how to get in a comfortable reading position

[Nathan428]

Resurrecting an old thread. Does anyone have any new thoughts on this problem? I've been testing my gear on a few shakedowns recently, and this has been the only issue that's really been bugging me. I just got a Crazy Creek chair, but I think it's too heavy to justify and will be returning it, since I find it too thin to double as a sleeping pad and replace my thermarest z lite.

Thermarest's chair kits seem to be designed only for inflatable pads. Big Agnes has the Cyclone SL Chair Kit, but that seems to have a lot of negative reviews/durability issues.

I'd love to be able to sit upright in my tent! Open to thoughts. Thanks in advance (and, by the way, this is for an attempted thru-hike, so weight is big a concern).

[reppans]

Might take a look at the ~3oz Lightsmith Qwikback sling chair (+ 1oz with small 1/8" CCF butt pad and piece of Tyvek for outside). Has feet which might be a problem inside if you have a fixed tent floor though - I use a mid w/ inner tent so my floor is variable.

But to the subject of this thread, my favorite warm reading position is lying on my side on a pillow with a quilt, or bag used as a quilt, to cover extended arms.

[Leo L.]

True, the long evenings in winter, and even more a full day tied to camp in bad weather, are tough.
Reading is about the best one can do, given you have enough books downloaded to your Kindle or smartphone.

I always get cold when idling for longer time, no matter what the true temperatures are.
Thats what the sleeping bag is made for - covering up.
Usually I make a pillow out of the fleece jacket, stuffed into the empty Thermarest bag.
Then I start stretched on the belly, the pillow stuck under the lower chest, the whole body covered up with the sleeping bag.
Later I crouch to a packet-shape to release the aching back a bit.
Then I turn to the side, the pillow propped under the armpit.
Then the same on the other side.
Just to start over again.
This way I'm changing position every hour or so - until the whole body is aching, and I either go to sleep, or take a short nap (if its daytime).
It greatly helps if the sleeping bag is of wide cut and provides a full-length zip (which most of the modern UL bags don't, unfortunately), and it helps even more if the book is gripping so you hardly can put it down.

[Rain Man]

I'm seeing a common thread in this ... thread: tents.

As Karl said: get a hammock.

[rocketsocks]

Books on tape

[MtDoraDave]

I just wad up my clothes as a pillow.
Only time it's a problem is when it's below about 20 degrees, my hand holding the book gets cold.

[Nathan428]

For what it's worth, for me at least, I'm more concerned about the back pain than the cold. The cold drives me into the tent, but once I'm in the tent I'm comfortable temperature wise. But especially after a day of hiking, the back pain gets to me, and I'd love to lean back. I basically do the rotisserie-rotation that Leo L. described, but was hoping for some other solution.

Thanks for the suggestion reppans - the Lightsmith Qwikback sling chair looks intriguing. Anyone else have experience with it?

[Alligator]

Resurrecting an old thread. Does anyone have any new thoughts on this problem? I've been testing my gear on a few shakedowns recently, and this has been the only issue that's really been bugging me. I just got a Crazy Creek chair, but I think it's too heavy to justify and will be returning it, since I find it too thin to double as a sleeping pad and replace my thermarest z lite.

Thermarest's chair kits seem to be designed only for inflatable pads. Big Agnes has the Cyclone SL Chair Kit, but that seems to have a lot of negative reviews/durability issues.

I'd love to be able to sit upright in my tent! Open to thoughts. Thanks in advance (and, by the way, this is for an attempted thru-hike, so weight is big a concern).

Nope. I thought this was a new thread as I was reading and I kept thinking "Thermarest chair" until I got to my post. I don't like the new ones though they are kind of floppy, they don't have a pocket at the top. I've never tried a foam pad in mine, I will give it a go to see how it works. I've read many books in mine.

I generally have enough clothes to sit outside my bag and I have in the past used my sleeping bag still rolled up as a back prop up against a log or a tree.

[blw2]

Might take a look at the ~3oz Lightsmith Qwikback sling chair (+ 1oz with small 1/8" CCF butt pad and piece of Tyvek for outside). Has feet which might be a problem inside if you have a fixed tent floor though - I use a mid w/ inner tent so my floor is variable.
.....

Now that looks like a cool idea....close, but not quite there though. Looks like it forces you into a slouch, C shape.

I have one of the big agnes helinox chairs. I bought it several years back when there was only the one design. I like it but not exactly ultralight. I more recently saw someone on youtube, follow bigfoot maybe, that pointed to an almost exact copy of it by some other company, much cheaper. Bought one for my son & in many ways I like it better than my BA. It's a Wolfwise. Still very heavy though.

[Rain Man]

Books on tape

Now, now, Rocketsocks, who takes a tape-player along these days???!!!!

LOL ... the devil made me do it!

[rocketsocks]

Now, now, Rocketsocks, who takes a tape-player along these days???!!!!

LOL ... the devil made me do it!

sorry forgot “take-away’s”

[rocketsocks]

...available at your locals libraries!

[Rain Man]

sorry forgot “take-away’s”

...available at your locals libraries!

Still? I switched to the OverDrive smartphone app years ago! Well, some time after we hiked in PA together. LOVE OverDrive.

[Jayne]

get a hammock.

Oh yeah - no problem at all reading in my hammock.

[rocketsocks]

Still? I switched to the OverDrive smartphone app years ago! Well, some time after we hiked in PA together. LOVE OverDrive.

Nope smart phone also.