert including adjacent to snow around San Jacinto.  I replaced it with CCF in the Sierras but we timed that to have almost no snow. Only a couple cold nights in the Sierras. I like the S2S pad and it's likely to become my go to for an inflatable pad (thus I am selling those xlites, but keeping my double exped 3R)

Canadian side sleeper here. I often 3 season camp down past -5 deg ( probably closer to -10 deg ) depending on what the mountains decide to do. Not much camping in snow but a lot of waking up in it. I've never needed R value of 5. Are you sure you do? Have you tried anything else? Exped lists their 5R being good to -20 C. That's not 3 season is it? That seems overkill to me. Exped 3R in the shortest length (with any dangling feet on top of a pack or something) would be my preference for an inflatable for the brand's you listed. It's quite a bit lighter than those options and is worth a consideration. I have slept many nights in the previous version of it in a double wide with a partner (which may have had a slightly different R value than what is available now).  I also just spent a lot of nights on a slow LASH on the PCT (where I had slept in the temperatures of interest  - down below -5 C in both desert and mountains) on a sea to summit ultralight insulated short pad. This was very comfortable and warm. it's like 350 grams. Eventually on trail I went with a CCF pad (Nemo Switchback ) to reduce base weight a bit - and that hurt my hips when camping on some surfaces but was a compromise I accepted for many nights. This was much lower R value but warm enough on cold nights down below -5 C.  

I have the Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated pad and I find it quite comfortable. I’m a side sleeper and it feels comparable to a normal bed at home. I’ve been using it for 7 years now and it’s still in perfect shape. Never had a puncture or any kind of issue with it. I find it significantly more comfortable than the cheap pad I had before it

It’s because that pad specifically is known to do that. The sea to summit ultralight insulated pads are fabricated completely differently and make zero noise when you move around. That’s not a reason to switch to foam because there are better solutions

I’ve never used that pad, I have the sea to summit ultralight insulated pad and it works very well. It’s comfortable and reliable and packs down really small. Any higher end pad (like in the $100+) range should be good

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.