HELP PLEASE! Tents and Sleeping pads!

[barlowrs]

OK, I am in need of your expertise. I just got back from a quick camping trip with my gf, and the sleeping situation was slightly miserable for us.

First off, tents. Well, my background comes from backcountry hiking/camping and climbing, so all of my gear is the lightest possible as I had to pack everything in. My current tent is a 3-4 season 2 person sierra designs (nightwach 2.0). This is a GREAT tent that has made it through a LOT of scary weather situations, but, it is small (as that was what was important). Now that I am "car camping" more, I think it might be possible to get something bigger and more comfortable.

Secondly is sleeping pads. I have a thermorest prolite plus, which is great for something you have to carry, but it only pads your torso (it is short). My gf hates this fact, and wants something full length (more padding is better as well). And now that we are driving our gear in and not carrying it, I think we can afford to do this.

SO MY QUESTIONS:

What size tent do you guys use? What sleeping pads do you guys use? Anyone use a blow up mattress (my gf really likes this idea)....I mean since weight is not really an issue, I could ultimately get a 8 man tent and throw a king sized blow up mattress in there (though build up and tear down would make that stupid, and last thing I want to do is make others in my party wait for me to teardown my mansion).

THANKS! (now time to go ice my kinked neck!)

 

[john101477]

I sooo understand your situation. I also have the thermorest pad for hiking, ultra light tent etc. BUT My wife will not use either lol
Car camping means you can have "some" of the comforts of home while experiencing the great outdoors and sharing that with friends and family.
I am actually going to address the bed first because it will set the stage for the tent. An inflatable queen size mattress is a must when sharing space. coleman and many others have what they call single layer air mattresses and I have one. It works ok but the wife is after me to buy a new double thick style that is about 18 inches off the ground. also available now are the queen size cots with a single air matress in it. these are great as well depending on manufacture. check out cabelas for something like this. go to walmart for any thing else.

tents. the bigger the tent the more it takes to heat it but the bigger the tent the more room you have to manuveur and store stuff. I just bought the big agnes flying diamond 6 for my fam of 3. 2 rooms are great for a little privacy for mom and dad. the larger room (4person side) is big enough to lay out the air mattress and have about 2 ft on the off side. IMO any time you buy a tent you should get one that is double the size of the amount of people sleeping in it i.e., 2 people = 4 person tent etc. even my ultra light back packing tent it a 2 person. I will deal with an additional 3 oz for the room I get in return.

Hope that helps.

 

[Regcabguy]

My wife and I discovered that the queen blowup matresses transmit body movement to the other party. She turns over,you do too. Unless they are valving or baffling them different,you'd better be a deep sleeper.

 

[paulj]

A '4 person' tent has enough floor space for a full (double) size air mattress, with space along the sides for some gear. For sleeping that is enough space for two people. Most of my other camp activities take place in a good size vestibule or under a tarp over the camp table.

Beware that the air in air mattress can get cold.

An alternative to a bed size air mattress is a pair of backpacking air mattresses. These have tubes about 3" in diameter, which is plenty of thickness for even side sleepers. The better ones have some sort of internal insulation, so they work fine in cold weather.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I use a tent large enough for my girls to stand up to get there pants on and off. I use a blow up mattress sheets and blankies. The goal is to keep the girls as comfortable as you can to keep them happy and wanting to go. I found the sheet and blankies to be so comfortable that is what I now use in my RTT also. No more bags unless backpacking or motorcycle camping and it all good with me.

 

[barlowrs]

I use a tent large enough for my girls to stand up to get there pants on and off. I use a blow up mattress sheets and blankies. The goal is to keep the girls as comfortable as you can to keep them happy and wanting to go. I found the sheet and blankies to be so comfortable that is what I now use in my RTT also. No more bags unless backpacking or motorcycle camping and it all good with me.

I am highly considering the sheets/blanket thing as well (at least a normal bag, not mummy bag). My current sleeping bag is a 0 deg north face mummy (used for ice climbing), whch works GREAT on the side of a glaciar, but for all other camping, I really want something I can actually move in..heck, I am a side sleeper, which poses a problem in itself with a mummy.

 

[barlowrs]

So for all those using bigger tents and air matresses, when you go out on trips with others, do you find you end up holding them up when braking down camp, or do air matresses break down pretty quickly? (or does everyone have them so no-one cares?)

 

[wanderer-rrorc]

for the last 10 years of camping while 4x4ing...4 person dome tent..2 twin air matresses and 2 sleeping bags and a lighter blanket...2 12vt fans and a "jump-pack" for jumpstarting a car...

the fans have kept us cool in 90+* 90% humidity..at least cool enough to sleep well...

the reason for 2 air matresses is that my wife and I both get one so we dont disturb the other and if one goes flat ya both can sleep on the other..

sleeping bag and lighter blankets are flipped/swapped depending on if its cooler out that night or warmer...

alot of good nights with this setup..oh..and ALL of it packs up into a standard large duffelbag...that way we just grab it and the jump-pack and know we have all our bedding and tent!!

