Sleep mat for a painful back

[Woody girl]

Ok , I know a lot of people like myself have back problems. I have taken to hammocks to solve this and keep camping.
I am planning to do a wild coastal camp but there will be no trees to hang from which means a tent or tarp tent is the option. Normaly I use a double air bed for floor dwelling. But that was when I had a car and help to carry all the kit. This time it is to be a very lightweight camp set up as I will be using local buses and a 5km trundle to the area I want to be in. Airbeds are heavy and bulky and I need another option. I have several mats and experiments on the floor at home have shown I need at least three of them to be moderately comfortable. I don't want to lug 3 mats around and to be honest it makes the bag too heavy and bulky which defeats the whole object.
Can anyone fellow sufferers recommend a suitable mat that is not wildly expensive?. I need padding rather than insulation

 

[KenThis]

I am no expert but an old girlfriend used to have problems floor sleeping during camp trips. When she looked into it she found that in general women need more padding in certain areas rather than others, in particular around the hips and small of the back. It might be that you can take a main pad and then supplement that with smaller peieces just in the areas that need most comfort. Just a thought anyway. Hopefully someone may come along and have a better idea. Best of luck sounds like a fun trip.

 

[MrEd]

What about a camp bed? They might be worth considering? You can lighter ones.

 

[Nohoval_Turrets]

The exped mats (down or syn) have very good padding - certainly the comfiest I've tried. Reasonable weight too. I don't have back issues in general, so I can't comment on that.

 

[Sundowner]

I feel for you as I'm of that age where I'm just not sleeping on the floor anymore. Coastal trips where there are no trees? Not for me. You must be much fitter than me!! Let us know how it went?

 

[saxonaxe]

Just bare with this old boy for a minute Woody Girl...
When you sleep in a hammock your body adopts a slightly curved posture and you feel that is comfortable, with your back problem? When you sleep on the deck you lie flat and to resolve that you want to put thick padding under you, so in effect you will 'sink' into the padding and end up.... in a slightly curved posture, although not as pronounced as in a hammock obviously.
Can I suggest that you try this as an experiment before you take out a mortgage on a hokey cokey 2000 sleep-on-a-cloud super mat?
I use a Military issue inflatable sleeping mat, like this one at £30...www.forestarmysurplus.co.uk/product/british-army-inflating-sleeping-mat/, it's not heavy and rolls up easily. When you have decided exactly where you are going to lay on the ground, put the mat down and where your hips are going to be, scrape the soil away to a depth of a couple of inches. Make a depression in other words where your hips are going to be on the mat.
I make a scrape about 12 inches long and the width of the mat. You will have to adjust the depth to suit your own comfort and of course, whether your tent has a sewn in groundsheet or not decides whether you can do this before or after you put your tent up.
You will in effect end up sleeping in a very slight curved position. I don't have a bad back but I've used this method literally for decades and find it much better than laying flat out or wobbling around on top of a pile of padding.
If you have time before you go on your trip, give it a trial in the garden first, you may be surprised how much more comfortable sleeping on the ground becomes.
Caution.. don't dig the scrape too deep, 'cos if you disappear down an 'ole we won't be able to pull you out very quickly...

 

[Woody girl]

I feel for you as I'm of that age where I'm just not sleeping on the floor anymore. Coastal trips where there are no trees? Not for me. You must be much fitter than me!! Let us know how it went?

I doubt I'm fitter. I just keep pushing myself as hard as I can which is stupid sometimes. I usually come home and spend the best part of a week in bed. HD painkillers and gels are my best friends! I'm stubborn as heck and don't want to spend what's left of my life sitting in a chair wishing. There is a lot of stuff I can no longer do and what I do do is often at less than half speed . But you only have one life you gotta live it.

 

[Woody girl]

Saxon yes I can't lie completely flat due to spinal problems and arthritis in my lower back and hips which are also twisted. I think your suggestion may work. I'll try it as I have several mats ranging in thickness from 2cm to 4cm so I'll see which mat works.
Mr Ed I have a w leg bed in fact I have 3 but they are just too heavy sadly or i would not have made this post. I'm keeping weight to less than 10kg if at all possible and I know I may struggle with that so by the time I have 3 days food and water +spare clothes added it's gonna be tight weight wise. I could realy do with a memory foam matress! Bit heavy tho! Gonna miss that hammock for sure.

