Lightweight sit pads

[Mar Oregon]

Has anyone carried a light weight sitting pad for those times when you just need a break but you are in between towns? I’ve seen some that weigh only 1-2 ounces. Just thinking a foam seat pad might help keep my bum dry if it’s wet or muddy when I need to sit on the ground to check my feet or change my socks. Or let’s just say that maybe I’m just a hedonistic pilgrim and I want to enjoy the view with a modicum of comfort for my derrière. (This last statement is actually fairly true.) Yah, I know I could make do sitting on a plastic bag if I needed to but...What do you guys do?

 

[Deleted member 397]

I sit on my hat

 

[HeidiL]

Me too, omar504! Or on my backpack.

 

[Stivandrer]

29 cm X 39 cm, less than an ounce, 22 grams....very cheap...
folds easily, always follows me on every field trip and on every camino.
when changing socks on wet grass, I can place my feet on it.....

 

[Deleted member 397]

Me too, omar504! Or on my backpack.

How sensible you are!

 

[Telboyo]

I would never sit on the ground as I would be tempted to lie down and fall asleep.

 

[Robo]

I would never sit on the ground as I would be tempted to lie down and fall asleep.

And that's a problem ?

 

[Hiawatha]

White packaging foam works , the soft polypropylene flexible sort used for electronic goods. Lighter than air , flexible and water proof , doubles as a dinner table , surgical platform and pillow as well.

 

[easygoing]

I use this one. It's not padded but big enough for a picnic and is a vapor barrier so in a pinch I have used it for extra warmth in the airplane.

 

[pelerine]

Has anyone carried a light weight sitting pad for those times when you just need a break but you are in between towns? I’ve seen some that weigh only 1-2 ounces. Just thinking a foam seat pad might help keep my bum dry if it’s wet or muddy when I need to sit on the ground to check my feet or change my socks. Or let’s just say that maybe I’m just a hedonistic pilgrim and I want to enjoy the view with a modicum of comfort for my derrière. (This last statement is actually fairly true.) Yah, I know I could make do sitting on a plastic bag if I needed to but...What do you guys do?

I ALWAYS carry a Thermarest Ultralight pad - it is expensive, but much more comfortable than a foam pad. Since my bottom is not padded naturally, this makes up for any lack.... And when lightly inflated only and folded in half it has served as a pillow. And when there was no padding/mattress for sleeping on the floor in a ferry it has served as a hip pad, using my spare clothes as blanket and pillow.

 

[yesshesaid]

Has anyone carried a light weight sitting pad for those times when you just need a break but you are in between towns? I’ve seen some that weigh only 1-2 ounces. Just thinking a foam seat pad might help keep my bum dry if it’s wet or muddy when I need to sit on the ground to check my feet or change my socks. Or let’s just say that maybe I’m just a hedonistic pilgrim and I want to enjoy the view with a modicum of comfort for my derrière. (This last statement is actually fairly true.) Yah, I know I could make do sitting on a plastic bag if I needed to but...What do you guys do?

Try taking a piece of bubble wrap from your last Amazon purchase--light, dry, and you're recycling!

 

[jl]

On the first couple of caminos I sat on my hat, then I used to carry a piece cut off the end of a yoga mat. I have now discovered the fold up mat from Globetrotters and now never travel without it. It has been invaluable allowing me to sit comfortably : - on potentially prickly grass / nettles etc, when seats are dirty - especially if they are covered in bird droppings, when it is frosty or snowing, or when it is wet. I just store it in the side pocket of my pack and pull it out when needed. A very useful piece of equipment

 

[malingerer]

On the first couple of caminos I sat on my hat, then I used to carry a piece cut off the end of a yoga mat. I have now discovered the fold up mat from Globetrotters and now never travel without it. It has been invaluable allowing me to sit comfortably : - on potentially prickly grass / nettles etc, when seats are dirty - especially if they are covered in bird droppings, when it is frosty or snowing, or when it is wet. I just store it in the side pocket of my pack and pull it out when needed. A very useful piece of equipment

Some rucksacks (OMM) use a sit mat as a pack stiffener. My Jirishanca 35L uses this as it is an ultralight bag. They have Velcro strips which means two together will give you a sleeping mat. Ya need to be kinda hardy in the first place tho so I got over that idea very swiftly! I too use my hat to sit on or the ruck or simply my sanctified arse! Isn't there a thing called a z mat which folds up?

buen camino

yours aye, the malingerer.

 

[alhartman]

I have no need for cushion effect; so Altus poncho serves as a moisture barrier.
One of the keys to lightweight packing is for every item to serve multiple purposes.

 

[WhiteLotus]

Has anyone carried a light weight sitting pad for those times when you just need a break but you are in between towns? I’ve seen some that weigh only 1-2 ounces. Just thinking a foam seat pad might help keep my bum dry if it’s wet or muddy when I need to sit on the ground to check my feet or change my socks. Or let’s just say that maybe I’m just a hedonistic pilgrim and I want to enjoy the view with a modicum of comfort for my derrière. (This last statement is actually fairly true.) Yah, I know I could make do sitting on a plastic bag if I needed to but...What do you guys do?

