Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

[Haze]

I am trying to upgrade the comfort of tent camping.
So far I have been sleeping on the ground with a couple of ensolite pads below me.
What I want to do is get off the ground for summer and fall camping in PA and WV.
The choices seem to be a low profile camp cot or an inflatable single bed.
The camp cot will still need a sleep pad of some sort under my sleeping bag.
The air bed will not need a pad but will need a 12v pump and a jumper to the bike battery for inflation.
I think the airbed will pack smaller but not lighter. Airbed less expensive at Wallyworld.

What is your preference and experience???

Thanks.
Haze

[Ironheadziggy76]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

Haze I have a bad back, so I use an air mattress. I have an old Sevylor that has a built in pillow, but they are no longer made. I also have a Coleman single air bed from Target that is my standby for when we camp at motels. A lot of people find air mattresses cold to sleep on in colder weather, but I've had no problems down into the 20's with mine using a 15 degree bag. I have a 12v pump that I use, but I also have a 4 D cell pump that works well from Coleman and is not much bigger, but a little heavier if weight is an issue. They are small enough that I usually carry both just in case one fails.

[Indianscout]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

I use both actually. A few years ago I purchased a cot from Aerostich http://www.aerostich.com/high-tech-cot.html and use it with my Thermorest mattress. It's not a cheap set-up but it is compact enough for me to pack on my bike as well as help me with a good nights sleep. I too have had problems with my back and this combination seems to work for me.

[Saddlebutt]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

We got queen size from Wal-mart over 6 years ago, and it came with an AC/DC rechargable pump. Love it, and use it for every trip we take.

[kdf9511]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

I use a twin size Coleman air mattress from Wally world with a cheep $5.00 fitted sheet. I then use either a 4d cell pump or if I know I will be somewhere with electricty I have a 110v pump for it.

[Blues Traveler]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

Nothing beats an EXPED insulated air mattress. I use their Synmat 9. 3.5 inches of pure comfort. Insulated so you never feel the cold ground coming through. Has a built-in pump and is about the size of a can of coffee when packed away. Having had 2 back surgeries im carefull about how and what I sleep on while camping. I can honestly say I sleep better with my Big Agnes Park Series bag and Exped mattress than I do at home. Sure it cost a bit more but its money well spent.

[G wizz]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

Nothing beats an EXPED insulated air mattress. I use their Synmat 9. 3.5 inches of pure comfort. Insulated so you never feel the cold ground coming through. Has a built-in pump and is about the size of a can of coffee when packed away. Having had 2 back surgeries im carefull about how and what I sleep on while camping. I can honestly say I sleep better with my Big Agnes Park Series bag and Exped mattress than I do at home. Sure it cost a bit more but its money well spent.

I'll second the EXPED air mattresses.
I have the EXPED 7 DLX, that I use when not tugging the camper.
Inflates quickly and sleeps very well ...
They come up for auction on ebay quite often, and can most times be gottern at a very reasonable price.
Got mine there used, but like brand new, for $45.00

G

[IndyDon]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

I still like my Self-inflating air mattress from REI. It does not let the cold get up from the ground. Main issue with it is that it is big when rolled. ( about 24 x 7 )
When my wife and I were camping last month we used a queen inflatable coleman. I have a wool sleeping bag liner I took the outer stiching out of to make a blanket. We put it on the air mattress then a sheet and that worked to keep the cold from the ground coming through. It was about 34 degrees and raining on Mt. Rainier when we camped there. Not my most fond memory of the trip.

[Trailace]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

Nothing beats an EXPED insulated air mattress. I use their Synmat 9. 3.5 inches of pure comfort. Insulated so you never feel the cold ground coming through. Has a built-in pump and is about the size of a can of coffee when packed away. Having had 2 back surgeries im carefull about how and what I sleep on while camping. I can honestly say I sleep better with my Big Agnes Park Series bag and Exped mattress than I do at home. Sure it cost a bit more but its money well spent.

I'll second the EXPED air mattresses.
I have the XPED 7, that I use when not tugging the camper.
Inflates quickly and sleeps very well ...
They come up for auction on ebay quite often, and can most times be gottern at a very reasonable price.
Got mine there used, but like brand new, for $45.00

G

What they said!
XPED is the only way to go for me!

[aysrav]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

Another vote for any nice, thick, and preferably insulated, self-inflating air pad here. I've tried the high-tech cots too. They're comfy, but in addition to an air pad it was overkill for me.

[Whosoever]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

We got queen size from Wal-mart over 6 years ago, and it came with an AC/DC rechargable pump. Love it, and use it for every trip we take.

I'll 2nd this route! Best rest in a campground ever...with the Coleman twin sized air bed and the ac/dc rechargeable Coleman pump. Does a great job inflating...............and an equally great job deflating. Actually the connection to inflate is geared to the pump connection. I don't think I have $50 bucks in the who setup. On the other hand I have more than that in a Cabellas self inflating mat that is comfortable but waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy to small for my "size.......full bodied man" body.

[dray]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

I use a double thick air bed queen size not one regret in last 4 years

[Cracker]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

Have you concidered a hammock for more comfort?
I have sciatic nerve issue after a hard lowside several years ago and find it excruciatingly painfull to sleep on the ground . After switch to a Hennessy Expedition about 12yrs ago I actually sleep better hanging than in bed. I almost always make a primitive camp and don't stay in campgrounds so I don't know how well it would work for you regarding tie points.


Not trying to change the subject or hijack your thread, just look at it from another direction.

[kitesurfer]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

My vot for the hammock!

[Cousin Jack]

Re: Camp cot or Air bed ?? what say you??

Never tried the cot, except for the army, but have run the gamut otherwise....foam pads, self-inflating pads, Coleman airbed, non-thermal blow-up air.....

We loved the Coleman for comfort, but it's difficult to pack on a two-up, trailerless bike...we used self-inflating Thermarests for years, but, on the wrong side of sixty, it no longer provides the comfort I need....so we finally settled on a blow-up thermal air mattress, which does the job...ours were Pacific Outdoor Equipment brand, about $60 each, I think, but I can no longer google that model up so they must of quit making it... Exped and others offer them.....

We kept our Coleman airbed however, and have recently purchased a camping trailer. If the mattress coming with the camping trailer proves insufficient, we'll slap in the Coleman, maybe supplementing it with a thin insulation mat for cold nights. I can't see the benefit of a cot; the air moving under it will suck away warmth, and most are harder than bricks...... MHO, anyway...