Painful hip when camping

[Invicta Tourist]

Hi, does anyone else have (or better, had and solved ) this problem? I thought I'd ask the forum and see what solutions others have discovered.

I have a thermarest mat which is lovely and warm at night and a good three season down sleeping bag. I find that when I sleep on my side it's difficult to get a good night's sleep due to hip pain in the hip next to the ground. When I turn over, the other hip starts to hurt. I have tried sleeping on my back, but it's not too comfortable. Apart from using B&B's, does anyone have any solutions that have worked well for them?

[Heltor Chasca]

It won't help much in most places, but in a past life I was taught to scoop out a hollow in the sand for your hip and one for your shoulder.

You don't say which Thermarest you have. My new Neoair Trekker is thick and comfy and rolls up to the size of a beer can. Also I have found with my Thermarest self inflating mat is TOO hard if I put too much air in it. Same with my new one. It'll be good to know if things improve.

[robing]

Can you sleep on your front? That's how I sleep.

[Tangled Metal]

Exped downmat or synmat in 7 or 9cm thick versions. More comfort and no more.shoulder or hip pain if a side sleeper like me.

[Vorpal]

You could try putting something between your knees, like a pillow or jumper? It helps me.

[DevonDamo]

Like you, I just don't find self-inflating mats comfortable. My solution was a thermarest NeoAir. Ridiculously light/small, but very comfortable. They cost a fortune but mine has lasted me several years with only one puncture which was easily fixed.

[irc]

A second short shoulder to hips mat underneath. Or as suggested a thicker mat.

[RickH]

I agree that a NeoAir (or similar thicker mat - but my experience is limited to the NeoAir though - is comfier, as well as lighter & packs smaller) than a regular self-inflating Thermarest.

The comfort of a regular self-inflater can be improved a bit if you blow a bit of air in before you close the valve. The previous suggestion of a foam mat underneath would probably also help.

[bikes4two]

I have a thermarest mat which is lovely and warm at night and a good three season down sleeping bag. I find that when I sleep on my side it's difficult to get a good night's sleep due to hip pain in the hip next to the ground. When I turn over, the other hip starts to hurt. I have tried sleeping on my back, but it's not too comfortable. Apart from using B&B's, does anyone have any solutions that have worked well for them?

After a tumble off the bike (ouch) I had hip pain for a couple of years on one side in the manner you describe and I was using a Thermarest too. I now use a 75mm thick Exped mat and the problem with the hip is much reduced, so a thicker mat will help me thinks?

[MrsHJ]

I had similar problems and also went down the neo air route. It made a big difference for me. Maybe borrow a friends and test for a weekend trip?

Having the helinox chair also is a bit easier in the back and hips than sitting on the ground all the time.

[pjclinch]

My experience concurs with "thicker mat".

I'm okay on my side on a standard T-Rest, but the light models are a bit thinner and my hip doesn't take to the side sleeping. Changing to a blow-it-up-myself NeoAir and no problem. So look for a mat that takes puff to inflate, rather than a self-inflator (you can top those up with extra air, but aside from the thickest, bulkiest and heaviest models that won't give you as much vertical space as a blow-up mat).

People have mentioned the Usual Suspects here, the Exped Down/Synmats and T-Rest NeoAirs. I know happy users of each. Aside from the disadvantage of inflating it, and a bit more faff getting it in to a chair kit if you use one, I think they're very good. More comfortable than my regular T-Rest to sleep on, lighter, and packs down much smaller. You do pay extra, of course, but I think you get your money's worth.

Pete.

[Invicta Tourist]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. There are plenty of different new ideas for me to try.

The thermarest I'm using is the Prolite, which has a depth of 3.8cm. I thought that would be enough, but clearly my hips have other ideas! I add about 2 1/2 extra breaths of air to the mat which is about all it accepts.

I like the sound of both the Neo Air and Exped mats for comfort, but having only recently bought the Prolite, I'll try the cost effective measures of putting a foam mat underneath the thermarest and a jumper or small pillow case packed with clothes between my knees.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thank you all once again.

Editted 6/9/16 for clarity following Nirakaro's post. The mat is the Womens Prolite Plus, not the standard Prolite.

[nmnm]

Just for those talking about blowing up tube mats - I recommend the £35 thermarest air pump, terrific. 60g or so, reduces my puffs from 16 puffs per inflate to just the one topper-upper.

If weight isn't a particular interest for you, you can use a bit of hose and a Maplin keyboard vacuum for £3 to achieve similar results apparently.

[nirakaro]

Thermarest specify the Prolite as 2.5cm thick, not 3.8. When I started to find that a bit thin, I upgraded to the Evolite, 5cm thick, and loved it. Much better on the hips. That is, for the month it lasted before it fell to bits. The replacement under guarantee died even faster!

[andymiller]

If you wanted to go down for a traditional self-inflating mat then the MultiMate Adventure 38 actually is 3.8 cms thick. They do one that is 10cms thick but it weighs in at 2.5kgs