Originally Posted by
Tourist in MSN
I see several comments here about less camping and more indoor sleeping with age.
Not me, but the other active thread on sleeping pads reminded me that I have steadily increased the comfort of my sleeping pads over time. The closed cell foam gave way to self inflating pads, only to be replaced by thicker air mattresses.
I thought I was done backpacking and so on at 45. My back was really pretty bad. I bought a huge thick basecamp type thermarest self inflating pad that must have weighed close to 4 pounds. Just what I needed, more weight to carry with my bad back. So I didn't go backpacking (I wasn't yet touring). I went to one physical therapist after another over the years with poor resultd until I finally hit on one that got me straightend out. Since then the back has been pretty good with a minor change to the stretches needed to maintain it now and then.
BTW, while on the topic of back health... For me going more upright has not been necessary or even desirable. I can see possibly some changes in position related to age over time, but an upright posture is harder on my back than a more aggressive one IME. I can't say for sure that will always be true, but at almost 71 I have not yet seen any sign that it will change.