Side sleeper

Hi PirateDani. IME, tubular mats are a lot more comfortable than flat ones, especially for side sleepers, and especially if you have them slightly under-inflated.

See this thread for a recent discussion, including some info on budget tubular mats.

my alpkit dirtbag, is much better than my thermarest but also much colder, and prob to heavy if your carrying it for miles. and yes you do tend to get sore hips after a couple of nights

and i have to admit if im camping more than a weekend i have a campbed.

I've really enjoyed moving to a tubular mat like an old fashioned lilo.  There are several on the market weighing less than 500g.  Crucial change for me was putting a very cheap and very thin sleeping mat on the top which makes it just like a bed. A bit of elastic wrapped round holds the two together, at the bottom and at the top. I was so pleased first time I did it, I couldn't sleep!

 Sorry but mine is at the bottom of the cupboard so I can't say which it is but I got it free with TGO last year. 

PirateDani wrote (see)

 Have been looking at the exped mats. saw them at the outdoor show, and the thickness was really nice. lots of people here seem to like them, but they seem really heavy, especially for summer use.

I am a side sleeper and can confirm that both the Neoair and Exped Downmat are fine  - very comfortable and no sore hip / shoulder.

The Downmat is overkill for the Summer but at other times may be worth the extra weight as you can get away with a lighter sleepingbag.

Dani,

Kookabay in the US do custom size down and synthetic mats, I got a one 120cm long and 55cm wide and find the extra few cm to help sleeping on my side, its R6 rated and weight about 450g.

Cheers,

Stephen

Another vote for Kookabay. Link here.

I use one of their simple air mats. It's perfect for a side sleeper outwith winter.

For car camp, I can recommend Alpkit Dozer, that's one very confy mat! Big R rating as well so ideal all year round.

I just bought a POE Ether Thermo, good deals on Amazon, should help a bit with my side sleeping.

I sleep on my side and have a Pacific Outdoor Equipment Ether Thermo 6. Weighs about 550g and is very comfortable, especially when slightly under-inflated as has already been mentioned.

It seems POE no longer make that one, but the Adventurer AC seems to be nearly the same thing.

It inflates via your lungs

There's a valve at the head end, which is quite handy for making comfort adjustments - I tend to inflate it 100% then lie on it and let air out until it feels right.

Because I'm a shortarse at 5'5" I actually bought the womens version as it was about 50g lighter than the mens one - don't tell anyone!

I wouldn't really have considered the POE as budget, but I guess practically anything is next to a NeoAir!

I'd be interested to see how the Alpkit Numo stacks up to the POE too, as they're pretty much the same price.