I was looking for a mat-like mattress, which is very portable, light and comfortable when I heard of the Therm a Rest Z Lite sol sleeping pad. I bought one and it didn’t disappoint.
The Therm-a-Rest Z lite sol sleeping pad is a top-class non-inflatable lightweight sleeping pad that has the ability to plicate like a squeezebox so that it can easily be strapped to the outside of your backpack.
This sleeping pad was suitable for almost all my travel journeys and so will be for yours, even if you are going fishing, river swimming, backpacking, hiking, or on any other outdoor event like these, it could be a good company for you.
- Thermal reflective barrier sends heat back to your body, increasing warmth.
- Compact Design: Folding design is compact and easy to pack.
- Extra Durable: Virtually indestructible closed-cell foam provides lasting, economical comfort.
It weighs only 14 oz. which is quite heavier than its previous model which weighs 13.3oz. Some people may attribute this increase in weight to the additional aluminium coat on this mat. But even with this increase in weight, I still consider this pad really easy to carry around. This sleeping pad is also foldable, causing a reduction in its size.
With this feature, I was able to easily strap it to my backpack, easing the difficulty I would have experienced carrying the outstretched pad. This foldable feature also gives it a secondary function which is; folding up into a comfortable sit that could be used on hard rocky surfaces and more.
This ultra-thin sleeping pad has a thickness of only 3/4 of an inch and an R-value of 2.0.
The Therm a rest z lite sol sleeping pad was built with an egg crate pattern, so, it has both elevated and depressed parts. Its depressions don’t only disperse weight and cushion the sleeper, but also trap air, which helps to insulate you from the cold ground.
It also has an aluminium surface a ‘Metalised Therma-Capture technology‘ which helps to reflect your body heat back to you, offering greater thermal efficiency when in a low-temperature environment.
- Thermal reflective barrier sends heat back to your body, increasing warmth.
- Compact Design: Folding design is compact and easy to pack.
- Extra Durable: Virtually indestructible closed-cell foam provides lasting, economical comfort.
Other Key Features of Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sleeping Pad
Temperature regulation: As mentioned earlier, this pad is built with an egg crate design. This design allows for air to be trapped in its shallow grooves helping to insulate the sleeper from the cold ground.
Aluminium surface coating: this aluminium reflector reflects heat produced by the sleeper’s body back to him or her, therefore, conserving your body’s heat.
Unique design: this pad has the ability to fold in z-shaped patterns. This ease the ‘would have been’ cumbersome packing process you would have experienced otherwise.
Durability: This pad contains long-lasting closed-cell foam that is very comfortable to lie on.
Lightweight: easy movement was in the mind of this pad designer as he or she made it weigh only 14oz.
Two sizes: this pad comes in both a small and a large variety. The shorter pad is only 55 inches in length while the longer one is 71 inches in length.
Non-inflatable: this pad is different from the other inflatable sleeping pads out there and I consider this is a good thing as it can’t burst.
More than one function: this pad can be folded up to become thick and soft, so, it can be put on the otherwise hard ground and sat on.
Ultra-thin: the Therm a rest z lite sol sleeping pad is only as thick as 3/4of an inch. This feature reduces the cushion it provides its user from the ground.
Cross-linked Polyethylene Moulded closed-cell foam: this is the type of material used to make the pad, it provides some warmth, is durable, and is fairly light.
Pros
• It is very lightweight.
• Its Eggshell style provides great cushion.
• It comes with responsive and satisfying customer support.
• It is relatively cheap when compared to other sleeping pads.
Cons
• There is not enough padding for side sleepers.
• It is not that durable, as it doesn’t take very long for the eggshell shape to get crushed.
- Thermal reflective barrier sends heat back to your body, increasing warmth.
- Compact Design: Folding design is compact and easy to pack.
- Extra Durable: Virtually indestructible closed-cell foam provides lasting, economical comfort.
Final Thoughts on the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sleeping Pad Review
In the market today, there are several inflatable sleeping pads that are as light as this pad, but they are really expensive and can get burst, that’s why I would still recommend the Therm a rest z lite sol sleeping pad as they don’t pop. I don’t think you would want to sleep on a deflated strip of nylon because your pad got burst.
This pad comes in two sizes (short and long) to accommodate people of different heights. The short one is 51″ long, while the long one is 71″ in length. These two sizes are available for purchase in the market, so make sure to get the one that suits your height.
