Therm-a-Rest - Z Lite Series
Models:
Z Lite Sol
Z Lite Original
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Aug 27, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
22
8
"I've slept on frozen ground with an air temp of 10⁰f and humidity of 90% (pacific northwest at sea level) with just the Z Rest under me, in my clothes with a light weight patrol bag and was comfortable for the few hours I had."
"Works great for sleeping on snow for me. ... I go to 5-10F and the limiting factor is my sleeping bag."
"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."
11
0
"it's puncture proof."
"my OG zlite has been through a lot over the years - it ’s beat up but still in service"
"never leaks or pops ... never needs to be patched"
9
0
"doubles as a luxury sit pad ... doubles as a framesheet for frameless packs ... doubles as a yoga mat for stretching out"
"During the day, it ’s a sit pad and at night it’s her bed."
"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."
7
7
"They’re much better for side sleepers"
"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."
"Im a side sleeper and after a while it is awesome."
11
1
"It’s 100% packable because you keep it outside your pack (ideal for lunch breaks) and it’s folded up."
"Reason I use it is it's easy to quickly deploy and pack up."
"it adds just a little more comfort for a low weight penalty. Both pads together weigh 9 oz."
Disliked most:
6
14
"My setup as of last year's season is a Therm-A-Rest Z Lite Sol underneath the Big Agnes Rapide SL inflatable pad (standard length, wide width). But this current setup isn't working very well, either. ... On some nights I found myself waking up with a leg or two numb on some nights because of some position that had me cutting off circulation. ... I also prefer to sleep on my stomach, and I haven't figured out a backcountry pillow option that's flat enough to keep my neck at a comfortable angle without being non-existent, as sleeping directly on my arms puts them numb too."
"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."
"The Goodnight Eva interacts with rocks and lumps differently than the zsolite, because their difference in stiffness. I assumed it would make for a worse sleeping experience with G. EVA, compared to the zsolite. But it turned out to be the opposite."
14
12
"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
4
"Completely agree with you."
"It's bulky"
"Downside is the bulk"
0
1
"Ime the reflective layer wears pretty fast ... I think it's mostly just hype"
0
2
"Ime the reflective layer wears pretty fast ... I think it's mostly just hype"
"that makes the pad less slippery than using the Z Lite in its recommended reflective up state."
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