Sleeping System - Side Sleeper

Ive been backpacking for decades and tried many systems as a side sleeper. When younger, five min. of moving around in the morning was enough to eliminate aches and pains. As I age, the pains last longer and longer. Looking for some miracle solution to solve the problem if someone has found it.

Things Ive tried (all options include the use of Nemo fillo):

-Thermarest neo

-Thermarest neo with zlite under

-Thermrest neo with zline on top

-Big agnes divide

I have tried all of these at different levels of inflation too.

Hoping someone had the same issues and found something that resolved it. If you were always comfortable, its probably not the answer.

For lightweight travel you will not find it. But for car camping try a Thermarest MondoKing 3D. 

Do a quick search for ultra-light cots. 

amariuswrote:

Do a quick search for ultra-light cots. 

do you have any success with any of these models? As much as Id love to have years and $100s of dollars to try out all of the models until I find the good one, a recommendation from someone who has had success with a specific system would be greatly appreciated.

Whats your pillow setup?  I find my shoulders, upper back, neck are much happier after having experimented with several backcountry pillows in addition to moving to a thicker, less inflated inflatable pad.  I'm on an entirely Nemo setup at this point.

Jake wanderwrote:

do you have any success with any of these models? As much as Id love to have years and $100s of dollars to try out all of the models until I find the good one, a recommendation from someone who has had success with a specific system would be greatly appreciated.

I purposefully did not include any references, but for a good reason. Price points vary a lot, so do weights - even the lightest ultralight cot is heavier that minimalistic sleeping pad. Don't know what your size is, don't know what your luxury weight budget is, don't know what your budget is.
My experience was with an early version of cot below, I was not backpacking, but kayaking - weight limitations are quite different. I loved it, but, of course, your experience may vary. For car camping, I use a much heavier cot that only a masochist would carry while backpacking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrxGkLNEdSg

The only pads that I've been able to side sleep comfortably on are the big agnes 4 inch air pads, blown up very firm. In the current gen, that's the Rapide SL. 

Jake wanderwrote:

Ive been backpacking for decades and tried many systems as a side sleeper. When younger, five min. of moving around in the morning was enough to eliminate aches and pains. As I age, the pains last longer and longer. Looking for some miracle solution to solve the problem if someone has found it.

Things Ive tried (all options include the use of Nemo fillo):

-Thermarest neo

-Thermarest neo with zlite under

-Thermrest neo with zline on top

-Big agnes divide

I have tried all of these at different levels of inflation too.

Hoping someone had the same issues and found something that resolved it. If you were always comfortable, its probably not the answer.

Think out of the box, having cracked my hip joint crashing my off-road bike on my sleeping side I upgraded from a Nemo inflatable to to the same matress plus a cheap 20$ inflatable underneath, for 365g extra it's brilliant and if one leaks it isn't the end of the trip. I'm 73 years old.

I have not tried many things, so I cannot compare that much since I went directly from crap (which did give me the bad night of sleeps and though mornings you're talking about - although it does go fast for me) to my current setup, but I did research when buying it since I'm a side sleeper too and I ended up with a StS ether light XT. I sleep almost as well as in my bed in this (with a Nemo disco endless promise sleeping bag). My girlfriend has a Nemo Tensor All season and while it's not as thick, it does give a lot of support and is also way smaller when folded.

I only sleep on my side and I'm 46, so the random aches and pains are getting more common.  I've been a fan of the Sea to Summit Ether Light XR (the newer version). It's almost 4 inches thick and pretty comfy for the weight.  The R value is 4.2, definitely good enough for warm weather and early shoulder season stuff.  I've also used the Nemo Tensor all-season in the past, which is a little warmer and damn close in comfort to the S2S, but the S2S has a slight edge in comfort if you ask me.  Yes, they're both a few oz heaver than the Thermarest Neo Air, but totally worth it for the boost in comfort IMO.  I've been using the Thermarest Neo Air 4 season pad in snow (mostly spring ski touring trips), but thinking of upgrading to the Nemo Tensor Extreme which is probably more comfortable at a minimal weight penalty.  

I also typically sleep with 2 pillows at home (I know, I'm a diva).  I've found stacking a S2S ultralight pillow and a Nemo Filo Elite makes a big difference in comfort for me.  The Filo elite goes on top.  I stuff them inside a lightweight buff and use a quilt strap to strap the whole thing to my sleeping pad so they don't move.  Yes, this setup is also a couple oz heavier than a single UL pillow, but totally worth it to me for the ability to sleep with some degree of comfort.  If you dig the 2 pillow setup you could save some weight by using the Big Sky International UL pillow and then stacking something a little softer on top like the Zpacks comfy camp pillow (which has straps on the back to hold it to another pillow).  The Big Sky pillow comes with a pillow strap.

Lastly, as a side sleeper I've been a big fan of quilt-style sleeping bags since I started trying them.  I can turn side to side easily without the bag binding under me.  I have an Enlightened Equipment 20 degree quilt that is awesome.  I have the regular wide size which allows me to sleep on my side without drafts when I use the quilt straps.  I find it quite warm and very comfy.

Using the above system I sleep a lot better than I used to in the backcountry.  It's pretty comfy for the weight.  Don't get me wrong, it isn't anything like sleeping at home, but I wake up feeling rested.

