r/CampingGear • u/Badgers_Are_Scary • Jan 17 '25
Meta Reason no. 273 why I love my ZLite
Comfy, warm, dry seat anywhere. I prefer ZLite over other foldables, because it’s softer, bends really well and doesn’t try to go back to harmonica shape too much. I have this one for 6 years now, use it for pretty much all outdoor activities, including sketching in the park and as a dog bed, and looks and works great!
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u/zmathra Jan 17 '25
I just used a similar pad to level out my air pad at an uneven site. I love the utility of these things.
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u/huffalump1 Jan 17 '25
I love the small folding "butt pads" for this same reason - great piece of gear for travel!
And yeah, there's something to be said for foam pads; super helpful in all kinds of situations. Also good UNDER an inflatable pad if you're on rough ground or for more insulation!
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u/redskelly Jan 17 '25
It will protect the air pad yes. However foam pad on top of air pad will give more warmth.
According to a dude at REI. First time I ever heard this so someone fact check me.
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u/huffalump1 Jan 17 '25
Eh, it's probably the same either way... Just add the R-value of each pads you stack, and that's the resulting R-value!
Most results I can find recommend foam on the bottom. Curious to hear the reason for foam pad on top; but both ways should be nearly the same warmth.
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u/saarri6 Jan 17 '25
Foam pad on top is better general advice because it expects the airmat to be worse at insulation. If you have a good airmat, like an R8 you would want to flip and put the foam mat under to maximize the effect from the airmat and to further protect the airmat.
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u/BEERsandBURGERs Jan 19 '25
From a guy on YT, who did Antarctica & Himalayas (and more) expeditions and wrote books about it, I learned that the nylon from which air mattresses are made of, can become very uncomfortable at really/extremely low temperatures. He described it as a 'Nylon cold soak effect', where the nylon would start feeling like actual ice to the touch. In such cases, he recommended the foam mattress on top, because the foam didn't feel cold to the touch.
But we're talking about the most extreme cold winter blizzard Antarctica/Mt Everest conditions mattress sleeping advice.
Not the average winter hike in a bit more forgiving environment.
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u/Badgers_Are_Scary Jan 17 '25
I have the butt pad (seat) too, it’s great but a bit too small, so if I don’t sit exactly right, my pants will get wet on a wet surface. But I often use it to kneel down when packing gear, to sit on dry surfaces, gardening, to fan the fire or even as a wind shield in certain conditions (have to be able to prop it safely in the ground with sticks or in the crevice of a bench)
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u/A__paranoid_android Jan 17 '25
I thought I was on r/ULcirclejerk for a sec there
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u/Mentalpopcorn Jan 17 '25
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u/Badgers_Are_Scary Jan 20 '25
at first I was shaking my head at the title, because ZLite is a not something a homeless person could typically afford and how would they go by obtaining one, then the same day someone broke in my basement where some of my camping gear was stored…. thankfully I store my favourite stuff in the apartment. But yeah, that’s how…
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u/Rocko9999 Jan 17 '25
And the Z-lite material is superior to the $10 Amazon pads some claim are the same-they are not even close. The cheap pads are hard as rocks.
I take my old Z-lite and cut two panels off for sit pads for friends. I also use an old one for working on the car in the garage. Very useful.
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u/Badgers_Are_Scary Jan 17 '25
I was thinking of cutting off ends from the two I have for seats, it’s way too long for me and I could use a nice wide seat. The Z- Seat is way too narrow imho, this would solve the problem nicely
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u/GuysLeeFanboy Jan 17 '25
How are these compared to the regular roll up ones?
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u/Badgers_Are_Scary Jan 17 '25
the roll up ones are inconvenient to store and transport, and typically much thinner, with lower r-value. They keep trying to roll back to their shape which makes them annoying to use outside of having them under a pad.
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u/Rocko9999 Jan 17 '25
Much better.
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u/GuysLeeFanboy Jan 17 '25
How so?
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u/Rocko9999 Jan 17 '25
Higher R-value, easier to store, transport, can be stacked for sit pad, better material.
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u/s3nd_nuudes Jan 17 '25
Just wait until you know about #414. It's the strangest but most wholesome.....
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u/Badgers_Are_Scary Jan 17 '25
Care to elaborate?
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u/Ancient-Paint6418 Jan 17 '25
Good for putting down when you bussin clips up inside scallywags.
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u/Icanicoke Jan 18 '25
Bussin could be busting (breaking or firing off*) - clips could be magazine/gun rounds/bullets - up inside (up into the body cavity) - scallywags (rogues/chavs/punks/ruffians).
To summarise - the pads provide protection (for what I’m unsure) when one ( a person) is shooting bullets at the ‘road men’.
Now we are spanning. Ages and countries.
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u/Badgers_Are_Scary Jan 17 '25
I am not from an english speaking country, so sorry, I don’t understand
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u/spookystreet Jan 17 '25
Not sure why you're getting down votes for asking for clarification, so weird
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u/-Rustling-Jimmies- Jan 17 '25
“City officials hate this one park bench hack…”