Therm-A-Rest Z Lite, Ridgerest Solar, Decathlon Trek 100, Closed Cell Foam Pads

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Closed Cell Foam Pads - Add Insulation and Warmth for Winter Camping and Backpacking.
Looking at Decathlon, Forclas, Therm-a-rest Ridegrest and Therm-a-rest Z-Lite.

[@MrQuestful]

I use the Thermarest pad, while it appears uneven for the reflective side, you CAN get an even split when you open on the color side.

[@OutdoorPrep]

Absolutely right. I found that out later 🙈😄 Thanks 🙏

[@pedro1970maya]

Nice video. My very favorite trick once I became a closed cellfoam pad user was to buy a full-length pad, then cut the final three squares off which becomes my sitting pad. Bonus, of course, that it folds perfectly right along with the rest of the pad when it is packed (almost as if they were made for each other, lol). And I also bothered to get a cheap grommet maker so I put in 2 grommets on the end of the sitting pad, and two grommets on the end of the truncated pad, and I can use a small string to connect the at night if I want the extra length again. Normally I'm happy with a pad that goes only down to my knees, but if there happens to be a very cold ground, I don't want to drain body heat with a cold contact point, so I take the small bother to connect them again. The final advantage is that buying the regular size pads is usually significantly cheaper than having to buy a separate sit pad. Cheers

[@OutdoorPrep]

Great tips Pedro! Thanks for sharing🙏🏻

[@clivenewton7609]

Right on cue Rob, much appreciated! As a semi retired adventurer from the 70’s the foam pad was all we had😂 the best at the time being the ex-military 10mm or 1cm(!) at the time I can’t remember anything about ‘r’ values al I remember is the big difference using one made for a good night sleep!! The other thing I remember is they were always warm to the touch! Oh and one last thing they were normally used under the tent ground sheet to reduce the chance of a puncture and keep it clean! Regards from deepest Dorset 👍

[@OutdoorPrep]

Haha yeah camping has changed over the years indeed. Oh that’s an interesting use of it. Does make sense in some ways. What are you using now?

[@clivenewton7609]

Thanks Rob! On the rare occasions I get out now it’s still a military style 10mm foam pad but most of the time I hammock camp!

[@bazzmidas]

Another great video. I have two z-lite sol and use one under my mat and one folded in half under my pillow. During the day I put one in my chair for extra warmth, especially when it’s windy.

[@robertlewandowski8491]

Good one! I'll try it!

[@jamesholland1497]

I got to try that probably more reliable than inflatables

[@ewoksalot]

I don't think you have to be a "hard-core ultra light backpacker" to use just the CCF pad w/o an inflatable... you can be like me and just value reliability and durability over high hopes of avoiding a puncture. Because if that air pad gets a hole... you're sleeping on your imagination and carrying dead weight until it gets fixed. Maybe you don't mind the risk... but I prefer to carry what works 100% of the time. Good video!

[@OutdoorPrep]

Thanks! Well, theoretically an inflatable pad could be lighter than a closed cell foam pad, but what I was talking about are hikers that don’t need a lot to be comfortable. If you’re used to sleeping on a soft bed at home, just a closed cell foam pad will feel like sleeping on the ground 🤷🏻‍♂️ I like to use both, next trip I’m bringing two closed cell foam pads and an inflatable mat 🙌🏼 It’s a winter trip with a sled so it’s fine :)

[@RoguePixel]

Totally agree

[@OutdoorPrep]

Which part, RougePixel? 😄

[@phillipnunya6793]

They come with patch kits. You can buy extra. It is usually as simple as finding the leak, slapping a fancy sticker on it, then reinflating it.

[@ewoksalot]

@@phillipnunya6793 Sounds like more gear to carry and more work to do. No thanks. lol.

[@swissarmyfan]

I nearly always use the folding German army pad, thin, compact and folds in a number of ways. While too minimal to use alone on anything but soft surfaces it is perfect as an addition to an inflatable as safety, comfort and warmth. Before bed it’s used as a kneel and sit pad. I’ve tried various pads but now use the German army one almost exclusively. I tried the ultralight thin (gossamer gear like) foam pads but they are horrid to use and only make the cut if I’m forcing myself to go minimal. Cheers for a great vid! Sad to hear they stopped making the big solar pad, I personally never liked the dimples/ridges as they trapped snow on the top (pain to clean off) but it’s def an end of an era!

[@OutdoorPrep]

Thanks for your input! Will have to check out those German pads! It’s def great to have something underneath the inflatable pad. Recently I’ve used both the big one and the smaller one from thermarest combined. Great for those cold nights! Cheers!

[@vvs3796]

Same here , German pad is great

[@Drinkyoghurt]

You can also get a cheap emergency heat blanket to use on top of the foam pad to increase R value. I have a rollable insulating pad (Uquip Flexy) which is lightweight and has a very reflective coating. I mostly use that when hammock camping, but going to put it on top of a foam pad for tent camping at some festivals. Decathlon now also has a reflective foam pad which has a 2.6R value for 20 euros. Not too bad.

