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The Sea to Summit Sleep Systems

Beyond the four walls of the family home, we’re entitled to a sleep setup that allows us to stretch as far as a sunlit horizon, and bivvy down for a blissful outback slumber.

So, how do we emulate the comfort we feel at home while out hiking or camping… without being overcome with bulky, heavy equipment? At Sea to Summit, this has become less of a challenge with every lofty layer carefully incorporated into their impressive sleep systems.

A man rugged up in Sea to Summit sleep gear on a cliff, overlooking the ocean at sunrise.

Whether we’re home or camping in the great outdoors, we all need a good night’s sleep. Image: Sea to Summit

Sea to Summit’s Sleeping Mat Range

The sleeping mat range is designed to suit a broad range of uses and situations. The Comfort Plus Insulated Rectangular sleeping mats have been known among customers to serve well on outdoor and overseas trips, time and time again. Sea to Summit aren’t the sort of company to rest on their laurels; in late 2014, they released a range of lightweight sleeping mats aimed at the hiking, bike touring, and mountaineering community.

The level of comfort from sleeping on air-sprung cells has to be experienced to be believed. Not only do they allow good sleep on otherwise uncomfortable beds, but also on the ground. These mats are innovative and certainly meet Sea to Summit’s criteria, winning many awards and so attesting to their standing worldwide!

Inflation

The Airstream Pump Sack is a brilliant piece of equipment for pumping up the mats. With gentle puffs across the top of the bag, it is filled with air which is then expelled into the mattress. It’s quick and easy to use, and can double as a dry bag for gear too. Weighing next to nothing, it packs into a tiny ball when not in use.

Self-inflating mats, on the other hand, require no pump – great for the lightweight adventurers attempting to pare back the bulk. Their internal PU foam and multi-functional valves allow for easy inflation and deflation, as found with the Comfort Plus SI Sleeping Mat.

Frequently Asked Questions on Sleeping Mats

These mats are quite unlike a lot of others on the market, raising questions concerning noise and durability based on their delicate and lightweight appearance. Not for long, though – once taken out into the field, they quickly become synonymous with comfort!

Sea to Summit are masters when it comes to quality. Every mat – yes, every mat – is inflated to 1.5 psi and checked overnight for loss of pressure and leaky welds. This way, users know when they take their mat out of their backpack (30km from the car) that it will perform as intended. You can see the entire range here. 

Since Snowys began to stock these mats in 2015, we have fielded stacks of questions from weight-conscious Australian hikers and bikers…

A man sitting on a yellow sleep mat on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean.

Sea to Summit mats quickly become synonymous with comfort! Image: Sea to Summit

  1. Are they noisy?

Science can answer this one.

All sleeping mats on display (including those by other brands) were put to a rigorous test of smooshing, massaging, rolling, and rubbing between hands. After measuring the noise emissions with a specialist piece of scientific equipment – a pair of ears – the verdict is that they are a little noisy, but not excessively so.

  1. What’s the warmest Sea to Summit mat that Snowys stocks?

The warmest in the range is the Comfort Deluxe Self Inflating Sleeping Mat. It sports an R-Value of 6.5, owing to internal PU foam that’s been engineered with Delta Core Technology and diagonal supporting walls for improved insulation from directly below.

  1. Are they easily punctured?

Sea to Summit sleeping mats are no more susceptible to puncture than any other similar mat. In fact, because of the ‘honeycomb’ cell design, surface contact with the ground is less so than with ‘flat’ self-inflating mats. The less material there is touching the ground, the less risk there is of a puncture.

As the Comfort Plus has two independent chambers, a puncture on one side means redundancy in the other. This also allows for greater flexibility over the firmness of your mat.

If you do get a puncture, Sea to Summit supply a puncture repair kit containing 3M® adhesive patches.

  1. Is the Comfort Light Insulted more comfortable than the Comfort Light?

Only really in the sense of warmth. The Comfort Light Insulated is rated at R 3.7 whereas the Comfort Light comes in at R 3.1. So the Insulated will keep you warmer and more comfortable in the cold.

