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Slumberjack XL cot + yellow foam pad + sleeping bag = good sleep for me.

The cots with the springs are back wreckers for me!

Have a feeling, picking the right sleeping set up for camping is as individual and a pain in the ass as buying a new mattress!

I have a touch of sleep apnea. I can't sleep on my back. I'm fine on my side or stomach. Stomach sleeping takes a firm bed or it bends my back and in the morning I can hardly get up. So, when camping, I'm 95% side sleeping.

That was me. Thanks for the vid.

Without the gizmo, its a job for XL Cot sized guys to assemble. But the upside is a drum tight cot every time.

Cabelas XL cot and a 3" closed cell foam pad.

My wife and I plan on spending a good part of the spring and summer following the weather north from Az. to the Canadian border and mostly camping along the way.At our age comfort is a priority. We chose the Kingdom cots from REI after a lot of research. They are long, wide and erect in seconds. They come w/ an adequate pad but we add our xl self inflating pads and they are luxurious. They also give the ability to raise the back to your desired angle to hang out or read in bed.

However, they fold easily but take a lot of space in the tent or when packing. We have decided to buy an enclosed utility trailer to accomodate all the goodies for extended camping. We use a 6 person 8'x10'tent that has an interior peak height > 6' and gives plenty of room to move around or hang out in bad weather.

have fun and sleep tight.


mike r

Same here.




Dave

I was thinking that when I typed it but didn't really think anyone would believe me.


mike r

I've done lots of car camping (base camping) over the years. The following items are what I use when I'm going to be setup in one place for several nights and don't have to carry anything on my back.

I start with a freestanding dome tent, large enough to stand up in and big enough for two people to roam around in without getting on each others nerves. I've seen the wind destroy several cheap dome tents so now I use one that's strong enough to take a beating. My current go to tent for base camping is a Cabelas Instinct 6-man tent.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...h-DAC-Aluminum-Poles-Person/2004686.uts?

I'm an active sleeper so I like a cot that's big enough that it's hard to roll off in the night. Also get one that has plastic feet that don't put holes in the floor of the tent. Cabelas and Coleman both offer big cots.
http://www.coleman.com/big-n-tall-cot/2000023591.html
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Alaskan-Guide-Cot-with-Lever-Arm/732573.uts?

I put a 1/2" foam pad on the cot. Buy that at Wal Mart for $15. Then a Thermarest Base Camp Deluxe XL self inflating air mattress on top of the foam pad.
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/camp-and-comfort/basecamp/product

I like a big hybrid sleeping bag with lots of room, synthetic insulation, and rated at 0°F. I bought the Celsius Regular made by Teton Sports at Sportsmans Warehouse for $80. I often use it only half zipped up, when temps are warm. But if it gets cold, I can zip it up and be cozy.
http://www.tetonsports.com/Sleeping-Bags/Celsius/Celsius-Regular-0.htm

I try to minimise hot things inside the tent that can burn a hole in the wall. I use a couple of LED lanterns inside the tent.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Generic-20287-Ozark-Trail-Lantern-300-Lumens/49332930

If you have to have heat inside the tent, you can use a Mr. Heater Buddy Heater. They will shut off automatically if tilted and are safe to use inside the tent without augmenting the ventilation already provided by the tent. I put mine on a cookie sheet on the ground, inside the vestibule.
http://www.mrheater.com/portable-buddy-heater.html

I also try to keep stoves outside of the tent. Sometimes under a tarp or tipi and sometimes I stretch a tarp over the back of the camper shell on my pickup and cook on the tailgate. 16 ounce propane canisters are the most convenient type of fuel when weight and bulk are not a consideration. It's hard to beat a double burner folding stove for base camping like these.
http://www.coleman.com/classic-prop...d=coleman-stovesandgrills-stoves#start=1
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tr...pane-Camp-Stove-with-Wind-Guard/23623718

I take a couple of comfortable folding chairs that make a big difference to an old back. I don't particularly like the collapsing nylon chairs, but that's purely personal preference. I like a simple chair like this one.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Caravan-Global-Sports-Suspension-Folding-Chair/34743930

KC

Enough about your Johnsons, back to camping.

That looks like a pretty decent one

Me too. And, I prefer a flannel lined sleeping bag. If cold enough, I wear more night clothes.I do not like to cover my head in the sleeping bag, so I have worn a balaclava or stocking cap to keep my head and ears warm. I don't have much hair these days.

donsm70

You and me both brother! My head is always cold in the winter.

I sleep well in my Eureka Timberline Outfitter. It is a 6 man tent, with just enough room for me.
I sleep on a Cabelas cot, with a three inch thick Cabelas foam mattress. There is also room for a folding table, chair, my suitcase, guns and knives. I have electric fans and lights.

If you're going to pull trailer, why not look for a decent used folder camper or small travel trailer?

After tenting for years, this year I had enough. The day after we got back from hunting I bought a small (21ft) trailer.
Enough of cold tents and bad beds.
Indoor kitchen, heater, running water, electric lighting, warm shower, comfortable bed and a couple of bunks for company, even an air conditioner which I'm not likely to ever use.
Wish I had done it years ago.
Figure if I run the generator an hour a day I can keep everything going.

Next time you need a battery, go with 2 6v golf cart batteries. 2 good ones will run you for a week or more and still have power to spare.

Wife and kid and I stopped in local Gander Mountain today and went to camping section. They had a couple really nice cots that we layed on to feel them out ... not too bad. What really blew me away was how big they were! If we all 3 wanted to sleep on one of these gems we're going to have to move up to a bigger tent for sure. Hmmm ... I've been looking for an excuse to purchase a really nice Springbar! Lol

Camper's are convenient but tent camping is fun.

When I setup up the wall tent my kids go crazy.




Travis

I swear a wall tent, a Cabelas XL cot and their mattress and a little rain will get you the best sleep a man can have.

I had this hog huntin' kick back in the mid 80's. I'd go down to the Cumberlands, pitch a tent and wander the hollers in search of hogs.

The last couple of years a friend of mine with a little pop up camper went with me.

It was a little one,...could pull it behind an S-10.

It had a propane gas stove and heater,...a couple of beds on each end that you could crawl into at night,...

Even a little, economy sized pop up camper beats the hell out of a tent.

If I was inclined to go roaming the wilds again, I'd go on Craigslist and find me a little pop up camper.

Use it 'till you're tired of it then sell it for what ya paid for it.