Help needed! Sleepless side sleeper

A properly inflated pad shouldn’t let you “bottom out”.  Do you top it off after your breath has cooled or the chill of the evening has cooled the sleeping pad?  You want the pad to be as full of air, as stiff, as possible.

A week of sleepless nights would suck!  Sacrilegious here on BPL, but I’d suggest in the short term that you double up pads in pursuit of better sleep.  If you had a 72″ Z Lite Sol (or any long Z-folding pad), you could double up the thickness under your shoulders and hips, then top it with one of the inflatables.

Therm-a-rest used to sell a spray to make the pads less slippery.  Spray contact cement from a stationary or art-supply store does the same thing.  I wouldn’t treat the surface I lie on (since i use a quilt), but the surfaces between the pads.

Beth – I’m a 100% side sleeper in a real bed, but I switched to a hammock when backpacking and have never looked back.  I don’t know where you do most of your backpacking, but might trying a hammock be an option?  A hammock can also open up other places to spend the night – I’m in the well-wooded hills of Pennsylvania and I’ve been able to sleep in places where a tent or tarp simply wouldn’t be much of an option.  Of course, if you do any of your hiking above the tree line then just ignore me…

Forgot to mention I’m 5’6″ so I could definitely go with a short and wide pad.

Thanks David for that suggestion. I did top off my mattress but it felt too firm and I tended to roll off it.  That was with the short uberlite.

Kevin – I’m mostly a Sierra Nevada backpacker.  Many trips above tree line. So I could try hammocks on a lower elevation trip but not my typical ones.

Years ago, when I hiked the PCT, I hiked around this married couple who had previously hiked the AT together.  In camp, I watched the hudsband setup their shelter and he always made a shallow trench with his shoe heel before setting up their tent over it.  When I asked what that was for, he said it was for his wife’s hip.  Having a premade depression helped her sleep on her side flatter since she didn’t need as thick of a mattress to absorb the width of her hips. Don’t know if that will help your specific problem, but it couldn’t hurt to try.

I’m a mostly side-sleeper. Over the years, my pads have gotten thicker, from cheap blue foam through Therm-a-Rest self-inflating to the 3-inch-thick Nemo Tensor Insulated, pumped up as hard as possible.

Finally I can sleep through the night without pain in my hips. Some pads are much better at controlling bottom-out and roll-off than others. I tried a bunch at REI (when that was an option) before choosing the Nemo.

Good luck.

— Rex

I sleep on my side on an original, rectangular NeoAir mattress. The advice I heard somewhere is to blow it up just enough so your hip doesn’t bottom out when you’re on your side.

That gives a softer feel than a fully blown up mattress. Seems right to me. (Though I wonder if it compromises the insulation value….)

I wonder if it compromises the insulation value…
It certainly does.
See our review of air mats:
https://backpackinglight.com/airmat_sotmr_part1_2011/
https://backpackinglight.com/airmat_sotmr_part2_2011/

Cheers

I am also a side sleeper with old and often-achy bones.  What has helped the most with my Thermarest XTherm is inflating it pretty firm, then topping it off as the air cools.  Sometimes this requires an irritating midnight top-off, but it helps.  I also use a small squishy pillow between my knees, helps with the back.  Some folks swear by the comfort of Sea to Summit’s “air sprung cell” mattresses, which feature pockets of air rather than horizontal or vertical tubes.  I’m sure you want to add another mattress to your quiver. :>)

Thank you all for the great suggestions!  This community is the best! I’m  going to try a few of these ideas to see what works for me.  I really can’t deal with so many restless nights. Too old for that!

I bet I can borrow a sea to summit or Nemo tensor if I can’t physically go into my local REI.

Although I hate to purchase yet another mattress, I’m sure I can sell my others.

I’m a side sleeper but have never bottomed out an air mattress except when I intentionally tried softening the thing to see if I could make it more cushy.  I’ve never used a mat with the horizontal baffles…maybe try a mat with a different baffle arrangement?  I know I’ve heard other complaints about rolling off those Therm-a-Rests.

I wonder if it compromises the insulation value…
It certainly does.
See our review of air mats: …

Roger, Thanks for the reference. From that review:

While the thickness of the mat does affect the R-value, it also affects the comfort of the mat. Blow a mat up hard to get maximum R-value, and you will find it can be quite uncomfortable to sleep on. Let a bit of air out: the mat starts to mold itself to your body and comfort increases.

Hence a conflict of one kind of comfort vs another (cushiness vs warmth). Sometimes synergy ain’t what’s happening!

I might have to try that “dig a hole for your hips” tip per @miner.

Perhaps try a mattress that has vertical baffles (like Exped) instead of horizontal (like Thermarest neoair).

I used Exped synmat pads for many years and although I have been using Neoair x-lite and x-therm for  the last year or so, it is only because of the warmth/weight. The Expeds are more comfortable. I am a back and side sleeper.

I like my neo-air short because of its 8oz carry weight. But the neo-airs give me numb shoulders if sleeping on my side. So on some of my trips I have found the following more comfortable than a neoair when sleeping on my side:

1.       Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated “Short”, 15oz, 2” thick, R=3.3

2.       Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated, 14.8oz, 4”, R=4.2 (pump weight not included). I use the ‘women’ version.

3.     Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core SLX, 17oz, 3.5”, R=4.5

The Ether has a great attachment system for their Large Ultralight Pillow (2.5oz). I use the pillow half filled and it’s surprisingly comfortable.