Both feature the same cell structure so there is no difference between the two in terms of padding. They both feature a single layer of cells for your head and legs and a double layer through the torso region. This reduces weight.

Anecdotally, some do feel the ground more when sitting up in the Comfort Light – but on their back, side, or even elbow, there was little difference.

Three campers sitting in a lightweight tent at sunrise.

Sea to Summit designed their range to provide the most comfort in the smallest and lightest package possible. Image: Sea to Summit

  1. What’s so good about the Sea to Summit range?

Comfort. Sea to Summit designed their range to provide the most comfort in the smallest and lightest package possible. There are lighter, smaller, and warmer mats on the market – but few compare in terms of comfort.

  1. How do I inflate a Sea to Summit mat?

Two ways.

You can rely simply on your breath. All Sea to Summit mats have an anti-bacterial treatment in them, so there are no issues with this. It’ll take about 20 breaths to completely inflate the Ultralight sleeping mat. Deflation happens almost instantly via a rapid air dump port.

Alternatively, you can use an Air Stream pump sack to make lighter work of inflation. A couple of light breaths in either, and your mat is inflated in seconds. Both double as stuff sacks for the mats, so they won’t take up any extra space.

  1. I’m hiking The Overland Track next spring. Which mat is best?

The Overland Track is pretty unpredictable, weather wise. Spring can mean cold or warm weather, or a combination of both.

That said, it’s unlikely you’ll be sleeping directly on the ground unless you have to camp out due to injury or bad weather. You’ll either be sleeping on a wooden bunk in a hut, or in your tent on a wooden tent platform adjacent to a hut. Insulation against the cold ground will be less of a problem than if you were sleeping directly on it in your tent.

The most versatile mat in the range – that still boasts a decent R-value, balanced with lightweight and comfort – is likely the Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated. The regular length weighs in at 480 grams, is rated R 3.3.

Sea to Summit Ultralight Pillows

The Aeros Ultralight makes a comfortable pillow to back up the mat, and it’s only the size of a matchbox when packed into its storage pouch!

This little beauty has the same valves as the sleeping mats, so can be inflated with the Air Stream or a few quick, direct breaths.

A man looking out to the ocean, sitting on a sleeping mat and rugged up in a sleeping bag.

The Aeros Ultralight makes a comfortable pillow to back up the mat. Image: Sea to Summit

A pillow while camping can be deemed an unnecessary luxury. From down-filled to synthetic-filled, some need to be compressed to fit into a rucksack. Some find that they’re tricky to pack down small enough for their needs, and offer no more comfort than a rolled-up down jacket.

That said, the Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Ultralight is considered a real winner among hikers. Taking up virtually no space in a pack (at 5.5 x 7cm in diameter), and weighing next-to-nothing (just 60g) – how much comfort could it really bring once inflated?

How you use the pillow is, of course, a personal preference. For example, place it on the headrest area of your hiking mattress without further padding or covering it, or try wrapping it up in a windcheater.

Inflation and Deflation

After only three breaths, the pillow is inflated to be approximately 36 x 26 x 12cm, and more than adequate for a good night’s sleep. Made from a durable, comfortable and non-slip material, the pillow is capable of taking a fair bit of weight while inflated.

Inflating this takes all of 5 seconds, featuring a one-way inflation valve (this means it won’t start to deflate between breaths).To deflate, simply pull the deflation plug out from the same handy valve; it is ready to fold and roll up immediately into its own drawstring nylon bag.

A man rugged up in Sea to Summit sleep gear on a high rock, overlooking the trees and shrubbery at sunrise.

Sea to Summit have leveraged on their in-depth knowledge and understanding of the sleeping bag market. Image: Sea to Summit

Sea to Summit Sleeping Bags

Over the years, Sea to Summit have re-worked their entire range of sleeping bags, leveraging on their in-depth knowledge and understanding of the sleeping bag market to deliver a range defined by technical performance, comfort and versatility.

