Camping thoughts

[vonfirmath]

So I'm trying to optimize my camping setup for summer week-long camp in Texas weather. (Car camping so weight is not an issue -- but amount of space in the car is)

 

1) I slept in my new Cot and it was fine -- but it doesn't have any sort of mattress cushioning and sometimes I felt like i could feel the metal leg of the cot as I side-slept. So I'd like to put some sort of easy-to-transport mattress on top of the cot.  Something that does NOT need to be blown up every night would be ideal!)

2) I am tired of feeling like my sleeping bag is trapping me, struggling to get in and get out, etc. I am thinking about just taking 100% cotton sheets and a blanket. How would I fasten the bottom sheet to the cot so it does not fall off as I toss and turn?

[Porridge]

For the mattress topper - our local costco is selling high end inflatable camping pads. I think I saw them online at Costco as well. They compress down into a small size, and I think they mostly inflate on their own. 

[wathe]

Either a self-inflating camping mattress (like a thermarest) or a foam camping pad should work with your cot nicely.

Then sew a bottom sheet into an envelope that the mattress/foam pad can slip into.  I've done this with a thrifted sheet and it works very well.

[gardenmom5]

For a pad - a thermorest?  they're made for backpacking. They are narrow.  (I have two I need to get rid of.)  the boys also did the high density foam (very thin so not much space) - don't recommend. fine if you need to cover rocks.

for sheets - clips with straps.  you can run it from one side to the other underneath the cot.

[livetoread]

Thermorest and other companies that make self-inflating pads make them in all sorts of thicknesses, lengths, and widths. I got tired of rolling off my more narrow one so I splurged and got an x wide, 4" thick one made by UST that I love almost as much as my children. 

[prairiewindmomma]

When we summer camped in TX, I only ever took a sheet for myself. If you need a cotton blanket, that’s fine, but I would focus on bringing battery operated fans. It was hot, even at 2 am, and the moving air helped keep the mosquitoes off me.

[Harriet Vane]

I would go with either a foam sleeping pad or an old sleeping bag UNDER the sheets to act as padding. 

As for the sleeping blanket--I would likely stick with a bag for warmth, but I would likely try to find a bigger/wider one.

[TexasProud]

Well when we were poor and broke, we just got these foam things to put under us.  Then we bought the Thermarest.  They were like 50 bucks a piece when we bought ours, but that was 25 years ago. They are much more now:

https://www.thermarest.com/products/sleeping-pads

So, if you are only going to use these once a year, the question is will they be worth it.

Now, Sorry Harriet, but I have to laugh at this.

11 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

. 

As for the sleeping blanket--I would likely stick with a bag for warmth, but I would likely try to find a bigger/wider one.

Umm.  Texas in summer.  At night, the temperature will drop to 90, maybe 85.  The most you would need is a sheet. You will be hot!!! Tent camping in Texas from July to September (September can vary. Many years the high's are often over 100.) is not for the faint of heart. 🙂

[vonfirmath]

Just now, TexasProud said:

Well when we were poor and broke, we just got these foam things to put under us.  Then we bought the Thermarest.  They were like 50 bucks a piece when we bought ours, but that was 25 years ago. They are much more now:

https://www.thermarest.com/products/sleeping-pads

So, if you are only going to use these once a year, the question is will they be worth it.

Now, Sorry Harriet, but I have to laugh at this.

Umm.  Texas in summer.  At night, the temperature will drop to 90, maybe 85.  The most you would need is a sheet. You will be hot!!! Tent camping in Texas from July to September (September can vary. Many years the high's are often over 100.) is not for the faint of heart. 🙂

I have done this two summers. And yes, its hot -- but at night, and camping near water, up near Dallas -- not as hot and humid and miserable as i expected. But yes, I expect a simple sheet to be sufficient. The blanket is just in case there's a chill.  The battery operated fan has been nice for taking a nap in the middle of the day. But even that is not necessary to stay on all night like I originally thought it would!

[TexasProud]

1 minute ago, vonfirmath said:

I have done this two summers. And yes, its hot -- but at night, and camping near water, up near Dallas -- not as hot and humid and miserable as i expected. But yes, I expect a simple sheet to be sufficient. The blanket is just in case there's a chill.  The battery operated fan has been nice for taking a nap in the middle of the day. But even that is not necessary to stay on all night like I originally thought it would!

Near water will help for sure. If you are not, like at Palo Duro Canyon, you will be sleeping buck naked on top of your sleeping bag and still be sweating. Ask me how I know. 🙂

Just putting my info there for others that are not familiar with oppressive Texas heat.

[busymama7]

I have a lovely thick memory foam pad that rolls up and I made a bag for it.   Takes up more space than 2 sleeping bags but it works.   I open my sleeping bag and lay it over me as a blanket.  The pad has a cover that I pretend is a sheet, hey it's camping! I sleep so well, better than at home but I think that's the fresh air.  

[Wilma]

Sleeping bag liners are really nice for summer camping. We treat them like sheets. And in the winter, they give your bag a little boost. 

