Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad Review

Bottom Line

The Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad is an ultralight alternative for backpackers who’d never consider carrying a 1-2 pound chair into the wild.

It’s a sit pad, and it isn’t trying to be a true backpacking chair. But if you want just a bit of cush without taking up pack space/weight, this little magic carpet scored high for weight, packability, stability, and ease of use. 

Sure, it’s not the most comfortable seat in our guide to the best backpacking chairs. But it only weighs 2-3 ounces and offers a wide variety of use cases and versatility. Sit on it, sleep on it, keep your feet off the snow/dirt with it, stretch on it, etc. It lends itself to several uses for resourceful campers and backpackers. We like it not only as a low-maintenance camp seat and backrest but also as a yoga mat, dog bed, and inflatable sleeping pad protector. 

If you’re a minimalist on the hunt for a lightweight and versatile camp pad, the Thinlight should be high on your list.

How We Tested

We toted the Thinlight Pad into the New Mexico wilderness to test it alongside 10 other camp seats. We evaluated its comfort, weight, packability, stability, and ease of use in the field while comparing it to the competition.

Comfort

The goal of the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad is to make it easier for backpackers to sit on a rock, lean against a tree, or sprawl out on the ground. Its cushion is minimal – only ⅛ of an inch – which you can bump up to about ¾ of an inch by keeping the pad completely folded. That’s not enough to make a rock or log feel like a featherbed. But it will make those natural chairs – or the bare ground – a little more tolerable for a lunch break, nap at the saddle, or a few hands of Euchre around the campfire. 

When we tested the folded version of the Thinlight in the backcountry, it made a small contribution to comfort – not a big one. We use it folded as a sitting pad and unfolded as a backrest against a tree, log, or rock wall. It softens the rough edges of rocks, tree bark, and uneven ground, but we still feel everything through the thin foam. While it is less effective at cushioning our bodies, the pad provides a thin buffer between our butts and the dirt, sand, snow, and pine needles. Thus, its most significant plus is keeping us cleaner, warmer, and drier. 

Measuring 73.5 x 19 x .125 inches fully extended, the Thinlight is a viable sleeping surface. If you’re into yoga, naps, or stretching routines, that’s a potential comfort plus. However, the pad’s width wasn’t enough for our male tester, whose arms and broad shoulders hung over the edge of the pad. You won’t confuse the Thinlight with a true sleeping pad, comfort-wise. 

If comfort is your biggest concern, you should focus on heavier, scoop-style backpacking chairs. As its name suggests, the Thinlight prioritizes weight and packability over comfort.

Weight & Packability

Weighing just 2.7 ounces (rolled) or 3.3 ounces (folded), the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad is a minimalist option for the gram counters among us. You can save a pound or two of pack weight by picking the Thinlight over a true backpacking chair. The weight is negligible – and not noticeably heavier than competing sit pads. 

The Thinlight measures 73.5 x 19 x 0.125 inches, but it’s still highly packable. The easiest way to carry this pad is strapped to the top or bottom of your pack. However, we could also sneak it inside a medium-sized backpack.

In short, this is one of the lightest, most packable options in our guide to the best backpacking chairs.

Stability

Strictly speaking, the Thinlight Foam Pad is also the most stable “backpacking chair” we tested. If you “fall off” the thinlight, that’s a you problem, homie. It’s tough to tip over when you’re only an ⅛ inch off the ground unless you fall asleep sitting up.

At the same time, this thin strip of foam doesn’t add any stability to your body, either. So, in this instance, a high score for stability isn’t as relevant for this seat as it is for traditional backpacking chairs, where there’s more risk of losing your balance and tipping over.

Ease of Use

Strictly speaking, the Thinlight Foam Pad is also the most stable “backpacking chair” we tested. If you “fall off” the thinlight, it’s a you problem. It’s tough to tip over when you’re only an ⅛ inch off the ground unless you fall asleep sitting up.

At the same time, this thin strip of foam doesn’t add any stability to your body, either. So, in this instance, a high score for stability isn’t as relevant for this seat as it is for traditional backpacking chairs, where there’s more risk of losing your balance and tipping over.

Should You Buy the Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad?

The Thinlight foam pad is a small investment that may yield big dividends for ultralight backpackers who don’t want to carry a true backpacking chair. Its weight, packability, and stability all stand out, and resourceful hikers can milk this foam pad for multiple uses, too. 

Just don’t expect to get much cushion or back support out of a pad this thin. Still, it only weighs 2-3 ounces and makes natural surfaces a little more hospitable at camp. We recommend the Gossamer Gear Thinlight for minimalists, backcountry yogis, and backpackers who want to protect and supplement their inflatable sleeping pads.

What Other Backpacking Chairs Should You Consider?

To see our full slate of recommendations, please see our guide to the best backpacking chairs, including these promising alternatives: 

Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat Review: The other ultralight sit pad we recommend, the Z-Seat is lighter, smaller, and slightly cushier than the Thinlight Foam Pad. 

REI Flexlite Air Chair Review: If you prefer a true backpacking chair to a sit pad, the Flexlite is the lightest, most packable scoop-style chair we tested. 

Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Review: For a slightly cushier foam chair with a backrest, the Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 is a comfort upgrade to the Gossamer Gear Thinlight.