The Comfort Of Camping Cots

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 27th, 2010

Although camping has traditionally involved sleeping in the great outdoors, there?s no rule that says that you can?t be comfortable while you are doing it. Many people would be happy sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag, but if you?re a person who finds that uncomfortable, then consider getting a camping cot. Camping cots lift the camper up off of the ground during sleeping, which has a number of advantages. It?s easier to stay warm if you are lifted up off of the cold ground. Getting wet won?t be as much of a possibility either. Sleeping on camping cots reduces the chances of being bitten by bugs or pests who live in the ground below you. Plus, if you have a family member who has any kind of disability or suffers from arthritis or any other joint or muscle problems, camping cots make it easier to get out of bed and allow him or her to still participate in the camping adventure.

Camping cots come in a variety of styles and structures, depending on the type of cot that you need. The most basic form is normally a strong, thick piece of canvas that has been stretched across a metal frame. They fold up and usually have a storage bag, so that they are easy to pack and transport along with the rest of your camping gear. However, they are not necessarily a good idea if you are going to be hiking to multiple campsites, as some camping cots could add a good deal of weight to your pack. You simply unfold the frame and put sleeping bag on the cot instead of the ground.

But if you prefer a bit more comfort, then you have a number of other options to enhance camping cots. You could simply place a sleeping bag pad on top of the cot before adding your sleeping bag. This is particularly a good idea for a larger or taller person who might find that some part of their body is hitting the edge of the cot frame. Or, you could choose to add an air mattress to your cot, giving yourself even more cushioning and raising the cot to a more normal ?bed? height.

If you plan to sleep in a one man tent with a camping cot and you want to limit the amount or bulk of the gear that you are bringing, consider a camping cot tent. This interesting hybrid is a cot with a tent rigged over it, so that you get the benefits of both the cot and the tent in one piece of gear. You simply zip out the side when you want to get in or out. But if you need to put your camping cots in a tent, or if you are planning to camp without a tent, then you might want to purchase a pest net to keep the bugs away and a protective tarp to keep you safe from the elements.