A close look at two sleeping pads buyers cross-shop. The Z Lite Sol leans on warmth while the TwisterCane BioFoam answers with low weight, so the pick comes down to which you value.
| Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol | Big Agnes TwisterCane BioFoam | |
|---|---|---|
| GearScore | 78✓ | 75 |
| Warmth (R-value) | 2.0 R✓ | 1.7 R |
| Weight | 14.5 oz | 14.0 oz✓ |
| Warmth-to-weight | 0.49 R/100g✓ | 0.43 R/100g |
| Packed size | 7.85 L✓ | 12.64 L |
| Thickness | 0.8 in✓ | 0.5 in |
| Durability | 100 /100 | 100 /100 |
| Price | $49.95✓ | $69.95 |
| Features | 0 | 1EVA foam contains 60%+ sustainably grown sugarcane resin✓ |
| Type | Closed-cell foam | Closed-cell foam |
| Shape | n/s | Rectangular |
Highlighted cells mark the better spec: Z Lite Sol in blue, TwisterCane BioFoam in amber. A blank spec is never counted as a win. GearScore is the rating for the Overall use-case (0 to 100). Pick another above to re-score. Prices are current MSRP.
Put the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol next to the Big Agnes TwisterCane BioFoam and the trade-offs are clear. The Z Lite Sol wins on warmth and warmth-to-weight, and the TwisterCane BioFoam pushes back on low weight.
The Z Lite Sol is warmer (R 2 vs R 1.7), stronger on warmth-to-weight, and more packable (7.9 L vs 12.6 L). The TwisterCane BioFoam is 1 oz lighter. On the default GearScore the Z Lite Sol leads 78 to 75.
Pick the Z Lite Sol if you care most about warmth and warmth-to-weight, which makes it the better call for colder nights and shoulder-season trips. Pick the TwisterCane BioFoam if low weight matter more to you, or you are focused on counting grams on long miles.
The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol. It is warmer (R 2 vs R 1.7) than the TwisterCane BioFoam.
The Big Agnes TwisterCane BioFoam. It is 1 oz lighter than the Z Lite Sol.
The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol, 78 to 75 on the default algorithm. You can re-weight the factors to match your trip.
It depends on your priorities. Go with the Z Lite Sol for warmth, or the TwisterCane BioFoam for low weight. The spec table above shows exactly where each wins.