When it comes to sleeping we all have our favorite sleeping position. Some people prefer to sleep on their back, others on their stomach, and still others sleep on their side. The type of sleeping position you prefer can greatly impact the best sleeping pad for your needs. Perhaps one of the more challenging sleeping positions to accommodate while using a sleeping pad is the side sleeping position. Which is why we created this Best Sleeping Pad for Side Sleeper guide to help you choose the best sleeping pad for side sleepers.
Best Sleeping Pad for Side Sleeper
Below is a list of our top 3 favorite sleeping pads for side sleepers while camping.
Outdoorsman Lab Ultralight Sleeping Pad
One of our favorite sleeping pads for side sleepers is from the company Outdoorsman Lab. As it offers a nice blend of comfort and compactness for side sleeping campers. The Outdoorsman Lab Ultralight Sleeping Pad uses a honeycomb air cell design providing support and comfort not only for side sleepers but for any type of sleeper.
The sleeping pad fits in a compact storage bag with drawstring for easy storage and travel. Also with this particular sleeping air pad, there’s no need to bring an external pump as it can easily be inflated manually with 10 to 15 breaths and deflated within seconds.
With camping gear, quality and dependability are of the utmost importance. We were really impressed with the quality and durability of this sleeping pad. The Outdoorsman Lab pad uses a rugged ripstop 20D Nylon material to prevent punctures or tears and also offers a lifetime warranty on their sleeping pad.
TNH Outdoors Self Inflating Lightweight Foam Sleeping Pad
Another great option for side sleepers as it provides consistent and uniform support is the TNH Outdoors Foam Sleeping Pad.
With a foam sleeping pad, you get a more consistent and even support which is great for side sleepers. This consistent support provides a reliable and comfortable nights sleep no matter what sleeping position you prefer.
This outdoor sleeping pad offers a unique self-inflating pneumatic valve that will inflate the air mattress itself once the sleeping pad is unrolled. Keep in mind though that you will typically have to blow a few breaths into the sleeping pad to top it off.
This sleeping pad will easily hold up to rigors and elements of camp life due to its rugged and durable design. The entire sleeping pad is encased in a strong and resilient 75D polyester shell to provide years of trouble-free use. TNH Outdoors also offers a lifetime warranty on their foam sleeping pad as well.
WellaX Ultralight Air Sleeping Pad
The WellaX Ultralight Air Sleeping Pad might be the last sleeping pad on this best sleeping pad for side sleeper list but that doesn’t mean its last in comfort or support.
This sleeping pad makes a great sleeping pad for side sleepers because of its tight honeycomb air support system providing plenty of comfort and support.
The sleeping pad features two separate valves one for inflating and one for deflating. The WellaX sleeping pad also requires fewer breaths to inflate compared to other sleeping air pads on the market, requiring only 4 to 6 breaths to fully inflate.
The WellaX sleeping pad also features a rugged and durable design to handle anything mother nature might throw at it. The sleeping pad is made with 20D Ripstop Nylon in order to prevent punctures or tears. It also features a TPU layer or coating creating a quite and silent nights sleep without the constant annoyance of crinkly and squeaky noises from the pad.
Sleeping Pads and Side Sleepers
Sleeping pads are more important for side sleepers than any other type of sleeper. Because as a side sleeper, there are fewer points of support or contact with the ground to support your weight and provide comfort while you sleep. As opposed to someone who might sleep on their back or stomach allowing their weight to be spread more evenly across multiple points of support.
Due to the side sleepers limited area of contact and support its vitally important that those points of contact are well supported and cushioned to prevent sore muscles or an uncomfortable nights sleep.
How to Choose the Best Sleeping Pad for Side Sleepers
When picking the best sleeping pad for side sleepers while camping it’s important to keep in mind a few key points such as thickness, support, and compactness.
Thickness
As mentioned above as a side sleeper there are fewer points of contact with the sleeping pad so it’s important to make sure that those few points of contact are well supported by a thicker sleeping pad.
While no camping sleeping pad is going to compare to your full-size mattress at home there are plenty of sleeping pads that offer a decent amount of thickness or support. When looking at sleeping pad thickness for side sleepers make sure the sleeping pad has at least a few inches of thickness.
Support
Sleeping pads have many different types of support systems and materials to provide a comfortable nights sleep to the weary camper.
As a side sleeper, special attention and consideration needs to be paid to this support system. You want to avoid sleeping pads with a vertical support system. As a side sleeper, you can easily fall between those vertical supports creating an uncomfortable nights sleep.
For side sleepers, we prefer either a honeycomb or horizontal support system to provide the most consistent and comfortable support for a good nights sleep.
When it comes to sleeping pad construction there are two main types of design used for support and comfort including air and foam. Either type of construction can be a great choice for side sleepers as long as the sleeping pad provides the appropriate amount of thickness and support.
Compactness
While it’s important to have a nice thick sleeping pad as a side sleeper it’s also important to keep in mind how lightweight and compact the sleeping pad is.
With camping gear, weight, and size are always an important issue. So when picking a sleeping pad as a side sleeper make sure to strike a balance between ultimate comfort and a compact and lightweight option.