Sea To Summit - Ether Light Series

The ether light XR is the first pad that’s given me just as good a night sleep as I do at home. It’s such a comfortable pad. I’m a side sleeper and nothing compares to it for comfort for me. It can be a bit noisy so when I’m tossing and turning before falling asleep it can be a bit of a nuisance but it’s never hindered my sleep

It’s not crinkly or rustly, can be a bit squeaky! But think it also depends on sleeping bag material. Like I said it’s never cause me an issue but my partner has commented on it before

If comfort is a priority, you’ll do no better than the new Sea To Summit Ether Light XR.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I am a 181cm, 100kg side sleeper and just bought the S2S Etherlight XR. It arrived this morning and my [**first impressions are here.** ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/1isa5ot/comment/mdq8c2p/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)

Auspost delivered a new S2S Etherlight XR (regular Mummy) this morning so I set it up next to my old Thermarest Xtherm (2020 model) - Here are my first impressions. **Comfort** \- It feels more comfortable than my Xtherm. At 10cm thick it is much more plush. **Size/shape** \- The extra 4cm in width feels good. I am a 181cm, 100kg side sleeper and this feels like a better size and shape for me. It is also wider near the foot which is very welcome. **Profile** \- the Etherlight is higher at the sides than in the middle which feels a lot more stable. The Xtherm with its horizontal baffles regularly made me feel as though I was about to roll off the side. **Noise** \- They are roughly the same in volume but it is a different sound. The Xtherm sounded like a muted chip packet - still crinkly but not as noisy as the old Xlite. The Etherlight sounds more like a thick balloon - still makes a noise but a lower pitch. **Weight** \- Heavier. On my scales the Xtherm is 440g. S2S was 481g. **Warmth** \- The design looks pretty good. The new Etherlight uses reflective aluminium film - similar to the thermarest. The welds use a loop in the centre so it maintains an air gap even at the weld. Will actually take a few nights outside to really tell. I am not expecting it to be as warm as my old mat but we shall see. **Slipperyness** \- The fabric feels a little more grippy than the Xtherm so hopefully won't slip around as much. Once again - will need a few nights in the outdoors to really tell. **Packability -** Great. It folds down to same size as the Xtherm. I believe is a great improvement over the old Etherlight XT due to the new insulation. So on most points the Etherlight looks to be a winner. Size, shape and comfort is great. Weight is a bit higher and warmth is TBD but I feel like this is going to be my main mat form here on.

I tried both and went with the Ether Light XR. It came down to what felt good. I didn’t think the baffle design on the Tensor AS was comfortable or distributed weight well and much preferred the baffling on the Ether Lite as a side/stomach sleeper. I plan on upping the R value with a Z-lite pad if necessary.

The Ether Light is woven nylon just like the Nemo, but 30D vs 20D for the top. I compared them back in May, but I remember they felt fairly similar material-wise. I did think the Nemo was slightly more crinkly. The Ether Light is a little slippery, but I think it makes it easier to flip around. My last pad was a polyester Exped Dura which had a lot of friction going on with my clothes, which made it annoying to flip around at night because my clothes and quilt would get bunched up and twisted.

No problem! It was one of the reasons I switched pads. The other was that I didn’t find vertical baffles all that great for side sleeping. The arm I slept on frequently went numb, and I’m pretty sure it was from the baffles pressing against it.

I’ll second the XR. It’s pretty comfy for stomach/side sleeping. But also, I tried out the NeoLoft at REI this weekend and holy crap is it a comfy cradle of air.

I’m 100% co-signing this review. As a rotisserie chicken sleeper who likes to be tucked in, I effing love my Zenbivy and how snuggleable it is. It really does feel like a real bed. I also recently got the Ether Light XR to pair with it! I was also considering the Zenbivy Flex, but the S2S warranty won out. I was dead set on a rectangular pad but S2S’s pricing structure is kind of nonsensical, making the large tapered cheaper than the rectangular regular/wide. The taper didn’t bother me like I thought it would since it starts past my hips, and the longer length meant I could stretch out on my stomach without my feet hanging off. I also prefer the air sprung cell construction over the vertical baffles on my previous Exped pad. I think they distribute my weight better. I do agree that it’s a bit plasticky, but my Zenbivy sheet makes that a nonissue for me.

The sea to summit is 10cm thick, which is amazing for it's size and weight. But it's made of a noisy fabric

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.