Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro vs Zenbivy Light Mattress
In short: The Zenbivy Light Mattress costs $1 less; the Zenbivy Light Mattress is warmer by 0.8 points of R-value; the Zenbivy Light Mattress saves 7.0 oz; one is self-inflating and the other air.
| Spec | Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro | Zenbivy Light Mattress |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$160 | ~$159 |
| R-value | R 4.4 | R 5.2 |
| Season band | Cold three-season | Cold three-season |
| R-value standard | ASTM F3340 | ASTM F3340 |
| Weight | 1 lb 14 oz | 1 lb 7 oz |
| R per ounce | 0.15 R/oz | 0.23 R/oz |
| Thickness | 3 in | 3 in |
| Pad type | self-inflating | air |
| Inflation | self-inflating | pump sack |
| Dimensions | 72 × 20 in | 72 × 20 in |
| Packed size | 11 × 8.8 in | 7 × 4 in |
| Insulation | Die-cut open-cell urethane foam with a stretch-knit face | 200 g 3D XD polyester batting |
| Top fabric | 50D | 20D |
Shaded cells mark the row where one has a measurable advantage. Weight, thickness, girth and shape are left unshaded on purpose: heavier is sometimes tougher, wider is sometimes warmer, and calling a winner on those would be an opinion dressed as a measurement.
What each one does well, and costs you
Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro
- Matches an XLite's 3-inch loft and beats most pads at its price for R-value, at 4.4.
- The stretch-knit face is warm, quiet and grippy enough that a sleeping bag stays put on it.
- Foam core keeps working through a puncture, and the valve is the same field-serviceable design as the rest of the line.
- $160 undercuts every comparable air pad by $50 or more.
- 30 ounces is nearly two pounds, and the 11 × 8.8-inch packed size eats a lot of a 50-litre pack.
- Only two sizes — no short version, so a smaller sleeper carries a full-length pad.
- Takes real effort to roll tightly enough to get back into its own stuff sack.
- Self-inflation stalls well short of firm in cold weather; plan on topping it up by mouth.
Zenbivy Light Mattress
- R-value 5.2 from polyester batting — silent, and warm the instant you lie down.
- 23 ounces for that rating is good; the comparable film pads are lighter but noisier.
- Three inches of loft with 20-denier taffeta top and bottom.
- Designed to clip into Zenbivy's sheet so the quilt above cannot slide off it.
- Really meant to be bought as part of Zenbivy's three-piece system, which pushes the real cost well past $159.
- Only two sizes carry published weights; the larger ones are listed without them.
- Batting insulation packs bulkier than film at the same R-value.
- 20-denier fabric on a 23-ounce pad — neither the lightest nor the toughest option.