Lets talk sleeping

[Plumber1]

OK I am getting to old and my knees are shot to be sleeping on the ground any more. I have tried using Air Beds for the last several years with some success. It seams like I always pump them up the weekend before to test them out and they look fine. Then on the trails I wake up in the morning and 90% of the air is gone and I am back on the ground FUCK NO. The last time out my son brought his 30' RV Trailer and we slept in beds FUCK YES. But since this is not always possible I am looking for an option thinking of maybe a cot of some type what are you other old guys using

 

[randy328]

I have used a Coleman cot, pretty comfortable but narrow.

 

[Mr. Bills]

My "go to" sleeping arrangements are these:

"Swag" tent with 3" foam mattress - never had a bad night's sleep and getting out of the thing to go pee in the middle of the night became a piece of cake after I got my bionic knee. I slept in it almost 3 weeks straight on the beaches of Baja in December and January.

Kodiak Canvas tent with ALPS Mountaineering Outback XL Self-Inflating Air Mat. This mat is oversized and very comfortable with no loss of air issues in the middle of the night.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L2MEY56/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Prior to the ALPS Mountaineering sleeping pad I used a Byer of Maine "Allagash" cot. They have many different models, are very well made and are reasonably priced.

https://byerofmaine.com/collections/byer-cots/products/allagash-plus-cot

 

[reddvltj]

I use a cot very similar to the Ozark Trail XXL. they have a higher weight capacity and more room than standard cots.
Here's a decent source for info on multiple different brands.

https://besttentcotsforcamping.com/extra-wide-camping-cots
Edit: surprisingly they do not take up much room when in their storage bags.

Edit#2: I have also been known to use a zero G chair to sleep in while out on forest fires...

 

[Moab]

I like those low to the ground cots. Like listed above. Since your mechanized anyway. No harm in bringing one along. I wouldn't bring a full cot for size sake. Like the ones made out of square tubing or wood.

Even with the cot. I'd bring a backpacking type air mattress. They are much more rugged than a typical house air mattress you might buy at walmart. Big Agnes is a good brand. There are many others. Try campsaver.

https://www.bigagnes.com/Gear/Sleeping-Pads
Or get a backpacking hammock. If they work on your back. They are a blast too use. You do of course need at least one tree and your Jeep to set one up. Just google backpacking hammock. Or look on youtube.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ham...rome..69i57.3468j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[zebra12]

A nice cot is a game changer. I use one of the small, low to the ground camping ones. I'd never go back to a camping pad.

 

[pagrey]

I have one of those low to the ground cots with four metal supports that are spring loaded. It is not easy to get together, if I had bad knees it might end up in the trash before the first time I used it. I like 'em but they ain't for everybody. Cot is a great idea but I'd search for "easy to set up." I also use one of those self inflating foam mattress pads on the cot about 1" thick, it works nicely. They also have bigger feet which can be easier on a tent if you use one.

 

[Viking Jeeper]

I love my cot from Cabellas. I'm pretty sure it was listed as XXL. It is pretty large when set up and takes even more space to unfold and set up.

 

[Plumber1]

I use a cot very similar to the Ozark Trail XXL. they have a higher weight capacity and more room than standard cots.
Here's a decent source for info on multiple different brands.

https://besttentcotsforcamping.com/extra-wide-camping-cots
Edit: surprisingly they do not take up much room when in their storage bags.

Edit#2: I have also been known to use a zero G chair to sleep in while out on forest fires...

Thanks for the link this is a great starting point and it looks like there are several to consider

 

[Plumber1]

My "go to" sleeping arrangements are these:

"Swag" tent with 3" foam mattress - never had a bad night's sleep and getting out of the thing to go pee in the middle of the night became a piece of cake after I got my bionic knee. I slept in it almost 3 weeks straight on the beaches of Baja in December and January.

View attachment 178803

Kodiak Canvas tent with ALPS Mountaineering Outback XL Self-Inflating Air Mat. This mat is oversized and very comfortable with no loss of air issues in the middle of the night.

View attachment 178809

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L2MEY56/?tag=wranglerorg-20

View attachment 178811



Prior to the ALPS Mountaineering sleeping pad I used a Byer of Maine "Allagash" cot. They have many different models, are very well made and are reasonably priced.