 

[Erbswurst]

Pardon, You have back problems and carry around 10 kilograms?

Why do you do this?

Yes the hole for the hip is an old trick!
People forgot it by using this air mats but untill the fifties everybody did it.

 

[Erbswurst]

double post deleted

 

[Woody girl]

Pardon, You have back problems and carry around 10 kilograms?

Why do you do this?

Yes the hole for the hip is an old trick!
People forgot it by using this air mats but untill the fifties everybody did it.

I used to carry weights that made grown men wInce! Not any more! 10kg is absolute maximum . Inc water and food for 3 days. I try to keep it more to 6-8kg max. I do realy struggle at 10 kg for more than a mile or so.
Why do I do it? Unfortunately slavery is banned and I got nowhere to keep a donkey.

 

[Sundowner]

I doubt I'm fitter. I just keep pushing myself as hard as I can which is stupid sometimes. I usually come home and spend the best part of a week in bed. HD painkillers and gels are my best friends! I'm stubborn as heck and don't want to spend what's left of my life sitting in a chair wishing. There is a lot of stuff I can no longer do and what I do do is often at less than half speed . But you only have one life you gotta live it.

Oh Woody girl, just read this post and I must say that, the second sentence and the last two actually describe me!! Only thing i have to learn now is to actually admit it to myself. Thanks for being honest, I guess I have to do this from now on !!!!
And, forgot, stubborn?? Not as stubborn as i am lol

 

[Erbswurst]

Yes, but perhaps you could swap or sell some old stuff and buy some new and light equipment.

Did you try the Decathlon rain cut jacket?
The Opinel No 7 Carbone?
The Tomshoo 750ml titanium billy can?
A 30x40 cm microfibre cloth as a towel?
The Snugpack Special Forces bivvy bag with Defcon 5 Poncho shelter?
Or Gatewood Cape and Serenity mesh inner tent?
A rucksack under 1 kg?
The Decathlon down bag with 800 cuin?
The petz e+lite head torch?
The micro light?

Did you realize, that sea to summit sells ultra light dry bags?

Experienced people like you can even think about down jackets.

It is possible to lighten the load for summer hikes to 4kg. (plus dehydrated food and water) and that means for several weeks, not a week end!

 

[Woody girl]

I have quite a lot of lightweight gear as well as luxury camping gear (bell tent woodstove Dutch oven etc.) Spent a lot of my younger days hitching around Europe and the UK with minimal gear. But old age and achy bones call for luxury. It's difficult to go minimal nowadays.

 

[Erbswurst]

What we called lightweight in 1990 they now a days call "ultra heavy".

I recommend to look the stuff up I wrote down, and that isn't even the lightest on the market!

 

[Woody girl]

Oh Woody girl, just read this post and I must say that, the second sentence and the last two actually describe me!! Only thing i have to learn now is to actually admit it to myself. Thanks for being honest, I guess I have to do this from now on !!!!
And, forgot, stubborn?? Not as stubborn as i am lol

I still ride my susuki intruder 800 cl dry weight 443lbs +3 and a half gallons of petrol... +kit but only in the summer time and mostly a max of 20 miles at a time. Wilderness gathering is 90 miles each way and a major undertaking with lots of nervous trepidation as to whether I will arrive or have to turn around and try and get home. Gritted teeth are the order of the day. I have always got there. Sometimes I'm down to 20 miles an hour for the last few miles! I'm often told I'm foolish but hey its so worth it! I spent a week in bed when I got home and I was literally crying with pain but I'm saving for this August. I'll get there.(mind you if someone were to offer me a lift in a comfy car I wouldn't say no! share petrol... cheeky hint)

 

[Erbswurst]

I forgot to write:

The new American ultra light trekking equipment is very comfortable.
A carbon pole simply is lighter than aluminium. They replaced nearly every material. The NASA is jealous about it.

I don't like the stuff. But instead of staying at home I would use it.

