Show me your sleeping setups!

[wreckdiver1321]

I also just bought the Kamp-Rite double cot, but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it. I put a queen air mattress on top and with the wife and I on it we were able to cuddle up and not hit the center bar. Sweet! But I'm not sure if this is how I want to go. Even though the air mattress "absorbs" the bar, the cot material (and air mattress) still sags under your body and you end up laying in an "air ditch." Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if the cot were wider, but as it is, my shoulders feel like they are starting to run out of room. I don't have any of the thick individual sleeping pads so I'll ask your experience: when laying on your setup, does the center of your body still "sag" compared to the sides?

Have you slept in the Mountain Trapper in cold weather yet? (I know "cold" is relative, so let's just go with <40 for this bag) I like the look of the bag a lot but I'm concerned that because they're so wide (36") that they'd have too much volume to easily keep warm.

Hmm. I can imagine how that could be a problem, especially with an air mattress. Plus I can imagine that with an air mattress you wouldn't get too much insulation from underneath.

I think a single sleeping pad could be a potential answer to your problems. Maybe. With both my fiancee and myself on sleeping pads on either side, it's nearly flat. It's not perfect, but it's pretty close. The other upside to the big single pads is they do a great job at keeping you insulated, so you don't need a sleeping bag as heavy. The biggest downside to such a setup is cuddling is kind of prohibited thanks to the bar. But it sure is comfortable.

As for the sleeping bag, I have not had the chance to try it out in the real world yet, but I have used several other bags that are a similar size and weight and have been perfectly warm. That being said, I am a pretty warm person. I used this bag near a fire to keep warm on a cold night, and I'd say it's good down to at least 20*. Maybe even 5 or 10. But I love this sort of bag. I actually prefer the larger size because I lay on my side and sprawled out, and the bigger bags allow for a lot more freedom. They can also be made into blankets if the night is too warm. I found one for only $70 in the bargain area of the store near me, but for the quality and warmth, it's very much worth the full $140. I'd say give it a try.

 

[Hilldweller]

Any low-tech setups out there ? Just a bunch of egg shell crate in the back ...

There's more than just eggshell in the second picture.
A pretty girl makes everything comfortable...

 

[crusaderJK]

My sleeping setup has evolved over time. I'm pretty happy with the way it is now.
I have an Oztent RV-1, a Nomad sleeping pad(50" wide and 3" thick) and a Coleman Double sleeping bag.

Basic caming on a weekend trip here in Switzerland.


Advanced setup on a trip around Corsica.


My setup as it is now.

 

[Rumline]

I figured out how to solve my "lying in a ditch" problem where a sleeping pad on top of a cot will sag in the middle: use two pads.

I took our backpacking sleeping pads (which are comparatively narrow) and partially inflated them (maybe 50%). Then I placed an Exped Mega Mat on top. The partially-inflated pad is enough to fill the space between the bars of the cot where the fabric sags down when you lie on it. As a result the pad on top remains pretty much flat despite spanning the bars of the cot. The difference between having the pad underneath vs not is immediately apparent when you lie down on it.


I decided to go with the Mega Mat because having two individual pads is more versatile than one big one (easier to pack in the car, plus we can each set our own firmness) and by moving away from the air mattress now we gain insulation. Not to mention these Exped mats are the most comfortable sleeping pads I've ever experienced. With the two mats strapped together on the cot we can still cuddle up, and "falling into the crack" between the two pads is a non-issue. Not stoked about the $$ but as they say, buy once cry once.

I realize this is a princess-and-the-pea "problem" but finally having a comfortable, warm, elevated sleeping system has made my wife excited to go camping again. She's planning our next trip herself in fact. :sombrero:

 

[JackW]

Maggiolina with an additional thermarest on top of the standard mattress - very comfortable

 

[wreckdiver1321]

Rumline, I like your solution. The Exped mat is amazing, I can just imagine how comfy that setup would be. I'm glad you found a solution that works for you. The Kamp-Rite double cot is a pretty cool piece of kit once you've got all the particulars figured out.

 

[wagex]

best sleep i ever got while camping yukon outfitters hammock with bugnet. a 50 degree mummy bag and a folded up thin fleece blanket under my butt to alleviate cold butt syndrome... when laying in a hammock you compress the insulation under your butt and it can get a bit chilly.

 

[Honu]

underquilts

best sleep i ever got while camping yukon outfitters hammock with bugnet. a 50 degree mummy bag and a folded up thin fleece blanket under my butt to alleviate cold butt syndrome... when laying in a hammock you compress the insulation under your butt and it can get a bit chilly.
View attachment 283715

 

[wagex]

underquilts

yeah those are a little pricey for my needs when a $3 fleece blanket works perfect i dont ever camp when its under 50-60 degrees at night too cold for this guy even in a tent lol.