Sleeping pad suggestions for nerve damage

You're probably already aware that Exped offers a Symat 9 (9 cm or 3.5" thick) which is almost an inch thicker that the Synmat 7. They're pretty heavy at 40 oz, but they're also a lot more durable than the UL. R value of 6 though. Of course Exped also has the Synmat 12 X-Wide Long which is certainly a dream to sleep on, however it weighs as much as a Honda Civic.

I am hoping to keep the weight under 20 ounces. There are plenty of cadillac sleeping pads but I don't want to carry anything that heavy.

The Neoair X-Lite Large is probably is about as good as you're going to do. Weighs 16 oz, 77" long, 25" wide. Then you could possibly add a 3/16" ccf to supplement the cushioning.

I tried the X lite in that size. The sides compress down too far so it is more like 22-23 inches. The Gossamer Gear airbeam is the only solution I have found so far that is actually wide enough. It is a 3/4 length pad though. The thinlight keeps my lower legs warm enough but I was hoping for a full length solution.

Heath, having the same neuropathy pain as you from kidney disease I know exactly what your talking about. I'm a stomach sleeper but fortunately, or not, my nerve pain is not dependent on pad thickness. It just comes and goes when it wants to. The only pads I have experience with are the Thermarest xlight, xtherm and some nemo insulated pads for car camping. You could take a quick look at the nemo astro insulated lite 20 @ 19oz (if it actually weights that) 3 inch thick and pretty plush sleeping. You will probably come up with something lighter. Also if your new to this kind of nerve pain it may help to stay away from restrictive wrists on sleep clothing and avoid sleeping with a watch on. If I forget my watch, even when loosely fit, my hand turns completely numb. good luck man, jimmyb edit nemo makes a 25 wide but heavy

moving this to GEAR may get you some more suggestions.

Hope you're doing well, Heath! I love, love, love the comfort of my Synmat MW, and ended up using it for most of my CT thru-hike. I started the trail with the new Hyperlite MW because it's a few ounces lighter, and for a solo hike, I needed all the weight savings I could get… but a few nights in, I started craving the bed-like comfort of my Synmat, and had it sent to me. Yep, 19 oz is kinda heavy, but you'll sleep like a baby…

Jimmy, I have taken all the sleeping precautions that I was told by the doctor. I rarely wear a watch now if I do its very loosely. Thank you. Hey Valerie! I am good. Taking one day at a time. The Exped was Ian B's idea. I can't take credit for it. Yeah it looks like it will solve the issue. I may have a Neo Air X lite in mint condition up for sale in the next few weeks on here then. Does anyone use a pump for their pad? It's only 2.3 ounces and I could easily dump weight elsewhere to make up for it. Does blowing up a pad with your mouth actually do the damage that manufacturers say it does?

I have that and frankly, it's weight well spent. I use it as a dry bag for my quilt and any sleeping clothes/insulation, so no worries about dumping weight elsewhere…it's multi-purpose! Once you get good at it you can pump up the whole mat in about 3-4 bagfuls of air – super fast!

#ERROR!

The snozzle makes a great pillow also.

Had an instaflator that worked OK then tried a pump bag once but ended up just using my trash compactor liner bag on our last trip and I liked that the best. You can almost fill your mat with one bag full and its already along for the ride. Thanks to a kind BPL member I have some nyloflume bags coming to try and I imagine they will also do fine for a pump bag and I will actually be shedding an ounce in the process. Dang its good to be a member here. Not sure you have been away from the forums but I recall quite a few threads on different lightweight pumps from battery powered to trash bags.

I'm also a fan of the Schnozzle. It has clips like a standard drybag, and I use it as such for my sleeping bag and fuzzy socks. As a pump bag it inflates the full sized UL7 in three or four bags full. Yes, inflating a pad with moist lung air will cause mildew in any pad.

I was thinking about the mini pump not the schnozzle I can't stomach $40 for a bag with a nozzle on it plus I can get the mini pump for $19 as I get a Veterans discount at one of my favorite outdoor retailers.

Daniel I hike in the mountains but live in the desert (Phoenix) normal humidity here hovers around 14% most of the year. Nothing gets mildew here. I guess if you live in a different climate that could be a problem. I think if I leave my air mat out for a day or so it'll be completely dry inside if I inflated it with my breath.

OK then.

Does anyone else have any additional information on whether your breath actually can cause an issue. Humidity is so negligible here for most of the year I am guessing that whatever is inside the pad from my breath will be quickly eliminated without any extra effort due to the relatively low humidity. Bigger concerns in the desert for me are gear being left in a too hot environment like my garage and things that are glued together delaminating or other strange things happening as it gets almost 200 degrees in there on real hot days. Luckily I don't keep much in there gear wise. Any other pad recommendations out there are welcome.

Never had issues with mats with syn insulation inside out here in dry cali. However, I wouldn't chance it with a mat with down for insulation.

Thanks Larry I think the synmat UL 7 is 100% synthetic. Yeah SoCal is quite dry no worries there either.

“Any other pad recommendations out there are welcome.” Hello Heath, I’ve tried a few dozen including several thermarests and expeds out there. I do like my short neoair because of the weight. And it’s fine for me if I sleep on my back or stomach. But when I sleep on my side (on all the mats I tried), my arm and shoulder quickly go numb. After an hour the pain will wake me. And then I found a mat that doesn’t put me in pain nor lets me go numb; the “Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated Sleeping Pad”. I use its dual-use pump bag to fill it (a separate purchase); takes about 45 seconds. That keeps mouth moisture out. So it’s comfortable for me in all sleeping positions. It’s very quiet. It doesn’t slip on the tent floor. And the air lets out in under a second (when laying on it). That shocked me at first but now I’m ready for the fast woosh when I pull the clever plug. So that makes it for fast rolling up in the morning. The con is its 15.5oz weight. I’ll take it on overnighters but not on week-long treks. Another one that felt very good was the “Big Agnes Q-Core SL Sleeping Pad”. It’s in the 16oz range also. It is much thicker and takes a little while to pump up. And I slid off of it about once/hr. If you’re on a half degree incline, prepare to slide. Anyway, my wife claimed that one because that’s the ONLY one she has ever fell asleep on ALL night. Anyway, more ideas… -Barry -The Tetons were made for Tevas

Barry I will have to look at that one. I have seen some mixed reviews on those pads. Right now the GG Air beam and thinlight pad weigh in at 17 ounces so as long as its under 20 ounces I am happy. Not light but I simply can't sleep on a 20" wide pad anymore without being in serious pain so I just have suck it up with the weight gain.

Well I bought a Synmat UL 7 medium wide, it arrived on Friday. I blew it up and slept on it Friday and Saturday night. From the second I laid down on it it caused immediate lower back pain. The arms weren't hurting but the verticle baffles just weren't doing it for me even after letting half the air out of the mat so it wasn't so stiff. I am going to try an Neo Air trekker in large torso now and see if horizontal baffles causes less pain and I can actually get a full nights sleep. If that doesn't work its on to the Sea to Summit and the Nemo Astro.

Never been a fan of vertical baffles either. Good luck with further testing.