Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad Review
Updated:
Jan 21, 2025
Comfort
Warmth / Weight
Packed Size
Durability
Ease of Use
Sustainability
Type
Foam
R-value
2.0
Weight
14 oz.
Packed Size
20 x 5.5 x 5 in.
Thickness
0.75 in.
Fabric(s)
PE foam
Pros
Cons
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads.
As with many closed-cell foam pads, comfort is not the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol’s main objective. At 0.75 inches thick it’s just slightly above average for the category (the Exped FlexMat is 0.7 in. thick and the super-minimalist Gossamer Gear Thinlight measures only 0.13 in., while the Nemo Switchback comes in ahead at 0.9 in.), but we’d probably use it as our only sleeping pad if pack weight was a real concern or we couldn’t find our air pad. The Z Lite Sol isn’t thick enough to fully buffer the effects of rocks and roots, but in a pinch, it’s just enough—barely—to cushion you from the ground on a warm night.
Design-wise, the Z Lite Sol’s ridges—composed of small, raised air cells within the foam and the cups between them—are arranged in a straight-line pattern. While this design is more or less the closed-cell foam standard, we’ve found that the Switchback’s hexagonal cell layout offers a (slightly) cushier feel, although the distinction might feel like splitting hairs. One of our editors put it best: She likes to think of the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol as a really nice nap pad; it’s funny how you don’t need much cushion to pass out for a little bit on the trail.
Weighing only 14 ounces, the Z Lite Sol is one of the lightest sleeping pads we tested; only Therm-a-Rest’s NeoAir XLite NXT, a 13-ounce air pad, beats it out. Warmth-wise, however, comparing those two models is basically apples to oranges. The Z Lite Sol’s 2.0 R-value, on its own, is only insulated enough for sleeping during the warm nights of the high-summer hiking season. (The NeoAir XLite has a three-season-worthy 4.5 R-value, and no insulated air pad we tested has an R-value less than 3.2.) Still, thanks to its top layer of heat-reflective material the Z Lite Sol is warmer than the regular Z Lite (R-value 1.7) and FlexMat (1.5) and equals the Nemo Switchback. Only Exped’s FlexMat Plus has a higher R-value among closed-cell foam pads, at 2.2.
The Z Lite Sol’s insulation comes in handy for making the pad available for a wide variety of tasks. It makes a great seat for two or three folks, especially in snow. When placed underneath an air pad it can create an effective cold-weather sleep platform; adding the Z Lite Sol’s 2.0 R-value to a sleeping pad that’s rated for three-season camping (3.5 to 4.5 or so) can make it warm enough for winter missions. We’ve also used the Z Lite Sol to keep cook pots insulated (wrap it around while you wait for noodles to steep), as a makeshift splint (cut a piece or two off of it), and as auxiliary padding for a backpack (ditto). And of course, you can layer it underneath an air pad to protect against pokey things on the ground. The Z Lite Sol is basically the Swiss Army knife of sleeping pads.
Foam pads are meant to be carried on the outside of your pack, and the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol is no exception. To pack up the pad for transport, you fold it like an accordion into a large rectangular shape. With a packed size of 20 inches by 5 inches by 5.5 inches it’s too bulky to fit inside a pack’s main compartment, so we usually lash it to the bottom (many backpacking packs have straps designed to accommodate this) or stash it in a side pocket.
Because of the Z Lite Sol’s bulk, one Better Trail editor says she actually prefers Gossamer Gear’s Thinlight pad, which also comes in a version that you can roll up for storage; even in its foldable design, it packs away small enough to fit inside a pack. However, you give up lots of padding and warmth by choosing the Thinlight over the Z Lite, so the former is probably the choice for hardcore minimalists and harder-core climbers (both of which aptly describe the editor in question).
An unpoppable design is one of the main reasons to buy the Z Lite Sol. The hundreds of foam-encased air cells are incredibly hard to rupture, and even if one happens to lose integrity it doesn’t affect the rest of the pad. We’ve put scalding hot pot lids directly on the pad and burned huge divots into it, but it still works. This backpacking sleeping pad is basically indestructible, which will come as a welcome relief for those who have spent nights re-inflating their leaking air pad.
We’ll keep this section simple, just like the pad itself: Unfold to sleep or sit, fold it back up to pack. Voilà. If you roll into camp absolutely exhausted, this simplicity is hard to beat. And as touched on elsewhere in this review, the quick-deploy nature of the pad gives it nearly endless uses at camp, from a sit pad for cooking to extra insulation on chilly nights.
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Longevity
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Recycled Materials
Recycled materials are prevalent in outdoor gear, with nylon, polyester, wool, and down among the most common, but the composition varies widely. A green check mark indicates the product is made with a substantial amount of recycled materials (100% recycled or the core fabric that makes up most of the product is recycled), a yellow check means it contains a moderate to small amount of recycled materials, while a red X means there are no recycled materials in the product.
Bluesign Approved
Bluesign Technologies, based in Switzerland, operates a third-party textile management system that ensures materials are manufactured to strict environmental, chemical, and worker safety standards. A green check mark indicates a product is either a Bluesign Product (contains at least 90% Bluesign-approved fabrics and 20-30% Bluesign-approved accessories) or features a significant amount of Bluesign-approved materials. A yellow check mark means it uses some Bluesign-approved materials but less than the aforementioned category, and a red X means there are no Bluesign-approved materials in the product.
Responsible Manufacturing
This criterion evaluates a brand’s commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing environmental impact through certifications and programs like Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), and the Fair Labor Association, while also recognizing brands that manufacture primarily in the U.S. or Europe under strict labor and environmental regulations. A green check mark indicates a brand meets our responsible manufacturing criteria, while a red X means it does not.
