Sea to summit Ether Light XT Insulated mat Womens

Ether Light XT Insulated Sleeping Mat Female

Designed for women with extra insulation, our lightest and thickest full-size Air Sprung Cell™ mat provides warmth and comfort all season long.

When we set out to design a mat that was better than what was already available, we eventually went back to why we carry a sleeping pad in the wild in the first place - well, to give us a better night's sleep. "Better" is of course a very subjective ambition and while we could have made the lightest, or the most compact mat ever designed, we strive to present what we consider to be the most comfortable sleeping mats available. Sleep well!

Our thoughts:

The Sea to Summit Ether XT Insulated is arguably the most comfortable sleeping pad on the market today. Big thick air baffles built in a way that doesn't feel like a beach bed. Using air spring cells instead of the long tubes that many other companies use. On top of this, the Ether XT is pretty quick to inflate, considering how big and thick the pad actually is. The size is something that will surprise most users, both the size of the pad packed and laid out - I use the large version, which to me just seems massive. While a bit on the heavy side and 625 grams, I think the weight is worth it because I get such good sleep on the Ether Xt insulated .

Insulated vs. Non-insulated

Since I mainly hike in northern Sweden, non-insulated mats are just not worth it for me. I value my sleep and being cold is not that fun. So without a doubt the Ether xt Isolated is the way to go, even if it is a bit heavier. Now about the R-Value. R-Value is an insulating measure used, among other things, in house insulation. The higher the number - the more warmth the pad is expected to offer. The lower the number, the less warmt h. The ocean's official R-value for the summit Ether XT Insulated is 3.2. The actual temperature value is anyone's guess - although they say 3-season which in Sweden means about 0 Celcius. In my own use, I find that I start to get cold with Ether XT Isolated at about + 3 degrees Celcius. Which is pretty good for such a thick and light pillow, but not nearly as warm as the Thermarest Xtherm series. So in other words, do not expect to be warm with the Ether XT if the temperature drops to around 0 and do not place directly on snow and so on .

comfort

Without a doubt, the Ether XT is perhaps the most comfortable lightweight sleeping pad I have ever used, the 10cm cushion added with air sprung baffles really offers close to "home" sleeping. For most of my summer and early fall hikes, I prefer the overall comfort of the Ether XT to anything else .

Overall impression

While I find the Ether XT insulated to be very comfortable and warm for most three season hikes, I'm not sure I'm a big fan of the overall weight including the grab bag pump - which adds another 80 grams and in my opinions almost useless since you usually sit there and have to blow into the pump to refill the pad. I'm not a big fan of having to blow into my sleeping pads, but it's hard to avoid unless you're using an electric pump. I also think the Ether XT is a reliable pad, I've been using mine for a few years with no problems - At backpackinglight.se we haven't had too many warranty issues with the pad either. My only real issue is with the heat - I wish that for the weight, the pad would offer something in line with the xTherm. Where I normally hike, sub 0 is a daily occurrence, and I find that the warmth is at least for me, an overall issue of comfort .

Plus

• Large comfortable sleeping pad
• Warm enough for the 3-season hiker
• Reliable

Minus

• Can be a little too warm for its weight
• There is no sleeping bag pump

Review by Kenneth Shaw 23 January 2021

• Extra thick (XT) loop baffle Air Sprung Cells™.
• Ultra-Fresh® antimicrobial treatment with TPU formula to prevent internal mold growth
• High flow rate multifunction valve provides quick inflation, deflation and easy fine-tuning for personalized comfort
• The included Pillow Lock™ system attaches the Sea to the top pads of the mat
• Includes an Airstream™ pump that is integrated into the grip bag for quick and easy inflation