Sea To Summit Ultralight Mat: The Right Way to Sleep under the Stars

Individuals whose first camping or backpacking trip resulted in waking up with a sore back every morning, may have decided that was the last time they would sleep on the ground.

Let’s face it, how well you sleep at night determines what type of day you have when you wake up. Therefore, it is understandable if you decided not to try camping again after a horrible first experience. However, before you swear of camping for good you should consider purchasing a sleeping mat.

Sleeping mats provide additional support and cushioning throughout the night, making camping much more enjoyable. If you purchase a lightweight mat, you won’t even have to worry about feeling the additional weight you have to carry around during the day.

What you need to making camping comfortable during the night is a proper sleeping mat, like the Sea To Summit Ultralight Mat.

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Product Specifications

• NEW Air Sprung Cells provide unrivalled comfort and support
• The UltraLight Regular is designed with 181 air sprung cells.
• Multi-Function Valve integrates inflation and deflation plus pressure adjustment into one low-profile design.
• Extruded TPU Lamination with Antimicrobial treatment prevents delamination and internal bacterial growth.
• High quality Nylon stuff sack and a 3M repair kit included.

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Review

The Sea To Summit Ultralight Mat is a sleeping pad designed for everyone. It is available in four different sizes, meaning any individual can find their perfect fit, no matter how short or tall they may be.

While this sleeping pad isn’t a good winter option, it can keep individuals cool and comfortable during the spring and summer.

The Ultralight Mat is equipped with several features that makes it a good option for hot and humid climates. For example, it is coated with an antimicrobial treatment that prevents bacteria from growing due to moistness that could become trapped in the mat.

Furthermore, this mat is built to last. It is made with 40-denier ripstop nylon fabric and liquid-extruded thermoplastic urethane. These materials make it highly unlikely that it will rip or become damaged.

If taken care of properly, this mat will last for years before signs of wear and tear start to appear. Fortunately, the mat comes with a repair kit, that contains 6 patches, for when wear and tear does start to take its toll.

The creators of the Ultralight Mat had comfortability and simplicity in mind when they designed this mat. The mat uses air sprung cells to provide maximum comfort and support. Furthermore, the Ultralight Mat comes with a unique 2-value system that makes inflation and deflation quick and easy.

Overall, this mat is perfect for those who want an easy-to-use, comfortable, and durable sleeping mat.

Best Use: Providing Maximum Comfort During Warm Nights

You should consider what you need, or want, a sleeping pad for, because that will ultimately determine which sleeping pad you decided to purchase. Before you sit down to search the web for sleeping pads, make a list of places you plan to bring a sleeping pad too.

Will you be camping in the mountains where it is colder? Or will you be camping in a forest, where it can get hot and humid?

The Sea To Summit Ultralight Mat can handle any terrain. It is thick enough to protect you from the hard ground, no matter where you are sleeping. However, it does not retain heat at all.

Its R-value is extremely low, making it a poor choice for individuals who will be sleeping in colder climates. However, it will keep individuals comfortable and cool on nights that can get warm.

Packaging

Campers looking for a sleeping mat that will fit into any size backpack can end their search. The Ultralight Mat is small and transportable, and will easily tuck away into your backpack.

Some customers have claimed that when they have it fully packed into the stuff sack, this is the smallest sleeping pad they have ever seen.

The mat’s packaged dimensions are 3 inches by 6.5 inches. When packed in its stuff sack, the mat is roughly the size of a 32oz. water bottle.

Therefore, you never have to worry about this sleeping pad taking over your backpack. If you want to create even more room in your bag, you can fit the pad into your sleeping bag.

Design And Durability

Sea To Summit Ultralight Mat has a unique design. It may look similar to other sleeping mats, but it has some cool features you might not find in other sleeping mats. 

For example, instead of baffles, this mat has 181 air sprung cells, which form a matrix-looking dot weld pattern. They provide maximum comfort and support.

The cells function similar to the way individual coils function in a pocket-sprung mattress. They also have a single-chamber design, which makes it even more comfortable, as well as easy to use.

Furthermore, the Ultralight Mat comes with a unique 2-valve system that allows for quick inflation and deflation.

At first glance, the Ultralight Mat may not look very durable, but looks can be deceiving. It is made from 40 denier ripstop nylon, which is extremely durable.

The fibers in 40 denier nylon are as thick as 40 individual strands of silk. This mat also has liquid-extruded thermoplastic urethane bonds.

While that may sound like a bunch of scientific terms that has no meaning, it’s actually a good thing. It means that chances of this mat ripping or comping apart for no reason, are extremely slim.

Furthermore, it has been protected with an antimicrobial treatment, which helps prevent the mat from become smelly, due to moist air that becomes trapped inside of it.

The Ultralight Mat does come with a repair kit, which contains six self-adhesive patches. More than likely you won’t have to use one of the patches, unless you don’t take care of the mat properly.

