Therm-a-Rest  Z Seat Pad

Surprisingly useful. I used this as padding for my Flash 18 climbing three 14ers, then I sat on it at the top waiting for the rest of my group. I used it while lounging around camp. And a member of our group, who did not have a sleeping pad, used this seat pad as the ultimate ultralight pad for her hips, which is a lot better than no sleeping pad. After all, this pad is identical to the Z-Lite sleeping pad in construction and thickness. Another reviewer said they used it as a pillow, I wouldn't. It is too small/awkward when packed down. I also don't think this is neccesary for backpacking. I don't bring it on any trips where weight really matters.

Do yourself a favor - go pick one of these up immediately. It weighs next to nothing, and is good for all sorts of purposes when backpacking. I use mine to sit on, as a back rest, as a clean surface area when preparing food, to stand on when changing pants (so sock or bare foot doesn't get dirty), to rest my bare feet on outside the tent when removing boots (again, preventing them, and the inside of the tent, from getting dirty), as an extra sleeping pad layer under my hips (side sleepers rejoice!), as a wrap around my dirty/wet sandals when affixing to the outside of my pack, and on and on. Love this thing.

I work outside doing biological monitoring and I love this little pad. It's perfect for a seat cushion on a fallen trunk, as a pad for my knees on sharp rocks, as a table to lay out my gear clearly. On hot, sunny days, I put it on top of my pack silver-side up to keep the sun from warming my water. I use it as a car cushion, as a stadium seat, as extra hip insulation while hammocking. It has a million uses and is easy to carry when not needed in the moment. 100% recommend.

I actually bought this so I could comfortably sit anywhere where the ground is hard (wood, dirt, concrete, etc). Lately, I've been testing it out in my home on my wood floors. I like sitting on floors where my legs are more leveled and I feel more grounded. I previously tried sitting on pillows, but no matter how fluffy or thick the pillow was, my tailbone would somehow always find the floor and I would end up in pain within 15 minutes. I finally got this and I can sit for at least a couple hours without my tailbone aching for when I watch movies. A+. I definitely plan on purchasing a couple more later just to keep in my car for future events (i.e. hiking, picnicking on wet fields, etc).

I bought this on somewhat of an impulse for an upcoming 3-night backpacking trip. For me, it was completely awesome, and one of the star performers on that trip! Here is how I used it: -Seat pad around camp -Sitting pad whilst fishing -Cozy for my dehydrated food as it re-constituted -Suspension/padding sheet that fit perfectly into bladder compartment of my Flash 18 pack -Put under my shoulders on night 1 and under my hips on night 2 to supplement my sleeping pad It packs anywhere, is super light, and is really comfortable to sit on. It's great to be able to sit anywhere and not worry about the dirt, mud, rocks, pine sap, etc. This thing will go on every trip everywhere with me from now on.

I debated whether it was worth getting some sort of padded seat for hiking and backpacking, but after sitting on a few wet/cold rocks and logs on the Appalachian Trail I decided to go ahead and order this. I'm so glad I did! It is extremely lightweight and super comfortable. The pad keeps me warm and dry. The only thing it's missing, in my opinion, is a couple of loops so I can hang it on the outside of my pack. Still, I fully intend to take this on my AT thru hike next year. It's amazing that such a minor thing can increase my comfort so much.

I bought two of these, one for myself and one for my boyfriend. We took these on a couple of snowshoe outings with a group and used them to sit on while having lunch. One time we sat directly on the snow with these pads and never felt the cold. We love the idea that they fit easily in the outside bottle pocket of our small day packs. They are small enough so that your arms don't rub on them while using trekking poles and they are so light you hardly notice them. We are both relatively small. For larger people, they may find them too small to sit on.

it straps on the outside of your pack and keeps you warm and clean, no matter where you sit. it is weird how warm this thing is and how much comfort it adds every time you sit down, whether in a camp chair, or on a stump. it's one of those simple things that everyone should have. when you're not sitting on it you can use it as a dinner table, door mat to your tent, and probably a lot more. and since it was harder to find than i expected: you sit on the shiny side so it can reflect your own heat back into your butt.

I finally gave in for what I saw as a luxury item on a hike. It was actually really nice to have when I arrived at the end of my day hike and the only sitting places were uneven pokey boulders. Now I get why these things exist! It was comfy and easy to fold up. Super light, in fact it blew away when I stood up due to slight breeze where I was so it seems to require supervision to stay put. Got it on sale and I couldn't pass it up.

The function is in the name... sit pad. With that being said, I want to point out how incredibly useful this is. It is a silly thought, sure; but after a long hike, there's not much more cathartic than resting your sore behind on a comfortable seat. There's no downside to this other than the fact that it takes up a minimal amount of space. Its light, small, and comfortable; if you are debating whether it's worth it or not, I'll answer for you: yes, yes it is.