You’ve probably heard the saying, “you have nowhere to go but up!” Sometimes this is true when you’re camping in a tent – floor space becomes as valuable as gold, so storing things on the pockets of a tent wall or in a gear loft is common and welcomed. The same can be said for storing people – in beds, that is. A portable bunk bed can make sleeping arrangements a lot easier when floor space is a concern. Plus, there are a lot of benefits to using portable bunk beds.
One benefit is that they can be more comfortable than a sleeping bag. Another is that you don’t have to worry about pumping them up. You can leave the air pump at home so that will be one less piece of equipment you need to haul. Of course, the most obvious benefit is that you can sleep more people in one tent than you could with other sleeping methods. This can save you money since you won’t need extra tents.
In this guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about portable bunk beds for camping. This includes the criteria you should use to shop for one, plus suggestions on the five best camping bunk beds on the market. Keep reading to find out more.
Portable Camping Bunk Beds
When you are looking into portable bunk beds, it’s essential to understand what features matter for you and which ones do not. As long as you have a good idea of the key features to think about, you can make sure you buy the camping bed that matters most for you.
Below are the four things I think are most valuable when you look at portable bunk beds for camping
Tent Types for Camping Bunk Beds
If you’re camping in a tent, I don’t have to tell you that you’re not going to be able to put camping bunk beds in small tents, even if you get the most modest size bunk bed. Some tents are simply not going to accommodate bunk beds. Cabin tents will accommodate portable bunk beds. You may also find some huge dome tents that might accommodate them. Tall bell tents are also a possibility. In general, if you can’t stand up in the tent, it’s probably not tall enough to accommodate a bunk bed.
Weight Capacity for Cots & Bunk Beds
You’ll be surprised to find out that portable bunk beds are incredibly strong. They’re generally made with a heavy-duty steel frame and the highest quality fabric so even heavier people can comfortably sleep on one of the cots – even the top cot. You can find portable camping beds that can support up to 600 pounds per cot! Despite being able to support this much weight, they don’t weigh as much as you would think. Two ordinary people can carry and set up a portable bunk bed with no problems.
Camping Bunk Bed Carrying Weight
As mentioned above, these things can hold a surprising amount of weight! However, it’s also important to acknowledge that you have to carry these things with you when you are heading out camping! If you can drive your car straight to the campsite, then carrying weight doesn’t matter too much. In this case, the only thing you need to worry about is the bunk bed taking up to much space in your car.
However, if you won’t be able to drive the car, then these things can be substantially difficult to deal with! They can be extremely heavy and take up a large amount of space in a canoe if you’re taking the canoe camping.
Otherwise, just carrying these things are also a challenging proposition. If you can’t bring the car, then always buy the absolute lightest bunk bed you can.
The Portable Bunk Bed Size
The size of portable bunk beds is probably one of the most important considerations. After all, it must fit inside where you’ll be sleeping. Portable bunk beds can be small enough for children only or large enough for tall adults. The larger the person they’ll accommodate, the longer, taller, and broader they’ll be.
Starting with a kid-sized bunk bed, the average size will be around 62” long x 28” wide x 20″ tall. The largest one will be around 85” long x 40″ wide x 40″ tall. A good rule of thumb is only to get as large of a bunk bed that you’ll need. After all, the whole idea behind a bunk bed is to save space.
Style and Colors for Camping Bunk Beds
Here is a fantastic fact – there is one style of portable bunk bed, and it’s made by Disc-O-Bed. Unfortunately, that means you don’t have options when it comes to style. However, they do offer portable bunk beds in a range of colors and prints. This gives you the opportunity to at least choose your favorite color, so you’ll have some sort of customization options. Plus, you can always customize it with your favorite pillows and blankets.
Now that I’ve shared some of my favorite options for camping beds, I’ll now highlight the five best camping bunk beds.