[@OutdoorPrep]

Good to experiment and to remember that the emergency blanket does not provide any insulation on its own. Good luck, let us know how it worked out 🙏

[@TaireTV]

2.1 for non reflective, 2.2 for reflective (pretty much the same). Reflective (only on one side) is also more slippery/less abrasive which might be a comfort boost for some sleepers.

[@northumberlandmountainhopper]

Nice review I will chance the puncture and just take my exped these are too bulky to carry but Obviously I use a small one for a seat

[@antoniocruz8083]

I once actually put the decathlon pad inside my down sleeping bag. It was zero C and I could not warm up from the ground and it worked better than being outside under the bag. Since the pad is longer than the bag the extra folded part is good as a pillow. Also, once inside, the pad folds around the feet making that area warmer. I was able to sleep but I think that at that temperature the ground is too cold and I now have a R-3.3 inflatable pad.

[@OutdoorPrep]

Great improvisation Antonio! Is 3.3enough? It must have been around -35 outside a few nights back but I was actually really cold on the Thermarest Z pad with Exped winter mat. Next time I’ll bring both thermarest foam pads

[@antoniocruz8083]

@@OutdoorPrep Actually, the 3.3 is not enough. I have only managed to use it in 7 Celsius and it was adequate but no real warmth coming from underneath. I used a down sleeping bag, so it compresses on the bottom and while I was warm on the top part, my hips never really warmed up so I can only imagine at 0 Celsius. Later I tried with a heavy synthetic sleeping bag and was indeed comfortable on the bottom. Next I will buy a Nemo Tensor R4.2 weighing 410g. I hope once again to not to be wasting my money but I don't really want a heavy 4 season pad since I will not be using it below 0 Celsius.

[@1xayekim]

I use the Exped Flexmat Plus mat its 77 inches long 25 inches wide and I am 6 foot 270 lbs its also 1.5 inches thick. I also use a thermarest seat pad and what I do is I flip the first foot at the top of the Exped so I have double the coverage on top with a little less at the bottom which I am not concerned with. Then I fold my seat pad into my actual sleeping bag right below my lower back to give me more support there and I am golden. Warning: The Exped Flexmat is EXTREMELY uncomfortable until you break it in. Its literally like an old school egg carton and the little divets are HUGE compared to other brands but once I got use to it Ive never felt compelled to bring my inflatable. If I m winter camping I bring a mylar ground cover and I sleep in my puffy gear.

[@OutdoorPrep]

Good to know. Thanks for sharing. It does look like a egg box indeed

[@weiyoungong6458]

For colder camping, would you put an inflatable pad OVER an Exped Flexmat Plus to jack up it's R value?

[@1xayekim]

@@weiyoungong6458 The coldest Ive used it is snow on the ground and around 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit. I just put a reflective ground sheet (mylar) under it and then slept in my puffy pants and jacket with my bag. Im a big guy and a "hot sleeper" so I would not go with my advice if you are not the same.

[@phishermonjon]

You're going to find out that putting the foam pad on top of the air pad will keep you much warmer I just found that out 2 weeks ago! I can't believe I never tried it before!! Especially if you stick your foam pad in your sleeping bag if you have a big enough bag

[@OutdoorPrep]

Oh that's great John! Interesting idea with the foam pad inside the bag - I'll try that!

[@theopinson3851]

Just don’t do it in rocks!

[@northernswedenstories1028]

Been doing this forever. It makes sense when you think about it. The insulation is closer to your body so you should feel warmer as the heat has less space to escape. This is why some insulated air mattresses are still bad insulators because they glue the insulation to the bottom side of the bond, instead of the top. I've cut open many sleeping pads when shortening them for friends and forum members, and have to say the quality of insulation is very poor in many of them. Exped is one of the best though

[@Juanlu.]

Gracias por tu vídeo. Al final has probado combinar dos esterillas para conseguir más aislamiento térmico y confort? Cuál ha sido el resultado? Ya nos cuentas. Un abrazo desde España.

[@OutdoorPrep]

I did indeed. Using the second foam pad on top of the inflatable was not so comfortable. A bit warmer probably but was not needed. I put both underneath. In the end one would have been enough. Was a good experiment though

[@OutdoorPrep]

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[@thomasf.9869]

Rob, I bought a RidgeRest Solite because I could not get a Solar, but I would really prefer a Solar for the high R-Value. Great for winter camping! Where did you get it?? Did you buy the last one from Zwerfkei or something? BTW in general you will get better insulation from placing both closed cell foam mats on top of the air mat.

[@OutdoorPrep]

Hi Thomas. I think I did buy the last one there indeed. Not sure, I’ve had it for a while. Have you tried using them on top?

