Sea to Summit has released a new version of this pad called the Ether Light XT Extreme.
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Pump sack design
Quiet
Relatively light
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Not as light as some
Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated Review
A comfortable and lightweight inflatable model that is well suited for a variety of adventures
Credit: Sea to Summit
Our Verdict
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Sea to Summit Ether Light XT stands out as one of the most well-rounded of the lightweight sleeping pads in our fleet. While there wasn't one metric where it beat out the rest, it manages to balance weight with three-season warmth, alongside a surprising level of comfort.
Performance Comparison
An all-around decent sleeping pad that has a boost of comfort without weighing down your pack. What's not to like?
Credit: Brian Martin
Comfort
The Ether utilizes large quilted baffles throughout the entire pad. These are quite similar to the uber comfortable dual-chamber Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Pattern, but about twice the size per baffle. The highlight of this baffled quilt pattern is how effective it is at absorbing the annoying bouncy feeling we all know well when using tubular baffled air pads. One gripe was the relatively collapsible sides. While absolutely not a dealbreaker, having slightly larger outside air chambers could go a long way to reducing the feeling of rolling off/collapsing the sides when rolling around near the edge.
Thick quilted chambers not only kept us lofted above rocks and roots but did an excellent job controlling the annoying air pad bounce when we shifted.
Credit: Brian Martin
Weight and Packed Size
At 18.83 ounces, the Ether Light weighs just about the same as the top scoring pad. The tradeoff, however, is that the X-Therm has an R-value of 6.9, versus the 3.2 offered by the Ether. Even if you paired the Ether with a foldable foam pad, you still wouldn't be at that burly 6.9 R-value. The four inches of loft is actually quite impressive when considering pad weight, as other pads boasting four inches of cushion are significantly heavier.
There are likely hundreds of pads out there that weigh less than the Ether. There are certainly very few that offer comfort along with the weight savings.
Credit: Brian Martin
Warmth
With an R-value of 3.2, the Ether is nestled at the low end of three-season rated sleeping pads. To be honest, the warmth was not extremely impressive. It would be difficult to convince us to take this pad out late in the shoulder seasons for fear of a chilly and unpleasant evening. That being said, we found spring through fall temps to be quite manageable with our 30-degree sleeping bag and only our ground plastic and Ether between us and the ground. There wasn't a design flaw or weakness to speak of; our conclusion is that 3.2 is just a little underpowered for stretching three seasons.
We found this pad to be most appropriate for our lighter-weight endeavors that don't require puffy down coats and four-season tents. The Ether was at home on chilly evenings above freezing.
Credit: Brian Martin
Ease of Inflation
The Ether Light has a fantastically clever pump sack/stuff sack combo, with instructions printed on the outside of the stuff sack making opening and inflating the pad quite user-friendly. Without the instructions, it may take a moment to get things sorted out but we found it to be intuitive and quick either way. Without the pump sack, it took us several minutes to fill the large volume. Needless to say, we only inflated this pad with lung power once. The pump sack is a tidy design and when used as instructed (poofing breaths of air into the top of the sack), it performs surprisingly well. We were able to inflate the pad in just a few minutes. Considering the truly large air volume, this is pretty dang good.
The combo stuff sack/pump sack was fantastic. While there is always the potential for these ideas to fall short, this combo is tidy and functional.
Credit: Brian Martin
Durability
While the men's version of this pad is still going strong, the women's version, comprised of the same materials, has a slow leak. This isn't the most alarming news, however, as anyone who has used an air pad for any length of time has likely patched multiple leaks. The valve system is comprised of heavy and chunky but pliable rubber, giving it a very durable feel. Another important note is that Sea to Summit respects its customers enough to include a spare one-way inflation diaphragm!
Chunky valves and a proper repair kit gave us the confidence we need when taking a pad out for multiple nights in a row, when we absolutely don't want to be sleeping on the cold hard ground.
Credit: Brian Martin
Value
We've struggled to find a Sea to Summit product we don't like. The Ether Light XT is no different. This is a well-rounded pad with solid performance — as a relatively lightweight pad. If you're in search of something to satisfy a wide variety of trips, destinations, and ground composition, this is a solid value for money. While lacking in warmth and a bit heavier than some of our award winners, this pad is a bit more comfortable compared to our top scoring pad.
Conclusion
The Sea to Summit Ether Light is a fantastic sleeping pad. While most pads we tested had one or two metrics in which they performed fantastically, there was usually a larger trade-off. The Ether Light XT combines three-season warmth, a high level of comfort, and unique and easy inflation — all in a relatively light package. If you're willing to supplement this pad with a foam under pad during colder months, it could truly be the all arounder in your equipment closet.
We loved this sleeping pad. It is light enough to bring along on some fast-moving summer pursuits and lofty enough to keep you up off the cold hard ground.
Credit: Brian Martin
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Brian Martin
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