G'day Brett,

Thanks for getting in touch, we do get a lot of this type of question so luckily we're prepared! If your first priority is comfort, then I would say the Comfort Light SI is going to ticket that box, with it's 5cm of thickness, over the 3.8cm of the Prolite Plus. In terms of Robustness, the Prolite Plus is a little more robust with 50Denier fabric, versus 30Denier on the Comfort Light however, the valve system is possibly slightly less robust. In terms of R-value, the design of the cores that are cut out of the foam on the Comfort Light SI leads to a lower weight, smaller packed size, but also a slightly lower R-value, when compared to other mats of 5cm thickness. A better direct comparison for the Prolite Plus would be the Camp Mat SI which has slightly more robust fabrics that the Prolite Plus, and a slightly higher R-value. Overall you probably won't find that the R-value is going to influence you much in Australia unless you plan to snow camp, so removing that from the equation, you listed your first priority as comfort, so I would recommend the Comfort Light SI for that reason. You'll likely find the Thermarest isn't really much of an upgrade from your current 3cm thickness. 

G'day Bella,

Not a worry, happy to help. I'd say for you, either go for the Comfort Light SI with the 5cm thickness or go for one of the dual-layer air-filled insulated mats. The Ultralight Insulated Women's mat is a good choice, but it is only a single layer design, so if you did happen to have an accidental overnight puncture, you'll wake up on the ground. The Comfort Light Insulated Women's mat is a pretty good choice, as it has plenty of depth, as well as a dual-layer between the shoulder and hip. I've recently upgraded to this model, and I think it's pretty ace. Having a fall back layer in case of puncture is a handy feature. In terms of the noise - I can't I personally notice it, because I'm asleep, however, if you're a really light sleeper, or are likely to be walking with a light sleeper then maybe the Ether Light XT Insulated (if you can afford it), or the Comfort Light SI might be the best option. 

G'day Bella,

You're on the right track there with the Comfort Light SI - we think it's a great option and provides a good level of comfort, for a fairly decent packed size and weight. We find that some people tend to also look at the Ultra Light SI Hiking mat for kids, as they're a bit lighter and smaller, and kids at that age generally won't notice the difference between 2.5cm and 5cm! In terms of the R-values, as long as you're not snow camping the 2.7/2.6 should suit most Australian conditions and not cause any issues for you. I'd probably rule out the Comfort Plus SI for the kids, but it might be a nice option for you depending on if you've got a mat or not? Another good way to save some size and weight is to opt for the small mat for the kids, as they will likely be able to use a shorter mat well into their teen years, and possibly adulthood (depending on genetics etc). The Thermarest Prolite Sleeping mat also sits nicely alongside these but will set you back a little more $$. 

G'day Mark.

Big question. Both the Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated and the Sea to Summit Comfort Light SI Sleeping Mat are fantastic options. In comparison, it's hard to pass up the Sea to Summit Comfort Light Insulated as it is a lighter, thicker, higher R-Value and smaller packed mat. I personally also think the air-cell mats are much comfier as they distribute body weight much more evenly. The catch with these mats though is that you need to inflate the mat yourself either with your breath or with the use of a pump available here or here. The downside is that being an air-cell mat, they can also be a touch noisy as you move on them. As a result, the upside then of the self-inflating mat is that they inflate themselves and are much quieter because of the Delta-Core foam.