Therm-a-Rest  Z-Lite Sleeping Pad

This is an easy product to review. The pad is warm, light, non-slip, and durable. It is more comfortable than the cold, bare ground. It is not as comfortable as an air mattress. Simple, eh? If you take a look at the 'pros' (park rangers, National Forest rescue guys, etc...), I have seen a bunch of them carry this pad. I asked the ranger in Sequoia why she carried one - she said that her primary concern is warmth, not comfort - a very practical view. When you are humping over mountains, the best pad is the lightest, most durable, warmest pad. That would be the zlite. If you need a lot of comfort, try car camping and an air mattress.

I've used this pad for years and it's great. It keeps my tent floor warm under my sleeping bag. I backpack very light so I also use this pad as the internal back pad in my go-lite frameless backpack (folded into sections of two), so to save space I cut off and got rid of two six inch sections of the z-lite so it wasn't as bulky inside my pack. Then I got an Exped pillow to supplement the missing pad section up under my head. This made the z-lite much less bulky and lighter (it now weighs only about 11 ounces), and the Exped pillow didn't add any extra net weight and packs super small (in with my sleeping bag).

I first originally bought the orange z-lite 4-5 years ago as a replacement. It has paid for itself. It is under a pound, and it is very warm. When I was in the Rockies camping, suddenly at 2 in the morning, we had 5 feet of snow. All my friends had a blue pad of foam, and they were cold instantly. They told me the next day that I was the only one who slept during the night. I've moved on to air mattresses now, but during the winter, I bring this with me for insulation under the matress that I sleep on. It packs large, which means that I have to strap this onto my pack, and it isn't that comfortable, but it works.

Bought this pad after having a rolled mat for a while. I am only 5'5" and could only find a 'regular' length in the store. I would have liked the short, but this was actually a good length. Folded the end for a little extra "pillow". Very light! Beats out any rolled mat. And it won't get holes and leak, like the inflatables (had one of those too.. for 1 trip). I am a roll-around sleeper and this was comfortable in all positions. Didn't slide at all. But, like all others, it is a tad-bulky. Just throw it on the bottom of your pack and its set. Will NEVER feel the weight.. as there is none!

I bought this for backpacking trips and it was a mistake. I thought that I could deal with the fact that this item does not compress and it is difficult to manage when backpacking. After a few uses I gave up on it and bought a much more comfortable and compressible Thermarest pad which is far better for my use. Not sure why they even make this thing but I now use it underneath my Thermarest when car camping. This pad is also all nicked up and is getting small tears, tried to keep it in a plastic bag too. Just a poorly conceived product in my view, could have lived without it!

Kept me warm in 20 degree-ish weather. Super lightweight. Seems pretty durable. Would definitely recommend.

Spend 10 dollars more and get an inflatable sleeping pad. I used this pad for a couple weeks of trekking and if i were to go on a similar trip again, I would absolutely buy a new sleeping pad. There are a couple good things though. This pad is extremely easy to set up. Also, unlike the roll-up ones made of a similar material, this accordion-style pad does not try to roll back up when it is flat. It is not comfortable, but that is not really the big issue for me. The main problems are that it is not durable and it is big. It was too big to fit inside of my pack, and when you strap it to the outside, it gets ruined because it is not durable. Overall, this pad is okay, but for a similar price there are much better options.

Loved this mat. Wife and I are side sleepers and we both slept comfortably. It is very durable. The only convenient place in our packs was clipped to the outside. This mat held up to bushes, tree branches, dirt, dog nails, tree roots, etc. It is a breeze to fold up or clean off (shake shake). The yellow on the backs of our packs was great added protection when we walked through some hunting areas. Although it can be bulky to pack, I can't imagine a way to fold it differently without compromising comfort. I would recommend it for others.

I bought two of these last year at REI as preparation for a hike at Rialto Beach on Washington's coast. The best part is that it folds, which means you don't have to roll it up. Once it is folded, it stays folded. I went with a long pad, ad probably could have used a short pad. (I'm only 5'9") But I fold some extra on the end to make a pillow. The design with all the divots allows your body to trap air between you and the pad, it kept my back warm on the coast, while the 40 degree sleeping bag did very little to keep the rest of me warm.

I've used this pad on several overnight and long weekend trips, and like the other 5-star reviews, I've been very happy with it. I especially like that I can use it as a sitting pad and not worry about it getting wet or punctured. The only thing I have to add is that I'm 6'1" and 250+ lbs. I was concerned my bulk would compress the foam too much, but it's been great so far, insulating from the cold and providing a good sleep. I'm a little obsessive about my tent site though; if you camp on roots and rocks, maybe some thicker is for you.