Cot vs. Air Mattress

[robgendreau]

Not all "air mattresses" are alike. It can be confusing from reading some posts, but there's a world of difference between say a Kmart "air mattress" made out of vinyl with just air tubes, and a self inflating foam/air mattress like Thermarest and others make. The latter are the warmest things out there to sleep on aside from pure foam, closed cell being an option, but bulkier and less comfortable. We'd used Thermarests climbing in snow and ice and rarely have problems with them, and they are exceptionally compact and warm.

I also use cots, but they can be cold. You still need insulation underneath you, since your sleeping bag will compress and you'll still radiate heat to ground. Of course that's a major plus when it's hot, and in those conditions cots rule. But below freezing, and depending on your bag, you'd need some insulation on that cot. Even a mylar sheet helps. I prefer the roll-a-cots since they're compact, and have no ends, so they work for talk folks better than hitting your head on a rigid bar.

 

[Accrete]

as others have suggested I too would go with the exped mega 10 or synmat 12. They are both 30" wide and two together makes a queen. At least that way you could have the option of unzipping the bags (which will allow for more restful sleep imo). My wife and I have slept on our exped and big agnus pads in temps down to ~35 and we were comfy/cozy. They are insulated...not like the "Air Beds" you see in most stores.

TMI warning but the _romance_ of two bags together can get old quick as it can be confined...this coming from a fit/trim guy married to a wee-bit-of-a-girl. Just have fun in camp before hitting the hay : ) puts a hole new meaning on _spontaneity_ and camping fun.

We also regularly sleep in our hammocks, trees or no trees. There are plenty of DIY stands if you find yourself without trees (a link to my hammock forum build thread). I built ours out of EMT conduit and easy fit in the van or a truck bed when folded down.

I know it's not a tent : ) but just another possibility. Some hang one end off the roof rack and the other to stand or tree. There are few things that rival the comfort of a quality hammock such as a Hennessey (like my wife's in background) or a Warbonnet Blackbird (like mine on right).

testing in our yard last spring;

Cheers,
Thom

 

[jrnottarts]

Thank you all so much for the feedback! I've got a lot of research ahead of me, but I think you all have convinced me to look at cots. I really like the exped mega mat duo, but geez is that thing pricey. Cots seem to be a little more reasonable. I'll keep yall posted on what I find!

 

[Wanderer1]

I've slept on the ground or in the back of a truck for years and regret not purchasing a cot or hammock earlier.

This past year I used a 10x10 easy up for myself and it was quite the gentlemans quarters complete with folding table and coffee pot next to the cot. The second half of the week was in a hammock, totally on a whim and for the first time. Wow! I unexpectantly loved it.

 

[Honu]

full time hammock guy here

but for cots there are some models that pack small and are very comfy the alps low profile ones as example
but cot or air mattress insulate under you !!!!!!

I would get a cot and a decent pad for insulation self inflating if you have the room have very good R value and are comfy and warm
get separate bags that can zip together

we had big agnes gear (selling it since we are full time in hammocks now) but hers is 20 degrees lower temp rated but they can zip together if we wanted (never did that) but the theory is nice

when we had our RTT and used a heater we had a huge queen+ size bag that was comfy but was like sleeping at home because of the heater setup

good cot good insulation good bag

 

[jscusmcvet]

I am going to offer a different route than most have here. As was said there are differences in air mattresses. When I did my trailer build this summer I did a fair amount of research on it and wound up with this air mattress. We love it. Properly inflated, it is a very comfortable sleep, the way they have created the support and chambers means no more jostling the wife when I go outside, It is not PVC vinyl and is a durable material that you don't slip around on.

http://www.lightspeedoutdoors.com/pvc-free-air-bed-lightspeed-outdoors.html

John

 

[BajaRunner]

If its not going to be below freezing where you plan on sleeping, I'd recommend just getting the Coleman queen sized air mattress. I carry a repair kit just in case. Mine last about 20-30 trips each and are $30. They get dirty and thrashed by then and you want to buy a new one anyways hah. We use blankets below us if it gets cold.

 

[M35A2]

The most common error with air mattresses is overfilling. They should be soft enough that when laying prone (both of you) they are soft enough that you are not bouncing around.

 

[dms1]

Im going with air mattress, particularly an ExPed Mega Mat. My wife use to use a cot and while I used the ExPed megamat. During a vacation trip I couldn't sleep due to hurting my back and my wife suggested I try sleeping on the cot and she sleep on the megemat. The cot did not help me, but my wife wanted to replace the cot with the megamat after getting a good nights rest, and that is what we both use now. Ive had my Megamat since 8/2012 and it works as good as the day I bought it and it is the only air mattress I have used that did not lose air overnight, in fact once I fill it to the right pressure, I don't need to ever re fill it over 2 to 3 night trip.

 

[MOguy]

I like a cot. I like to be able to sit up. I like to be able to put my shoes or boots under the cot so I don't trip on them. I like to put my stuff under the cot so it is out of the way. I don't like crap laying around so having a cot to put stuff under works for me.

Not sure what brand of cot I have but they fold up and fit into a bag smaller than a sleeping bag and they have air mattress you slip into them. I never inflate the air mattress though.

mine look like this one but for a single person:

 

[lchavez]

I sleep very well on a insulated exped air mattress. I just use the sleeping bag like a quilt and have been very comfortable down to 20 degrees. Not a single leak or puncture and the pump is built in. With that said, I've been looking at oztent insulated cot. Getting older now and I like the idea of being able to sit up. I have a chair in the tent now for this so space will be about the same as I would be packing one less chair.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Whenever we don't take the offroad tent trailer we use a canvas Coleman Oasis tent with Cabelas XL cots and Thermarest DreamTime XL pads, nothing compares to a good nights sleep when camping and having space to store stuff underneath. And I agree about not using a shared sleeping bag, they let out heat and tend to move the other person if you move around. If I camp solo I just sleep in the back of the truck or lay the seats flat in the Monty.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Another thing is a canvas tent will hold heat better and tend to be quieter if the wind picks up, nothing wakes you up like a rain fly flapping in the wind because you didn't think you needed to stake out the lines.

 

[luckyjoe]

There is a lot of of misinformation based on straight "air mattress" construction. Modern air sleeping pads have insulation to prevent loss of body heat. I'm a ground tent sleeper and the best comfort I have ever found are Exped mats. I've used a Synmat 9LW everywhere - from sub-zero snow camping to a boat deck in the Bahamas - I've had the best night's sleep every time and it's always the first item on my packing list!

If packed size and cost are no limit try the Exped Megamat series, but I've never felt my Synmat 9 to be lacking.