I've had surgery on my hip, and it's taking a long time to recover.
I now feel able to walk (slowly), but as a side sleeper, finding a comfortable sleeping solution in a camping situation seems impossible.
I've got quite a few pads, but none of them work for me right now. Even my Downmat 7!
What i seem to need is a sleeping pad that allows my hip to drop about 3 or 4" below the rest of my body.
I can't take any pressure on my hip at all.
Any thoughts?

Edited by MikefaeDundee on 02/02/2013 10:05:59 MST.

Big Agnes Q-Core is 3.5 inches I think. Layer that on a Neoair?

Or only camp on sand and dig a pit for your hip.

Or train yourself to be a back sleeper.

Or LOTS of single malt before bed.

Edited by T.L. on 02/02/2013 10:46:08 MST.

Not much sand in the Scottish mountains Travis. :-)
The 'digging a pit' idea is good in theory, but usually fails when terrain decides otherwise.
I think i need a 6" pad with a dip for my hip.

I use the single malt technique, but that only works for a few hours.

Edited by MikefaeDundee on 02/02/2013 10:49:57 MST.

There's always Maui...

You've lost me Travis?
Is that another pleasure gift?

Sleep on the other hip? Or are you a tosser and turner as well (I am when sleeping on the ground).

Or perhaps a Klymit Intertia X-Lite (http://klymit.com/index.php/products-1/sleeping-pads/inertia-x-lite-orange-short.html) on top of another pad?

Ha!

I was just suggesting a relocation to Hawaii until your hip heals. I hear they have sand.

Thats a good idea Doug!
Using one of their pads so i can place my hip in a gap might work.

Try a hammock. I'm a side sleeper at home, but a hammock is a very different experience and I tend to sleep on my back, although I find no problem sleeping on my side. You can get enough hammock to test for $60-$75 for a quality cottage made hammock or as low as $20 for a crappy factory one. Rig one up in your basement or garage and go for a test drive.

Hammocks spread out the pressure so you don't have the hard spots. Some folk with medical issues have found hammocks so comfortable that they use them at home.

I tried one of the new Big Agnes rigs at REI the other day and was impressed. They are so thick that I think I would want a wide one. I wish they made short and wide.

If the Klymit doesn't work, and depending on how far you wanted to take it, you could see if there are some resourceful people who have the capability of cutting a hole in an air pad and re-sealing it. One guy who comes to mind is Steve Evans of Suluk 46.

I don't find many trees in my hiking area Dale, so that rules hammocks out.
Looking for someone to mod a mat seems like a good idea too.
Thanks for the ideas folks. My sanity is at stake.

'My sanity is at stake.'

The fragment that remains.....

Try a hemorrhoid pillow:

You can get these inflatable donuts in all kinds of sizes and made of lots of materials. I generally have my patients put it in their pants to hold it in place (for those tossers and turners) to pad the outside part of the hip during side sleeping.

Theyre cheap...pick one up at your local druggist to just try out...after some experimenting with how to secure it to you, or what to do about the rest of you that falls off of it...maybe you can have something custom made.

Good luck!

I think the proper response is 'wanker'. :-)

That was to my English friend Ednundo.

Edited by MikefaeDundee on 02/02/2013 14:05:22 MST.

Have you tried digging a hip hole?

A hemorrhoid pillow! Somehow that seems so ...... fitting.

(Hey, someone had to say it....)

"A hemorrhoid pillow! Somehow that seems so ...... fitting."

Aren't those called suppositories?

"I was just suggesting a relocation to Hawaii until your hip heals."

And here I thught you were talking about Wowie.