 

[wanderer-rrorc]

So for all those using bigger tents and air matresses, when you go out on trips with others, do you find you end up holding them up when braking down camp, or do air matresses break down pretty quickly? (or does everyone have them so no-one cares?)

my 12vt inflater doubles as a deflater..so I can vac them flat..

 

[john101477]

I also vac them out. Most people car camping use a inflatable any more so holding them up is a non issue IMO. I have thought of taking two single mattresses but have not done that. The new doubles are baffles to help stop the back and fourth movement. As for sleeping bags, I sleep rediculouly hot so mummy bags suck for me and I am a side sleeper. I have a light weight full size for packing but I use 2 oversized slumberjacks for the wife and I in cold weather and our normal sheet/comforter set up in warm weather.
Check out places like REI, Cabelas, and even bass pro. Read the reviews and rating accordingly. Check amazon to make sure it is not sold else where for cheaper. Also if you camp remotely, consider an out house(PETT or something that works as well). Makes women enjoy the outdoors that much more. I use a luggable loo and a trekkr port a privy which makes the wife happy

 

[paulj]

The full thickness air mattresses (5") usually have a large (1" diameter) dump valve, so they deflate pretty quickly.

I prefer the deluxe Intex models, especially ones that come with their own 12v pump. I like to inflate the mattress in the tent using a 12v battery pack. The one time I got a puncture it was while carrying an inflated mattress from the car to the tent - it brushed against a tree branch.

 

[Poorboyota26]

the wife is after me to buy a new double thick style that is about 18 inches off the ground.

Don't do it! one of you will wake up on the ground (usually the man/you) and the other will end up on top of you. Which is nice if...you know. If it's sleep you want don't do it!!!!!!

I can't get my wife to sleep on anything else and we have to carry a spare because one has already popped in the middle of a 10 day trip. They aren't light and they take forever to blow up even with the battery powered pump. She also came home with a 3 man sleeping bag one day. It's nice, I've never been cold in it but it's HUGE and hard to store when not camping.

On the tent issue. We have a 5-6 man Hillary tent. It takes 5 min to set up and about 8 to take down. 4 poles and a square footprint. I've been using it for over 17 years. When I was in scouts my dad and I would set up a coleman cot on both sides and roll out a strip of carpet on the floor, as not to track mud and dirt inside the tent. This set up worked great, all of our gear (daybags and clothes) would store under the cots to keep the air from flowing underneath at night (gets cold). They are great tents and have stood the test of time IMO. Sleep seperately, it helps when you want to get breakfast started and don't want to wake her. Or when nature calls in the middle of the night. I have always been a "car" camper so I don't know about the light weight back packing thing, it sounds like fun but the wife wont go for it.

Then you start acuiring more of the creature comforts of home, and all your stuff wont fit in just the car anymore. A trailer is nice because you can leave your stuff in it and be gone and on the road to camp in 20 min. All you have to do is get groceries, Ice and water on your way out of town. You can also leave all your stuff in it while you go exploring/fishing during the day in your vehicle

 

[nwoods]

I have two very high quality twin size air mattresses. I think they were $180 each or something like. I bought them back when Architecture was a business. I would be willing to sell them. Here's why:

They are cold!

Most of my family camping is up above 10,000 in places like Yosemite. Air mattresses have this annoying habit of being filled with...air. That air is darn chilly at night at those altitudes. It sucks the heat right out of your body, no matter what quality of sleeping bag you use.

If you want mine, I'll make you a nice deal. If you want something warmer, I highly recommend getting a 2" or 2.5" inflatable insulated sleeping pad, like this:
http://www.rei.com/product/778150

As for tents, the sweet spot is a 4 person tent for 2 people in comfort. There are tons of 4 person tents available. Get one with a full rain fly, quality zippers, plenty of noseeum mesh (for ventilation), and matching ground tarp. I really like the REI Base Camp 4.

 

[UK4X4]

We went for air, but that sinking feeling in the middle of the night is a pain, we have now moved to 2-3" foam matresses, rolled up put in a kit bag on the rack.

Warmer - no leaks missing or dump valve and no wobbly feeling.

We camp diferently depending on where and how.

For a 1 nighter its all squeze in the RTT, dog and daughter included.

For a multiday move every day RTT and a 3 man back pack tent on the ground for me and the dog.

4-7 day base Camp a 6 man 2 room with vestibul tent.

Bags, we moved from mummies to large square flannel with sheets, but I still bring the mummies just in case.

I too have my gear stashed together ready to go. bedding in one bag and mattresses in the other.

Both for the rack as light and bulky.

Car camping adds to the comfort level - a happy girlfriend / wife males for a happy experience

 

[opie]

barlowrs, have you given thought to a hammock? A properly equipped hammock can keep you warm, dry and very comfortable.

Check this site out when you get some free time.

hammockforums.net

I use a hammock and tarp when I dont have the kids with me. Coupled with a down underquilt and a sleeping bag in the hammock and I can stay plenty warm down to 35 or so. Some folks are even getting down to below 0 with the addition of pads or more down in their underquilt.

Edit, heres a 10 part series on getting set-up with a hammock. You may or may not recognize the man..

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=15516