Topically, Andy posted this yday: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/201567505/pad-brain-dump

Just a question, I guess I don’t understand until I ask questions sometimes. I sleep on my side and on my back. I prefer to sleep on my side, but when I camp, I switch to my back and it’s not an issue. Just trying to understand. What is the hurdle to switching from side sleeping to back sleeping? Does it actually hurt your body? Are you not able to sleep because of a mental aspect or physical aspect? Is it because that’s something that you’re used to or is sleeping on your back just absolutely not an option and if so why? Just wondering since everybody was talking about different positions.

Jon Hartmannwrote:

Just a question, I guess I don’t understand until I ask questions sometimes. I sleep on my side and on my back. I prefer to sleep on my side, but when I camp, I switch to my back and it’s not an issue. Just trying to understand. What is the hurdle to switching from side sleeping to back sleeping? Does it actually hurt your body? Are you not able to sleep because of a mental aspect or physical aspect? Is it because that’s something that you’re used to or is sleeping on your back just absolutely not an option and if so why? Just wondering since everybody was talking about different positions.

I would love to sleep on my back. I literally just lay there wide awake endlessly. If I roll over to my side, I fall asleep instantly. I tried to "train" myself to sleep on my back for over a month and it just wasnt possible. Perfectly comfortable but for some reason cannot sleep.

I'm a side sleeper with back issues. After most of my life with a basic Ridgerest foam pad as I got older I transitioned to a Thermarest NeoAir which was a game changer. By that time I wasn't doing backpacking however, mostly long dig-ins on climbing trips, so I'd already have a foam Ridgerest with me lining a haulbag which I'd place under the NeoAir. Cush setup. Maybe in addition to an inflatable pad you can bring an additional smaller section of however-thick-you-need-it foam for use under your hip/torso and then stuff your clothes/insulation/pack/soft-goods under your legs to bring things into alignment on the same plane w/o additional weight.

Last trip I took a scumbag stole my expedition backpack (95 liters) in Yosemite which had my NeoAir in it (along with my entire rack, sleeping bag, all my clothing, insulation, toiletries, artwork, and much more ... this on the very 1st night of a 4 month hitchhiking trip ... initially devastating psychologically and physically but I forged ahead and played the hand I was dealt). Reverting back to a thin Ridgerest foam was grim. 2.5-3 months in I scavenged two practically new discarded old style inflatable Thermarests (type with the foam inside). Comfort restored. Upon return I replaced the stolen NeoAir, this time with a wide version for the side-sleeper width. The inflatables have worked for me.

However, this past year or so I've been having more back pain and my home mattress isn't comfortable anymore. I thought it was getting beat out and was time for replacement, but I couldn't get comfortable in any of my old chairs either. Went to a back doctor and tests show deterioration in the lower spine. There's some stuff that can be done like physical therapy or nerve ablation (killing the nerves). What I'm finding is that nothing is particularly comfortable anymore to sleep on - although the instinct is to believe that there's something comfortable 'out there' - trying to locate it may be a fool's mission. The rest is just coping.

My 2¢

Jon Hartmannwrote:

Just a question, I guess I don’t understand until I ask questions sometimes. I sleep on my side and on my back. I prefer to sleep on my side, but when I camp, I switch to my back and it’s not an issue. Just trying to understand. What is the hurdle to switching from side sleeping to back sleeping? Does it actually hurt your body? Are you not able to sleep because of a mental aspect or physical aspect? Is it because that’s something that you’re used to or is sleeping on your back just absolutely not an option and if so why? Just wondering since everybody was talking about different positions.

I can fall asleep on my back, in fact I can fall asleep in just about any position (this is a skill that parents learn.)

But I will wake up after an hour or two and can't go back to sleep in that position. If I want a good solid night of sleep, most of it will need to be on my side. I don't know why, but I know it this not something I can change with practice or effort. Sleep is something you can't overthink or make happen through willpower. You just have to accept what works for you.

Almost lifelong side sleeper here I feel your pain. Due to chronic back injury I can no longer sleep on my side even on an expensive home mattress.

So I had to retrain myself to sleep on my back (and stay there). It can be done.

That's all I have to add.

Jon Hartmannwrote:

Just a question, I guess I don’t understand until I ask questions sometimes. I sleep on my side and on my back. I prefer to sleep on my side, but when I camp, I switch to my back and it’s not an issue.

A while back after a major surgery I was not able to sleep on my side.
After two nights without even an hour of sleep I learned how to fall asleep on my back.

Later I lost this skill. :(

I’ve always wondered about how impossible it is for people to sleep in unfamiliar positions at night. I’ve never had an issue so it’s nice to hear others experiences. 

Jon Hartmannwrote:

I’ve always wondered about how impossible it is for people to sleep in unfamiliar positions at night. I’ve never had an issue so it’s nice to hear others experiences. 

You possess a massive gift my friend. I've all but given up on backcountry camping at this point after a recent 2 night trip to Charlotte Dome. Maybe I slept 7 hours combined in those two nights. I wish I could do it, it sucks that it's such an immensely miserable experience for me

I’m a side sleeper, and I fold my Z lite in half so my hips to shoulder gets double padding and double insulation, and my legs go on my empty pack. Try it out, it’s really comfy.

Honestly, I through hiked the Co trail and am a side sleeper and used a Thermarest X-lite and didn't really have any issues. I'm pretty young, but your solution may be a better pillow? I found it to make a pretty big difference and for me since i was going the UL route id just stuff my tiny UL backapck with a bunch of stuff and use that.