The Sea to Summit Ultralight XR ThermalCore with a 3.6 R-value and 6.5 cm thickness is suitable for most 3-season camping, including spring, summer, and early fall, and should keep you comfortable on cool nights down to around freezing. It provides good insulation from the ground and enough thickness for comfort, making it a solid choice for typical camping conditions. You might consider a pad with a higher R-value only if you plan to camp regularly in consistently cold or winter conditions well below freezing, but for general use in mild to cool temperatures, this pad should be warm enough and a good balance of weight, comfort, and packability.
I have ordered and received new StoS Ultralight XR Insulated Air for $111.45, still can return it. And then in some youtube review find out that people really like Naturehike Ultralight Insulated. Ordered mummy version for $89., will receive tomorrow.
I need them for a broad general usage, mostly in the Rockies at the heights from 5000 to 12000 ft April to November, but hopefully also in some places like JMT. I am 5'11 side sleeper but can sleep on the back sometime if needed, and I am normally warm sleeper, however I have lost a lot of weight so not sure now.
Really tough choice for me. StS one is 415 g, R 3.6. Naturehike on is 500 g, R 5.8. R 3.6 seems to be not really enough for a safe wide usage 3 season with quilt. 5.8 should be OK even for the mild winter conditions paired with 20 F bag. Weight difference is not that great from my point of view, price difference is also negligeable. But.. But...
What do you say? Is StS Ultralight XR Insulated Air warm enough? Any personal experiences with one of them?
My first personal impression from Ultralight XR Insulated Air is that is is probably comfortable for me to lay on the side, and that packing it back to it's original bag is really hard, I hate these super-small bags coming with all outdoor equipment.
Edit: looks like StS one is thicker by specs, and people complain that Natiurehike one is on a thinner side for this R rating so harder for a side sleepers.
Thank you! Now seing them both by my own eyes I am inclined to keep StS. Pad seems to be the most technplogically advanced thing in my gear and StS just feels more up to the task. Naturehike is also great, just not on that level of rocket science.
>The naturehike is 2.75" thick while the sea to summit ultralight pad you mentioned is 2" thick.
Specs say 3.2 and 2.6 in thickness. StS is surprisingly comfortable when I try it in home. But the difference is here for sure. What is interesting the real weight difference is 150+ grams - StS bag is very lightweight, Naturehike bag is huge and heavy. And the pad itself not 500 g but more like 520 g.
>April to November in the Rocky Mountains can mean almost anything
Yes. It's hard for me to narrow it down. But I am living here, in Alta, UT and simply will not hike when it is too cold for whatever I am using.
>I would consider options from manufacturers who make decently warm pads
That's a great universal advice, but it means +$100. I am still thinking about it, maybe I need to do it. But right now I am still not sure how seriously I will be backpacking this summer, and getting ideal pad for $220 - TRest XLight probably - would be wasting of $220 if it will sit in my closed.
The moment I can realistically expect at least 10 backpacking nights in the next 12 month I will probably get the best available pad with R 4+ and thickness 3+. But then it would be a question do I need winter one...
I’ve got both and definitely prefer the S2S. The dimpled mat is somehow more comfortable the higher you inflate it. I found the Therm-a-rest louder and less comfortable.
I landed on the SeatoSummit Ultra Light XR Large Mummy shape. Ive sleept on it for about 3 nights and cant really complain. Its light, warm and reasonably comfortable. You might want to keep in mind, that it is a bit on the louder side though, if you care about that kind of stuff.
It also has an amazing pack size. I didnt even know mats could be this small.
Alpinechatadventure
