If you have a BAD back....

[monB]

...what mods have you made to make things easier FOR YOURSELF, or so you aren't in pain? I really hesitate to get married just so I'll have someone to tell what to do for me.

MonB

[floyd]

Originally Posted by monB

...what mods have you made to make things easier FOR YOURSELF, or so you aren't in pain? I really hesitate to get married just so I'll have someone to tell what to do for me.

MonB

This is the #1 comfort and convenience item which I made for my Scamp 13, It is a wraparound couch with an adjustable bridge.
The table (of which there are two) is easily adjusted while in use and converts much easier than the stock table.
The main table is 20"X30" which allows it to swivel while in place to get it out of the way to sit down and adjust its proximity to the sitter. It can be removed and stashed also to have just a couch, The bridge portion can extend from 24" to 30" to allow for lounging and is much easier for getting up and down from the couch.
When traveling alone you can make a 30"+ bunk and still leave the table in place.
We also have a "Snack" table when desired which is 14"X14".

[mary and bob]

I try to do things in a way to minimize the pain, but regardless it's always there. I haven't come up with any effective mods. I do use knee pads or a flat pad to kneel on when setting my stabilizing jacks to eliminate bending over. Bad knees too.

[trainjunkie]

Memory foam mattress topper.

[Chris Z]

Electric tongue jack
Drill run stabilizer feet
Memory foam
Chocks with string attached so I can pull out
Level camp spots

[minnfinder]

We have tried memory foam, new cushions, and other foams with little or no difference. One of our older neighbors ( I am 70 and they are all older) told me to throw out the extra foam and get a good feather tick no less than 6" thick. We spent the money and it is wonderful, gentle support, soft, warm when needed and cool in warm weather. They pack down small but have a large price.

[Ian G.]

I have a bad back so we replaced the cushions with the highest quality upholstery foam we could find for the cushions with the density set for sleeping not sitting.

The second is to make the table as easy as possible move from the up to down position. I am using the legs shown below and love them.

[Mary F]

If I had a bad back I would try to figure out an easier way to make the bed, either by using a TravaSack, sleeping bags, or some other way to avoid tucking in the far corners of the sheets.

[Jon in AZ]

I do have a bad back, and it's one of the reasons we got the trailer. Setting up and taking down a tent and sleeping on an air mattress got to be too much.

No mods, but two things help. First, take everything slowly. Second, get a tow vehicle with the most supportive seats you can. Driving is far harder on my back than camping.

[Marks Alot]

I got a cordless variable speed drill with the correct size socket to help raise and lower the 4 stabilizer legs on my Escape 19. I keep it in the trailer and it's come in handy for other tasks too. Leaning down with the hand crank to raise/lower the stabilizers was a major strain on my back. Before I'd work up a sweat. Much easier now.

[RogerDat]

StrongBack folding chairs. For me the problem is lumbar and at the Algonac rally Bob Ruggles had me try out one of his chairs. I could actually feel the area between my hip and knee transition to feeling normal as I sat in the chair. Not sure how it would work on back pain higher up but for lumbar it rocks.

Strongback Chairs — The most comfortable folding chair

Tend to think car seats and bed will have the most impact since sleeping and driving are both long duration activities. But once I get there I'm sitting in my chair a whole bunch.

Pack stuff in small manageable containers. Instead of one big plastic tub of clothes or whatever use two smaller ones. I find loading up and moving stuff to get to other stuff can be a lot of strain.

Last item - keep on going. Do as much as you can for as long as you can tolerate it. Moving parts don't rust as fast as stationary ones.