Glassing pad or chair?

[Cerebral Stalker]

i use a tree stand pad i bought a few years ago, it's closed cell foam pad about an inch in thickness, don't think i paid more than $7 for it.

Same here only I have several around that came with treestands.

 

[AggieOutlaw]

I carry a few sections (just enough to go from hips to shoulders) of Z Pad folded in half and stuffed between my frame and pack. Disappears. Weighs nothing. Allows me to take a nice afternoon nap if I want. It serves as added insulation in the tent at night and is good insulation in case of an emergency bivy too.

You lose a lot of heat into ground conduction. Even if you're tough enough to not need the comfort (and I'm not), it's a good way to conserve your body heat.

 

[OhHeyThereBen]

I typically have a REI backpacking chair. There's absolutely no substitute for being off the ground while your glassing or camping. The pads do provide insulation and possibly slight comfort, but there's no arguing against the chair if you're willing to take up the space.

 

[utahminer]

I think they both have their place. I have used a Thermarest Z-lite for years and LOVE IT. I haven't bothered cutting it down because its handy in deep snow and I can throw it under my tent to provide a little more protection to my tent floor. That being said I was in NM in December and there was almost a foot of snow and I was glassing downhill where a chair would have been great. My wife gave me a Helinox style chair for Christmas. It wont replace my z-lite in all circumstances but it will have a place in my kit depending on how far I am packing and the importance of weight.

 

[Carlin59]

I always have 1/2 of a cheap closed cell sleeping pad rolled up in my pack. It makes a nice seat when left as a roll, or it can easily unroll for a more comfortable mid-day nap. At night, it goes under my nice inflatable air mattress, where it provides extra warmth and protection. I also have a helinox chair that comes along for most summer scouting or backpacking trips. For fall hunting, I'll occasionally pack it in depending on the hunt. I've used it for a few elk hunts where the game plan was to be stationary and watch escape routes all day, and it was great to be up off the ground for an all day sit.