Sleeping Pads for bad backs....

[hodgeman]

Well folks...as "middle youth" moves along, prior stupidity has cost me a couple of disks in my low back and now sleeping on the ground results in poor/no sleep and a lot of pain.

I've tried a thermarest "Trail" and I've even doubled it up with a "NeoLite" and used the two pads together. Didn't work despite all the pad under me.

I also tried a 3" camp foam on a car camping trip.... same result. Felt good initially, but an hour later felt like I was twisted in half.

Any other back sufferers got any other ideas? Thought about a thermarest cot (really short since my tent won't take a tall cot.) or one of the thick Exped pads with memory foam. Weight isn't really a concern since backpacking is pretty much not on the to do list but less bulk is a good thing.

[mike h]

I can't say why and don't even know if I have something wrong with my back, but I spend a lot of time in tents and have found that the thinner, non inflatable pads are better on my back than the thicker inflatables.

I think it must have to do with my body hanging off the edges of the thicker pads. If I sleep on the thick pads, I wake up with a lot of back pain.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Well folks...as "middle youth" moves along, prior stupidity has cost me a couple of disks in my low back and now sleeping on the ground results in poor/no sleep and a lot of pain.

I've tried a thermarest "Trail" and I've even doubled it up with a "NeoLite" and used the two pads together. Didn't work despite all the pad under me.

I also tried a 3" camp foam on a car camping trip.... same result. Felt good initially, but an hour later felt like I was twisted in half.

Any other back sufferers got any other ideas? Thought about a thermarest cot (really short since my tent won't take a tall cot.) or one of the thick Exped pads with memory foam. Weight isn't really a concern since backpacking is pretty much not on the to do list but less bulk is a good thing.

Are you camping in tundra areas?

[hodgeman]

Are you camping in tundra areas?

Mostly gravel bars and pressure ridges- pretty firm ground for the most part.

[Troy Hamon]

Luxury edition thermarest or one of the fat xped mats. Better yet add a cot. I will carry light weight gear but not a priority in the sleeping mat category...LE Thermarest is the lightest option I will carry...

[Bullelkklr]

Have you tried a full or queen size 6" air mattress?

[bigcox]

A cot was the best purchase I've made for camping. Definitely worth the money on a quality cot..add your thermarest or neolite and you'll be sleeping good.

[FL2AK-Old Town]

A cot was the best purchase I've made for camping. Definitely worth the money on a quality cot..add your thermarest or neolite and you'll be sleeping good.

Yeahp. For truck camping where we're sleeping in the pickup or on a tent platform, we're starting to use cots with a thermarest pad on top. I use my GI cot, but we also have a roll-a-cot http://www.camptime.com/roll-a-cot.htm which is pretty darn nice. (They have a wide one, too.) It's lighter than my GI cot and packs down smaller.

[Yukon Cornelius]

Mostly gravel bars and pressure ridges- pretty firm ground for the most part.

Ok. I bought a cot this year to use with my sleeping pad. I've thought about using an air mattress, but haven't decided yet. These are base cMp options. However I've taken a few naps on tundra moss...wow! Best naps ever. When dry. Have you thought about hammocks?

[sayak]

Yes cots. Very awkward and bulky, but the only way I sleep now in the outdoors. Used to be able to sleep anywhere....

[talkeetnakid]

Roll a Cot for sure, fold a full size memory foam mattress topper and place on top of the cot.

[hodgeman]

Thanks for the responses everybody... Headed to FBX today and I'm going to look into cots- specifically a Roll-A-Cot and the Thermarest cot and see how that works. I figure either of those with a thermarest pad on top should be about as comfortable as i can get this side of an RV.

[MacGyver]

Just wondering.........
Do you get a good sleep in your bed? If so is your bed hard or soft? Do you sleep on your back or side when I sleep on my side I need a higher pillow to hold up my head. The older I get the more clothes I need at night, could it be your getting to cold when sleeping.

I would try sleeping on a sheet of plywood with one of the pads you already have and a pillow you like before spending more money on something that may not work. IMO