Uncomfortable on blow up sleeping pad! Any tips?

[Mike Islander]

Tested the X-Therm vs. the Exped last night. Insulated Exped SynMat XP 7 for the win. Slept with this pad and the Neoair X-Therm Max side by side in the tent. Swapped between them through the night, sleeping on my side and back.

Back Sleeping: Exped. More pad beneath me than X-Therm. Vertical baffles more comfortable. Also side baffles kept me from feeling like I was falling off.

Side Sleeping: Exped. More pad beneath me than X-Therm. Hip never touched the ground. Felt more centered on the pad.

Inflation: Exped by far. Neoair connection to their inflation bag is ridiculously loose. Pops off if you press hard on the bag. The valve rotates closed as you move the bag to inflate it. Have hated it since the new valve design came out. Exped Schnozzel inflates easily and stays connected.

Valve: X-Therm. Much easier to adjust air while laying on the pad. Too easy to get Exped flapper stuck open. Sure it will become less of an issue with practice, but for now NeoAir wins.

Weight/Compactness: X-Therm.

Overall impressed as heck with the Exped. Thank you for the recommendation.

 

[Maverick1]

Sleep on the ground the first night. Make sure you are miserable. Shouldn’t have any problems sleeping on the air pad the second!

OK, what has worked for me is to fill the air pad only about half full. Removes the feeling that I am sleeping on a glorified swimming pool mattress.

 

[*zap*]

If your not able to sleep on a pad or in a bag you probably just need to do it more so you can adapt to it mentally/physically.

 

[Rokwiia]

Additional weight is of no significance to me if it provides better sleep. I'd prefer that to savings two pounds and not sleeping well and feeling exhausted when I wake up. I've tried a few air mattresses and have settled on ExPed Downmat and Synmat.

Both feel as though there is an electric blanket or heating pad underneath me. They keep my back very warm which, for me, makes me to more inclined to sleep faster and better.

 

[Norm555]

Big Agnes Q Core SLX in the wide/long has been the ticket for me personally

 

[Marble]

I have one of the Sea to Summit either lite plus I think its called. Im a side/belly sleeper and its really comfortable. But it is noisy. Maybe the material of my bag rubbing on the pad. But its light, warm and very comfortable. My dad got the same one and felt the exact same way. For back country sleeping its so far the most comfortable.

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[Hackleback]

As mentioned above, try #1 or 2 with a closed cell foam pad underneath. This is something that is also used winter camping. The thicker BA pads are worth a try as well.

 

[Mike Islander]

Success! Temps in the 30s last night so at 9 PM I grabbed my pack and headed for camp. Arrived at 9:01, since camp was in my backyard.

Slept like a baby on the Exped SynMat XP 7 Insulated pad (medium wide). Slightest uphill grade on grass and dirt. Put my 1/8" EVA foam pad underneath and adjusted to about 2/3 full. No problem back or side sleeping.

 

[Clarence]

Good deal man!

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[Mike Islander]

Good deal man!

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Thanks. The comfort, and the far superior pump sack, are so worth the half pound more weight.

 

[slim9300]

Success! Temps in the 30s last night so at 9 PM I grabbed my pack and headed for camp. Arrived at 9:01, since camp was in my backyard.

Slept like a baby on the Exped SynMat XP 7 Insulated pad (medium wide). Slightest uphill grade on grass and dirt. Put my 1/8" EVA foam pad underneath and adjusted to about 2/3 full. No problem back or side sleeping.

Sweet! Good to hear. It’s all about giving those hips some cushion. Can’t go wrong with an Exped.


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[nodakian]

Good deal. I forgot to mention a folded sweatshirt or fleece jacket between my knees while side sleeping improves results too. Keeps the spine straighter so it’s less stiff in the AM.