Sea To Summit Comfort Deluxe Review

Bottom Line

The Sea To Summit Comfort Deluxe LW sits near the top of our list of the best camping mattresses. It lives up to its name as a plush, supportive sleeping mattress with top-tier durability. This one is Senior Gear Analyst Ian Krammer’s go-to mattress for base camping, thanks to its excellent support and cushioning. After more than 80 nights crashing on the Deluxe LW, we find the thick foam padding offers excellent warmth and resilience for year-round camping, road trips, and beyond without losing its shape or comfort.

The ultra-soft top fabric is a dream for comfort. Inflation and deflation are quick thanks to its self-inflating design, and we love the simplicity of the single, all-in-one valve. Sea to Summit includes a pillow-lock system that works with Sea to Summit pillows and prevents them from sliding around in the night. Spacious dimensions all but guarantee a restful sleep, and its slightly narrower packed size makes storage easy in a trunk or gear closet.

That said, the all-in-one valve can be a bit finicky. Also, Sea To Summit doesn’t include a pump sack with this model – though it’s fairly fast to self-inflate. The width is a bit narrower than competitive mattresses, too. We find the carrying case is a bit awkward to carry, as there’s no included shoulder strap, and it’s on the heavy side compared to similar pads. That said, this mattress is an outstanding option for comfort and durability, and it’s worth every penny for years of solid sleep under the stars.

Comfort

The Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe LW offers a luxuriously soft sleep surface that we look forward to after a long day of playing outside. Gear Analyst Ian Krammer immediately fell in love with this pad, thanks to its ultra comfy exterior fabric. It feels smooth and cool against the skin and doesn’t snag on base layers. Ian has kept this mattress in his rotation for sleeping in the car and offering guests a comfortable bed because it’s so versatile, durable, and comfortable.

The Comfort Deluxe’s thick foam padding gives sleepers top-tier cushioning, alleviating pressure points whether you’re a belly, side, or back sleeper. The internal structure offers excellent support, and at 4 inches thick, this mattress is every bit as comfy as our mattresses at home with no bottoming out. While it comes in a Regular size, we recommend the Long Wide version if you have the tent or car space for maximum room to spread out, toss, and turn.

We especially love that the pad is compatible with Sea to Summit pillows. There’s an area on top of the mattress to attach hook-and-loop patches to keep a pillow locked in place when tossing and turning, so it won’t slide around in the night. We highly recommend Sea To Summit’s pillows, too – in fact, two models ranked on our best camping pillows list for their outstanding comfort and head support – both work with the Comfort Deluxe. 

That said, this mattress is a bit narrower than most – 29 inches compared with 30 inches for most mattresses in our review. This is a small difference that most folks won’t notice, but if you want the absolute maximum amount of space, this one comes up a tiny bit short. Still, we find it’s great for spreading out and more than wide enough to accommodate pillows from home.

Ease of Use

Setting up the Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe LW is straightforward. Its carrying case has a webbing feature on the outside as well as a simple handle for easy carrying from vehicle to campsite. We also appreciate the simplicity of the valve on this model. It’s an all-in-one, so there’s only one nozzle for inflation, fine-tuning, and deflation, which reduces potential failure points.

The self-inflation feature means we simply were able to unroll the pad and open the valve, drawing in air and slowly allowing the pad to inflate while we set up our tent and camp kitchen. It took around ten minutes for the mattress to fill up most of the way – then around 6 to 8 breaths to finish inflating it. A small orange button allows campers to deflate small amounts of air to dial in the perfect firmness.

Our biggest complaint comes down to the valve. We love its straight-forward design, but with two covers nestled in the same spot, both are prone to popping out if we aren’t careful. This meant we had to pay close attention when separating the outer cap from the inner cap. During testing, we regularly pulled out both caps, releasing way more air than we wanted. It’s certainly not a dealbreaker, but it was an annoying issue when trying to adjust the mattress pressure in the middle of the night.

Also, Sea to Summit does not include a pump sack with this model – which would help with faster inflation. This reduced its ease of use score. The lack of a pump sack isn’t a dealbreaker for us since the mattress self-inflates 90% of the way. That said, even minor moisture can gradually build up in the mattress – mostly from breath – leading to mold and internal damage over time. Sea To Summit does sell a separate Dry Sack Pump, but it’s a fairly pricey addition, so we’d like to see a pump sack included in future versions.

Warmth

The Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe LW has you covered for year-round camping, even when temperatures drop way below freezing. With an impressive R-value of 6.5, it kept us cool on cold nights of testing. Pairing the mattress with a warm sleeping bag, Gear Analyst Ian Krammer has slept on the Comfort Deluxe down to 10°F in the central Utah desert and stayed toasty warm. 

The thick foam construction helps prevent the loss of body heat. The durable and well-designed mattress ensures that it stays warm and functional, no matter how many times it’s used – Ian’s slept on his constantly for over a year, and it continues to provide the  cozy warmth needed for a restful sleep.

It’s worth noting that this 6.5 R-Value is high and more than what most campers will need, but it’s in the middle on our camping mattresses list. If you sleep very cold or are heading into temps below 10°F, consider warmer options like the Exped MegaMat or HEST Foamy with R-Values of 8+.

Packed Size

At 31 inches long, the Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe LW is average length compared to the competition. Bu, it’s only 29 inches wide – an inch narrower than most full-size camping mattresses we reviewed. Ian has kept reaching for the Comfort Dleuxe simply because it leaves a bit more space for bulky items like a cooler, firewood, or a duffel bag of gear.

This mattress is one of the heaviest on our list, too, at 5 pounds, 13.3 ounces. However, this is a negligible weight – we find it’s very easy to transport. We appreciate that the carrying case is spacious enough to fit the rolled-up mattress inside without a battle, and the case has a nylon cord along its length to keep its size as slim as possible. Although there’s no shoulder strap, it does have a small handle on one end for carrying it vertically. We’ve never had an issue schlepping the Comfort Deluxe back and forth once it’s packed up.

Should You Buy the Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe?

The Sea to Summit Comfort Deluxe LW is an awesome all-around choice for car campers who want comfort, durability, and warmth. Its self-inflating design and generous dimensions make it perfect for those seeking a spacious sleep surface during extended camping trips or festival stays. It’s warm enough for all but the absolute coldest climates. We’re confident you’ll love this model if you sleep in a car or on a cot, thanks to the luxury of the cushy foam and soft outer material. The Comfort Deluxe should last for hundreds of nights of sleep under the stars.

However, the Comfort Deluxe may not be the best choice for those who want a super fast setup or a more nuanced valve design. We find the self-inflation process is a bit slower without a pump sack. Testing revealed the all-in-one valve can be a bit cumbersome to adjust. The pad is also a bit heavier than others, and its carrying case is awkward without a shoulder strap. However, these are minor issues. The Comfort Deluxe is a great choice for most campers looking for a comfortable, long-lasting mattress.

What Other Camping Mattresses Should You Consider?

Head over to our guide to the best camping mattresses to find alternatives: 

Exped Megamat Review: The MegaMat costs about the same and has a similar weight to the Comfort Deluxe. Thanks to a higher R-value, it’s warmer, and testing shows it’s slightly more durable. 

REI Camp Dreamer XL Review: The Camp Dreamer XL matches the Comfort Deluxe for warmth and dimensions. It packs longer and weighs more, but you’ll pay much less for it. 

Therm-A-Rest MondoKing 3D XXL Review: The MondoKing 3D XXL offers similar comfort and ease of use as the Comfort Deluxe. It’s a bit pricier, slightly warmer, and even thicker.