Naturehike foldable mattress (Thermarest Z-lite Sol clone)

$26 USD Naturehike foldable mattress

$42 USD Thermarest Z-lite Sol mattress
The Naturehike foldable mattress is available for $26 USD delivered from Aliexpress.

  • Divide into sections to make 3 (.5) 4 panel sit pads
  • Open: 183 x 53 x 1.8cm
  • Stowed: 12.5 x 53 x 67cm
  • 380g



The Naturehike foldable mattress is a lightweight Closed Cell Foam (CCF) mat which is foiled on one side for insulation. It is broken up into 14 panels that fold up into a compact rectangular shaped bundle.

This mat has an "egg carton" foam pattern that provides some cushion from the ground and helps it interlock when collapsed.


Pros
  • Good backup for an inflatable mat - no puncture risk
  • Add insulation and comfort to an existing air mattress (increase the R-value of an air mattress)
  • Use as structure in a frameless backpack 
  • Blue and orange colours 
  • Includes drawstring mesh bag that could double as a mosquito head net
  • Includes two elastic band straps that keep the folded up bundle together
  • Optionally modify by shortening / cutting into sections to create a sitting mat e.g.:
  • 1x 10 panel mat + 1x 4-panel seating mat
  • 1x 6 panel mat + 2x 4-panel seating mats
  • 2x 7-panel sections for 2 people (odd # of panels  that will not fold nicely however)

Shortened calculations:
  • 1-panel: 12.7 cm, 29.56g
  • 6-panel: 76.2 cm, 177.4g - buttocks to shoulders (barely)
  • 7-panel: 88.9 cm, 206.9g - buttocks to head
  • 8-panel: 101.6 cm, 236.5g - buttocks to head with bit of margin

Cons
  • Less comfortable than inflatable mattresses - especially for side sleepers
  • Good to around freezing only
  • Egg carton cups can lose cushion over time and can trap snow and dirt
  • Aluminized coating wears off eventually

Front
Rear
Collapsible
Blue colour
Orange colour
Foam pattern
Mesh bag


Further Resources

Naturehike foldable mattress

Reddit
Review: NatureHike sleeping pad
Cutting down a Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad into a seat
At what temp is it too cold for a z-lite?

Youtube

Thermarest Z-lite Sol
Amazon.com product page (affiliate link)
Survey Time: How many panels of a Z-lite do you use and why?