Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL Sleeping Pad

It keeps you warm off the ground

In the Marines we slept on green Ensolite pads- when we slept. This is a lightweight improvement. A warm bag and this pad means plenty of Z’s

Mixed Feelings

Pros

• Durable
• (Relatively) warm
• Easy to pack
• Easily customizable
• Two/Four sections fits the back of most of my packs giving a little stiffness/support in lieu of a frame

Con

• Not very comfortable
• Bulky

I have mixed feelings about this product. I haven’t been able to sleep comfortably on one of these but my son loves it. I appreciate it’s positive aspects and wish the cons were not dealbreakers for me but they are. I’m rating this based on my experience, not his. I’m not sure I have actually spent a whole night on this pad, maybe only a couple hours. He’s has spent 50+ nights on his. I’m sure he’d give it a much higher rating…

12/10 do NOT recommend this as your only sleeping pad

While it’s obnoxiously large and in charge strapped to your backpack, I’ve never had pangs of regret for bringing it since it weighs so little and is such a lifesaver for mid-day siestas and having a spot for your four-legged companion to sit without causing any damage.

I’m a 90% stomach sleeper + 10% side sleeper and gave this an honest shot when I started the PCT in 2019. My mistake, but I assumed because I’d be SO tired from 25-30 mi days that I wouldn’t care WHAT I slept on. Wrong. I’m way too stubborn for my own good and, instead of buying an air pad to get me by, decided to torment myself until I reached Kennedy Meadows (700 mi in!) where I had shipped my bear can stuffed with my 3.4 r-value sleeping pad.

Lesson learned; this is a great supplement to your setup, if you can spare the volume and give any value to mid-day siestas OR need a puncture proof pad for your furry hiking partner to lounge on.