Sea to Summit Sleeping Bag Technologies:

  • Free Flow zip design incorporates both full and half-length zips in the same bag for temperature adaptability.
  • Zip coupling system, where all bags identified with this feature are produced with the same 165cm #5 YKK zipper. This allows any left zippered unisex bag to be joined with any right zippered women’s bag.
  • Fabrics for technical performance.
  • Superior ULTRA-DRY down that almost eliminates the negative effects moisture has on down.
  • A ‘Down Batch Test Report” International Down Feather Laboratory (IDFL): the world’s largest and most respected down laboratory enclosed with every bag.
  • Responsible Down Standard (RDS) Certified to ensure humane sourcing of down.
  • WaveLoft construction in the synthetic bags that loops thick layers of proprietary THERMOLITE® insulation together for extra loft and warmth.
  • Warmer women’s specific engineering with a modified shape, extra down, and thicker footbox insulation.
  • Temperature tested to the EN13537 European standard for sleeping bags (excludes Ember quilts).

With 42 sleeping bag variations across 16 different models, there is truly a Sea to Summit sleeping bag to suit every user on any adventure. Based on our first impressions, we’ve summarised the range below and you can find all the juicy specifications by following the links through to our product pages.

A man rugged up in Sea to Summit sleep gear on a sandy beach.

There is truly a Sea to Summit sleeping bag to suit every user on any adventure. Image: Sea to Summit

Spark (Sp0, Sp1, SpII, SpIII, SpIV)

The Spark bags are lightweight and technical all-rounders for both men and women. There’s a version to suit every weight conscious explorer on warm weather adventures, right through to cold climate expeditions. They feature 850+ ULTRA-DRY Goose Down and ultra-light fabrics and trimmings. Vertical chest baffles combined with a contoured mummy shape offer optimal lightweight thermal efficiency too.

Technical features – 850+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Goose Down. Vertical chest baffles. Ultra-light 7D and 10D fabrics. Mummy shape for efficient insulation. Combination box and sewn through baffle construction. Cannot be joined with another bag.

Ideal for – Ultra-light adventures in warm to mid-winter climates.

Shop here – Spark Sp0 | Spark SpI | Spark SpII | Spark SpIII | Spark SpIV

Video – Spark review here

Flame (FmII, FmIII, FmIV)

The Flame is an ultra-light, all-round, women’s-specific sleeping bag available in multiple versions to suit every activity. It has all the same materials and features as the Spark, only with a women’s specific cut i.e. wider at the hip and narrower at the shoulder. Plus, it has a little extra down for increased warmth.

Technical features – 850+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Goose Down. Vertical chest baffles. Ultra-light 7D and 10D fabrics. Women’s specific mummy shape for efficient insulation. Combination box and sewn-through baffle construction. Cannot be joined with another bag.

Ideal for – Women on ultra-light adventures in warm to mid-winter climates.

Shop here – Flame FmII | Flame FmIII | Flame FmIV

Video – Flame review here

A woman rugged up in a Sea to Summit sleeping bag in a forest-like location, in sunlight.

The Flame is an ultra-light, all-round, women’s-specific sleeping bag. Image: Sea to Summit

Amplitude (Am2, Am3)

A technical bag with a focus on comfort. The Amplitude is best suited to basecamp style adventures or car camping where you are not scrutinising grams and rucksack space. It features a roomy rectangular design filled with 750+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Down, three zippers for multiple configurations including separating the top and bottom as a quilt and blanket, and a webbing system to attach a sleeping mat to the bag.

Technical features – 750+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Down. Spacious. Vertical chest baffles. 20D and 30D fabrics. Panelled footbox. 3D Hood. Webbing to attach sleeping mat. Available in double size. Can be joined with other bags.

Ideal for – Car camping, van life, hut based adventures.

Shop here – Amplitude Am2 (2°C) | Amplitude Am3 (-8°C)

Ascent (AcI, AcII, AcIII)

If you’re seeking a single sleeping bag to cover most adventures that offers a good balance between weight, durability, and versatility, the Ascent is the ideal choice. These bags offer more space than a mummy bag, and boast an efficient design with vertical chest baffles, a panelled footbox, and a 3D hood. The Ascent also features the Sea to Summit Free Flow zip design with both half and full-length side zips, plus a foot zip for temperature adaptability.

