Sea to Summit are one of only a few brands that offer women’s sleeping mats, and the Etherlight XT Insulated is a really nice one. It’s a different shape and warmer than the unisex model, coming in with a 3.5 R-value compared to a 3.2. This additional warmth is due to extra Thermolite lofting fiberfill insulation.
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This mat is a very light and comfortable model, but while it has a low R-value in this test, it’s still a great option for three season camping.- Weight
- Comfort
- Low R-Value
- Pump sack shape
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £180 Weight: 550g Pros: Weight, comfort Cons: Lowest R-value, pump sack shape Type: Air Materials: 30D/40D nylon with TPU lamination Dimensions: 168cm x 55cm for regular Thickness: 10cm Rating: 3.5 R-value Sizes: Regular and large Men’s version: Yes, but lower R-value URL: https://seatosummit.co.uk |
The mat is almost rectangular as it’s narrower at the shoulders, and wider at the hips and knees to suit a woman’s body and make side and front sleeping more comfortable. Air sprung cells give support and allow the mat to mould to your body better than baffle constructions. It’s definitely the closest feeling to a bed, and is the thickest in the test, to give an extremely comfortable night.
The pump sack is built into the stuff sack, and attaches to the multifunctional valve which has a one way seal for inflating. The pump sack is high volume and the mat only needs a few of these to be fully inflated. However as the narrower stuff sack is attached to the top, this makes the whole sack quite long and I found it hard to inflate in a one person tent when you’re not able to fully stand up. The mat comes with a repair kit which has a spare valve seal and a few patches. It also includes a pillow lock system that can be placed on the mat to work with a Sea to Summit pillow and keeps it in place on the mat.
The nylon is light and quiet to move around on, plus there’s an internal antimicrobial treatment to prevent any mould growth. Once I had unpacked it, I’ve only been able to pack it back down to 28cmx12cm, which is larger than advertised, but it can be squished into a rucksack easily so isn’t rigid at that size.
The Etherlight XT Insulated mat is a very light and comfortable model, but while it has the lowest R-value in this test, it’s still a great option for three season camping.
