I made week long trips to the BWCA the past 2 years. Both times I noticed something I would like to get corrected. About the 4th day my tailend (along with the others in the parties) started to hurt from the hours of canoeing. We are looking for remedies for our next trip. Two possibilities would be: 1) pieces of foam with holes in corners to BDB to canoe seats. 2) strap on air filled cushions like the type used to go hunting on the ground with. Something to consider is we like to travel and portage alot and pack light. Any other ideas from you grizzled veterens with backsides like leather?

I'm not a gram counter, but age has dictated my newer weight limits. Even so, I always bring a crazy creek style chair. I need it for my lower back and other parts, and as a bonus I can strap it to a log in camp and have a very comfortable chair to lean back on by the fire. I also open it up flat and use it as the kneeling pad to crawl into my tent, keeps my knees out of the rocks and dirt. It's really is worth its weight.

I am a kneeler and I find that my glutes get great exercise..(OK pile on).

But go to Lowe's (HD won't work anymore) and buy a set of four workshop pads. They are minicell foam and look like puzzle squares. $20 for four. They are two feet on a side so you can drill and tie and cut as you want.

check out skwoosh. i have one, with webbing that clips around the seat. gel/foam combo. i find i need to "re-center" the gel about every 2 hours though.

I have lower back problems and like to kneel alot with a kneeling pad. I often bring a crazy creek canoe chair to fish with. If we can't rent web seats and get the tractor seats, I do without the chair as I don't like the fit. We basecamp mostly. Tractor seats hurt me and I can't kneel right with them. Tailbone gets me. Web seats for me.

I second the skwoosh reccomendation. I don't paddle without mine. This is the cushion I bought a few years ago but it looks like there are some other options I didn't notice before if you want to spend some more money.

I used this on a marathon type canoe race After sitting on it for 30 or so hours and it made a big difference even on an aluminum seat.

did it ever occur to you that canoeing is supposed to hurt? that is part of it's sick charm.

quote overthehill: " I have lower back problems and like to kneel alot with a kneeling pad. I often bring a crazy creek canoe chair to fish with. If we can't rent web seats and get the tractor seats, I do without the chair as I don't like the fit. We basecamp mostly. Tractor seats hurt me and I can't kneel right with them. Tailbone gets me. Web seats for me."

Web seats for me too.

FishonFishoff,

Lots of options out there. You could do an actual canoe seat replacement, try a contoured web seat. Or a canoe seat cushion, I like the CCS one with pockets.. it's great! Another thing would be to make something yourself, or to try the Thermarest Z seat cushion or one of their inflatable cushions. I think no matter what, everyone will get a little sore after hours. At least soloing, I've found the trick for me is to switch my position when I start to get sore, so I'm mostly a sit and switcher, but drop to my knees for 30+ minutes at a time to stretch my back when needed.

Are you renting or own a canoe? If renting, might consider these:
http://cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/seating/fast-and-light-seating/lite-seat/product
As you could use them when you rent, attach them somehow while out there, and then can use them at home as well for lots of other tasks.

I find that this is only a problem plastic bucket seats and so solve it with web or cane seats. When it can't be fixed that way, then we use a couple of the skwoosh pads.

Cowboy up. No pain, no gain. Mind over matter.

same here,it's the getting older thing maybe.until the last couple years i could sit on a wood frame seat with the rattan webbing all day.
then i starting getting a just plain old pain in the butt after a few hours.
solved that problem by taping two layers of that thin blue sleeping mat onto the seat.the mat was from a yard sale and i use it on the shoulder pads to soften them up.
great stuff that blue matting,i use a bit as a foot rest while i'm in the Crazy Creek chair,another bit under the sleeping mat just under my hip to make that more comfy and more around my Sigg fuel bottles so they don't dent up so much.
thin blue foam in action--

Thanks for all the input. Looks like we will invest in cheap foam cushions..........or maybe I should do nothing and just "man up". That sounds like a real PITA!!!! LOL

The blue foam is the cheapest/easiest method.

I have a CCS seat pad that does the job. You may want to address the real reason we get more tender there over time is muscle loss resulting in more pressure on the bones down there. Work the glutes and hamstrings, do more running/walking, do some squats----or do what most of us do and get some padding :)

T

check this out. nice price.

http://www.rei.com/product/746401/rei-lite-core-sit-pad#video-inner

quote TIMMY: "check this out. nice price.


http://www.rei.com/product/746401/rei-lite-core-sit-pad#video-inner"

Here is a quick link to the product

Seems to get rave reviews. I personally like that it breaks down to a smaller size when not in use, versus the gel seats.

One of the REI reviews of the product reports using it as an air splint (with duct tape) for an injury... brilliant idea that is going into my first aid tip file!