Technical features – 750+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Down. Relaxed tapered rectangular shape. Vertical chest baffles. 20D fabric. Panelled footbox. 3D Hood. Free Flow zipper design. Can be joined with other bags.

Ideal for – Anything from car-based adventures to extended trekking in warm to cold climates.

Shop here – Ascent AcI | Ascent AcII | Ascent AcIII

Video – Ascent review here

Altitude (AtI, AtII)

The Altitude sleeping bag is the women’s version of the Ascent, and is a great all-rounder. It has all the same features, only with a female-specific shape that’s wider at the hip and narrower at the shoulder. It’s also loaded with more down than the Ascent, featuring THERMOLITE® panels under the foot area for increased warmth.

Technical features – 750+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Down. Relaxed women’s specific tapered rectangular shape. Vertical chest baffles. 20D fabric. Panelled footbox. THERMOLITE® panel underfoot. 3D Hood. Free Flow zipper design. Can be joined with other bags.

Ideal for – Women on car-based adventures or extended treks in warm to cold climates.

Shop here – Altitude AtI | Altitude AtII

Video – Altitude review here

Two campers sitting in sleeping bags on chairs, drinking their coffee on a misty morning.

The Trek has a tapered rectangular design, while the Journey is the Trek bag with a women’s specific design. Image: Sea to Summit

Trek (TkI, TkII, TkIII)

The Trek has been a staple part of the Sea to Summit sleeping bag range since the very beginning, where the latest version has seen a change to vertical chest baffles for increased efficiency. The Trek has a tapered rectangular design that offers more room than traditional mummy bags, and come at a very affordable price for such a high-quality bag.

Technical features – 650+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Down. Relaxed, tapered rectangular shape. Vertical chest baffles. Durable 20D and 30D fabrics. 3D Hood. Can be joined with other bags.

Ideal for – General camping, hiking and travel.

Shop here – Trek TkI | Trek TkII | Trek TkIII

Video – Trek review here

Journey (JoI, JoII)

The Journey is the Sea to Summit Trek bag, only with a women’s specific design. Along with all the same features that make the Trek a popular and affordable bag, the Journey has a shape that is wider at the hip and narrower at the shoulder. It’s also packed with a little more down and features a THERMOLITE® panel under the foot section for increased warmth.

Technical features – 650+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Down. Relaxed women’s specific tapered rectangular shape. Vertical chest baffles. Durable 20D and 30D fabrics. THERMOLITE® panel underfoot. 3D Hood. Can be joined with other bags.

Ideal for – Women, general camping, hiking and travel.

Shop here – Journey JoI | Journey JoII

Video – Journey review here

Traveller (TrI, TrII)

The Traveller is designed for…well, travel! It’s a featherweight sleeping bag with a minuscule pack size and a hoodless design that can be opened up as a quilt making it perfect for hostels or to throw over the top of another bag for added warmth.

Technical features – 750+ Loft ULTRA-DRY Down. Tapered hoodless shape. Ultra-light 15D fabric. Sewn-through construction on TrI. Horizontal baffles on Tr2. Can be joined with other Traveller bags.

Ideal for – Travel

Shop here – Traveller TrI | Traveller TrII

Two campers rugged up in sleeping bags, lying in their lightweight tent.

The Journey bag is packed with a little more down for increased warmth. Image: Sea to Summit

Treeline (TlI)

The Treeline is an entry level three-season down bag with a relaxed mummy shape and a single side zipper. It’s filled with a lesser lofting down and does away with the ULTRA-DRY feature to keep the costs down. Made with a 50D nylon shell, the Treeline maintains a quality lightweight build at an affordable price.

Technical features – 600+ Loft Down. Relaxed mummy shape. 50D fabric. Can be joined with other bags.

