Best sleeping pad for old geezers?

[kari_cardi]

My almost elderly husband and myself have moved to a tent-camping system of those interlocking closed-foam squares to cover the floor of the tent plus my 2 inch thick Slumberjack self-inflating mattress. The foam squares help tremendously to cushion the ground for old knees while crawling in and out and getting dressed. Even a few to go under the self-inflater help a lot with sleep comfort.

 

It's either all that or the hammock, which I haven't tried yet. Tempting though, I plan to when the next opportunity arises.

[desertrat77]

Gunny, your post brought a smile...as an AF guy, up to a certain age, I could sleep on any floor without a pad, just used the gas mask as a pillow and covered up with a poncho liner--cement hangar, tiled MAC/AMC terminal, steel C-17/KC-135/C-130...and then one day I couldn't. I've got an issued, inflatable thin pad that seems to work well nowadays (not sure what brand it is) on a standard cot. Still don't get good sleep on the floor with it. I'll sleep but wake up feeling like I took a beating.

[Arrowhead]

I've used a Therm-a-rest RidgeRest and one of their first inflatables for decades - alternating, not together. I just purchased one of their NeoAir inflatables several months ago and it's a dream come true: wonderfully comfortable and compact. I'm better than 50yrs old and lean, with very little natural padding on my hips, so, it has been well worth the price.

 

Best regards,

Eagle '77

[Brewmeister]

Yes, part of the issue is I'm a side sleeper but only when I'm in a tent. My regular bed is a memory foam so I can sleep on my back all night. But in a tent because the support isn't there I roll onto my side and that's when the hip pointers really set in.

 

I have tried a regular cot, but besides being bulky and heavy they are not all that much more comfortable,

[Scoutfish]

Brewmeister ,

 

I'm the complete opposite: I sleep on my side at home because I have deep enough padding on my pillowtop matreess that It hold me just right.

 

But when I am camping, I sleep on my back because I will sink all the way through my air matress til I hit the ground. I also tend to list from side to side.

 

So, I end up sleeping on my back, which is also when I snore.

 

Yeah...I snore when sleeping on my back, but not on my side.

 

[BluejacketScouter]

For one-nighters and weekend backpacking, I use the regular Therma-rest 1", but for week-long camping I have an old Alps pad that is 3", has two valves at the bottom (one at each corner) and the opposite end is a pillow sort of wedge. Cabela's sells a similar 3-inch pad. But it is too big to backpack with.

 

I will throw this out about the inflatable foam mattresses, because I have several other styles and thicknesses that I use to double-up in winter camping or as loaners: it is possible to both under-inflate and over-inflate them. If you store them rolled up or folded in their original sack, carry case, whatever, just opening the valve and letting them expand on their own may not be enough. It is ok to give them a puff or two. I store mine unrolled with the valves open, behind the basement couch leaning up against the wall. Likewise if they feel too hard or like you are rolling off, let a little air out.

 

[DLChris71]

I generally am too cheap to go with much more than a blue pad. I was wondering what everyone's opinion of a pad vs. a hammock was.

[Scoutfish]

Chris,

 

I have been dragging my feet, but I AM going to buy a hammock!

 

I have narrowed it down to these two choices:

 

 

Light weight no-see-um

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___67907

 

 

GI style Jungle Hammock

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___41118

 

I will probably go with GI version because it already has the rain fly and seems like the material would be tougher than the light weight one. I have no doubt it will be heaver , but the trade off should be worth it.

 

 

[goheelz]

Definitely the hammock for me. If you are interested in the gear, check out hammock forums.net for advice.

 

I'm not looking forward to our spring camporee since there is no place to hang.

[Eagle732]

The most comfortable and lightest pad you can buy (in my opinion) is the Thermarest NeoAir. The full length regular is only 14 oz. I used one for my entire Appalachian Trail thru-hike last year (5 1/2 months) and still use it on scout camping trips today. I intend to take it to Philmont next year too.

[Basementdweller]

fish read the reviews on the gi hammock.....It will probably be too narrow for you

 

 

I support an american company as opposed to chinese......my hammock is a warbonnet blackbird, made in boulder colorado and my quilts are made by hammock gear in ohio.......

 

Of course I have more than $39 involved. But to me it is more important to support american industry than save a couple of bucks.

[Gunny2862]

The Neo air seems like it would be by far the lightest. Here in MO, AR, KS I inevitably find stuff in the morning I didn't find the night before during set-up. We almost inevitably wind up arriving after dark on Friday. I have had no punctures with my earlier Thermarest or with the Exped but the material on the Neo air seems like it would possibly run into durability issues from the odd stick or vine poking from under the tent.

 

 

Check out the Hennessey Hammocks http://hennessyhammock.com/ I'm thinking about the Explorer Deluxe Asym Classic, I've priced out some other hammocks and tarps and bug net combo's. While it can be done cheaper especially with pieces and parts rather than buying a system from any maker, the thing about the Hennessey is that supposedly you can sleep "diagonally" or offset and thus the tension is taken up in such a way that you can still sleep flat. I haven't tried Hammock sleeping yet - I'd be interested in why's from folks who have tried it and both why those who have liked it liked it and why those who didn't , didn't.

 

desertrat77, glad I was good for a chuckle. Man I still don't know what the change was, I could literally sleep anytime, anywhere, laying down, strapped in up right, sitting - didn't matter and almost overnight, bam, decent sleeping conditions or no sleep.

[AZMike]

Hello everyone, first post and nice to be on the forum.

 

The ALPS Mountaineering XL Comfort Pad is more comfortable than my bed at home, whether on a cot or on the ground. It's strictly for base camping, but it's wonderful for that purpose. ALPS sells it to scouters at a deep discount on their scoutdirect.com website.

[blw2]

I had an old thermarest (1"?) from my younger days, but at the prospect of tent camping again now that my son is in scouts, I bought a thicker thermarest. Don't recall the thickness now, but guessing in the ball park of 1-1/2" or 2".

No complaints, but I wish I'd known about that neo air .

 

I always figured that a hammock would be murder on my back..... Sort of like falling asleep in a chair.....

[perdidochas]

A hammock is the best sleeping pad for old geezers.