Recycled and/or Reduced Packaging
Packaging can add significant waste to outdoor gear purchases, so many brands work to reduce its impact by using recycled materials, incorporating Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, and minimizing plastic and paper use. A green check mark indicates a brand uses recycled or reduced materials across all of its packaging, a yellow check indicates moderate or limited use of recycled or reduced packaging, and a red X indicates the brand does not make either of these efforts.
Repair Services
Repair services extend the lifespan of outdoor gear and reduce overall consumption, though programs vary widely. Some brands offer comprehensive repairs for a range of issues, while others provide limited or no repair support. A green check mark indicates a robust repair program, a yellow check mark indicates limited repair services, and a red X indicates the brand does not offer repair services.
Carbon Footprint Tracking
This criterion evaluates whether a brand measures, reports, and works to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions using established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. A green check mark indicates a brand publicly reports greenhouse gas emissions data, sets clearly defined reduction targets, and uses established tracking frameworks such as Higg or The Change Climate Project. A yellow check mark indicates the brand tracks emissions and outlines reduction goals but provides limited data, lacks science-based verification, or does not clearly report progress. A red X indicates the brand does not appear to track greenhouse gas emissions or provides so little information that its efforts cannot be verified.
Annual Impact Report
Annual impact reports provide transparency and accountability by outlining a brand’s sustainability efforts across areas such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water use, supply chains, and packaging. A green check mark indicates a brand publishes a detailed, brand-specific impact report that closely aligns with our sustainability criteria and leaves little room for ambiguity. A yellow check indicates a brand provides some relevant sustainability reporting but lacks detail in key areas or is covered only briefly within a parent company report. A red X indicates a brand does not regularly publish an impact report.
You can purchase the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol in a small version and a regular version. Both measure a pad-standard 20 inches wide, but the small ($48) is only 51 inches long to the regular’s 72 and weighs 10 ounces instead of 14. While some Better Trail editors make an argument for choosing the small version—who cares if you feel the ground beneath your legs, anyhow?—we’re pretty sure the vast majority of users will benefit from the full-size pad, especially as the space-savings in packed size are negligible.
Nemo Switchback ($60): Differences in Design
The Z Lite Sol has been the insulated closed-cell foam pad standard for years, but the Switchback makes a compelling argument for being a better choice. It’s 0.9 inches thick, a (small) step up from the Z Lite Sol’s 0.75 inches, and has the same 2.0 R-value. Where the Switchback separates itself is its hexagonal air cell arrangement, which imparts a different—and, we think, a bit more comfy—feel compared to the Z Lite Sol’s straight rows. The Switchback’s foam construction is just as hard-wearing as the Z Lite’s, and we’ve used both pads for the same variety of tasks. If you like the Switchback’s feel, the $2 and 0.5 ounces extra (it packs down to the same size) should be nonfactors. For more, read our review of the Nemo Switchback.
Gossamer Gear Thinlight ($22): An Even More Minimalist Model
The Z Lite Sol might seem like a pretty bare-bones pad already, but the Thinlight has it beat in that regard. This pad costs even less, is almost ludicrously light (3.3 oz. for the normal folded version), and is merely an eighth of an inch thick, with an R-value of 0.5. We think that the Thinlight’s comfort is limited—if you’re for some reason forced to sleep on the floor of a hiking hostel, perhaps, or are a wilderness ascetic in training—but there’s no denying it’s more affordable and packable than the Z Lite Sol. With three versions (one rolled and two folding sizes), your choices are expanded compared to the Z Lite, but that’s about all the Thinlight has in its favor. Give us our dimples, extra cushion, and increased warmth, please.
Big Agnes Divide Insulated ($130): Air Pad Upgrade
If you’re hesitating at the prospect of sleeping so close to the ground, it’s worth considering an air pad upgrade. Big Agnes’ Divide Insulated checks a lot of boxes: It’s affordable at $130 (regular size), has a higher R-value than the foam Z Lite Sol (4 vs. 2), and is substantially thicker at 3 inches. The Divide is also reasonably durable and packs down much smaller at just 7.5 inches by 4 inches. It’s double the price, 8 ounces heavier, and comes with less versatility than the Z Lite, but we give the Divide the clear nod as a great all-rounder sleeping pad. For more, read our review of the Big Agnes Divide Insulated.
The Z Lite Sol is a do-all closed-cell foam pad many consider a backpacking mainstay. It’s not quite as cushioned as the Nemo Switchback but offers the same level of insulation for half an ounce less.
Comfort
Warmth / Weight
Packed Size
Durability
Ease of Use
Sustainability
The Switchback is one of our favorite closed-cell foam pads. Its texture offers a unique feel, and its warmth and thickness are above average for the category. There are cheaper closed-cell options, though, and it’s not that comfortable or warm when used on its own.
Comfort
Warmth / Weight
Packed Size
Durability
Ease of Use
Sustainability
One of the best budget models we tested, the Divide Insulated has an impressive R-value and comfort level for its price. Its weight and warmth don’t exactly turn heads, but your wallet will notice.
Comfort
Warmth / Weight
Packed Size
Durability
Ease of Use
Sustainability
Is the Z Lite Sol for You?
The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol is one of the historically great value-buys in backpacking gear, especially when you consider its wide variety of uses and potential to last many, many seasons. We’re not saying that it’s a good standalone sleeping pad for most hikers, but we do think most hikers should have the option to add it to their kit if they want more warmth, durability, or versatility from their sleep system. We’ve never regretted owning this pad, and you probably won’t either.
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