myrtlegirl wrote:here's an experiment you could do to test:
I like that, something you could actually try at home to get some sense of which is better and how much difference it might make. I can convince myself that Thermarest is right in their assessment. But it's one thing to say that A is better than B and it's another to quantify the difference.
I took a look at the tech specs of the Z Lite Sol, Original Z Lite, and the RidgeRest Classic. The Z Lite Sol and the Original Z Lite are identical EXCEPT for the silver "Therma Capture" coating on one side. Same length, same width, same thickness, same weight. The Sol has an R-value of 2.0 and the Original is 1.7. So there's your difference: about 15%. Well, it's the difference between silver on top and no silver, not the difference between silver on top vs bottom.
Interestingly, the RidgeRest Classic is also the same length and width and weight and also has an R-Value of 2.0. But it has no silver coating. It's even thinner. But you can't fold it up the same way, you have to roll it. The Z pads are much more popular in my experience, particularly amongst a certain crowd of hikers.
I miss the days when I was happy with a thin piece bumpy foam to sleep on.