Best way to connect 2 Z-Lites

[Jordan Chapell]

Does anyone have experience connecting 2 Z-lites for use sleeping under under one large quilt? This summer we are planning this for my wife/daughter’s option, but since my daughter is 4 the pads tend to wander apart even more than in a normal couple’s use…

So far I’ve thought:

• Thermarest/Sea to Summit/cord Straps around the pads- Not sure if they will just squeeze into the outer sides of the foam
• Punch some holes along the inner edge of the pads and thread some cord…but worried it may rip out…perhaps grommets?
• Velcro strips
• Sew lightweight silk/nylon “sleeves” to slide over the top and bottom 10% of the pads, though this seems overkill for a simple problem.

I’d appreciate any thoughts!

[William Chilton]

Not the cheapest option, but Zpacks stick on loops work. Perhaps 3 per side and link with cord and cord locks. We have done this and it works.

[David P]

Good ideas… I’ve been thinking of doing this recently as well except I will be cutting a zlite down so part of it becomes sit pad then i can reattach to become full length pad again.

my line of approach is going to be to sew grosgrain loops to edge of pad and attach cam snaps onto the grosgrain… I happen to have a cam snapper for various backpacking projects… they are pretty cheap. That way maybe less fiddling just snap em together?

[Jordan Chapell]

“Not the cheapest option, but Zpacks stick on loops work. Perhaps 3 per side and link with cord and cord locks. We have done this and it works.”

That looks like a good option, do use the stick on adhesive or some other attachment?

[Ben H.]

I used to have a Thermarest pad connector that was just a ribbon of cloth sewn into a figure 8.  Each pad would slip into one of the loops of the 8.  Two of them would connect the pads together pretty well.

Edit: they still sell it: https://www.amazon.com/Therm-Rest-Universal-Mattress-Coupling/dp/B00453R5ZG

but they added some hardware to make it adjustable.  Probably a decent option, or make it as light as you want as DIY project with your choice of UL fabric.

[Franco Darioli]

Many years ago I suggested this way.

Nobody liked that idea at the time but who knows now.

like that the mats cannot separate nor ride on top of each other.

Of course you need a pair of spare poles for it to work.

 

[J R]

Do you have any Tenacious Tape? you could take about 3″ and stick it onto the flat edge of each pad where the weld is, fold it over on itself (sticky side facing in) and attach the other end back on the other side of that flat edge, and you’ll make a double-thick “wing” sticking out. Put two (or more) of those on one side of one pad, same number on the other side of the other pad where they will line up with the first pad, then use a hole punch to put a hole through each wing. You then can attach the wings together with some cord or mini biners. Might leave a thin gap between the pads, depending how tight you can get the holes.

I did something similar to my pad but put one “wing” on each side up near the head to make a pillow attachment system. The Tenacious is very strong and thick and you don’t risk your pad by trying to punch holes through the pad material itself.

[William Chilton]

With the Zpacks stick on loops, just peel off the backing tape and they stick on by themselves.

[Jordan Chapell]

Thanks all for the ideas -I’ll try the tenacious tape, since I have some…with the Zpacks stick on loops i’m just curious (same w Tenacious Tape to be honest) if the adhesive will stick well to the foam of the z-Lite. And Ben H. the strap idea looks good, but I just think it might not work w the z-light foam…i.e. I wonder if the foam might just squeeze into the straps on the outside. But it’s all worth trying, thanks for the input.

[J R]

As the one who suggested Tenacious Tape, I have to be honest that I missed you are dealing with foam pads. I’m not sure if it will stick but should be easy to test, and pushing some cordage through holes in the foam should be a less risky option than if you were dealing with an inflatable.

[William Chilton]

We’ve used Zpacks stick on loops with a variety of foam mats including the Z-lite and they adhere well. You can get a little creep under extreme stress but we’ve never had one fail.

A hole reinforced with duct tape can also work though some types of duct tape adhere better than others.

[David P]

Used the extra tough reinforcement sticky cuben patch, like for tent peaks, or floors where the pole for your tent lands…

while the backing was still on I attached the appropriate cam snaps . Then just peeled the backing off and placed where desired

I dont think there will never be enough stress on the cams to unsnap under “normal” sleeping conditions… and bonus I won’t have to fidget with little cords every night and morning. If the cams do fail for some reason, or if your curious, the black stuff would be More than adequate for the poke-a-hole-through-and-use-a-rope method.

The stickiness of the tape seems pretty aggressive on the foam, like it will stick for quite a while. When I had a change of plan I had to pull some off the pad and it definitely took the first layer of pad with it…

 

[David P]

In order to poke the hole one could heat up the end of a Phillips screwdriver and push through the material. Makes a stronger more tear resistant hole, I think, with the interior edges singed by the hot metal…

[J R]

^And/or, cut a piece of tubing the length of the pad thickness and fit that through the hole then the cord through to piece of tube so that the pressure from the cord is dispersed against the hole in the foam.

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