Mar I will be walking next year and I had the same concerns as you as I suffer from sciatica if I sit on any hard surface so I purchased this Thermarest Z-seat which weighs only 2 ounces and so easy to slip into your pack.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQRHYJV/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[Carol06]

Bubble wrap. It weighs nothing and folds up small. Perfect.

 

[Oddyspapa]

View attachment 59888

29 cm X 39 cm, less than an ounce, 22 grams....very cheap...
folds easily, always follows me on every field trip and on every camino.
when changing socks on wet grass, I can place my feet on it.....

I usually use similar one. I think same material different folding. Yes, it works well and very cheap & light.

 

[Mar Oregon]

Thanks for all the ideas. I had not thought of bubble wrap but that’s a great idea. I will need to stop myself popping the bubbles in absent minded fiddling. Really great idea!

My pack does not have the foam stiffening piece at the back but I have been thinking of adding one just to see if I like my practice walks better with or without. That might be an ideal solution if I can get it in/out easily. Where did I put that old yoga mat?

My brother is an avid backpacker and he swears by his z fold seat pad. Not sure what brand. His has reflective silver on one side to keep your backside a bit warmer. Gonna borrow his and take it for a test drive. And thanks for the tips on Globetrotters brand of cushions. I’ll check them out.

 

[Nezabudka]

I have a couple of squares cut from the windscreen sunshield. Weights about nothing, more durable than bubble-wrap. One for under bum another for under feet

 

[Kitsambler]

Tyvek! (Trade name in US, someone in Europe please reply with Euro equivalent) This material comes in two weights: the heavier one is used in home construction as a vapor barrier, the lighter one is used for kites. My first piece lasted ten years (then my file clerk misplaced it). A piece approx the dimensions of a sleep sack weighs less than an ounce, acts as a vapor barrier when sitting on damp ground, keeps one's trousers clean (making laundry much easier), and comfortably accommodate those post-lunch naps.

 

[Mar Oregon]

I have a couple of squares cut from the windscreen sunshield. Weights about nothing, more durable than bubble-wrap. One for under bum another for under feet

Oooh great idea. I have one of those kicking around. Thanks

 

[Mar Oregon]

Tyvek! (Trade name in US, someone in Europe please reply with Euro equivalent) This material comes in two weights: the heavier one is used in home construction as a vapor barrier, the lighter one is used for kites. My first piece lasted ten years (then my file clerk misplaced it). A piece approx the dimensions of a sleep sack weighs less than an ounce, acts as a vapor barrier, keeps one's trousers clean (making laundry much easier), and comfortably accommodate those post-lunch naps.

Tyvek is great for so many things. I just finished making a small stuff sack from it. For sure I will pack a tyvek “nap mat”

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I sit on a 3'×3' piece of US builder's tyvek. Weighs nothing and never tears...brilliant!

 

[twh]

I enjoyed reading all the suggestions above. I'm familiar with most of the products above for wilderness hiking but the need for these things never occurred to me during my Camino Frances last spring. I checked my back pack into luggage and put it in a tyvek type bag to keep the straps from getting yanked off or the back pack material being torn by baggage handling machinery so I always had it with me if I needed it for other things.

The Camino has SO MANY place to sit down. Outdoor seating at Bars and restaurants, benches at "look out" points, picnic tables in parks, grassy spots under shade trees. If there is not a place to sit down where you are, there will be one in another mile or two.

If it was rainy or the ground wet, I never felt interested in sitting down in those conditions. I might stop and enjoy a beautiful view and take pictures for a few minutes but the idea of then sitting down in a wet area never entered my mind. Under pleasant conditions I would sit down, take a short rest or nap but again I could always find a good piece of ground to do it on under a shady tree. I suppose there will be a day when my body says I have to stop right now and rest, regardless of the weather and another mile is out of the question. Then I'll pull out that big tyvek Demobag as seen below. DemoBags (as in demolition) on amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073H9RQQH/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[Former member 49149]

I hunted for this, given by a friend and tucked away in a corner. It is about 30cm square when opened, and is one of those items that weighs nothing...jury still out on whether I will bother to carry it though! Brand name, Regatta
Regatta have a sale at the moment, 50% off a lot of items. ireland.

 

[HeidiL]

For tyvek fans: Would this be useful?

 

[Kitsambler]

For tyvek fans: Would this be useful?

Interesting idea! That product is sort of a Tyvek-skinned bubble wrap. My problem with it is the same as my problem with bubble wrap: since the bubbles don't collapse, it takes up too much volume in my (gee, I downsized) pack. Also, sometimes bubble wrap bubbles do indeed collapse. So I'll stick with the straight Tyvek, I think.