View attachment 178812

https://byerofmaine.com/collections/byer-cots/products/allagash-plus-cot

View attachment 178813

I like the idea of adding a pad on top of the cot, thanks

 

[Plumber1]

A nice cot is a game changer. I use one of the small, low to the ground camping ones. I'd never go back to a camping pad.

I will need to take a look at these low ones, I was thinking more of the higher ones just because of my bad knees. For the same reason I got a tent I can stand up in, years ago I used the lower tents but it became difficult getting dressed w/o being able to stand up straight.

But it does sound like none of you have anything negative to say about using a cot.

 

[Alex01]

I bought a budget Cabelas brand cot before the Slickrock run and it was the most comfortable sleep I've had in a tent. I believe it would have been even better with a foam layer on the bottom so it retained more heat. I may buy one of those cot/tents for the next run if my wife or kids stay at home again.

 

[Mr. Bills]

. . . But it does sound like none of you have anything negative to say about using a cot.

The low ones with the spring steel legs can sometimes be a hassle if you don't have everything oriented correctly, but that's a minor inconvenience and trade off for the small size and weight in comparison to the taller styles.

Be sure that the one you get is wide enough for you. Some are very narrow.

A sleeping pad on top really is the key to comfort. Thin or thick is up to you.

The larger cots are bulky. Take your packing space and weight constraints into consideration.


I have several friends with "tent cots." Too bulky for me, but they really like them. I have another friend who puts his aussie swag tent on top of a wide cot as shown in the first photo of the wide cot article linked above.

 

[oldjeepman]

I use a Coleman cot its 80"x 32". With a Teton Outfitter xxl camp pad which is 2.5" thick, along with a Teton Fahreheit xxl sleeping bag. In a old Coleman tent. The pad and bag are not for backpacking. Pad weighs 9lbs, bag 7lbs. But I sleep damn good.

 

[rasband]

When I car camp I have a 3.5” thick pad from REI (their brand) and like to use a camping blanket. I sleep better on that then at home. Standard air beds have never really worked for me camping.

I’d like to add a cot at some point just to get up and off the ground.

However the family is planning to get a trailer so we can do more family adventures - can’t wait for that.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I'm gonna try a hammock inside the Jeep. Hanging it diagonally from passenger front to driver rear gives just enough length for a 6 footer to stretch out.

 

[GaTechTJ]

I like those low to the ground cots. Like listed above. Since your mechanized anyway. No harm in bringing one along. I wouldn't bring a full cot for size sake. Like the ones made out of square tubing or wood.

Even with the cot. I'd bring a backpacking type air mattress. They are much more rugged than a typical house air mattress you might buy at walmart. Big Agnes is a good brand. There are many others. Try campsaver.

[URL]https://www.bigagnes.com/Gear/Sleeping-Pads[/URL]

Or get a backpacking hammock. If they work on your back. They are a blast too use. You do of course need at least one tree and your Jeep to set one up. Just google backpacking hammock. Or look on youtube.

[URL]https://www.google.com/search?...rome..69i57.3468j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8[/URL]

+1 for the hammock. They are my go to sleep system for camping and hiking.

 

[tworley]

We bought REI's Kingdom Cot 3 last year for a festival we attended. First time ever owning a cot and we both really like them. They're comfortable, wide and sturdy. The downside is their weight, I believe they're 20-25 lbs; not something I would want to take on a backpacking trip. We've also used them in our house when we had several family members over, and those who slept on them commented that they were very comfortable too.

 

[JMT]

OK I am getting to old and my knees are shot to be sleeping on the ground any more. I have tried using Air Beds for the last several years with some success. It seams like I always pump them up the weekend before to test them out and they look fine. Then on the trails I wake up in the morning and 90% of the air is gone and I am back on the ground FUCK NO. The last time out my son brought his 30' RV Trailer and we slept in beds FUCK YES. But since this is not always possible I am looking for an option thinking of maybe a cot of some type what are you other old guys using

When I wake up I can talk about this.

 

[RFAASRMA]

+1 for the hammock. They are my go to sleep system for camping and hiking.

If I don’t have the RV on a trip I’m 100% sleeping in a hammock. They take up barely any room, can be as warm as you need them to be, pack up quick and are just good to lounge in. Never slept in a bivy since buying one.