Natural wear and tear may also cause damage, but that it to be expected with any product you purchase.

Overall, this mat is a durable mat that you can use pretty much anywhere. Sleep on the beach, in a tent, or on a dirt ground. Either way, the Ultralight Mat is going to take care of you.

Comfort

Comfortability might be the biggest factor people think about when looking for a sleeping mat. Aside from keeping you warm, you want a sleeping mat that will give you a solid night’s sleep.

No one wants to wake up in the morning feeling sore. Ideally, you want a sleeping mat that is at least 2 inches thick to avoid feeling every rock and pinecone on the ground.

With the Ultralight Mat, you don’t have to worry about getting a good night’s sleep. When it is fully inflated, this sleeping mat is exactly 2 inches thick. While it only meets the minimum thickness requirements, it is still ideal for keeping you off the hard ground.

Unlike other sleeping mats, the Ultralight Mat has air sprung wells instead of baffles. Baffles can cause sleeping mats to have weak edges or have a lack in bounce, which can make sleeping comfortability more difficult.

Air sprung wells, on the other hand, are individual air pockets that provide extra strength and bounciness. These air pockets also form to your body, meaning you will be comfortably cradled throughout the night.

However, there have been some complaints that individuals who sleep on their side are able to feel the ground.

Individuals who sleep on their back and stomach find this sleeping mat extremely comfortable. One other thing to keep in mind is that dirt builds up in the wells easier. So, you might have to clean it, or shake it out, often.

Easy To Inflate

There are a lot of qualities a good air sleeping mat should have. For example, it should be light and compact. However, another important quality an air sleeping mat should have is easy inflatability.

No one wants to spend a substantial portion of their time inflating their mat when they are tired after a long day of hiking. A mat shouldn’t take forever to deflate either.

Fortunately, the Ultralight Mat inflates and deflates within minutes. It has a unique two-valve design that makes it easier inflate and deflate. Sleeping mats with only one valve let air escape while you are trying to inflate it, which makes it take longer to fully inflate.

The two-valve design solves this problem. When you blow, or pump, air into the top valve, the air stays trapped in the mat. Therefore, this mat can inflate within minutes.

Deflating the Ultralight Mat is just as easy. Simply open both valves. When both valves are open, the mat deflates instantly.

Therefore, if you need a sleeping mat that is quick and easy to set up, this is the mat for you. It is a great option for individuals who need an easy-to-use sleeping mat after they have been hiking all day and need to rest.

Dimensions

Nowadays, it seems like sleeping mats are sacrificing length in order to meet hiker’s desire to carry around a lightweight sleeping mat. While small sleeping mats are okay for smaller individuals, taller individuals find that their feet hang off the end of their mat. Therefore, you want to find a sleeping mat that is lightweight but can also fit your frame.

The Sea To Summit Ultralight Mat caters to individuals of differing lengths. The Ultralight Mat now comes in four varied sizes: extra small, small, large, and regular. The extra small is 50 inches long and 21.5 inches wide.

The small is 66 inches long and 21.5 inches wide. The large is 78 inches long and 25 inches wide, and the regular is 72 inches long and 21.5 inches wide.

Instead of purchasing a sleeping mat where “one size fits all,” you can now purchase a mat that is perfect for your height, no matter how short or tall you may be. Thanks to the variety Sea To Summit provides its customers, everyone can sleep on a mat that forms to their size.

Weight

If you use a vehicle to reach campsites, and other places you use a sleeping mat at, then the weight of your sleeping mat probably doesn’t matter to you.

However, if you are hiking or backpacking then you are aware of the importance of keeping your backpack light.

If you are not planning on camping during the winter, then you can sacrifice some warmth in order to purchase an even lighter sleeping pad.

If you are looking for an extremely light sleeping pad, then the Sea to Summit Ultralight Mat is one you should definitely consider.

The regular only weighs 13.9 ounces, which is less than one pound. The extra small only weighs 10.4 ounces. The small weighs 12.2 ounces, and the large weighs 1 pound 1 ounce.

This mat is ideal for backpackers, because it won’t weight them down. You can throw this mat into the bottom of your pack and forget it is even there.

Just remember, that this mat has only has a 0.7 R value, meaning it is mainly for spring and summer use. Therefore, you will be sacrificing some warmth.

If you desire a sleeping pad that is both lightweight and warm, then you can purchase a lightweight foam pad to place on top of the mat.

However, purchasing a lightweight pad and lightweight foam pad defeats the purpose of purchasing a lightweight sleeping mat.

Warmth

Having a sleeping mat that retains warmth may be one of the original reasons why you started looking for one. Many individuals want to have something between them and the ground so they don’t get cold at night.

They type of sleeping mat you want to purchase will depend on the type of shelter you plan on sleeping in, as well as what climates you plan on camping in.

