Best for

Highly packable, class-leading comfort for three-season tramping.

What we liked

• Efficient inflation and air-bleeding
• Width
• Class-leading comfort
• Satin-finish face fabric.

Limitations

Comfort benefits make it heavy for its R-value.

Overview

A slight mummy taper, class-leading 10cm thickness and a uniformly supportive baffle construction are hallmarks of the well-designed Ether Light XR. The 30/40D nylon shell has a softer, quieter texture than many fabrics and is insulated with a single layer of ThermalCore heat-reflective material for an R-value of 4.1. A low-profile Xpress valve combines inlet and outlet into one unit on the top left corner of the mat and allows air-bleeding. Conveniently, a large pump bag is integrated into the stuff sack, and a comprehensive repair kit is included along with four optional touch-tape tabs for a PillowLock feature.  

Performance

This mat is quick to inflate, thanks to a large, efficient pump sack design and fast airflow at the intake port, and the valve design allows precise air-bleeding. The combined stuff sack/pump bag makes one less thing to lose in camp. The roomy 55cm shoulder-to-hip width suits side sleepers or larger people, and it’s available in small and large sizes too. Its thickness, with subtly raised side chambers and supportive baffle design, provides secure and evenly distributed sleep comfort. The four adhesive PillowLock touch-tapes are designed to pair with Sea to Summit’s Aeros pillow, but they also worked pretty well to prevent my fleece midlayer/down jacket pillow combo from sliding off.

Why buy the Ether Light XR? 

Three-season trampers who crave comfort without stepping up to a luxury mat will appreciate this mat’s thoughtful features, reasonable weight and great packability without breaking the bank.