RidgeRest Pad or other foam as bucket seat padding?

[Guest]

I am a fan of the waffle texture of a RidgeRest pad cut to shape and contact cemented to bucket seats, and need to pad out two buckets. One sadly for the second time, the Ridgerest padding itself is still in fine shape, but I should have laid some custom partial paddling to the seat pan first to build a better cant angle for my thighs.

The only question with Ridgerest is using the Classic black, or the more reflective sage and silver of the SOlite version. I have used both, the classic black was a well worn old sleeping pad, though still durable years later on the Monarch bucket seat. The virgin SOlite pad I cut up to pad two other bucket seats is more unused cushy, and perhaps warmer, but has seen less use and abuse.

Aside from Ridgerest is there a better, or less expensive, choice for padding out bucket seats? I definitely want some ridges or waffles, not just flat padding.

 

[yknpdlr]

A lot of racers use a Ridgerest type of pad, doubled with holes cut for the sit bones to rest in. A paddling partner on the Y1K is a physical therapist and had access to pieces of very thick gel pads (used for invalid bed padding), that were a life saver for us in a C6 canoe on that week-long race. Super comfortable, but they are very heavy and would sink if they had a chance. Not great nor convenient for portaging in other races we do with carries. Since then I have found relatively lightweight blue honeycomb gel pads which I like a lot and save my butt.

 

[Guest]

A lot of racers use a Ridgerest type of pad, doubled with holes cut for the sit bones to rest in.

I have begun to see the wisdom of customized padding on bucket seats, difficult as it is to predetermine how much where before proceeding to the contact cement and sandbag routine. I need to pull the RidgeRest from one seat and lay some foam partials in place underneath, and am hoping that with some judicious heat gun and rounded edge putty knife action I may be able to remove the existing Ridgerest and reuse it.

A paddling partner on the Y1K is a physical therapist and had access to pieces of very thick gel pads (used for invalid bed padding), that were a life saver for us in a C6 canoe on that week-long race. Super comfortable, but they are very heavy and would sink if they had a chance. Not great nor convenient for portaging in other races we do with carries. Since then I have found relatively lightweight blue honeycomb gel pads which I like a lot and save my butt.

Years ago I tried a manufactured gel seat pad, a Yakpad or Squoosh or somesuch. It was OK, the fabric cover wrinkled up and it was initially cold in the off season. I had some little square heel pads from one of those companies as well. Those were a joke and wore out quickly, despite being lost in the boat clutter half the time. At least the gel seat pad could be somewhat satisfactorily strapped in place.

I think all of those gel pads have since somehow vanished into the void, which speaks to the convenience of a solution securely glued into place.

I am curious about the lightweight blue honeycomb gel pads. Got a photo, or a source?

My solution with a bench seat remains a ThermaRest seat pad, tucked under a couple of webbing straps attached to the seat frame.

P1220459 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Even starting out with that pad mostly deflated, so I have good sits contact with the seat, it cups my arse much like a bucket seat, and I can still reach back and open the nozzle to let out a little air, repeating that a couple times over the hours, changing the pressure points before the pad is flat and starting over.

 

[yknpdlr]

This may not be the exact one I found, but it is similar. I do think it was called Wondergel
https://www.amazon.com/WonderGel-Su...d=1518034535&sr=8-3&keywords=blue+gel+cushion

Or maybe it looks more like this one (I have 2 of them sewn into covers with seat straps) :
https://www.amazon.com/Gel-Seat-Cus...rd_wg=g9m3D&psc=1&refRID=K3HY87T046QBADQ2JKJV

I have a Skwoosh pad. Not bad, but since 2008 and thousands of seated miles it has long lost its cushioning resiliency. Not nearly big enough anyway. I do use it in my RapidFire along with a Ridgerest to give me just a little extra elevation in my already high seat.

 

[recped]

I also have a Skwoosh pad, I've only used it on one trip so far (with a cheap piece of foam under it). It's not bad, certainly better than the makeshift foam combo I used previously. I'm still looking for something better as my built in arse-pad is very bony.

There are some very comfy gel-pad cushions out there (designed for wheelchairs or similar), even custom made ones but they tend to be very heavy.

Years ago I tried one of the thermarest pads, comfy but the one I had kept developing leaks. It didn't seem to be designed well enough for the purpose unlike a Thermarest sleeping pad where I used the same one for 25 years and never had a single leak.

 

[latremorej]

This may not be the exact one I found, but it is similar. I do think it was called Wondergel
https://www.amazon.com/WonderGel-Su...d=1518034535&sr=8-3&keywords=blue+gel+cushion

Or maybe it looks more like this one (I have 2 of them sewn into covers with seat straps) :
https://www.amazon.com/Gel-Seat-Cus...rd_wg=g9m3D&psc=1&refRID=K3HY87T046QBADQ2JKJV

I have a Skwoosh pad. Not bad, but since 2008 and thousands of seated miles it has long lost its cushioning resiliency. Not nearly big enough anyway. I do use it in my RapidFire along with a Ridgerest to give me just a little extra elevation in my already high seat.

Wow! I would hope those gel pads last forever at that price! On the other hand, when your on the seat for many hours, just about any price would be justifiable.

Jason

 

[yknpdlr]

Yes, they are expensive, but nothing else seems to work as well for as much as 18-22+ hours/day of continuous paddling at race speed, allowing a paddler to think only about paddle efficiency and strategy and to participate at your highest level performance. When your butt is in constant pain or legs become numb from poor circulation, then nothing else is a priority. When a long distance trip to a world competitive race event ends up costing many thousands, spending a few bucks for a comfortable butt doesn't matter much to the budget.

 

[Guest]

Years ago I tried one of the thermarest pads, comfy but the one I had kept developing leaks. It didn't seem to be designed well enough for the purpose unlike a Thermarest sleeping pad where I used the same one for 25 years and never had a single leak.

The leakage surprises me. We have been using the same Thermarest seat pads for at least 15 years now, and have had zero failures or leaks. It may help that they are never used more than half inflated, and that we rarely use them on anything except the canoe seats.

We have had inflatable sleeping pad failures, pin holes, demaninations and valves, but those little seat pads have kept going and going.

A Thermarest pad does not work for me on a bucket seat, but on a bench, even starting out mostly deflated with sitz bones semi firm on the seat, the ability to reach back and let out a little more air from the pad is an arse comfort changing pressure point godsend.

If I were a marathon racer spending 20 hours a day in the seat I would pay any price necessary for comfort. I am good for at least several hours with Ridgerest foam on a bucket seat, and longer on a bench seat with a Thermarest that I can deflate a little at first sign of pressure point discomfort.