Therm-a-Rest - Z Lite Original
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Based on 1 year's data from Jan 28, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
1745
682
"and for me they don't fall out."
"I use it literally 18 hours or more a day and I can personally say, they don't hurt my earholes. ... They stayed on even after a 3 hour nap in bed, lying down."
"With regard to ear size, the hooks are highly adjustable. ... For me, they are just so comfortable ... because of the ear hooks you don't have to jam the tips in your ears. Really makes a difference in terms of comfort, for me at least. ... I lost mine recently and after trying 4 other kinds of buds, I ended up returning all of them and just going back to the X20s."
241
1
"I use it a ton for roasting peppers along with daily for everything else."
"What I love about our oven vs. the air fryer is the amount of space the oven offers. Rotisserie chicken, 4 baked potatoes, pizza, evenly cooked tenderloin with a broil setting that can provide a crust."
"just for hiking and trail rubbing ... Personally I wore them for my ultra."
20
4
"never leaks or pops ... never needs to be patched"
"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."
41
10
"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."
"ON TOP of your inflatable pad and not below it. ... placing the ccf pad on top of the inflatable pad created a warmer environment in cold temps. ... I started using that same method a few years ago during a February hike on the AT and found it much better than the other way around."
"The warmest is the Thermarest Ridgerest ... I've slept on ice in the alps with CCF mats."
14
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:
78
115
"Me too. And I use Apple Airpods. $$$$$"
"$179 is pretty nuts. ... As long as people keep buying them and paying the esports tax, they're gonna keep selling them at this crazy price. ... The G305 feels really similar, but at 1/3 the price. ... I don't truely understand why the G pro light is all the rage. ... I used a G pro for a week, and while it did feel very smooth and responsive, I also had a G305 that felt very similar."
"overpriced and don't ever prove the price difference in sound over the az100."
7
27
"it is a motherfucker to roll back it will never be as small as the packaging"
"not worth it for the sheer size of the Foodi. It's a beast and very heavy. ... Yeah this is the same reason I don't really use my Foodi."
"that thing is so bulky and sits in the cabinet below the counter, I want to keep keep one on the counter…."
155
105
"found it to be the equivalent warmth of the insulated static v plus my ccf, and even pairing the etherlight extreme with a ccf, and having it fully inflated wasn’t nearly enough for sleeping on frozen ground or snow."
"I've got three nights on it so far in temperatures ranging from upper 30s to mid 40s and I have been cold on it every night. ... It wasn't freezing, but it was noticeably cool and feels like an accurate R-value would be significantly lower. ... That night the pad felt a little colder than my nights on the Neoloft have been, but not by much."
"too cold for what they said it was"
0
11
"Terrible for going on walks etc. ... It’s a pretty rough ride over anything but very smooth pavement ... it can barely handle the grass in my front yard ... it will definitely be a rough go in snow and mud"
"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."
1
6
"in the end it was heavy and not worth it for me when camping"
"That's certainly heavier than the Thermarest"
"Just for clarity, the 5R is not under a pound. It's 1lb, 4oz (regular size)."
voidelemental 1.0the 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
it's still bright blue/yellow
yeah, I'm talking about the opposite side
Agerak 0.4Most 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.
AliveAndThenSome 0.4We 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.
ants_taste_great 0.4Z lite. Only about $50 and works great even in wet weather.
AskYoYoMa 0.4Second this. Ridgerest or zlite closed cell foam pads are great for kids and actually pretty comfortable and sturdy.
beltlevel 0.4What's your budget? From the lowest to the highest cost, here are some options: - layers of cardboard - plarn mat (requires time, grocery bags, plus skill in hand or hook crochet. I whittled my hook and tbh still have it). There are YouTube tutorials if you wish to make one. - second hand yoga mats plus a piece of mylar/survival blanket - second hand closed cell foam camping pads - second hand insulated inflatable camping pads - Walmart closed cell foam pads - new closed cell foam pads like a thermorest z lite - new insulated inflatable sleeping pads Have your tarp go under the mat and leave enough to drape over yourself as well. If you're not interested in buying a low profile bivy, duct tape and a tarp work well. Good luck friend. I've been there.
Cavalleria-rusticana 0.4CCFs are almost always strapped on the outside of the pack, no matter the camper, and can also be used in canoes as a seat padding or knee padding. Nothing to be done if the requirements prevent it (I imagine to keep some kids from bringing way too many creature comforts), but I'd argue it's probably one of the most essential pieces of comfort gear in canoe camping. The folding accordion style of the Z-lite is the usual favourite, but there is also the rollable Ridgerest-style. You won't regret getting one for yourself :)
chrisr323 0.4Careful about buying used zlites/switchbacks. Eggcrate style CCF pads do have a lifespan, will lose their supportiveness over time, and it's hard to tell via pics. The seller might not even realize that it's lost its supportiveness, since it happens slowly over time. Personally, I wouldn't buy a used eggcrate style CCF pad I can't touch and feel, even from a reputable, standup seller.
dinhertime_9 0.4agree with first paragraph but you don't always need extra gear to protect, just be careful (something-something skills and all). if you can get past that, the small pack size is a big draw for me i do miss the simplicity of my zlite. maybe i should call her
extremepedestrian 0.4I'd never talk you out of that, maybe only to upgrade the 1/8 to a torso length z-lite (my 1/8 shredded just looking at it). I only have my inflatable shipped out tome in the colder months. I love it. I love plopping down for a nap anywhere!
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