Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat Pad Review

Bottom Line

Sure, it’s a stretch to list the Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat Pad as a “backpacking chair.”  But we had to find a place to suggest this piece of gear because it comes in handy so often. CleverHiker staff use it all the time for snow camping, and every break to take the edge off of the cold, hard ground. We’ve used it in emergencies to keep our partners safer as we waited for an evac. So yes, it isn’t a backpacking chair, but it is worth considering having as part of your backpacking system.

This sit pad is so light, packable, and useful that we just couldn’t help ourselves. For the past decade, this foldable foam seat has been CleverHiker Founder Dave Collins’ go-to for backpacking trips ranging from the Sawtooths, Yosemite, and Banff to the Uintas, Wind River Range, and Mount St. Helens. 

Obviously, you’re not going to get back support from this simple sit pad. However, it won’t hog your packspace, softens up rocks and logs into better camp seats, and keeps your bottom off the ground during lunch breaks, rest stops, and summit selfies.  If you’re looking for a more traditional chair, check out our guide to the best backpacking chairs. However, if you’re looking for an ultralight seat for the backcountry, the Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat is a good choice. 

How We Tested

It isn’t hard to test the z-seat. Just unfold (or not) and sit. So, we sat. We sat on the snow, on rocks, on sand, on dirt, and on logs. We packed it and unpacked it. We weighed it. Then we compared it to our other favorites. The Z-Seat is in a league of its own, but deserves a spot on our site. 

Comfort

The Therm-a-Rest Z-seat ranks high for weight, packability, stability, and ease of use – but not comfort.  

This featherweight seat won’t provide back support or dole out recliner-style comfort. However, its ¾ inch of closed cell foam takes the edge off the rocks and logs that serve as our campsite furniture.

Our pad provides a subtle yet appreciated comfort boost for sitting. We were happy to have it around a fire ring on stacked rock chairs at a backcountry tent pad. It also added a little insulation when our gear analyst sat on a snowy, trailside stump to slip on his winter traction devices as the trail got slick above the snowline in the Sandia Mountains. 

For nature photographers, it’s also a necessity. Rather than sitting in the snowmelt or letting pine needles poke, it’s a warmer, drier, and cushier photographer’s seat next to the tripod. The variety of use cases for the Z-Seat adds up. 

Overall, the Z-Seat’s comfort is a better match for breaks and other short sits. It’s a low-risk, low-reward backpacker seat that adds a little cushion and insulation – without adding weight.

Weight & Packability

Weight and packability are where the Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat really shines. At 2 ounces, this sit pad is the lightest “chair” on our list – which is why many minimalists sing its praises and carry it into the backcountry.

The accordion-style Z-Seat also packs down small. You can clip it or strap it to the outside of your pack. However, this sit pad is small enough that you can also stash it inside your backpack if that’s how you want to roll. Its packed dimensions are smaller than the ten other backpacking chairs we weighed, measured, and packed on our escapes into New Mexico’s high desert mountains.

Stability

Technically speaking, the Z-Seat is also a top pick for stability. After all, your odds of falling off a 3.4-inch-thick sheet of foam are low. This sit pad kept our center of gravity low when we used it in the field. 

At the same time, the Therm-a-Rest doesn’t add any stability to a wobbly log or slanted rock slab, either. It’s still your body that supplies all your stability and balance if you perch the Z-seat on a rock for a lunch break or lean it against a tree for a cushioned backrest.

In the end, though, you’re not tipping over when you’re sitting on the Z-Seat, unless it’s the whiskey.

Ease of Use

Most backpacking chairs are intuitive to use. You simply piece together poles connected with shock cord, attach the seat, and take a seat – a process that normally takes a minute or less. The Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat is even easier. You unhook the bungee and unfold it – a process that takes five seconds or less.

The only question is which side of the Therm-a-Rest sit pad goes up or down? The silver side is more comfortable and reflects radiant heat, so you normally use the Z-Seat with the silver side up, especially in cool weather. However, you can reverse it in hot weather – turning the silver side down for a cooler seating surface. 

There’s also a downside to this simple foam pad – it blows away easily if you’re not careful. Gear analyst Jory Brass chased his Z-Seat down a snowy ravine when the wind caught it on the Sandia Crest Trail—and almost had the pad blow off a cliff at Embudito Canyon. Be careful using this sit pad on summits, saddles, and other windy spots where it’s nice to take a break – you may lose it.  

Again, ease of use is another category where this sit pad excels.

Should You Buy the Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat Pad?

The Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat isn’t much for cushion or support, but it keeps backpackers’ behinds drier, warmer, and more comfortable – and only weighs a couple of ounces. 

It’s a low-risk, low-reward seat cushion for thru-hikers and other gram counters who don’t want to carry a 1-2 pound backpacking chair. If you’re the type of backpacker who files down your toothbrush to save weight and space, you’ll probably like this highly packable sit pad for your rest stops, summit photos, and campsite meals. It’s our top pick for minimalists – and one of the cheapest seats on our list, too.

What Other Backpacking Chairs Should You Consider?

If this sit pad isn’t quite what you want, you’ll find several alternatives in our full guide to the best backpacking chairs, such as these seats:

Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad Review: The other foam pad on our list, the Thinlight has a larger surface area to cushion both our butt and back.

REI Flexlite Air Chair Review: Of all the traditional, tent-style backpacking chairs in our guide, the Flexlite is the lightest, most packable option for backpackers. 

Helinox Chair Zero Review: Our top-ranked backpacking chair, the Chair Zero scores high across the board while weighing only 1 pound, 2 ounces.