Z Lite Series

So I’m always a simple foam pad sleeper when I backpack/camp, or even I use the same foam pad when I’m on a cot, it’s a basic super thin roll up or fold up therma rest foam pad and I’ve tried self inflating pads of the same thickness but hated them. TRIED a friends who had this sugar lake pad, and I was blown away…. Wayyyyyy more comfy than my pad.. so now I wanna see if I can find something just like this, but perhaps in muted colours? No blue, green colours or brown preferably, if it is the same size as a roll up foam pad or only slightly bigger than like a therma rest folding pad that would be ideal, -rhapsody does t need to be as big as this sugar lake pad, but if it is… I won’t complain… Please save my back 🙏

—-Therm-a-Rest Z Lite camping mat —-One Tigris Down camp blanket —-Helikon Tex Swagman —-Mil Surp US GI Poncho or a British Basha is better —-Mil surp US GI bivy sack This is about as light and compact that will keep you warm and cumfy down to about 10 degrees from my experiences Edit: forgot the bivy sack !

Z Lite or Nemo Switchback

Not OP but If it’s above like 40 nothing. I am warm down to 20 on a torso length switchback with my feet legs on my pack and very importantly a sit pad in the footbox of my quilt.

Mine is just below my butt. I did start with 8 and realize it was unnecessary, so I folded the top couple so it was 3 thick near my head and effectively 6 panels long and felt no difference. I do understand I sleep warm so I cannot recommend sleeping down to 20 on a torso length switchback without at least having a backup inflatable for a trip or two.

I've been camping before sleeping quilts were a thing. I'm a combo back and side sleeper but not wriggly. Once I find a comfortable position, I tend to stay in it for most of the night. That said, I "discovered" that unzipping my sleeping bag and draping it over me was typically much more comfortable than being sealed inside it and it was just as warm. The reason I'd consider getting a sleeping bag and using it like a quilt, instead of getting a quilt, is that you have the benefit of the sleeping bag hood and you'll likely have learned that you lose a lot of heat through your head so preserving it helps retain warmth if you're planning to camp in cool to cold temps. Consider this: If you're a left side sleeper, get a right-zip sleeping bag. Then, when you unzip it and rearrange it to be over you, you'll have the hood aligned with your head and the straight part of the bag lined up against your back. The rest of the bag is spread out in front of you so you can move your arms and legs without restriction and still be completely covered. If you sleep on your right side, you'd want a left-zip bag. Just a consideration. The rest of your kit looks solid. You might consider using only the thermarest z-rest for warmer temps because it's quite effective at both cushioning and ground insulation, and in cooler temps when you'd want the neoloft, a thinner simple closed cell foam mat with heat reflective material like reflectix, to save space and weight if that's a priority. But reflective material regardless will help reflect radiant heat back to you. Thermarest makes a winter camping version of their inflatables with reflective mylar adhered to the internal baffles. I'm told by someone who sleeps cold that it really does make a difference.

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.

I used it in the military. Assuming you're talking about the brown Z-fold "Iso Mat"? It's not that heavy. We'd wrap our tarps around it so both can be laid down quickly to bivouac. The military uses these because: - Air pads simply squish down and contact the ground at the point of most force (usually your shoulder or butt). And they pop. - Z-fold because rolling foam stresses the material and damages more quickly over time. I prefer these over the "egg-carton" z-folds because of the smooth surface.

If you get a thicker air pad, remember to only inflate it enough to keep you from bottoming out on any of your pressure points; do not inflate it fully, as it'll be much firmer than any normal mattress. Also, I sleep with the head end of my pad elevated 3-4 (or more) inches by putting my pack and other stuff underneath the pad. I find this way more comfortable that being completely flat. Also, we set up our tent on a gentle slope, maybe 1-2" higher on the head end as well. Lastly, we put our ZLites on top of our air mattress, secured using pad straps (we sleep with a quilt). This adds more warmth, and it seems more comfortable and less noisy. Put the shiny/silver side up, as the yellow/colored side is stickier and will adhere better to your air pad underneath.