Advnture Verdict
An all-conditions, super warm camping pad for all-year-round adventures.
Pros
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Stuff sack doubles as inflation sack
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Well insulated and suitable for winter camping
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Pillow lock
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Antimicrobial treatment
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Quiet
Cons
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Slightly too tapered at the top for stomach sleepers
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Extra insulation adds weight
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Sea to Summit Women’s Ether Light XT Extreme Sleeping Mat: first impressions
Cut narrow in the shoulders and wide in the hips, the Sea to Summit Women’s Ether Light XT Extreme Sleeping Mat is designed for women who want to camp out in cold-weather in comfort. It’s heavier, but has a much higher R rating than the unisex version of this mat. So it’s no wonder it made the cut for our best women’s sleeping pads buying guide.
Air sprung cells are supportive, stable, and warm and – since the pad is four inches thick – they keep you well off the ground. Sea to Summit have added an extra layer of insulation inside to prevent heat loss to the ground or the air.
The pad is designed to limit internal air movement, which helps it feel warm, and it is treated with an antimicrobial inside to prevent mold growth. A pillow lock connects the Sea to Summit Aeros pillow to the mat, but it’s compatible with various camping pillows.
There is also a long version of this pad (RRP: $220; weight: 870g / 30.7oz; dimensions: 183 x 64cm / 72 x 25.2in)
• RRP (regular): $200 (US)
• Style: Insulated, inflatable
• Weight (regular): 685g / 1lb 8oz
• Shape: Mummy
• Variants: Regular / Long
• Dimensions (regular): 168 x 55cm / 66 x 21.7in
• Thickness: 10cm / 4in
• R-value: 6.3
• Compatibility: 3- 4-season adventures
• Colors: Carbon
In the field
I like the feeling of being off the ground when I sleep, and this pad kept me four inches away above the cold earth. Inflating it was easy: it took three stuff sacks of air to fully inflate the pad, with no top off required. And it deflated just as effortlessly.
Sleeping was a quiet affair. There was no crinkling as I flopped around. And I got to test out the repair kit. I got a hole in this mattress the first time I used it, which was just bad luck, not a failure of the mattress. With a quick alcohol wipe and the included 3M peel-and-stick patch, I was back in service instantly, and I haven’t had any issues since.
The extra insulation made this pad weigh more than some others, so it’s a pad I reach for when it’s cold out, or when I’m canoe camping or base camping and weight doesn’t matter.
