Need help from side sleepers please

As a medium weight (ie 180lbs) person, and a side sleeper, I found that what's true for muscle cars is true for sleeping pads. "There is no replacement for displacement." In other words, no matter what I tried, nothing was as comfortable as a pad that would allow me to sink in to it and displace the air in the shoulder and hip region of the pad. After various self inflating type pads that left me with a sore back I bought an Exped DM UL7, and have slept blissfully ever since. I can fill it firm and then bleed off a little air once I climb in bed, being able to sink in to the mattress helps take the pressure off my back and shoulders. I think the extra thickness of the Neoair vs the prolite should help quite a bit. Not sure on the thickness of the klymit pad you've got.

Can't say I ever tried what you mention with the evazote pads, but there's just not a lot of compressability there to take the pressure off, even with a couple of layers of it.

I doubt the evasote will do much good. Warmth, yes, but not comfort.

I'm with Jesse on this: Dispacement is key, and an Exped UL7 (my choice) or some other thick , insulated air mattress is the key. The nice thing about the Exped is that it is easy to let air out carefully once you're laying down on it. Use the "fill" valve, taking the cap off, then just tap it lightly to release tiny amounts of air until you have it dialed in.

Best of luck!

Hammock. Problem solved.

At home, on my Tempur-pedic I only sleep on my side ( to side..to side…). In my hammock I sleep like a baby.

"At home, on my Tempur-pedic I only sleep on my side ( to side..to side…). In my hammock I sleep like a baby."

Funny, exactly the same for me. Tempur-pedic at home (which I love), and I toss and turn (but comfortably so). In a hammock, hardly move at all.

Thanks for the recommendations guys. I will definitely have to try an exped at my local rei. At 2.8 in thick they sound pretty nice and I didn't realize they rival the original neoairs in weight.

As to the hammock suggestions, don't worry I have a hammock setup :) I enjoy using it but even in a hammock I am still a side sleeper and still have to work on being comfortable. You can find me by the same name on hammockforums. I also enjoy going to ground when I have a "friend" with me haha.

Plus I have visions of camping high up in the mountains sometime soon.

"In a hammock, hardly move at all."

That's what you get for sleeping alone. In Yucatan they weave a double for couples called the "matrimonial", and all I can say is that whoever came up with that work of art deserves a Nobel Prize. You still end up sleeping like babies, only more so. ;0)

I'm a side sleeper – actually a very athletic rotisserie sleeper.

I'm an exped fan (both synmat UL7 and downmat UL7) and i've never looked back. I am shocked at how comfortable it is to sleep on the ground.

"That's what you get for sleeping alone. In Yucatan they weave a double for couples called the "matrimonial", and all I can say is that whoever came up with that work of art deserves a Nobel Prize."

Uh, yeah, but I'm single. Thanks for rubbing that fact in, Tom……

"I'm a side sleeper – actually a very athletic rotisserie sleeper."

So all you need is someone to baste you throughout the night?

"Uh, yeah, but I'm single. Thanks for rubbing that fact in, Tom……"

One banana sling deserves another. ;0))

"So all you need is someone to baste you throughout the night?"

um, actually, yes.

Side sleeper here and I seem to sleep in the spin cycle, however if you wake with shoulder or hip pain, try digging a small depression where your hip and or shoulder will be. I have found that a half inch depression under my Polycro/bivy pad combo does the trick.

I go back and forth between a Synmat UL7 and an Xlite

YMMV

Jeff

I use a Exped UL7, with a super light weight blue sit pad foam (~12 x 16 Stansport Pack-Lite Camping Pad) under my hip. Blissful ever since.

DL

Side sleeper here also, I use an Exped synmat ul 7 with a half ridgerest for summer/3 season, in winter I switch to a downmat ul7 and full ridgerest. Both pads are regular sized. I am a shade over 5' 10" and 190lbs and.the width is perfect for me.

I used a Neoair for years and much prefer the expeds due to baffle orientation and.the larger side baffles.

Thanks everyone for all the replies. This has been really helpful. I can't wait to get back to REI and try out some expeds. Can't waste that REI coupon :P

I am definitely going to try out digging a hole and maybe a little foam under my hip. I think part of my problem is once I fall asleep I don't move at all, so my one side takes all the weight the whole night.

If anyone else would like to chime though please do.

Stuff sack and jacket or other items tall enough for a pillow to keep my neck straight is a lot more important to me than the pad when I'm on my side. I use a variety of pads depending on the temps, from a Klymit Inertia XLite Recon in summer to an Exped Downmat UL7 when it's cold, and really have no complaints, either way. 'Course I also sleep comfortably on the floor…
Actually about to get a ProLite small(still like my old Guidelite 3/4, but it's heavy and bulky) for use with a quilt in intermediate temps instead of a full length inflatable, but am also debating that Exped pillow.

6'1" and 220 lbs here. Confirmed side sleeper. I've been using the NeoAir since they were first offered. Never been happier. When I recently had to replace it I tried every inflatable I could find, and ended up with the Xlite large. Can't believe how much nicer it is that the original regular size.

I didn't particularly like or dislike the Exped mats. I know a lot of people love them, but I'm sticking with TAR.