[@thomasf.9869]

@@OutdoorPrep Haha! That is funny. I was eyeing it online and then it disappeared. Once winter camping in Sweden I experimented with both and found that on top works better. Erik Normak does the same: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qn-td6Cpr9OSbc0

[@frecciaverde85]

Hi Rob! I would like to combine 2 sleeping pads, under I would put the forclaz foam pad and I would put over that one the Thermarest trail pro (or anorher self insulated pad). The problem is the upper pad (self insulated) is larger than the foam pad. This may be a problem? Thanks

[@OutdoorPrep]

No worries. Keep it under your torso and you might not even notice 👌🏼

[@jeroboam4486]

Hello, thanks for the video. Can you tell me how much R value is too much for summer? If I buy a sleeping pad of R value 6 will it be too hot in summer? I'm trying to make an all year round kit.

[@kobold90]

In my experience, the sleeping pad doesn't make a big difference in hot temperatures as long as they just isolate. The sleeping bag is more important. Except your sleeping pad reflects the heat, just like the Thermarest xtherm does. The question rather is if you need such a high R-value. As long as you're not winter camping on frozen ground, you can safe weight and money if you go for a lower R-value.

[@jonweiss8905]

Consider a 3-season sleeping pad with an R-value around 4 and layering a closed cell foam pad (like the Thermarest Ridgerest) on top or below your pad. The R-values will stack and that way you can carry just what you need for the conditions of your trip. Same thing applies to sleeping bags: R-values will stack. For instance, for many years I used a 40°F bag in the summer, a 20°F bag in the spring/fall, and both bags together in the winter. Until you invest in specific gear for each season, a modular approach will give you the most versatility.

[@KlePhys]

Nice video. Subscribed! Any info about Robens ZigZag Slumber W?

[@OutdoorPrep]

🙏 thanks Have no personal experience with it but looks good on pictures 👍🏽

[@KlePhys]

@@OutdoorPrep Thank you!

[@dragonbushcraft7612]

Any difference in "comfort" between the Therm-a-rest and the Decathlon Z-pads?

[@OutdoorPrep]

Decathlon is a bit firmer. You can notice that when sitting on it, but not when it's under your sleeping pad.

[@faicon_9350]

hello, nice video, I also got the ridgerest solar, if I can I have a question, if the blue part is the one that goes to the ground and the silver part is the one where you sleep why do i usually see a lot of people with the mattress folded so that the silver part is on the outside, it would not be better to fold it backwards, so if some scratches or in general dirt ends up on that side at least you put it towards the ground and you don't sleep on it, would you be able to answer me, how do you fold it? Thanks in advance

[@OutdoorPrep]

That’s a good point. I always use it silver side up but remember reading somewhere that it doesn’t matter as the silver reflective coating will work either way. When I use it in the summer I do notice a small difference in the immediate heat reflection. Silver side being stronger. With the solar version it’s easier to just roll it the other way and keep it clean-ish. Good point 🙏

[@faicon_9350]

@@OutdoorPrep thanks 👌👌

[@RollingMonte]

Is the decathlon foam comfier than the therm a rest z lite?

[@OutdoorPrep]

I haven’t noticed a difference

[@septicwhelk3654]

Foamy on top , like sleeping on a radiator !

[@OutdoorPrep]

Quite toasty indeed 🔥

[@georgemartin6389]

Count the thermarest panels again.

[@OutdoorPrep]

🤣👌🏼 cheers

[@hesgone6699]

I put these under my tent

[@OutdoorPrep]

Why?

[@hesgone6699]

@@OutdoorPrep because it protects my tent like a footprint and it does the same job of insulation and comfort

[@baze3SC]

@@hesgone6699 That is actually a great idea. Thanks for sharing. The tent floor is just a thin cloth anyway, the order of the layers doesn't matter.

[@davidjd123]

I hated my inflatable pad, im going matt next time.

[@OutdoorPrep]

Yeah some people do that indeed. Which pad do you have?

[@davidjd123]

@@OutdoorPrep it was a thermarest neo air but to be honest i don't think I will ever like a air mattress of any kind, I only used it once but it annoyed me so much I deflated it and slept on the hard ground, I still slept on the deflated mattress so I can use the R value. One time I was staying the night at a friends house and they had a air mattress for me, I just ended up sleeping on the floor lol, something about airmatrisses that are so uncomfortable.

[@OutdoorPrep]

hmmmm I see... maybe what you'd like more is a pad that's not only air but also has closed foam. See my video of the Trail Pro pad - green and the Decathlon one too (more car camping because of the size). Exped also makes MegaMat which is similar. I'd give one of those a try.

[@davidjd123]

@@OutdoorPrep that actually doesn't sound too bad, can you link the video when you get a chance? Ill check it out.

[@shadearistotle1136]

Reviewing a foam pad they don't even manufacture anymore. Very helpful, thanks.

[@OutdoorPrep]

You’re welcome buddy 🙏 Maybe we can start a petition to restart production? What do you say?