So now that we have looked at purchased bed solutions, let’s talk about what goes on top before you do.

The basic categories are air mattresses, inflatable pads (commonly used by back packers), foam pads and mattresses. There are also exotic items like feather beds, and any number of combinations of these things.

So what have I tried? Well the obvious choice as a beginning camper was an air mattress.

English: An air matress for use as a guest bed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We got the “high quality” flocked version. The advantage to this type of air mattress over the super cheap ones is that the flocking will help keep you from sliding off during the night – especially if you have a slick sleeping bag cover. We discovered that the air mattress, assuming that it did not lose air, was OK in hot weather, but in cold weather you could freeze your a@# off! Putting a survival blanket under the air mattress will usually solve this problem. We have used an extra sleeping bag under us, and also a feather bed under us. My favorite was the feather bed – it was comfortable no matter what the temperatures.

Our next upgrade was a queen sized futon. The sheer weight and bulk of the mattress simply became too difficult to deal with in the long run. After a couple of sprains my partner and I started looking for something more portable and not as heavy.

The next “step” for us was the folding foam pads that can be used for “guest beds”. One of our friends uses them with great success. We had trouble finding good ones and settled for some mail order versions. They are a little larger than I would prefer – they create a king-sized bed, and they are moderately comfortable. Ever searching for something more comfortable, we have tried adding a foam bed topper to the top of the mats and also a feather bed. I like the feather bed best (but then I said that last time!).

Our next step was a discovery that we made at a recent camping event. Our truck had broken down and therefore our bedding and tent were not available. Some friends let us borrow their tent and bed because they had one more night paid for in a local hotel. Wow! And I mean WOW! They have a high-tech 4” thick memory foam mattress on their bed. I wasn’t really sure about it when I first laid down, but it really was super comfy. Now, I should mention that I normally wake up several times a night from “pressure pain” in my hips, but not on that bed. I see a 4” memory foam mattress in my future!

English: Memory foam. The picture is taken by pressing my hand in the foam and releasing it. Nederlands: Traagschuim. De foto is gemaakt door mijn hand enige tijd in het schuim te drukken en daarna los te laten. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Once again you need to make adjustments according to your personal needs, budget and capabilities. I actually really enjoyed our old futon mattress, but the weight and bulk became too difficult  to handle. To quote Tim Gunn, “Make it work!” Use whatever combination of mattresses and toppers works for you!

Next time: Camp Beds – Sleeping Beauty or the Princess and the Pea? – Part 3:  – Getting off of the Ground – Homemade and Crafted Solutions

When I was considerably younger I thought nothing of spending my weekend camping, eating food from cans and sleeping on an air mattress on rocky ground. Now that I have a few more years under my belt, the prospect of crawling up off of an air mattress in the morning, or even worse, for a 2 o’clock potty run, is not a pleasant one. In addition to this basic issue of comfort, I now often camp for a week or more at a time. Things that were tolerable for two nights, just won’t cut it for a ten day campout. So how can we fix this issue? Simple – sleep in a bed.

The “bed” solution breaks down into two basic categories – something you buy or something you make, with an interesting range in between. It also involves two parts, the thing that holds you up off the ground and a soft thing to lay on.

I have seen some amazing bed solutions over the years, some of which were excellent, and some of which are waaay more than I am interested in dealing with. Hopefully I can give you some ideas that will solve your sleep comfort issues. You need to look objectively at what you are capable of transporting and carrying. Do you have a truck, or a sedan, or a bad back? What is your budget? Some cots and frames can cost hundreds of dollars, and some less than $70. Do you own something that you can repurpose? Think about it…

I know folks who truck an entire futon frame, complete with queen sized futon to events. While this may sound outrageous, some of the modern metal framed futon sofas are not that heavy, but they can take up a LOT of packing room unless you want to take them apart.

One of my friends actually uses a lightweight version of one of those fold-in-half rollaway beds, like they have at hotels. He makes up the bed, complete with sheets, blankets and pillow, closes it, and puts it in the back of his pickup truck. When he arrives, all he has to do is set up his tent, put his bed inside, and he is ready to go to bed. This is a particularly practical approach if you are prone to coming in late at night  – going to bed is quick and easy.

The camp cot is another solution. It has the advantage of getting you off of the ground, and is usually quite light. Camp cots come in all ranges of complexity, from super light-

camp at the beach (Photo credit: muhawi001)

weight back pack versions to ridgid frame “base-camp” versions. My personal interest is in the “base camp” comfort versions (seen along both walls of this “garage tent”).

Cots come in several basic sizes – single, full, and queen are fairly common. You also need to consider weight limits. Cots have recommended weight limits and exceeding those limits can sometimes result in a sudden crash landing. I recommend spending some time on sites like www.Cabelas.com   www.REI.com    www.Walmart.com   www.Target.com  Some of the best prices that I found were actually at Target. Read the fine print and the reviews, and then if possible go look at one in person before you buy.

Next time: Camp Beds – Sleeping Beauty or the Princess and the Pea? – Part 2:  – Something Soft to Sleep On – Purchased Solutions