Price: $169.95

Type: Air Construction/AirSprung Cells/Synthetic Insulation

Claimed R-value: 3.7

Weight: 20.5oz (581g)

Packed Volume: 1.6L

Thickness: 2.5″ (6.3cm)

LxW: 72″x21.5″ (1.8m x 0.5m)

Breaths to Inflate: 17-22

What We Like: Excellent inflation system, Good warmth-to-weight ratio

What We Don’t: Pricey, Baffles collect dirt

There’s certainly a lot to like about the Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated. It manages to deliver reasonable degrees of comfort and warmth, all in a light package. However, several other pads out there make this same attempt and give the Sea to Summit pad a run for its money. The NEMO Tensor Insulated has nearly the same R-value but is 5oz lighter and slightly thicker, all for $10 less. In addition, for an extra $20, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite is half a pound lighter but boasts a higher R-value. The Comfort Light Insulated will be a welcome addition to the arsenal of anyone who appreciates its unique baffle design and easy-to-use inflation system.

Compare to Similar Products

See Our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pad Review HERE!

Along with its other popular outdoor offerings, Sea to Summit produces several sleeping pads that cater to a range of priorities, whether you’re looking for a pad that’s especially lightweight, comfortable, or warm. Based on its name, it seems safe to assume that the Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated is attempting to satisfy all three of these qualities. At a less-than-cheap price of $169.95, we were hopeful that it would live up to the name, but as it turns out, this pad is very much a jack of all trades but a master of none.

Warmth

The Comfort Light Insulated uses air construction and AirSprung Cells infused with THERMOLITE synthetic insulation to produce a very respectable R-value of 3.7. There’s a double layer of cells in the torso for comfort and warmth and a single layer of cells in the head and legs to keep down the weight. There is also a layer of reflective material inside the top layer of the pad that keeps body heat trapped. It’s an impressive system similar to what Therm-a-Rest achieves with their NeoAir line—but at a lower price point.

Comfort

The pad’s 331 Air Sprung Cells™ give a boost to the overall support without adding too much to its packed size. The top of the pad has a dot-weld baffling system that distributes air evenly across the pad. It reduces the chance of bottoming out so long as the pad is fully inflated. Some reviewers have noted that this dot-weld system feels a bit “bumpy” and often acts as small pockets that tend to collect dirt. The pad has also been called a bit squeaky.

Besides its average thickness of 2.5″ (6.3cm), the dimensions for the standard-sized Comfort Light Insulated are 72″x21.5″ (1.8m x 0.5m). This is 1.5” wider than what most standard-sized sleeping pads deliver. However, the tapered shape means there’s a bit less room at the feet; it’s only about 16.5” wide below the knees. For an additional $30, the large version of this pad provides a whopping 79”x25”.

Weight & Packed Size

At 20.5oz (581g), the Comfort Light Insulated is far from the lightest pad on our list; in fact, it’s the fifth heaviest pad of the 14 on our 2021 list. It also has a fairly average packed size of 1.6L compressed, which is decent but also somewhat middle-of-the-pack compared to our other air pads. By comparison, the Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated has a similar R-value. Still, it can compress down to just 1L while also being nearly 4oz lighter and $30 cheaper. That being said, these are still acceptable numbers for a backpacking pad.

Inflation

It will take roughly 17-22 breaths to fully inflate the Comfort Light Insulated, typical of a pad with these dimensions. Inflation is made rather easy thanks to its well-designed one-way valve, which is the same valve you’ll find on the Sea to Summit UltraLight. The pad’s stuff sack also has a built-in Airstream pump sack that makes the process even easier. We were delighted with the ease of inflation and deflation on both Sea to Summit pads in our review.

Durability

Using 30/40D Exkin Platinum fabric and liquid-extruded lamination, the Comfort Light Insulation is moderately durable for an air pad. The flat valve is less vulnerable to damage than pads with more obtrusive valves. Should a puncture occur, there is an included repair kit that should make for a quick resolution.

The Bottom Line

There’s certainly a lot to like about the Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated; it manages to deliver reasonable degrees of comfort and warmth all in a light package. However, several other similarly designed pads out there give the Sea to Summit pad a run for its money. The NEMO Tensor Insulated has nearly the same R-value but is 5oz lighter and slightly thicker, all for $10 less. In addition, for an extra $20, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite is half a pound lighter but boasts a higher R-value. The Comfort Light Insulated will be a welcome addition to the arsenal of anyone who appreciates its unique baffle design and easy-to-use inflation system.

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