Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol vs Exped SynMat XP9

The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol is a great Sleeping Pad for its $70 asking price.

The Exped SynMat XP9, however, while a reasonable product for $149, doesn't stack up against its competitors quite as well. If you're considering Sleeping Pads in the $140 range, you might want to check out some better options.

The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol has impressed reviewers from two sources that are among the most highly trusted on the internet, namely OutdoorGearLab and Wirecutter (NYTimes). It did great in their objective hands-on roundups - it earned the "Best Pad on a Budget" and "Budget pick" awards from OutdoorGearLab and Wirecutter (NYTimes), respectively. That's high praise from such reputable sources.

As for the Exped SynMat XP9 - OutdoorGearLab, a source that conducts reliable hands-on testing, has featured it in its Exped Synmat XP 9 Review roundup. However, it didn't make it to any of the top spots.

We conducted an analysis of all of the review data that we could find on these two products. First, we focused on sources that tested and rated both of them, like OutdoorGearLab, and learned that they all showed a preference for the Exped SynMat XP9.

Then we took a look at the highest review scores that these two Sleeping Pads received. We found that the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol managed to earn a rating of 8 from OutdoorGearLab, whereas the Exped SynMat XP9 got its highest, 9, score from reviewers at OutdoorGearLab.