[catz]

I would get one of the thicker full length thermarest pads for some padding.  You may give up your cot after you try it actually.  

For a while I had taken a queen sheet, folded it in half the long way and sewed the bottom and a little ways up the side.  That was nice for summer camping.  You can get sleeping bag liners too but those tend to feel like a sleeping bag

Honestly, I'd probably try a thermarest without a cot first.  I actually suspect that would be more comfortable and feel less restricting.  

https://www.rei.com/product/171693/therm-a-rest-basecamp-sleeping-pad?sku=1716930003&store=42&cm_mmc=PLA_Google|21700000001700551_1716930003|92700057791493820|NB|71700000074093097&gclid=CjwKCAjwrfCRBhAXEiwAnkmKmWKl-PF7wNIBP2xFnnI5TdPEjTI3Iq5RZrhU-sn6vjjRMxiZtFFoNhoCiSoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[livetoread]

1 hour ago, catz said:

Honestly, I'd probably try a thermarest without a cot first.  I actually suspect that would be more comfortable and feel less restricting.  

 

Yes, I much prefer my UST mat to a cot. I don't camp when it's super hot if I can avoid it though, so no idea if a cot would be cooler.

[wintermom]

I imagine a cot is nice as it gets you up off the ground - easier to get in and out of and beneficial if it rains and the ground gets damp. 

A folding mat something like this might work on a cot (German army sleeping pad)

In hot weather, I just open up the sleeping bag and use it as a bottom "sheet" and then have a regular bed sheet and light blanket over top. I only use a sleeping bag zipped up when it's cold. It is nice to have with you in case the temp drops more than expected.

 

[popmom]

Dallas area—humid and yucky in summer.

Houston—THIS IS A NO GO. DO NOT ATTEMPT 

Go south. Texas hill country, Austin, down near San Antonio. Much less humidity. Very comfortable for camping. I SO miss San Antonio weather. 
 

I have self inflating pads that I got from Aldi. They are pretty comfy. 
 

I’ve tried it all. I have decided that I prefer a single/twin air mattress over a cot. There are pros and cons to all of it. 
 

Have FUN!! 🙂

[popmom]

On 3/23/2022 at 10:20 PM, vonfirmath said:

So I'm trying to optimize my camping setup for summer week-long camp in Texas weather. (Car camping so weight is not an issue -- but amount of space in the car is)

 

1) I slept in my new Cot and it was fine -- but it doesn't have any sort of mattress cushioning and sometimes I felt like i could feel the metal leg of the cot as I side-slept. So I'd like to put some sort of easy-to-transport mattress on top of the cot.  Something that does NOT need to be blown up every night would be ideal!)

2) I am tired of feeling like my sleeping bag is trapping me, struggling to get in and get out, etc. I am thinking about just taking 100% cotton sheets and a blanket. How would I fasten the bottom sheet to the cot so it does not fall off as I toss and turn?

What cot do you have? I have the Byer of Maine Easy Cots. Just curious.

[vonfirmath]

14 hours ago, popmom said:

What cot do you have? I have the Byer of Maine Easy Cots. Just curious.

REI's camp coop folding cot

REI Co-op Camp Folding Cot | REI Co-op

[prairiewindmomma]

You need a cot or hammock for San Antonio area camping….scorpions and campsites on rock. The last time I tried to go with just a camping pad, the tent was partially on a slab of limestone in our assigned spot and my ribs felt bruised for days and days. 

[vonfirmath]

5 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

You need a cot or hammock for San Antonio area camping….scorpions and campsites on rock. The last time I tried to go with just a camping pad, the tent was partially on a slab of limestone in our assigned spot and my ribs felt bruised for days and days. 

Im completely uninterested in camping on the ground. I started out our camping adventure that way with a foam pad underneath and decided that was a quick way to NOT want to go camping ever again. For a time I used a air mattress. But every night I was blowing it up again and it was not a good solution. Then I tried a cot (a coleman cot with a nice mattress on top). It took a LOT of room in the car but suddenly I was okay Camping.  So I did that for a while. Then last year, at AHG camp, someone else had one of these REI cots and it takes up SO MUCH LESS Room and is still very sturdy so I decided to do that this year. It worked well last weekend for Camporee in Liberty hill -- (Except for the cold.) But for a whole week of camping I think I'd like more padding so that is what I am working on.

 

We are sleeping in BSA canvas tents with wood floors so cots are HIGHLY recommended for everyone in the canvas tents.

[vonfirmath]

On 3/26/2022 at 12:48 AM, popmom said:

Dallas area—humid and yucky in summer.

Houston—THIS IS A NO GO. DO NOT ATTEMPT 

Go south. Texas hill country, Austin, down near San Antonio. Much less humidity. Very comfortable for camping. I SO miss San Antonio weather. 
 

I have self inflating pads that I got from Aldi. They are pretty comfy. 
 

I’ve tried it all. I have decided that I prefer a single/twin air mattress over a cot. There are pros and cons to all of it. 
 