 

[Janne]

I bought an inflatable plastic ’lilo’ type of mat, to use this summer.
Not light, not heavy, and I just sacrifice something else.

The worst is that I have to blow it up, and I smoked a pack a day for 40 days....

 

[Alan De Enfield]

I'm keeping weight to less than 10kg if at all possible and I know I may struggle with that so by the time I have 3 days food and water +spare clothes added it's gonna be tight weight wise. .

To be honest I think you will struggle to be "self contained" for 3 days under 10kgs.

Will you really carry 3 days food & water, or will you replace (top-up) each day ?
If you take 2 litres of water per day as a minimum requirement you immediately have 6kgs.
Even Dehydrated food will come in at about 500g per day so another 1.5kgs.

My 3 day pack weighs in at 30 lbs (13 kgs 'ish) and contains about 1 day of water (1.5 litres), 3 days of lightweight de-hydrated food, minimal change of clothes, lightweight tent, down sleeping bag, lightweight mattress, cooking gear, water filter, etc etc.

The only way I can see that you can hope to achieve sub 10kgs is to use a water filter (or re-fill several times a day from taps. pubs etc) and use a Tarp.

Here are the weights of my pack contents.

Pounds weight

Rucksack = 3.872
Whistle = 0.022
Wolf Wise 2-Man Tent (complete Tent, Fly, Poles, Pegs, Bags) = 4.171
Footprint = 0.565
OEX Helios Down Sleeping Bag (23cm x 19cm) Inc. bag = 1.894
Hikenture Inflatable Sleeping Mattress (inc bag) = 1.016
Seat Pad / Cushion = 0.055
Outsmart Inflatable Pillow (inc bag) = 0.187
Titanium Saucepan, Lid & Contents (stove, tools etc) = 1.052
Aluminium Wind Break = 0.029
220g Gas Cartridge = 0.805
Stainless Steel Bowl = 0.097
Wood Stove = 0.458
Frying Pan = 0.123
300ml Measuring Jug = 0.053
Stainless Steel Mug & Lid (300ml) + 8x T-Bags, Milk & Sugar = 0.312
3x 500ml Water Bottles = 3.300
Strap Mount Water Bottle Holder = 0.077
Sawyer Mini Water Filter, Kit and Case = 0.616
1.5 litre Water Carrier = 0.095
2x Pack Dextro tablets = 0.211
7x T-Bags / Milk / Sweeteners (Inside Mug )
1-Day Ration Pack (~2000Kcal) = 1.221
2-Day Ration Pack (B) (~ 2250Kcal per day) = 2.486
Washing Kit (soap, towel, comb tooth brush, tooth paste) = 0.284
Poncho = 0.455
Down Jacket = 0.752
Nail Clippers / Nail File / Bottle Opener / Knife = 0.077
Sewing Kit = 0.090
Clothes Bag (Pants, socks, shirt, woolly hat, thinsulate gloves, trousers = 1.720
Spare Boot Laces = 0.035
1st Aid Kit (187g) Inc Tablets = 0.442
10x 'Wet-Wipes' = 0.154

Satmap Active 10 GPS (inc Extra SD Card) = 0.662
Headlight USB Rechargable = 0.409
VHF/UHF Radio Transceiver (extended battery + Charge Lead) = 0.532
7W Solar Panel Kit = 1.186
Folding Trowel, Toilet Paper, Hand Sanitiser, 3x Wet Wipes = 0.407
Folding Pocket Knife = 0.183
Spare Glasses, Case & Wipes = 0.145
Mirror / Heliograph = 0.042
1x Green, 1x Blue Bin Bags = 0.136
Super Glue (2g Tube) = 0.011
Toilet Paper (4 days) = 0.101

Calculated Total Weight = 30.40 lbs
Actual Weight (8/2/19) Black Scales = 30.25 lbs

I could save a 'pound' by dropping either the gas stove or the wood stove, I could drop another pound by not taking the solar panel and phone / GPS recharging 'power bank'. Save half-a-pound by not taking the Radio, save a couple of pounds using a tarp instead of a tent (my DD 3x3 tarp weighs just over 2 pounds with guy lines)
But I cannot see how to get below 10 kgs (22 lbs), and 'drop' 8-10 pounds from my pack leaving any semblance of comfort.

