quick /out/!, which is better: the ridgerest SOLite or the therma

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I have both pads. My findings

Z-lite (rectangle one)
>folds up easy and lays dead flat
>odd shape to store
>can rig it as backpack frame or back cushion
>feels more comfortable/cushy

SOlite (round one)
>rolls nice and tight with strap
>doesn't always want to lay flat (end curls)
>warmer?
>firmer, not as cushy

I sleep on my stomach so I prefer the cushier Z. But they're both great pads, I wish they had better names. Their price/weight ratio is great, and they're pretty bombproof. I prefer storing them on pack like pic related versus the horizontal way. Either way works, I just prefer the slimmer silhouette. It helps to get soft ground for a campsite, they're not great on super hard dirt or pavement.

I have the SOlite. Rolling up is the worst feature of it, in my hammock it's a pain to keep under me but once I've got it there it keeps me warm. Also it ties on fine but it's a bit on the bulkier side compared to square pads.

>>898878
Try sticking it inside your sleeping bag. Stays put there, it is how i use mine in my hammock.

i have the roll up because i found one in great shape at a thrift store for $5, but i prefer the fold up. but just because i find it carries better on a backpack.

get the neoair xlite
>2016
>using a foam pad

>>898159
Go with the Z lite.

Takes up less volume, easier to strap to your backpack.

Stay away from inflatables unless you're camping on snow. A foam pad is great for sitting next to the fire too, it wont pop if an ember pops out.

>>898893
>2017 -1
>chasing down pinhole air leaks is a great way to spend valuable camping time

Spotted the car camper

Not OP here but I would like to add the question - for those using this kit in hammocks what temperature are you going down to (at least before you add any sort of underblanket)?

>>898159
Get the Z Lite, slightly better R vallue IIRC and better storage. Also doubles as a seat when its cold out without getting all fuckity. Stores better too, I've strapped it on the sides of packs, bottom straps for a pad/tent or, now that I have an HMG pack, on top of the pack.

>>898938
Not that guy, but I use inflatables all the time and have never had a leak. Buy a quality pad and don't sleep on porcupines.

>>898941
I've used 2 cheap blue foam pads to get down to 15F with no underquilt. I'm sure an underquilt would have been more comfortable, but I was fine. Just a little sweaty because of the lack of breathability.

>>898159
I have a thermarest.
Pros:
>keeps you off the ground, therefore, you're not cold
>rolls up nicely after being used for a little
>cheap
>durable
>practically weightless

Cons:
>rolls up like shit for the first few uses
>not very comfy, if that is at all a concern
>kind of bulky, but tying to the outside of a pack fixes that problemy

I don't know much else about the other pads. The thermarest is all I've ever owned. So these are my limited observations.

>>898159
The bottom line is that the z-lite gets flattened over time and needs replacing, and the ridge rest's coating straight up crumbles away after months of use leaving you with a regular pad and a shit ton of glitter in your gear.
They are both excellent CCF pads that will keep you warm and comfortable but this is the major difference between the two.

>>898938
Lmao
With an R-value of 3.4 and a weight of 12 oz the xlite is one of the best backpacking pads you can buy.
No inflatable pad is comprable, except probably sea to summit, who's ultralight pads are more affordable but not as warm.
Lots of people insist are more comfortable than the xlite tho.

>>898938
I have been using a rei brand """self""" inflating pad for years, never had it spring a leak.

just don't buy the self inflating bullshit and give it a few lung fulls to help it out.

>>898941
I have gone down to -5°f in my hammock with my ridgerest inside my sleeping bag. I have never seen an underquilt in my life. Didnt even know they existed before /out/

>>898938
only leak I've had is when my housemates cat when to town on my old mat. if yr careful, leaks aint that big of a problem

>>898159
The ground

>>898159
Both are fine. I own the rolling one, but If I did it again I'd buy the rectangular fold up one, just because it's easier to store. Combine either with an inflatable pad for the comfiest sleeping experience.

>>898961
not that guy but for some reason my luck is the opposite to yours.

that said, fuck me inflatables are comfy.

>>898159

I have both. Both the RidgeRest and the Z Lite will try fold or stay rolled when opened but will stay flat after you've put some weight (i.e. yourself) on them for a moment. I tie the Z Lite to the bottom straps of my Osprey Volt 75.

RidgeRest SOlite

+ Cheaper
+ Slightly better R value
+ Less likely to flatten over time. The Z Lite will flatten, depending on usage and the user's weight it can happen after just a few nights...
+ It's green and not bright yellow. Why the fuck does everything be in a bright color? I know, the regular non-reflective Z Lite is available in coyote brown but still.

Z Lite SOL

+ Fast and east to pack
+ More comfortable IMHO
+ Slightly more compact when packed
+ Easy to shorten if necessary by just cutting one or two sections from the pad. You can use the short sections as sitting pads (can also be purchased as its own product, the Z-Seat)

>>899858
>Fast and east to pack

*easy to pack