Sure. I am able to sleep on all but my stomach and have heard that's even possible with a bridge hammock.
Check out hammock forums.net for a hammock hang near you so you can find what you have been missing all these years! Really, I was never comfortable in a tent, even with the best pads money could buy and yet be carried on my back.
That said, a bridge hammock is the way to go for me; most like my own bed, I can side sleep or roll around without drafts. Although gathered end hammocks are perfect for most hammockers.
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"What is a weed? A plant who's virtues have not yet been discovered" ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hey all, I haven't read every post so this tip may have been mentioned. But if you are a side sleeper, it might help to roll up some clothes and stick the roll under your waist. (in the gap formed when you lay down on your side) It helps to take some of the pressure off your hip bone.
I think sleeping on your back is more comfortable on hard surfaces like a shelter floor. But I realize some people can only fall asleep in one position!
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I am in the market for a wide pad, so made a little comparison chart because I was totally overwhelmed by the choices. Here is a link http://demeters-dish.blogspot.com/20...son-chart.html BTW i used the "potato chip" comment in the post because it is a perfect descriptor of a lot of the pads
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"What is a weed? A plant who's virtues have not yet been discovered" ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I've tried both CCF and inflatable pads. I am currently using a good old Z-Rest. I don't like inflatables for several reasons: noisy, too narrow, a pain to inflate and deflate, etc. My hips hurt something awful at night--IF I sit around at camp on logs! I know this sounds funny, but I had no hip pain on a 6 day trip in June in which I didn't sit on logs all evening. An overnight a couple weeks ago: sat on log, hips killed me. Might be something to think about. Otherwise, think prevention: what shoes are you wearing, are you using trekking poles, your "form" if you call it that, how fast you hike... The pad might not actually be the problem.
"Your comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there."
I'm a side sleeper - I bought a neo air X-large to get the 25 inch width - and cut down the length. There is a you tube video on how to do this - I practiced on a old neo air and it worked just fine, so I took a deep breath and cut into a brand new one. Absolutely no regrets.
The thing with inflatables is I blow it up full - hard, then when I lay down to sleep I start to release some of the air until my hip starts to sink into the pad - you have to learn how to adjust the amount it's inflated. When I have it set 'just right' -if I get up and off the pad, it looks like it's only half way inflated, and if I sat (vs lay down) on it, I would bottom out.
absolutely! I like to side sleep and also curl up in a little ball, and back sleeping is way more comfortable too.
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Womens thermarest prolife - perfect, light, nice texture good for hips... I'm nearly 50 and I love it...
Thermarest works for me. I am a side sleeper too and I have sore hips sometimes, but the Thermarest is the best I have found.
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I'm a tad confused, and have been reading and re-reading this thread. I'm fairly convince I'm getting the Exped UL 7. However, which one are most people talking about on this thread?
There is the yellow Exped SynMat UL 7 Air Pad: http://www.rei.com/product/811907/ex...t-ul-7-air-pad
and the grey Exped UL 7 DownMat: http://www.rei.com/product/884602/ex...-2014-closeout which sounds pretty plush.
Clearly, when Exped SynMat UL 7 is mentioned in the thread, I know which one. But, I wonder if others mean the DownMat.
What say you?
I had an Exped Downmat 7 extra small.
Now, I have an XTherm.
I found the Exped Downmat 7 xs used a lot of the available space in my backpack because the built-in hand pump doesn't fold up particularly well.
The XTherm is cozy warm, so I have no complaints about that and it takes up very little available space in my backpack.
I inflate either air mattress only enough so my hip does not touch the floor at home.
Either air mattress works fine partially inflated. I do think the XTherm is warmer. It does have a higher R-value.
Totally second the Neo Air!! I'm a side sleeper, and it's great. 2.5 inches thick. Just don't pass out blowing it up.
Neo-Air, 2.5 inches thick.
Hi All,
Just my take, but I really prefer self-inflating mattresses over air mattresses. I am a side sleeper and simply can't use a 1" pad. I finally bought a Thermarest 40th Anniversary Woman's model. It is 2 1/2" thick (which allows me to let air out until my hip just touches the ground, so it really pillows my whole body), it has a really high R-value (5.5), and at 66" long is perfect length for me. It weighs 21 ounces, and wont wake up my neighbors in a shelter as I move during the night as most air mattresses do (I hate all that noise!). It is discontinued now, but I think Campmor still has a few, and you certainly can find them online. They last longer than air mattresses and are better in just about every way in my mind.
TicTac