Best Camping Bunk Beds in 2023
My overall favorite camping bunk bed: Disc-O-Bed Youth Kid-O-Bunk with Organizers
Specs:
- Dimensions: 65”L (164 cm)x 32.5”W (82.5 cm) x 32”H (82 cm)
- Weight: 36.5 lbs. (16.5 kg)
- Materials: Powder-coated steel, 600D Polyester
- Weight Capacity: 200 lbs. (90.7 kg) per bed
Kids play hard, so they need a comfortable place to relax – one that’s all their own! The Disc-O-Bed youth portable bunk bed provides that space for them. It’s small and lightweight, but it’s incredibly strong. It’s also very easy to assemble – so easy, in fact, that kids can assemble it themselves without need tools.
The bed comes in five different colors: green, red, black, purple, and blue. The colors are bright, bold, and cheerful. They’re great colors for kids. The bed is suitable for average size boys and girls from ages 7 – 12 years old.
The bunk bed can be used separately or together. Each bed breaks down and is stored in its own travel carry case. Each bed has a side organizer with plenty of pockets for kids to store toys, devices, books, or anything else.
Benefits of the Disc-O-Bed Bunk Beds:
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Bold, bright colors that kids will like.
- Small enough for kids to carry themselves.
- Great for sleepovers or car camping
Drawbacks of the Disc-O-Bed Bunk Beds:
- Not suitable for tall kids.
- Doesn’t hold up to kids “playing” on it.
Best camping bunk bed for taller kids/adults: Disc-O-Bed Large Bunk Bed with Organizers
Specs:
- Dimensions: 82”L (208cm) x 32.5”W (82.5cm) x 36”H (92cm)
- Weight: 60 lbs. (27.7 kg)
- Materials:Powder-coated steel, 600D Polyester
- Weight Capacity: 500 lbs. (227 kg) per bed
The Disc-O-Bed size large is the most popular model among campers. It’s a great size and a decent weight. If you can lift 60 pounds, you can set it up alone. If not, you’ll need help with the lifting, but assembly is easy and painless. Similarly, taking it down is also easy and painless. It’s a great bed that was designed with quick mobility in mind.
One of the best things about this camping bunk bed is that it can easily accommodate an adult up to around 6.5 feet tall. That means you don’t have to sleep with your feet sticking off the end! It can also hold up to 1,000 pounds (500 per cot). It’s a great choice for just about anyone no matter what their height or weight is.
The frame is a beige-colored, powder-coated steel that’s extremely strong. While there is only one frame color, the Disc-O-Bed comes in multiple color choices so you can tailor your sleeping experience to your style.
Benefits of the Disc-O-Bed Large Bunk Beds:
- Great for tall people.
- Bed can support up to a half a ton of weight.
- Made in the U.S.A.
Drawbacks of the Disc-O-Bed Large Bunk Beds:
- Frame only comes in one color.
Most spacious camping bunk bed: Disc-O-Bed Extra Large Bunk Bed with Organizers
- Dimensions: 82”L (208 cm) x 39.5”W (100 cm) x 36”H (92 cm)
- Weight: 62.5 lbs. (28 kg)
- Materials:Powder-coated steel, 600D Polyester
- Weight Capacity: 500 lbs. (227 kg) per bed
The Disc-O-Bed size XL is the same build as the previous bed, but wider. It has seven inches of sleeping space added on to each cot. This gives you a cot that is about 40″ (101.6 cm) wide. This gives you plenty of room to spread out. It’s also great for people who maybe have a little more girth than others.
Despite the added size, it’s only about 2.5 pounds (1.13 kg) heavier than the size large Disc-O-Bed. This means you don’t have to struggle with carrying it any more than you would the smaller size. Two people can carry it together and, it’s so simple to assemble that one person could do it in a decent amount of time.
The Disc-O-Bed comes in multiple colors like the other beds, but the colors are more “militaristic”. It comes in tan, navy blue, forest green, and black. The colors are nice and bold and give the bed a “rugged” appearance.
