Therm-a-Rest - Z Lite Original
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Last updated: Dec 10, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
9
8
"As a side sleeper and getting up in age the extra weight and space is more than worth it for me. ... And as a side sleeper it helps my lean frame get extra padding."
"I can even sleep on my side without hip pain."
"I also side sleep on it. I'm not claiming that it's as comfortable as an inflatable. I only claim that it is sufficiently comfortable."
8
0
"doubles as a luxury sit pad ... doubles as a framesheet for frameless packs ... doubles as a yoga mat for stretching out"
"can double as a seat pad in most environments ... can also be used in canoes as a seat padding or knee padding."
"If however I might end up on rocky ground or am climbing something where a bivy isn't intended, but is a possibility I bring my z-lite as I can use it anywhere."
14
1
"I've been using the same one for almost twenty years and it still works great."
"my OG zlite has been through a lot over the years - it ’s beat up but still in service"
"If you really want to prevent these sort of punctures, you honestly need a Z-Lite or equivalent CCF pad underneath. ... durability for use as a sit pad & ground protection is probably >100 times greater than the 1/8". ... In my opinion to protect from punctures you really only need a torso length section since that is where all your weight is going when sleeping on the pad and sitting up on it."
22
6
"The combined R value is 5.3. ... I’m often in Ventana Wilderness and the Sierra and that includes high Sierra in the winter sleeping on snow. ... It’s definitely warm enough insulation for me and comfortable so I get descent sleep."
"Layering a closed cell pad like a Z Lite would keep you much warmer"
"Also with the z light if the inflatable pops a hole I'm still good."
12
2
"Reason I use it is it's easy to quickly deploy and pack up."
"It’s 100% packable because you keep it outside your pack (ideal for lunch breaks) and it’s folded up."
"The Z-lite is 350 grams / 12.4 ounces. ... As far as storage, you can strap this outside your pack and don't have to worry about scraping up against rocks/branches."
Disliked most:
3
1
"a bit more pricey"
20
9
"its too cold it too cold!"
"Whereas a z-lite weighs 14oz and has a R value of 2. Even if we assume that foam pads perform above their stated r value you would still need multiple to match the warmth of a single inflatable. ... I know when I had first gotten my sulo I took it down to 22F on snow with just a nemo switchback because that's all I owned and could very easily feel the cold from the pad"
"Also with such little R value you might want to wait till summer to try it."
0
7
"I tried laying on it on the carpet in my apt and it’s so uncomfortable I couldn’t sleep on it unless it was an emergency"
"I tried laying on it on the carpet in my apt and it’s so uncomfortable I couldn’t sleep on it unless it was an emergency"
"Sleeping on a Z-Lite was a no-brainer, and I was comfortable on it. Now, I'm tickling the upper limit of the normal weight range, I have to arrange my legs in a certain way to avoid knee pain, have one shoulder prone for a nerve getting pinched, and one elbow that won't go straight."
0
1
"in the end it was heavy and not worth it for me when camping"
I’ bought a cheap AliExpress knockoff of a thermasest z-lite and it broke at a folding seam first freezing snow camping.. my OG zlite has been through a lot over the years - it’s beat up but still in service
r/Ultralight • Is it worth to by the Thermarest Z Lite SOL ->the Walmart one is fine unless you're trying to stay away from bright colored/reflective gear in which case the original(non SOL) Z-lite is your only real option
r/Ultralight • Are the Z-Lite sleeping pads worth it? Or an Ozark Trail will just do the job? ->it's still bright blue/yellow
r/Ultralight • Are the Z-Lite sleeping pads worth it? Or an Ozark Trail will just do the job? ->yeah, I'm talking about the opposite side
r/Ultralight • Are the Z-Lite sleeping pads worth it? Or an Ozark Trail will just do the job? ->Thermarest. I still have the original made in the eighties
r/CampingGear • Sleeping Pad on REI recommendation? ->I've had thermarest since their inception. Great product
r/camping • What's the brand of the self-inflating mattresses that people swear by? ->I just got 7 hrs sleep on a z-lite at home. But it has taken me weeks to get used to it! Also with such little R value you might want to wait till summer to try it. I'm in my 60's so I kinda took it as a challenge to be ABLE to do it after seeing a couple older than me sleep all night on a ridgerest in a shelter.
r/Ultralight • 1/8th inch pad experience? ->i'm planning to use a ccf thermarest zlite pad with my inflatable mostly for extra warmth as i'm starting early march. it also doubles as a sit pad.
r/AppalachianTrail • Do you need to put a mat under an inflatable sleeping pad? ->and the nice thing is, if the inflatable were to pop then you can still sleep on the ccf. I spent a whole decade of camping sleeping only on ccf pads, not the most comfortable but it gets the job done.
r/AppalachianTrail • Do you need to put a mat under an inflatable sleeping pad? ->Most closed cell foam pads will be lower R value but can easily get 2 to reach about the same. They tend to not be as comfortable though. Thermarest Z lite has been one of the better that I've seen, but most closed cell foam pads are about the same. I'd make sure to check the dimensions so that they work with you/your pack system.
r/camping • Folding sleeping mat recommendations? ->Z-Lite (6 panels) with an 1/8in ccf pad from atom packs underneath. I figure this comes to an r-value of about 3, fine for me down to about 2C. I sleep in some smartwool merino leggings to keep my legs warmer as they’re off the end of the foam pads. All of this coupled with good site selection on thick grass or pine needles under some tree cover to help with trapping some heat around the tent and I’m comfortable. Different story in winter.
r/Ultralight • Switching to foam pad ->We have a similar setup, but my wife and I share a double sized down quilt (EE Accomplice) on two air pads and our dog has his cut down ZLite and synthetic Kifaru woobie. Our dog (heeler) is about 40lbs. We are vigilant to keep him from getting on our uncovered air pads. Our quilt more or less covers our two pads, so it adds a layer of protection, but we insist that he stays in his ZLite as much as possible. We've gone out dozens of times and only lost a pad once when he was young and tried to bolt after a goat.
r/Ultralight • Dog & human sleep system recommendations ->Z lite. Only about $50 and works great even in wet weather.
r/camping • Camping question about foam ->That's still not true though. An X-therm weighs 16oz and has a R value of 7.3. Whereas a z-lite weighs 14oz and has a R value of 2. Even if we assume that foam pads perform above their stated r value you would still need multiple to match the warmth of a single inflatable.
r/Ultralight • Winter sleeping mat ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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