Grant’s verdict: Buy it as the cheapest ground-warmth upgrade you can carry. On its own it is a three-season pad; stacked under an inflatable it adds R-value and a puncture backup. The owner evidence is thin: we analyzed 88 owner comments across 3 YouTube reviews, published between 2019 and 2026, and only 1 comment named the pad directly, so this review leans on Therm-a-Rest’s published specifications.
Who it's for
Buy this if: You sleep cold on the ground in fall, you want a pad that cannot deflate, or you already own an inflatable and want to add warmth for the first freezing nights without buying a whole new pad.
Skip this if: You side-sleep and want cushioning; at 0.75 in thick it is firm. If comfort comes first, compare the NEMO Switchback, its closest foam rival, or go ultralight with the Gossamer Gear Thinlight as an under-layer only.
In practice
Why the ground matters more than you think
Your sleeping bag insulation compresses under your body, so the pad does most of the work between you and cold ground. R-value measures that resistance to heat flow, and higher is warmer. The Z Lite Sol is rated R 2.0, which Therm-a-Rest presents as suitable for warmer weather on its own or for layering under another pad in colder conditions. That layering use is the cheap way to raise the warmth under you without replacing the pad you already own.
The cheapest sleep upgrade is the system, not one item
The cheapest sleeping bag upgrade is already in your pack. A bottle of hot water, sealed tight, at your feet or core adds heat right where you need it, which is why a hard-sided bottle like the Nalgene 32 oz Wide Mouth is a cold-weather staple. Pair that with more insulation under you, and you have spent very little to push your existing bag further into the season. The Z Lite Sol is the under-you half of that system.
What the Sol coating and dimples do
The Sol version has a reflective ThermaCapture coating on one side, and the manufacturer’s copy says the dimpled egg-crate shape traps warm air, which it counts toward the R 2.0 figure. Retailers echo Therm-a-Rest’s advice to sleep with the reflective side up. Because it is closed-cell foam, it folds accordion-style, rides on the outside of a pack, and doubles as a sit pad at breaks.
What owners say, and how little there is
The three reviews with comments drew 88 of them, but only 1 named the Z Lite Sol directly, and the most-liked comments praised the reviewers’ use of metric measurements rather than the pad. Sentiment among scored comments ran 31 positive to 2 negative, which says more about the videos than the product. The complaint themes that did appear were comfort or fit (9 mentions) and price or value (5). That matches what you would expect from a firm, thin foam pad, so this verdict rests on Therm-a-Rest’s specifications and on what closed-cell foam can and cannot do.
Specifications
Source: Therm-a-Rest specifications as published by REI and other retailers (Cascade Designs’ own page did not load when we checked on 2026-10-26). One European retailer lists R 2.6 and 410 g; most sources, including the maker’s copy, list R 2.0 and 14 oz.
| R-value | 2.0 (one European retailer lists 2.6) |
|---|---|
| Weight (Regular) | 14 oz (one European listing: 410 g) |
| Dimensions (Regular) | 72 x 20 x 0.75 in |
| Construction | Closed-cell foam, folding accordion design with heat-trapping dimples |
| Coating | ThermaCapture reflective coating on one side |
| Recommended use | Warmer weather alone, or layered under another pad in colder conditions |
Check the current price
Amazon See price →Links are Amazon affiliate links — we earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. It never changes our score.