Sleeping Pad Shape and Comfort for Stomach Sleepers

I'm a 6'3", lean, quilt user, stomach/side sleeper also and have gone through some of the same decisions, although I never really concerned myself with my arms being on the pad when "over the head". My main concern was my knees, as I've had knee problems for a few years, and they would tend to get sore (along with most other points of contact) on any CCF pad. Another thing I accepted was that my feet were likely to hang off the pad unless I got a long size, but I found that I didn't have a problem with that and I used my sit pad/frameless pack "frame" under my feet in colder weather, so long as my knees on up were on the sleeping pad. I thought I had it made when the POE Elite AC came out (very comfortable, light, and affordable) but that turned out to be unreliable and I found it to be a cold pad that didn't insulate well. I also have a Prolite Plus that I sleep very comfortably on, but its twice as heavy as the Xlite and doesn't roll nearly as small. I haven't seen too many pads that are long enough for someone our size to have all parts on the pad when arms are in the overhead position.

I just bought a Neo-Air Xlite women's size (66"), and in laying on it I like the length, as the difference between it and the regular size would be mostly wasted space under the last few inches of my legs. Its also a bit narrow at 20", although its the same width as nearly every other pad I've used and I'm used to it. I've not slept on it yet (just unboxed it this morning) so I can't compare the comfort vs. the POE which had the air tubes running lengthwise like the Exped's, and even then its not a truly accurate comparison. But I'm pleased with the comfort from the few minutes i've laid on it. I can't really say much more on it until I take it out and use it. I've also been recently trying to "train" myself to sleep on my back to alleviate some of the concerns with my knees, with some success.

You probably already know that the Xlite in the long size is 5" wider than the other sizes, although not rectangular. It might be worth taking another look at it.

Thanks for your thoughts here. Do you ever kick one leg up to alleviate lower-back pressure? I switch between straight-legs and one bent leg throughout the night. That's also another reason I'm considering a rectangular pad.

As for length, I might try to get into a store to see how a shorter pad would feel with my feet hanging off the end. But then the fact that I like my arms over my head leads me to think a 20" wide pad would be too narrow…which would probably rule out any short pad. So maybe a little more research is in order.

Anyone have thoughts on vertical vs. horizontal baffles?

The newer neo air trekker has a large torso (25×47). It is 15 oz. though, so if you had the money I would get a large xlite.

I'm your size and find this pad very comfortable for stomach sleeping. I typically under inflate it a bit and find that better. Not the lightest, but super comfortable.

I go from back to stomach to side all night. No matter how flat the ground I inevitably end up off my pad several times a night. The REI AirRail and Flash pads help to reduce it; but thankfully, most of the time I don't sleep on the ground.

Ever try a hammock?

Spending $20 on a Grand Trunk from Amazon or the "Equip" model from Wally world can give you a chance to try sleeping in one in your backyard before you trick one out with whoopie slings and dutch clips or learning a marlin spike hitch. Sleeping on your stomach is very comfortable as long as you lay in the diagonal. You can also sleep flat on your stomach in a bridge hammock however they weigh more.

I'm 6'1" 220lbs and sleep primarily on my side, but quite often on my stomach. I recently replaced my original NeoAir R with an XLite L for a 2oz weight gain. Wish I had done it sooner. The XLite L is super comfy and works great for stomach sleeping. The non-rectangular shape is a non-issue for me.

Thanks John! Good to hear. I'm leaning heavily toward the XLite Large.

I've used an Exped Synmat UL7 LW and it was very comfortable but I wonder if the flatter surface of the XLite would help with my knees on my stomach. As I mentioned above, some pads with vertical baffles push/pull/twist my kneecap as I settled down into one position. I'm hoping to use my REI dividend and 20% off coupon on this, so I'd like to avoid buying just to try it out.

And to answer the question about hammocks – believe me, I have tried everything short of a bridge hammock. It's a really fun hobby making hammocks. I have a Ghost Hammock clone that weighs about 8oz (hammock body AND all of the suspension) and an 11.5' gathered end hammock. Really comfy for lazy afternoons, but after multiple overnight trips using different hammocks that I've made (1.1oz Ghost, 1.1oz single @ 11.5', 1.1oz double @ 11.5'), I just can't get comfortable in them because I move around a lot at night. I'll hop back on the Hammock Forums in the future if I decide to explore that route again. I'll leave it at that…I don't want to derail…but great suggestion.

The nice thing about REI is the easy returns.
FYI If you use your dividend to buy, then return it, they mail you a check. Slightly less convenient that crediting it back to your dividend, but still a no cost way to check out something you are pretty sure you will keep.

FWIW, if you get the L XLite, I doubt you will be returning it :)

Looks like I'll be making a trip to REI very soon. Thanks for the info. B did not know they sent you a check.

Actually, I'm not sure how they would handle an in-store return…I only have experience with on-line.