Shop hereTreeline Tl1

Trailhead (ThII, ThIII)

Basic and affordable quality. The Trailhead synthetic bag from Sea to Summit offers space and comfort for general camping. It features a durable water repellent shell fabric and efficient WaveLoft construction as well as a single full-length zipper that enables the bag to be zipped opened as a quilt.

Technical features – WaveLoft™ synthetic construction. Tapered rectangular shape. 30D DWR shell fabric. 20D Lining. Single full-length zipper. Cannot be joined with other bags.

Ideal for – General warm to cool weather camping.

Shop here – Trailhead ThII | Trailhead ThIII

Quest (QuI, QuII)

An affordable all-rounder for general camping and weekend warriors, the Quest is the women’s specific version of the Trailhead. It features a shape that is wider at the hips, narrower at the shoulders and has a dose of extra insulation in the footbox. It has a single full-length zipper and maintains the quality build you can expect in all Sea to Summit sleeping bags.

Technical features – WaveLoft™ synthetic construction. Women’s specific tapered rectangular shape. 30D DWR shell fabric. 20D Lining. Single full-length zipper. Thicker footbox insulation. Cannot be joined with other bags.

Ideal for – General camping for women in warm to cool weather.

Shop here – Quest QuI | Quest QuII

Video – Quest review here

Two campers in sleeping bags, sitting with their dog on the back of their 4WD on a sandy beach.

The Trailhead bag offers space and comfort, while the women’s-specific Quest features a dose of extra insulation in the footbox. Image: Sea to Summit

Sea to Summit Sleeping Bag Liners

Finally, the Sea to Summit sleeping system can be topped off with a sleeping bag liner. This is an invaluable addition to sleeping comfort – used by itself in warm conditions and exceptional in cold conditions, extending the warmth of a lightweight down bag.

Ben and Lauren have also discussed sleep system ratings with Dean Woodall from Sea to Summit on the Snowys Camping Show podcast. Tune in here:

Which Sleep System is Right For Me?

Camping

If you’re after a mat that you can chuck into the car for that weekend away, there are both air-filled and self-inflating options for general car camping.

You can have the best camping mat in the world, but if you pair it with a dodgy sleeping bag (or vice-versa), you’re still likely to feel unsatisfied. Here are Snowys’ top picks for the ideal Sea to Summit ‘sleep system’, covering compact gear to see you through camping trips, the odd hiking adventure, and something specifically for camping and general comfort.

Mats

Our top STS mats for car camping:

The Comfort Light SI Sleeping Mat – a good choice for campers who do the occasional overnight hike as well. Tapered, 5cm thick, self-inflating, and available in small, regular, and large.

The Camp Plus SI Sleeping Mat – for campers wanting a well-insulated mat with a durable surface fabric. Available in regular and large, both tapered and rectangle, 7.5cm thick, and self-inflating.

The Comfort Plus SI Sleeping Mat – for a bit more luxury, this choice is 8cm thick, self-inflating, and insulated. It’s available in regular and large, both Tapered and Rectangle, as well as Double and the slightly different air-sprung model that Ben mentions.

Sleep Systems

Below is a car camping/overnight hiking hybrid system for a compact and lightweight option that crosses between the two activities.

The Aeros Premium Pillow – available in RegularLarge, and Deluxe.

The Trek Tk Sleeping Bag – available with comfort ratings of 5°C-1°C-6°C, and women’s specific Journey Sleeping Bag in -1°C and -8°C.

The Comfort Light SI Sleeping Mat – includes air-sprungwomen’s specific models.

The comfortable, easy-care pick for general car camping:

The Foamcore Pillow – available in RegularLarge, and Deluxe.

The Quest Qu Women’s Sleeping Bag – tapered rectangle, synthetic WaveLoft fill, and available with a comfort rating of 3°C and -1°C, in both regular and long sizes. The Trailhead unisex version is available in 5°C and -1°C, plus a bunch of size variations.

The Camp Plus SI Sleeping Mat.

Two campers in a lightweight tent, rugged up in sleeping bags and beanies on a cloudy day.

