Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite vs Sea to Summit Ultralight XR Insulated
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In short: The Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite costs $9 less; the Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite is warmer by 0.2 points of R-value; the Sea to Summit Ultralight XR Insulated saves 9.4 oz; the Sea to Summit Ultralight XR Insulated is 2.6 inches thick against 2; one is self-inflating and the other air.
| Spec | Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite | Sea to Summit Ultralight XR Insulated |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$140 | ~$149 |
| R-value | R 3.8 | R 3.6 |
| Season band | Three-season | Three-season |
| R-value standard | ASTM F3340 | ASTM F3340 |
| Weight | 1 lb 8 oz | 14.6 oz |
| R per ounce | 0.16 R/oz | 0.25 R/oz |
| Thickness | 2 in | 2.6 in |
| Pad type | self-inflating | air |
| Inflation | self-inflating | pump sack |
| Dimensions | 72 × 20 in | 72 × 22 in |
| Packed size | 11 × 6.8 in | 7 × 4 in |
| Insulation | Die-cut open-cell urethane foam | ThermalCore multi-layer film inside 151 Air Sprung Cells |
| Top fabric | 75D | 30D |
Shaded cells mark the row where one has a measurable advantage. Weight, thickness, girth and shape are left unshaded on purpose: heavier is sometimes tougher, wider is sometimes warmer, and calling a winner on those would be an opinion dressed as a measurement.
What each one does well, and costs you
Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite
- Foam core means a leak degrades the pad rather than ending the night — the single biggest argument for self-inflating over air.
- 75-denier polyester is more than twice the fabric of the ultralight air pads and shrugs off tent-floor grit.
- Inflates itself to about 80% while you set up the tent; a few breaths finishes it.
- $140 for a 3.8 R-value pad is good value next to $210 air pads with a similar rating.
- Silent. There is no film and no crinkle, which is the thing people notice first after switching from a NeoAir.
- Two inches of loft is not enough for most side sleepers; hips find the ground.
- 24 ounces and a 11 × 6.8-inch packed size are both roughly double an XLite's.
- Self-inflating is a generous description — it gets most of the way and then needs help, especially when cold.
- The foam takes a set after long storage compressed; it wants to live unrolled with the valve open.
Sea to Summit Ultralight XR Insulated
- 22 inches wide as standard while weighing 14.6 ounces — most pads this light are 20 inches.
- $149 undercuts the comparable ultralight air pads by $50 to $70.
- Air Sprung Cells give a stable, mattress-like surface rather than a rolling tube feel.
- Hybrid 30/40-denier nylon is a little tougher than the 20D and 10D fabrics used by lighter pads.
- R-value 3.6 is a mild three-season number — frosty ground wants more.
- Two and a half inches is thin next to the four-inch Ether Light and the 3.5-inch Tensors.
- Only three sizes, and no rectangular cut.