Have FUN!! 🙂

The AHG camp we are attending is in the Dallas area. The first year I went it was on the Texas border and we pitched our tent where we could see Oklahoma across the river when we woke up every morning!  We are a little more in-land at the current camp -- but still a lot of water so so far have not been as humid and yucky as I expected. Hot, yes. But the water alleviates it some and somehow despite getting rain the water has not lingered in the air the way it did growing up in Houston.

 

(Maybe growing up in Houston is why I have not considered this too humid yet?)

Most of my camping is in hill country though as that is where I live. Though I have decided that I need a warmer sleeping bag for dates when the weather might get worse even if I don't intend to camp in the winter!  Our Camporee weekend got down into the 40s the night we camped (And into the 30s on Friday night!)  in mid-March!

[ScoutTN]

2 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

The AHG camp we are attending is in the Dallas area. The first year I went it was on the Texas border and we pitched our tent where we could see Oklahoma across the river when we woke up every morning!  We are a little more in-land at the current camp -- but still a lot of water so so far have not been as humid and yucky as I expected. Hot, yes. But the water alleviates it some and somehow despite getting rain the water has not lingered in the air the way it did growing up in Houston.

 

(Maybe growing up in Houston is why I have not considered this too humid yet?)

Most of my camping is in hill country though as that is where I live. Though I have decided that I need a warmer sleeping bag for dates when the weather might get worse even if I don't intend to camp in the winter!  Our Camporee weekend got down into the 40s the night we camped (And into the 30s on Friday night!)  in mid-March!

Or you can get a liner for your current bag. I do that. Or borrow my Scout son’s down bag! 

[popmom]

7 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

The AHG camp we are attending is in the Dallas area. The first year I went it was on the Texas border and we pitched our tent where we could see Oklahoma across the river when we woke up every morning!  We are a little more in-land at the current camp -- but still a lot of water so so far have not been as humid and yucky as I expected. Hot, yes. But the water alleviates it some and somehow despite getting rain the water has not lingered in the air the way it did growing up in Houston.

 

(Maybe growing up in Houston is why I have not considered this too humid yet?)

Most of my camping is in hill country though as that is where I live. Though I have decided that I need a warmer sleeping bag for dates when the weather might get worse even if I don't intend to camp in the winter!  Our Camporee weekend got down into the 40s the night we camped (And into the 30s on Friday night!)  in mid-March!

Had no idea you were TX native! lol

Yes, if you grew up in Houston, that would definitely make most anywhere else in the state tolerable. 🙂 

[Pam in CT]

I don't think I've ever once in my life had to worry about being too HOT while camping, lol, our troubles are consistently in the other direction; but just wanted to add to the chorus of love for liners.  We got these silk ones like 15 years ago and have taken them everywhere -- they weigh nothing, they're smaller than a sandwich-sized ziploc bag, and they genuinely do add a good 15 degrees to a sleeping bag in cold weather (not that that is your problem), and they're also good as a layer between scritchy-scratchy or questionably clean sheets, and they work as full-body sleep sacks on airplanes, and they feel lovely against your skin. Mine lives permanently in my travel carryon backpack since it takes no space and weighs nothing.

For all I know they might be perfectly comfortable in HOT camping too...

[vonfirmath]

49 minutes ago, popmom said:

Had no idea you were TX native! lol

Yes, if you grew up in Houston, that would definitely make most anywhere else in the state tolerable. 🙂 

Not native. I was born elsewhere. But I got here as soon as I could.

I moved away for a time but my roots were here and I ended up back here.

[vonfirmath]

29 minutes ago, Pam in CT said:

I don't think I've ever once in my life had to worry about being too HOT while camping, lol, our troubles are consistently in the other direction; but just wanted to add to the chorus of love for liners.  We got these silk ones like 15 years ago and have taken them everywhere -- they weigh nothing, they're smaller than a sandwich-sized ziploc bag, and they genuinely do add a good 15 degrees to a sleeping bag in cold weather (not that that is your problem), and they're also good as a layer between scritchy-scratchy or questionably clean sheets, and they work as full-body sleep sacks on airplanes, and they feel lovely against your skin. Mine lives permanently in my travel carryon backpack since it takes no space and weighs nothing.

For all I know they might be perfectly comfortable in HOT camping too...

OOOh. That's a good idea. It says it can be used as a travel sheet too. So something that can be used on its own or with the sleeping bag when weather gets uncomfortably cold. Is a great idea.

[ScoutTN]

9 hours ago, Pam in CT said:

I don't think I've ever once in my life had to worry about being too HOT while camping, lol, our troubles are consistently in the other direction; but just wanted to add to the chorus of love for liners.  We got these silk ones like 15 years ago and have taken them everywhere -- they weigh nothing, they're smaller than a sandwich-sized ziploc bag, and they genuinely do add a good 15 degrees to a sleeping bag in cold weather (not that that is your problem), and they're also good as a layer between scritchy-scratchy or questionably clean sheets, and they work as full-body sleep sacks on airplanes, and they feel lovely against your skin. Mine lives permanently in my travel carryon backpack since it takes no space and weighs nothing.

For all I know they might be perfectly comfortable in HOT camping too...

We got them originally due to lack of space for more gear and love them.