Our top picks for the ideal ‘sleep system’ cover compact gear to see you through camping trips, the odd hiking adventure, and something specifically for camping and general comfort. Image: Sea to Summit

Hiking

Alrighty hikers, let’s get down to business! This is where gram-counting and pack size are important, but so are comfort and insulation – especially for those cold nights. The type of hiker you are will determine which areas you need to prioritise.

If you’re pretty extreme with your adventures, then you’re going to want high-end gear from which you can demand the most. If you’re not quite so hardcore and want something more affordable without sacrificing that STS quality, then here are our sleep system picks for both kinds of trailblazers.

Mats

Air sprung cell or self-inflating, insulated or no insulation, unisex or women’s specific? Here’s our pick of Sea to Summit mats for hikers.

Ultralight Insulated – available in our best-selling air-sprung, as well as a self-inflating version. These are lightweight, slightly tapered, and available in a range of sizes.

The Comfort Light range – these offer a bit of extra thickness and the self-inflating option provides a good weight, pack size, and comfort ratio. Here’s the air-sprung version and also, the women’s specific in both self-inflating and air-sprung cell.

Ether Light mats – for the very best balance in weight, size, and comfort. These are in a range of sizes and shapes, but all are air-sprung and 10cm thick.

Sleep Systems

For the hiker wanting ultralight and compact gear, with maximum comfort.

Aeros Premium Pillow Regular – packs down to an incredibly small size, yet still offers comfort and support.

The Spark SP2 Sleeping Bag – down fill, mummy-shaped, and available in both regular and long for comfort levels of 14°C9°C4°C-2°C, and -8°C. There’s also the Ember Quilt series for the gram-counter extraordinaire!

The Ether Light XT Sleeping Mat – for a super compact and lightweight system.

For the general all-round hiker that wants awesome quality and isn’t fussed by a bit of extra weight or pack size.

Aeros Ultralight Pillow – inflatable with internal baffles to cradle your head.

The Ascent Sleeping Bag – down fill, tapered rectangle, and available in two sizes for comfort ratings of 2°C−4 °C, and −11 °C. Or, the Altitude women’s specific version, −4 °C and −10 °C.

Ultra Light SI Hiking Mat – Our pick for the general hiker.

A man sitting on a yellow sleep mat on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean.

If you’re a pretty extreme adventurer, you’re going to want high-end gear from which you can demand the most. Image: Sea to Summit

4WDing

STS has built a solid reputation around their ultralight gear, so it might come as a surprise that we reckon there’s a few key pieces that are perfect for off-road touring. There are three important components to a decent sleep system – your pillow, your sleeping bag, and your mat. So, what’s our pick for 4WDing?

Mats

Comfort Plus SI – for the compact 4WDer, this one crosses over from general camping to offer the best of both.

Camp Plus SI – another versatile mat that is suitable for both camping and 4WDing. This is a really durable choice.

Comfort DLX SI – available in three sizes, Regular Wide, Large Wide, and Double. These mats have a much larger pack size compared to the other two but are the crème de la crème in 4WD luxury.

Sleep Systems

If you’ve got a beefed-up rig but need to keep your gear weight and size down for touring.

The Aeros Down Pillow Deluxe – an air-filled premium pillow that will cradle your head with down-filled baffles stitched into the cushioned top.

Amplitude Sleeping Bag – a down-filled warmer option that’s available in three comfort ratings,  2°C−8°C, and Double −8°C options.

Comfort Plus SI – compact, self-inflating, 8cm thick, and insulated. The Tapered version is great for fitting the whole family into one tent, or it’s also available in Rectangle, and Double.

There we have it, folks! That’s a round-up of our ‘Snowys Pick’ from the Sea to Summit range. No matter whether you’re a male or female, warm sleeper or cold sleeper, ultra-lightweight hiker or heavy-duty 4WD tourer, big-spender or on a tight budget, there’s a mat and sleep system to keep you comfortable on your camping, hiking, or 4WDing adventures.

Tell us about your sleeping system and what you would like to improve. We can help.