Sea to Summit Ether Light Insulated VS. Extreme review

[@Em_Dee_Aitch]

Nicely done. I currently have a Thermarest Xtherm, and I HATE it. I love the packed size, but it’s way to thin and narrow (20”) to get any kind of quality sleep. I really want that Extreme, but it’s absolutely monstrous when rolled up. I’ll likely end up with the Big Agnes Rapide SL as the best compromise I can seem to come up with.

[@BelgianHikers]

Yeah, there's no getting around the size. Smaller backpacks need not apply. Awesome for winter hiking though. The Big Agnes looks like a great pad too.

[@rodrev_hiking6757]

Maybe Q Core SL from Big Agnes might be an Option for you ?

[@rodrev_hiking6757]

My Uberlite popped in Iceland last year. I then switched to Etherlight XT insulated. Increased my Baseweight by 200 something Gram but i never Look back. At 40Denier fabric it gives me a peace of Mind and it sleeps so comfortable like on my Matress at home . I got myself the rectangular Wide Version and it so so much better for me then the regular non Wide Uberlite . Only drawback is weight and packspace but idgaf anymore , when it comes to good sleep on Trail to recover , i put that over the Idea of maximum Ultralight

[@BelgianHikers]

Absolutely, nothing's more important than good sleep. Did you manage to fix the Uberlite with a patch kit? I've been lucky enough to never have had a puncture in a sleeping mat, but the thought alone...

[@rodrev_hiking6757]

@@BelgianHikers no I haven’t been able to detect the puncture . I even used it with a gossamer Gear eva foam pad underneath. When contacting Thermarest they been ultra friendly . Said I should send in the Pad to Ireland to their Fabric where it gets repaired or replaced for free but I have never done it and after a year I just said nah I’m not gonna contact them again that I will now send it in. I trashed the Pad and got me the Etherlight in Wide , I really like the combination of pumpsack function as Inflation bag , I love the comfort and the 40D Material . I just never look back . Because I’m a gear Nerd I think I get myself a Nemo Tensor also rectangular wide . But I’m done with mummy shape , and the Idea of everything as light as possible . Same for my never ending story with rainjackets. I think have spend hundreds of Euro on Rainjackets and never yet found one that works for me in the long run. I was impressed by Montbell Versalite but somehow after my trip to Slovakia I had scratches all over my shoulders where the backpack sits . Even I had only 7kg Weight in it . I will now go from 200g Rainjackets (20D fabric ) to 350g Rainjackets with like 40D Fabric . Ultralight is just nothing for me . I go Light , without the Ultra . Heck yea I even bring a Chair Helinox Zero 500g because I like sitting on a Chair on a Mountain not in the Damn grass or a Wet Rock xD

[@BelgianHikers]

@@rodrev_hiking6757 Nothing wrong with being a gear nerd as long as you actually hike now and then 😄. Good to know Thermarest at least have decent customer service!

[@YoureNowOnTV]

@@rodrev_hiking6757 🤣👍

[@platypushatstand]

05:49 Not freezing to death is its own reward 😂😂😂

[@MaxMax-il3hx]

So I orderd a Ether Light Extreme (wide) as I could get it really cheap (cheaper than the insulated). However Summer is around the corner and now I'm wondering if it could be too warm? A sleeping bag that's too warm can be zipped open to cool off but what if the pad gets too warm? Would letting a bit of air out be enough to get a bit of cooling? I am thinking of maybe buying a cheap air mattress just for summer OR returning this and paying a bit more to get the Ether light insulated version as it does weigh a bit less. I am not even sure if I will use it in winter but the idea that I could wake up under a tarp in the snow some day is something I really would like to experience. I thought the biggest advantage of the extreme is that you don't have to carry an extra insulating pad for underneath, saving you grams in the end. It would mean carrying extra unneeded weight in hotter seasons though. How much does the extra weight really matter in your experience?

[@BelgianHikers]

The extreme version won’t be too warm in the summer any more than your mattress at home is: it won’t cool you off like a very thin pad on cold ground will, but your bag or quilt will make a lot more difference. So a winter pad like the extreme is very versatile as well as more comfortable than a thin summer pad. The only downsides are weight and bulk. Bringing a separate insulating mat will usually be heavier for the same R-value.

[@MaxMax-il3hx]

@Belgian Hikers seems like a truly amazing sleeping pad. And also more sturdy/reliable I guess. I think I will be happy to carry a bit extra for that. Thanks for sharing your tips!