 

[Janne]

To be honest I think you will struggle to be "self contained" for 3 days under 10kgs.

Will you really carry 3 days food & water, or will you replace (top-up) each day ?
If you take 2 litres of water per day as a minimum requirement you immediately have 6kgs.
Even Dehydrated food will come in at about 500g per day so another 1.5kgs.

My 3 day pack weighs in at 30 lbs (13 kgs 'ish) and contains about 1 day of water (1.5 litres), 3 days of lightweight de-hydrated food, minimal change of clothes, lightweight tent, down sleeping bag, lightweight mattress, cooking gear, water filter, etc etc.

The only way I can see that you can hope to achieve sub 10kgs is to use a water filter (or re-fill several times a day from taps. pubs etc) and use a Tarp.

Here are the weights of my pack contents.

Pounds weight

Rucksack = 3.872
Whistle = 0.022
Wolf Wise 2-Man Tent (complete Tent, Fly, Poles, Pegs, Bags) = 4.171
Footprint = 0.565
OEX Helios Down Sleeping Bag (23cm x 19cm) Inc. bag = 1.894
Hikenture Inflatable Sleeping Mattress (inc bag) = 1.016
Seat Pad / Cushion = 0.055
Outsmart Inflatable Pillow (inc bag) = 0.187
Titanium Saucepan, Lid & Contents (stove, tools etc) = 1.052
Aluminium Wind Break = 0.029
220g Gas Cartridge = 0.805
Stainless Steel Bowl = 0.097
Wood Stove = 0.458
Frying Pan = 0.123
300ml Measuring Jug = 0.053
Stainless Steel Mug & Lid (300ml) + 8x T-Bags, Milk & Sugar = 0.312
3x 500ml Water Bottles = 3.300
Strap Mount Water Bottle Holder = 0.077
Sawyer Mini Water Filter, Kit and Case = 0.616
1.5 litre Water Carrier = 0.095
2x Pack Dextro tablets = 0.211
7x T-Bags / Milk / Sweeteners (Inside Mug )
1-Day Ration Pack (~2000Kcal) = 1.221
2-Day Ration Pack (B) (~ 2250Kcal per day) = 2.486
Washing Kit (soap, towel, comb tooth brush, tooth paste) = 0.284
Poncho = 0.455
Down Jacket = 0.752
Nail Clippers / Nail File / Bottle Opener / Knife = 0.077
Sewing Kit = 0.090
Clothes Bag (Pants, socks, shirt, woolly hat, thinsulate gloves, trousers = 1.720
Spare Boot Laces = 0.035
1st Aid Kit (187g) Inc Tablets = 0.442
10x 'Wet-Wipes' = 0.154

Satmap Active 10 GPS (inc Extra SD Card) = 0.662
Headlight USB Rechargable = 0.409
VHF/UHF Radio Transceiver (extended battery + Charge Lead) = 0.532
7W Solar Panel Kit = 1.186
Folding Trowel, Toilet Paper, Hand Sanitiser, 3x Wet Wipes = 0.407
Folding Pocket Knife = 0.183
Spare Glasses, Case & Wipes = 0.145
Mirror / Heliograph = 0.042
1x Green, 1x Blue Bin Bags = 0.136
Super Glue (2g Tube) = 0.011
Toilet Paper (4 days) = 0.101

Calculated Total Weight = 30.40 lbs
Actual Weight (8/2/19) Black Scales = 30.25 lbs

I could save a 'pound' by dropping either the gas stove or the wood stove, I could drop another pound by not taking the solar panel and phone / GPS recharging 'power bank'. Save half-a-pound by not taking the Radio, save a couple of pounds using a tarp instead of a tent (my DD 3x3 tarp weighs just over 2 pounds with guy lines)
But I cannot see how to get below 10 kgs (22 lbs), and 'drop' 8-10 pounds from my pack leaving any semblance of comfort.

Surely you can save more weight that that? If you have a back ot knee problem, I can guarantee you you would do that and still have enough comfort.