 

[Stivandrer]

if volume is the issue, this might be the ultimate:

Camping Mattresses & Sleeping Pads for sale | eBay

Buy Camping Mattresses & Sleeping Pads and get the best deals at the lowest prices on eBay! Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items

www.ebay.co.uk

I have the Klymit Inertia Xframe in full body length and it it like a can of coca cola when rolled up and very light, this sitting pad is even smaller... 2,6 oz/ 74 gram

 

[trecile]

A large free Tyvek shipping envelope from FedEx or another shipper should work.

 

[RumAndChupacabras]

Ever seen the 'Plarn' sleeping mats people have been making for the homeless? I'm wondering how much a sit mat would weigh.

 

[domigee]

Has anyone carried a light weight sitting pad for those times when you just need a break but you are in between towns? I’ve seen some that weigh only 1-2 ounces. Just thinking a foam seat pad might help keep my bum dry if it’s wet or muddy when I need to sit on the ground to check my feet or change my socks. Or let’s just say that maybe I’m just a hedonistic pilgrim and I want to enjoy the view with a modicum of comfort for my derrière. (This last statement is actually fairly true.) Yah, I know I could make do sitting on a plastic bag if I needed to but...What do you guys do?

Are you planning on walking the Camino francés? As @twh pointed out, there are plenty of places to rest or sit down without having to carry extra stuff. Imo, the lighter your pack, the better
On other Caminos - with nothing in between stages - I have used my poncho or my rain jacket to sit on in an emergency (when the ground was wet...)

 

[AndrewDavOz]

I use a padded notebook sleeve, purchased from an office supplies shop. It is big enough for the purpose, light and really makes a difference when sitting on a rock on a mountaintop. It is rectangular and probably about 30cm or 12” diagonal size. Can be fit into the intermal pocket in my backpack.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I just sit.

 

[Albertagirl]

I never sit, except if I find a suitable spot to eat lunch. It is just too hard to get up. But then, I never stop, except at lunch time, or I really need to do the necessary. I remember sitting on the edge of a sidewalk and sharing my lunch with another walker, in a cemetery which was busy with family members decorating graves. shortly before the Day of the Dead. But it was none to easy to arise. A grave would have been more comfortable, but possibly offensive to family members. Hint: if they are open, cemeteries are good places to have lunch, as there is often water on tap for the flower arrangers.

 

[Carolyn Parent]

I sit on a 3'×3' piece of US builder's tyvek. Weighs nothing and never tears...brilliant!

Us too! Tyvek worked a treat and weighed nothing

 

[VAtoNC]

Has anyone carried a light weight sitting pad for those times when you just need a break but you are in between towns? I’ve seen some that weigh only 1-2 ounces. Just thinking a foam seat pad might help keep my bum dry if it’s wet or muddy when I need to sit on the ground to check my feet or change my socks. Or let’s just say that maybe I’m just a hedonistic pilgrim and I want to enjoy the view with a modicum of comfort for my derrière. (This last statement is actually fairly true.) Yah, I know I could make do sitting on a plastic bag if I needed to but...What do you guys do?

I'm taking this. It weighs 22 oz/622 gms. It folds up so I can attach it to my backpack. It sits on the ground and it has a back so you can lean back.

 

[Deputy Dan]

I got one of these https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/...Edj85zJ7mlhsiHlkmYihovlYqJ2rxinRoCD0cQAvD_BwE for transporting my pack in the plane cargo hold - to keep the pack/straps safe. 6 oz. In keeping with the notion of everything having multiple purposes, it will serve as a great barrier for sitting on wet or messy surfaces. Won't however do much for padding but then I naturally carry an excessive amount of that already . . .

 

[Deputy Dan]

Oh that's nice. I didn't know Ikea had those, although 7 oz its a bit high in weight. I have the Zpacks Travel Case (3.3 oz/94 g) but I've never used it.

LOL - Z-packs Travel Case = $65/3.3 oz or Ikea $4.99/6-7 oz -- I may have become a gram-weenie, but I'm a cheap one! I'll manage the extra 3 oz very well thank you.

 

[Duayne Meyer]

Has anyone carried a light weight sitting pad for those times when you just need a break but you are in between towns?


My backpack - a Gossamer Gear Gorilla 40 - includes a SitLight pad that is part of the frame structure of the pack (closest to your back). It is easy to remove and put back as needed. It's a great feature and I don't have to figure out where to stuff it, store it or tie it.

 

[amocatnerak]

LOL - Z-packs Travel Case = $65/3.3 oz or Ikea $4.99/6-7 oz -- I may have become a gram-weenie, but I'm a cheap one! I'll manage the extra 3 oz very well thank you.

I used the Zpacks travel case when I checked my pack last time, then used it as my waterproof pack liner.

Oh, and to stay on topic here, my new Gossamer Gear Kumo 36 has a "sit light" pad too. Haven't actually used it for sitting yet...