Therm-a-Rest Z Seat Insulated Sitting Pad

I can't bring myself to take a chair along with me on backpacking trips. They make some pretty light backpacking chairs these days but more than a pound for a chair vs 2 oz for the Z-pad. I choose sit on a rock with the Z-pad or on my bear canister with the Z-pad on top rather than adding a pound to my base weight. In fact, the main reason I bought the Z-pad is that I will be hiking the JMT this summer and bear canisters are required. They make an OK stool for cooking, expecialy with a little bit of padding provided by the Z-pad. Another good use I have found for the Z-pad is bringing it with me on winter hikes. I can sit down on the snowy ground and not freeze my buns or get wet from the snow. The item folds up nicely and has its own latch to keep it folded while in your pack. I leave it in one of the pockets on the outside of the pack so I have easy access when I feel like taking a break. I would recommend this product to anyone who hikes a lot.