Annoying air mattresses

[Lazeydazey]

Does anybody else struggle to fall asleep on air mattresses? Between the plasticky mattress and my nylon-y sleeping bag, all these anti-cozy materials interfere with my REM.

I'm using a Big Agnes now and feel like i need a flannel sleeve over it, or a flannel fitted sheet, but I'm trying to cut backpack weight.

When I car camp, I put something between my bag and the mattress and I sleep fine.

In addition, I'm considering a sleeping quilt to cut weight, but what do you put between yourself and the air mattress in that case?

I'm beginning to feel like the Princess and the Pea, here, can anybody help me out?

[Wandering Daisy]

Today's sleeping pads seem to be very narrow even for me, and I am a small person. If you can stay completely still while sleeping on your back, then they work. As a side sleeper who curls up, one knee is always off the pad. This is why I do not use the thicker air mattresses. Having your knee slop over the edge of a 1/2 inch mattress is not as uncomfortable as having it plunge off a 3" mattress. I solve this problem by also taking a wide square of the blue foam and put it under my hips (adds padding too) so my sprawling body parts have some insulation to land on. The blue pad is also my sit-pad for outside the tent that I use when cooking and eating. I NEVER take my air pad outside the tent. I did that once and poked a hole in it!

As with a lot of the backpack gear, it is designed for men- wide at shoulder and narrow at hips. I also sometimes reversed my mummy 3/4 length shaped sleeping pad, putting the foot end at my shoulders. This gives me more width at the hips and knees. Still this does not provide enough width.

Bottom line, I wish the manufacturer's would design a pad for side sleepers. I think one reason the pads have become so narrow is that 2-man tents have become more narrow, so they need narrower pads to fit two into the tent. I would like to see both pads and 2-man tents be made a bit wider. After all, the weight difference would be minimal.

[Wandering Daisy]

As to your specific question, I have "painted" strips of seam-seal on both sides of my mattress to keep me from sliding off and to keep the pad from sliding down the tent floor. If the noise of the mattress is keeping you awake, then use ear plugs. I use those foam ear plugs. It takes some practice to learn to insert them properly.

[Lazeydazey]

Thank you!! I love your idea about painting stripes and a small foam square! This teaches me to think outside the box, and how to be more resourceful

[rlown]

I'm not seeing the problem. Two full size Neo-airs fit in a Double rainbow and with 2 guys at 6'3" fit in it and I'm a side sleeper (note you have to tune the pressure correctly so the hip doesn't hit the floor; It's one breath and the pressure decreases as the night goes on due to temp.) I do toss and turn all night but I do at home as well. I do agree that the pad never comes out of the tent though! Ear plugs, never, unless duck hunting.

[Wandering Daisy]

rlown- you too would wear ear plugs if you had to share a tent with someone who snored like a locomotive! Earplugs have saved my marriage.

[rlown]

I'm the guy who snores

[Vaca Russ]

I'm beginning to feel like the Princess and the Pea, here, can anybody help me out?

This is exactly why my GF doesn't "camp". She is this Princess!

As for help sleeping...try a couple shots of gin. Tanqueray works well but Bombay is better!





-Russ

[rlown]

rlown- you too would wear ear plugs if you had to share a tent with someone who snored like a locomotive! Earplugs have saved my marriage.

cpap..

[Wandering Daisy]

cpap is hardly quiet. Just a different annoying noise. And, obviously, we do not take the cpap into the mountains when backpacking.

I had to wear earplugs at work for years (believe it or not I worked for nearly 10 years in a coal mine) and got used to them. I am the "princess and the pea" with respect to noise, any noise, and light, any light, when I try to sleep. Laugh if you want, but I also use an eye mask when I backpack if there is any moonlight at all. My eye mask, $1 from the Dollar Store, says "sleeping beauty". Ha, ha.