Plus the above releases the air much better. I.e., the above have better in/out valves.

Just more ideas…

-Barry

The Sea to Summit Ether Light XT women’s pad has an R=3.5, the mens version has an R value of R=3.2 (using new, standardized rating system).

“Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated, 14.8oz, 4”, R=4.2 (pump weight not included). I use the ‘women’ version.”

A huge +1. Once I tried this pad, after many others, I haven’t looked back. So fricking comfortable (I’m a wicked toss and turner, but mostly like sleeping on my side, and it’s not unusual for me to curl up quite a bit). The pillow connection is great as well.

I did find on my most recent trip that it gets a bit chilly if it’s much less than 40 degrees though, so I’ve also got a 1/8 inch foam pad that I put under it for colder temps (though I still use an X Therm for winter trips).

Barry P –

“2. Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated, 14.8oz, 4”, R=4.2 (pump weight not included). I use the ‘women’ version.”

Can you provide at link to those specs?

I can only find R3.5 fat 17 ounces –

https://seatosummitusa.com/collections/sleeping-mats/products/womens-ether-light-xt-insulated-sleeping-mat?variant=12324935139431

Thanks.

See above post: That’s what I was trying to tell you. Using the new standardized rating system for sleeping pad R values, the Sea to Summit Ether Lite XT is 3.5 for the womens verison, and 3.2 for the  mens. It is no longer the old value of 4.2. Nothing has changed in the pads insulation, they just measure it differently now. It allows one to compare insulation values between pads made buy different manufacturers.

I’m a back and side sleeper.  My go to is a Big Agnes AXL Insulated (it’s 3.25″ thick in the middle).  I inflate it then lie down on it and release air (when it’s cooled down) until it’s just keeping my hips/butt off of the ground.  The pad isn’t quite as warm as other pads but I usually use a Gossamer Gear Thinlite pad underneath to both increase the R-value a little and give me some additional padding should I release too much air.  My pad is also the 25″ wide pad so it’s super comfortable if you tend to roll around when you sleep.

That said, these days I’m in a hammock more often than not.  It’s WAY more comfortable once you have it all dialed in.  I also hike in the Eastern Sierra more than other locales and find that I can usually find a place to hang.  Last weekend I did a short hike with my campsites at 10,600 and 11,000 ft and found trees that were fine to hang from.  Also, if there are no trees you can still pitch your tarp as a ground pitch with trekking poles.  Just make sure you have some padding you can use for the ground should the need arise.  I’ve tried a lot of things to try making the ground more comfortable to sleep on but nothing compares to sleeping in a hammock if you don’t sleep well on the ground.  It might be worth a try.  You’d be surprised how well you can sleep in the backcountry in one.

Keeping an eye on this for reference.  I’d love to try an exped or other vertical instead of horizontal baffles. May also have to try the trench trick as well

I know this is Backpacking Light, but I couldn’t sleep well until I got a Helinox Lite Cot. It weighs twice as much as heavy pads, but it’s worth it for me. I’ll try to save weight other places.

Hello Greg. Sorry for late reply. Here’s the box the pad came in.

I bought it last year. Paul may be right if Sea To Summit updated it in 2020.

-Barry

I’m a very restless side sleeper. For several years I happily used the Thermarest Prolite Plus. This year I did a gear overhaul to shed some pounds. I replaced the Prolite with the Thermarest XLite Womens. I slept (or tried to) on it for three nights and then sent it packing. Worst sleep ever. For someone who tosses and turns constantly the pad was way too bouncy and the sides way too weak. If I wasn’t moving my legs and bouncing my torso off the pad, I was falling off the sides of it. I decided sleep is more important than saving a few ounces. I went back to the Prolite but I got the short version. I’m only 4’10”, so short on me is less short on other people – if it was much shorter I’m not sure how I’d feel about it. I’ve been pretty happy with it so far. Same general level of comfort as the the standard Prolite, but lighter since it’s shorter. I’ve been putting my pack and z-lite sit pad under my feet and it’s been working out. Good luck!

Beth,

I have a similar problem.  But first, suggest trying neoairs in a store just to be sure that the ones you used were not defective.

Assuming they were not defective, for me they are still glorified air mattresses.  Even on expensive air or water beds, I feel like I’m going to float off the edges, and become nauseated.  Even Thermarest’s so-called self-inflating mats have this effect, although to a lesser extent.  (Note, none of them are really self-inflating, but if left unplugged for a while, will take in a fair amount of air, so require less puffs to inflate.)

However, tried some short self-inflators from Nemo, and they were OK.  Felt like I was slipping around on a gel, rather than a balloon filled with air, and it was OK.

Still, the first pad you mention is a closed cell, about 3/4 inches at it thickest.  But it is one of those that has varying thickness, and might not provide much padding or support.

Would suggest trying one of the thicker self-inflators.  If that does not work, you might need to carry a rolled up closed cell foam pad, akin to a thick exercise mat.  I’ve seen hikers packing these, and although they are bulky, they may be what is required for a good night’s sleep.

What also helps are evergreen boughs.  I pitched a tent over a collection of these left by someone else, and got the best sleep ever on a backpacking trip. However, there may be prohibitions on cutting boughs these days, so best to check first.

And agree with the suggestion about making a depression for the hips, although not sure that would work for me because I roll around when sleeping, and the depression would drive me nuts.

Hope you find a solution, as sleeping outdoors in the fresh air is quite enjoyable for many.