Sea to Summit has built its name on lightweight, user-friendly gear for people who spend a lot of time outdoors. Designed in Australia and tested in serious conditions, their kit consistently balances clever engineering with real-world performance.
The system I tested consists of the Ether Light XR Pro Insulated ASC Mat, Spark Women’s -9 °C Down Sleeping Bag, Reactor Fleece Liner, and the Aeros Down Pillow. Obviously, you can fine tune your own systems for warmth, weight, or whatever your unique needs might be.
The day my gear arrived I was so excited I camped out on the kitchen floor that night to test it. I thought I might give up and retire to my actual bed at some point, but I was comfortable enough I wasn’t tempted. (And yes, it performs just as well camped out in the Blue Mountains as it did at home.)
Let’s break it down.
Ether Light XR Pro Mat (Regular)
RRP $349.99
This mat uses Air Sprung Cell technology to create a mattress-like feel without bulk. It’s a plush 10cm thick but still impressively light and compact at just 560g for the regular. The legit downside of such a good mattress is that it makes lie-ins tempting (and alpine starts even harder).
It has an impressive R-value of 7.4 (ASTM standard). For those new to (or befuddled by) the notion of the R-value, it stands for thermal resistance—the R-value basically tells you how much it protects you from cold seeping up from the ground. What does this mean in practice? A 7.4 R-value means it’ll handle camping in basically any conditions you can find in Australian, including on the snow.
Spark Women’s -9 °C Down Sleeping Bag (Regular)
RRP $799.99
Don’t be fooled by the weight—just 730g (slightly more packed)—this sleeping bag is serious about warmth. With 850+ Ultra-Dry Down, a snug women’s-specific cut, and a draft collar + tube system, it punches above its size in cold, damp conditions. The Ultra-Dry Down is treated so it resists the effect moisture has on down. This is a godsend, especially for multi-day trips in poor conditions, where overnight condensation in the tent can lead to damp gear with limited options to dry things out. The shell is light but tough, with a PFC-free DWR to handle tent condensation and alpine moisture. The tapered mummy shape traps heat efficiently, and the hood cinches comfortably for zero dead space.
Reactor Fleece Liner
RRP $149.99
Perfect for extending your sleep system into colder conditions while keeping your down bag clean. It can be hard to judge exactly how much warmth a liner adds, but I sleep (very) cold and this set up had me more than cosy in subzero temps. Full disclosure, I was dubious about the drawcord at the feet—Why would you undo it and make your toes even colder at night? Wouldn’t it be super awkward to adjust it during the night if you overheated anyway? But, okay, there is a point: pulling it in tighter round your tootsies traps heat and keeps warmth in, and if you undo the drawcord completely and stick your feet through you can wear it around camp like a toasty tube. I was dubious about the shoulder zips too… As a dedicated gram-counter, I wondered if the extra weight was worth it. But, not gunna lie, they were super convenient.
Aeros Down Pillow (Regular)
RRP $99.99
I’ve tried a lot of inflatable pillows that are far too much like resting my head on an inflatable toy—no matter how soft the fabric it’s wrapped in is, it hurts my ears to be squashed against it all night. But this one is topped with real down, along with a soft fabric cover, and it’s a game changer for me—actually comfortable and no more sore ears. The down means it’s warm as well. At just 70g, it’s a luxury that’s easy to justify. The Pillow Lock system keeps it from sliding off your mat too. With previous set-ups I always needed to shove my pillow into the sleeping bag hood to try to keep it in place… a reasonable solution, but one that needed to be readjusted every time I rolled over. The Pillow Lock system is just four small stick-on patches you pop at the top of the mat, they’re slightly rough, but that’s enough to hold the pillow in place.
Final word
Individually, each piece stands out. Together, they form a sleep system that’s greater than the sum of its parts. It is wonderfully lightweight and supersedes far heavier systems in comfort. The only element that could give one pause is the cost. Buying all the components is a solid investment, but if you have the cash and spend time outdoors in cold places, it’s a worthy investment for excellent gear that lasts the distance.
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