Best Sleeping Pads · head-to-head

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT is cheaper at $175.94. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT or Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT is the cheaper at $175.94.

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Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated
US price $175.94 $199
BrandTherm-a-RestSea to Summit
Released
R value 4.5 3.2
Pad type air air
Weight grams 370 490
Thickness (cm) 7.6 10
Dimensions (cm) 183 x 51 cm 183 x 55
Packed size (cm) 23 x 10 cm 24 x 11
Insulation type reflective-film synthetic-fill
Inflation type pump-sack pump-sack
Shell denier 30 30
Shape tapered mummy

Sources — Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT: cascadedesigns.com (verified 2026-07-11). Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated: seatosummit.com (verified 2026-07-11).

What's the difference between the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT and Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (7 of 10). Matching specs are omitted.

  • R value: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT 4.5 vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated 3.2
  • Weight grams: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT 370 vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated 490
  • Thickness (cm): Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT 7.6 vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated 10
  • Dimensions (cm): Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT 183 x 51 cm vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated 183 x 55
  • Packed size (cm): Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT 23 x 10 cm vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated 24 x 11
  • Insulation type: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT reflective-film vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated synthetic-fill
  • Shape: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT tapered vs Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated mummy

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT

Three whitelisted testers (CleverHiker, Switchback Travel, GearJunkie) field-tested the NeoAir XLite NXT and rate it a top ultralight three-season pad: 4.5 R-value at ~13 oz, highly packable (about a 1L Nalgene), and far quieter than the crinkly older XLite. All three flag the premium price. CleverHiker and GearJunkie also knock the pump sack; Switchback flags stiff, slippery baffles with slide-off and temperature-shift deflation. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)

Praised: Excellent warmth-to-weight ratio (4.5 R-value at ~13 oz); Much quieter than the previous crinkly XLite; Highly packable / compact (about a 1L Nalgene).

Flagged: Expensive / premium price; Pump sack mediocre — bulky and not the easiest to use; Stiff, slippery baffles; can slide off; temp-shift deflation.

Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated

No sourced tester review yet.

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