Benefits of the Disc-O-Bed XL Bunk Beds:
- Round feet won’t damage the tent floor.
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Great for people with considerable girth.
Drawbacks of the Disc-O-Bed XL Bunk Beds:
- It’s expensive.
- Doesn’t have the same colors as the previous beds.
The largest camping bunk bed: Disc-O-Bed 2XL with Organizers
- Dimensions: 87.5”L (222 cm) x 44.5”W (113 cm) x 46”H (117 cm)
- Weight: 86 lbs. (39 kg)
- Materials:Powder-coated steel, 600D Polyester
- Weight Capacity: 600 lbs. (272 kg) per bed
If you thought the last portable bed was big, you’re in for a treat. The Disc-O-Bed 2XL is a massive camping bunk bed – you’re going to need a big tent for this one. It stands over seven feet tall, so you might opt to sleep outside of a tent in this bed. At the very least you’ll need to sit this one in the middle of the tent where it rises the highest.
It also has added width. It’s almost four feet wide so each person will have plenty of room to wiggle around. It’s wider than a typical twin-size mattress so two people could snuggle together in one cot, making it capable of holding a total of four people. Since each cot can support up to 600 pounds each, weight capacity won’t be much of a problem.
Unlike the other Disc-O-Beds, this one only comes in one color: black. Despite not having stylish colors, this powder-coated steel and 600D polyester bed is a heavy-duty solution to sleeping while camping.
Benefits of the Disc-O-Bed 2XL Bunk Beds:
- Made in the U.S.A.
- One of the strongest portable beds on the market.
- Has extra stabilizer bars.
Drawbacks of the Disc-O-Bed 2XL Bunk Beds:
- Only comes in black.
- Most expensive.
Best home AND camping bunks: Zinus Eden Twin Daybed and Trundle Set
- Dimensions: 77″L (195.6 cm) x 39″W (99.1 cm) x 38″H (96.5 cm)
- Weight: 71 lbs. (32.2 kg)
- Materials:Steel
The Zinus Eden bed is not exactly a portable bunk bed. It’s a daybed with a trundle but I have a great reason for including it in the list. This bed is extremely easy to assemble and disassemble. You don’t need tools to put it together. It weighs less than the Disc-O-Bed 2XL. It’s heavy, but nothing that two average people can’t handle together. Plus, it’s made of a powder-coated steel so it can handle being outdoors.
The Zinus Eden bed is a lot shorter in height than the Disc-O-Beds so it can fit in shorter tents while still providing a double sleeping option. Since the mattresses are sold separately, you can get an outdoor mattress to make the Eden bed a complete camping solution.
If you want a different option than the Disc-O-Bed, this is a good substitute. It’s strong, durable, and has a five-year warranty backing it.
Benefits of the Zinus Eden Daybed:
- No tools needed for assembly.
- Five-year warranty.
- Good size for a tent.
Drawbacks of the Zinus Eden Daybed:
- Doesn’t come with a mattress.
- Need to add padding under legs so they won’t mess up tent floor.
Camping Bunk Bed FAQs
Now it’s time for everyone’s favorite: the FAQs. Here are some of the more popular questions, I’ve heard about camping bunk beds, but let me know in the comments if there are any questions I missed!
I need advice on how to build camping bunk beds?
If you’re wondering how to build camping bunk beds, you should use a bunk bed plan. There are a lot of bunk bed plans for sale, but they usually aren’t for portable beds for camping. However, you could modify these plans if you’re a good handyman.
I need advice on where to buy camping bunk beds?
You don’t have to stress about where to buy camping bunk beds. Portable bunk beds for camping are very popular so they aren’t hard to find. You can find them at any popular, big chain sporting goods store. You may even be able to find them at a local sporting goods store. You can also find them online too, which is where I buy all of my camping gear.
To find more information about car camping check out our ultimate car camping checklist.
See you at the campsite!
