Sitting pad

[Slo-go'en]

A lot of the things to sit on on the trail are wet or cold or dirty or all three at the same time. The way to keep your butt dry and warm is to use a simple sitting pad. Cut about a 12" length of closed cell foam off a mat. I use the full width and fold it in half to sit on and open it up to stand on. At night, you can also put it under your head if your mat is a little short.

I've meet a few hikers besides myself who use such a sitting pad, but not too many. I never leave home without one. For those of you getting an early start to the trail, I'm sure you'll be gald you have one, if you have one!

[JAK]

That's a very good thing to keep in mind if you can't access your pad or sit on your pack for some reason. My bluefoam pad is the first thing that goes in my pack, tube like, so it isn't accessible, but on the other hand my pack is loaded in such a way that I can sit on it and have lunch, though I haven't made a great spot for my Kelly Kettle yet. It's more waterproof than I think it should be, but that does make it easier to throw on the ground and sit on.

[daddytwosticks]

I've used a section of car windshield shade as a sit pad...think they are made of refletix (sp?). They fold up like a Z-rest pad and weigh practically nothing. Has many other uses too! :)

[Cabin Fever]

I do the same thing with a cut up Thermarest. Great for cold bleachers at ball games also. I keep mine in the loops on the side of my pack. Easy to get to.

[Frick Frack]

We hiked, and have always hiked, with the Termarest pad made for just that purpose. We were the envy of all hikers w/o one.

[Jorel]

long been on my gear list. great reminder.

[brooklynkayak]

We hiked, and have always hiked, with the Termarest pad made for just that purpose. We were the envy of all hikers w/o one.

A friend bought a bunch of thermarest type sit pads at a close-out sale for a $1 each and gave em away to all his friends. It packs smaller than a closed cell foam pad.

Lots of uses for these, although using to sit on is by far the most common.

The usual 1/2" closed cell pad is a bit bulky compared to other options.

A computer mouse pad works great and are very durable, but most are made with 7mm or 5mm neoprene so weighs a little more.
Keep an eye out for ones made with thinner material.

[garlic08]

Good tip. You forgot to mention the ants, too. It took me a while to get out of the habit of sitting on my pack. I would always sit on the sleeping bag compartment and I heard that is really bad for the insulation, it will break it down fast. Now I use a frameless pack that uses a Z-rest for the frame, easily removed out of a pocket. The six section length I use is enough to lean up against a tree, too.

[skinewmexico]

I pull the pad out of the back of my Gossamer Gear Mariposa.

[Long feet]

I also pull my folded up torso length pad out of my Mariposa Plus. It's also a great gardening pad. There are now quite a number of other packs that have a sleeve for putting a pad in.

[hopefulhiker]

I found a little blue pad in the Smokeys and used the whole way up the trail! It can be used for a lot of things, like a litte food prep place, to smooth /even out a rough spot under you while you sleep; I put the thing between my bony knees... I used it for padding for my camera too.

[Blissful]

I "love" my 50 cent Thermarest seat cushion I got a yard sale. It survived the whole AT and thensome...
I don't go anywhere on a trail without it.