How warm a sleeping pad is, depend on its R-value. If you need a sleeping pad that will keep you warm during the winter, then you want to look for a pad with an R-value between 4 and 5.

If you are looking for a warm sleeping pad, than the Ultralight Mat is not the mat for you. The Ultralight Mat only has an R-value of 0.7, meaning it doesn’t have any insulation at all.

Therefore, this mat is perfect for spring and summer months. You can probably use it in early fall as well without having to worry about getting too cold.

Value For Money And Guarantee

Even though the Ultralight Mat can’t be used year-round, it’s still an excellent value.

The price for the mat is cheaper than most other lightweight sleeping pads, which might be surprising to some, considering how durable it is.

Most cheap products don’t last long or have one major flaw. This isn’t the case with this mat. You are paying for a reliable mat at a reasonable cost.

Overall, this is a strong mat that should last you years. There are hardly any complaints about the mat. The only complaint about this mat is that side sleepers will not find it comfortable.

There are no complaints about the durability about this mat. No one has complained about any manufacturer defects either. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that this mat won’t fit your needs.

Close Competitors: Other Products You Might Like

The Sea To Summit Mat might sound like a dream come true. However, before you rush to purchase it, you should look at some similar sleeping mats. It is always a good idea to compare similar products, just to get an idea of the differences between each one.

This way you are always 100% sure you are purchasing the right one for you. Therefore, comparing the following sleeping mats to see how they measure up to the Ultralight Mat.

Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated Mat

The Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated Mat has a similar design to the Ultralight Mat. Like the Ultralight Mat, it has air sprung cells instead of baffles to provide maximum comfort.

However, it comes in five different sizes, catering even more to individuals of different heights. The Light Insulated Mat is also .5 inches thicker than the Ultralight Mat, providing more of a barrier between an individual and the ground.

Unlike the Ultralight Mat, this mat is meant to be used during the winter. It has an R-value of 4.2, which is not the most insulated sleeping mat on the market but it is still a decent rating.

The Light Insulated Mat is heavier than its counterpart, but that is due to the extra insulation. The largest size still weight less than 2 pounds.

Therefore, if you don’t mind the extra weight, the extra insulation this mat provides might be worth it.

It is usually a little more expensive than the Ultralight Mat. Overall, it’s a good year-round sleeping mat. While it costs and weighs a little more than its counterpart, it is just as durable and can be used throughout the entire, instead of just part of the year.

Therm-a-Rest Neo-Air Xtherm Sleeping Pad

The Therma-a-Rest Neo-Air Xtherm Sleeping Pad is similar to the Ultralight Mat. Although, there are some slight differences. While both mats are about the same size, the Xtherm Sleeping Pad is .5 inches thicker.

It also weighs a bit more than the Ultralight Mat. This is because the Xtherm Sleeping Pad is a 4-season camping tent, meaning it can be used year-round.

The Xtherm Sleeping Pad has a reflective layer in it. This reflective layer reflects your body heat back towards you, decreasing the need for down and other insulation.

Therefore, this sleeping pad keeps you warm but doesn’t come with a bunch of extra weight. Although, the packed size of this pad is twice the size of the Ultralight Mat.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All Season Mattress

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All Season Mattress has a lot of good qualities. It is a four-season sleeping mat, with the same reflective heat layer as the Xtherm Sleeping Pad, and it has an R-value of 4.9.

Therefore, it is a great sleeping pad to use in the winter, but it might cause you to get a little warm during the summer.

If you need a sleeping pad for year-round use, then this mat is probably the best deal. However, if you don’t need such a warm sleeping mat then the Ultralight Mat is still the best option.

Overview

The Sea To Summit Ultralight Mat is a steal. If you’re not looking for extra warmth, but still want a sleeping mat that will provide you with comfort and extra protection from the ground, then the Ultralight Mat is a great option. With it’s easy-to-set-up design, this mat is a terrific addition to any camping trip.

Individuals who have late nights and early mornings on the trail will especially appreciate the ability to inflate and deflate the Ultralight Mat within minutes.

However, if you want to stay warm do not use this mat during the winter. Unless you have an additional insulated pad to put on top, this mat won’t do a good job of reflecting your body heat back at you in freezing temperatures.

However, it will keep you cool and comfortable when you find yourself sleeping in warmer and humid climates.

While the Ultralight Mat has many admirable qualities, it may not be the perfect choice for you. So, compare the pros and cons before you make your final sleeping mat decision:

A reasonable price with an excellent design, makes this a great sleeping pad for all campers and backpackers. It provides comfort, warmth, and saves you a couple extra pounds in your backpack.

In terms of providing you with the essentials, the Ultralight mat provides them as long as you are using it properly.

Have you used the Sea To Summit Ultralight Mat? Please share any advice or concerns you may have in the comments section below.