Review: Pacific Outdoors Ether Thermo 6 sleeping mat

The management at the makers of the Therm-a-rest aren't sleeping very well these days. The traditional Therm-a-rest have long been the market leaders in camp beds with their designs copied all over the world. All that's set to change.

It comes down to this - why sleep on 2.5cm of comfort when for the same weight you can sleep on over twice that at 6cm?

Pacific Outdoors is just one of many companies making mats that resemble the older air bed than a self inflating mat. Consisting largely of large deep tubes filled with air you'd think you were sleeping on, well... air.

The difference now is that these are not just empty inside (however some models are). Inside is insulation that allows you to use these mats in all sorts of conditions, not just the height of summer.

The Pacific Outdoors Ether Thermo 6 is filled with a synthetic insulation keeping you warm but also allowing you to inflate the mat with your breath. Down filled versions are available (see some great mats in the exped range), which could be the most comforatable mat on the planet. The down versions however need a pump to inflate as the moisture in your breath will cause clumping in the down and bring on that cold feeling.

Back to the Ether 6. It's designed for 3 season use which means you'll be right unless you're on the snow. Here's what I like:

1. Extremely comfortable - great even directly on uneven rocks
2. Cheap - a lot cheaper than a therm-a-rest and it includes the stuff sack AND repair kit
3. Light weight - I can't sleep on a torso pad due to a major back injury so this is pretty good
4. Warm - I've never felt cold even when below freezing
5. Great packability - easier to pack than a Therm-a-rest

The only down I've really come across is that is takes quite some time to inflate by mouth. So if you can't stay awake for an extra 1 minute when you set up camp then probably the self inflating type is for you.

Highly recommended - go get one, or two.