Sea to Summit  Ether Light XR Insulated ASC Sleeping Pad

TL;DR: Pro- New king of backpacking pads; Con- Hilariously bad pricing structure. This pad is fantastic! My primary purpose for getting this pad is to bring it out backpacking, but I'll also be using it for car camping and staying at a friend or relative's place too when necessary. I'm upgrading from the Klymit Static V Luxe, which I bought from Costco many years ago, so I'm very excited to finally get a 'premium' sleeping pad. During my research phase, which, let's be honest, has been for years now, I was debating between going very small and lightweight, like the Nemo Tensor, or going very comfy, like the Big Agnes Boundary Deluxe or the newer Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft. I have a men's physique of a 6ft, 250lbs upsidedown triangle, so getting a pad that suits my needs is important to me (as it should be for everyone). When this pad came out, I analyzed the specs and got very excited. It has a small packed size, a large unpacked size, nearly 4in inflated height, is lightweight, cutting-edge architecture, a pumpsack that's integrated into the stuffsack, and a good enough R-value, all at a competitive price. It honestly seems like this pad is the new king/queen/ruling monarch of the backpacking sleeping pad category, and after testing it out, I am very happy with my purchase. My girlfriend stole it from me during while testing and was so impressed with how comfy it was that she will now be ordering one for herself too! I do have one massive gripe though, but it has nothing to do with the pad. To be clear, the pad is great. It's the pricing structure. I ended up purchasing the Large Mummy version instead of my desired Large pad because Sea to Summit thinks that the corners of a rectangle are worth an additional $40!!! 🤣🤣🤣 In addition, my 5'3" GF was debating between the Regular Mummy and the Regular Wide, which has a difference of 4 inches in width and those fabulous corners for additional foot room, but again, at an additional $40. She was ready to settle for Regular Mummy, until I pointed out that the Large Mummy is the same weight and width as the Regular Wide, BUT it also has an additional 5 inches of height WITH a smaller packed size for $20 LESS than the Regular Wide!!! My 5'3" gf and I (6') are getting the same pad because the pricing structure is so poorly constructed. To conclude: The mummy pads are a great value, and the pad itself is phenomenal, but the rectangle pads are a complete joke for the money. @SeatoSummit: Check out your competitors, take a look at Nemo's Tensor page, and notice that the price of 'Regular' and 'Regular Mummy' is the same; it's just a matter of preference for the buyer, and this is how it should be for your pads. Stop charging a $40 'Corner Tax'. Anyways, hopefully Sea to Summit sorts out their mistake, because this pad absolutely rocks! Cheers! ❤️

Great update to a good pad. The XR is a little smaller and lighter than the XT, but a lot warmer while remaining equally as comfortable. The valves seem well constructed and hold air well in the nights I was on it so far.

Hands down the best sleeping pad I’ve tried. It’s warm, comfortable, lightweight, sturdy, QUIET, inflates and deflates easy. I have tried everything from cheap to expensive and have returned them all until I found this. The only drawback is the pump sack is attached to the stuff sack so I can’t leave that behind unless I cut it out. I did try the pump sack out and it works well so if you rather have that over a rechargeable air pump, this design makes sure you don’t forget your pump sack. I will be purchasing another for my spouse!

Might be a good pad if your prefer your mattress to be very firm. I did not fully inflate, which would already mean and reduction in R-Value and the pad was still too firm for my liking. Besides that, the fabric that was used has a very plasticky feel to it and not a lot of stretch. Going to return the pad and keep looking.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I have lots of nights in the backcountry sleeping on other brands of sleeping pads. The Ether Light AR Insulated pad has improved my sleep. No more tingling in my arms or sore hips. Much longer and more restful sleep. I have a short mummy which fits me perfectly. Seems wider than other 20" pads. The pad does seem to have less insulation than other pads I've used. Still it's a good pad for summer use. The inflation sack takes a little practice, but it works really well. I wish the inflation bag was separate from stuff sack, since it could then be used for other things. The material isn't as slippery as other pads. Packs down relatively small and easy to get back into stuff sack. Only have 15 nights on it so far. The material seems durable so hoping to get many years out of the pad.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The Ether Light XR is a great upgrade to my previous sleeping pad. This pad is super comfortable, packable, and warm. Even though I bought the rectangular wide pad, it is still amazingly small. Also, I love the integrated pump on the sleeve that makes pumping up the sleeping pad super quick and easy. I love that it is integrated right into the sleeve so you can't lose it. I have tried a lot of different sleeping pad brands, and I think the Sea to Summit pads are the best backpacking pads you can get.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] My dad got this sleeping pad for me for my 21st birthday. I am going on tour with an indie band and this is an unexpectedly great and comfortable solution for crashing at people’s apartments when they don’t have 6 extra beds for the band. I recommend it to more musicians who are going on the road. It is comfortable, my bones don’t touch the floor, and fits in the car or plane with a bunch of other music gear. I will also use it outdoors in the future.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This mattress gives the best support with my shoulders and hips. I am a side sleeper and slept thru the night with this one for the first time at Pictured Rocks national lakeshore during a thru hike. Perfect fit , size, easy to inflate with the inflating pouch. I can't say enough. This one is the best overall for a side sleeper looking for a great night of sleep and recovery from a long hiking day. Thank you!! 10 out of 10 recommended!

Really wanted to love this pad. It's super comfortable, lightweight, has a small pack size, and is easy to setup and deflate. Unfortunately, it's just too loud. If you're a sound sleeper, you'll probably be fine with it, but I roll around a lot, and every time I move, it makes a loud rubber squeaking sound. I'm fairly certain everyone in the campground could hear me making even small movements. Sadly, going to be a return for me.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Look I've tried a lot of sleeping pads. Of all the lightweight pads out there, this one's got the comfort, packability and durability totally dialed in. Perfect R-value for 3-season adventures, and pairing it with a closed cell foam pad makes the perfect snow-field/glacier camp combo. Love that the pump sack is integrated into the stuff sack, too!