How to make a comfortable camping bed

So you want to go camping to experience the beauty of nature first hand, but there’s one thing that might get in the way of your enjoyment. That potential problem is the cold, hard ground you might feel while sleeping when you just want to relax in your tent. Well, I got you covered! There are many ways to make a comfortable camping bed, even for long stays in the forest or at the lake.

This is for everyone who wants to sleep well but doesn’t want to buy a sleeping bag! If you do want a sleeping bag, then I wrote a post about sleeping bags!

Here are my best ideas to get you started.

Check the Weather before camping

The first and most important thing to keep in mind when going camping is to check the weather and see if it will be mostly hot or cold. This will influence the rest of your decisions down the road. You don’t want to be freezing at night or burning in the morning at your relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Staying Warm

There are a couple of simple things to do when the cool air comes and they include:

1. Bringing backup blankets is the easiest way to stay warm during those cold nights, just make sure you have room. An extra benefit to the extra blankets will be touched on later so remember this idea for sure.
2. Buying sleeping bags can also be a valid option since they are made for situations like this with its thermal padding. Definitely bring a bag one if you have enough money.
3. Staying together during these times is also an option. The body gives off heat so being next to someone else will warm you up. This can also give the added benefit of bringing the family or couple closer which is usually one of the reasons why people go camping. Use a double sleeping bag for this!

Staying Cool

Here are some things to have when the sun is beaming down on you.

1. You can bring Ice cubes in a bottle, simple really. You can hold a bottle full of ice to your face to cool off or you can eat the ice. For the kids you can buy flavored ice pops. Better yet, crush the flavored ice pops and put them into a bottle for the whole family to use and enjoy.
2. Bring a small portable electric fan or if you really want to stop using electric devices for the trip, use a physical fan to stay cool while looking fancy. You don’t even have to buy the fan, you can make it using paper which you can learn from the internet.
3. If you’re in an area where the sun is really shining down then buying a reflective blanket can help. It might cost a good amount of money but if you put this over your tent then you should avoid a large amount of the heat.

Using these few tips can make not only your bed but your experience that much better.

Bring what you already have

You already have so much at home that can make your camping bed even more comfortable. Whatever you find comfortable at home will feel comfortable during camping. Blankets, pillows and a mattress are all very important to making the camping bed homey and cozy. I’m still saving talking about the blankets until the next section.

• Bring a fluffy pillow to rest your head on is a must and it brings your head away from the ground which is nice bonus protection for the most important part of your body.
• For those that are on a really tight budget, you can use your old clothes as either a pillow or as padding for the floor. Even towels can be used with this idea but if you need to do this may be your shouldn’t be camping.
• You’ve already slept on a mattress at home so sleeping on one during a camping trip should feel familiar. Despite what some might believe a mattress can fit in a tent, just be reasonable about which one to take. It also can be used to pad the floor which is our next section.

Pad the Floor

Finally, we can talk about the extra feature that blankets have and that is padding the floor. The farther from the ground the better no matter what the weather is this shall always remain true. Not only can the ground get extremely cool but it can be home to many insects and harmful bacteria so it’s better to separate yourself from it for your health and hygiene.

• Extra and old blankets can be used as padding to keep you away from the ground. Old ones on the bottom and the extra on top with ones you don’t mind cleaning later in the middle. This can get a bit messy so place them down neatly to avoid future problems.
• The first line of defense against the floor, they are colorful and organized tiles that you should place down on the tent floor before anything else. If it’s hot or warm this can be the only thing on the floor with just your sleeping bags on top.

Buy Gear and Organize

The final thing to make the camping bed as comfortable as possible is to organize it so you don’t trip or misplace something valuable. Here are some ideas that fix that problem waiting to happen. There is also some gear listed that will make the experience even better.

• Lantern: Get a colorful or image-based one for the kids and a normal one for everyone else to bring some light at night. It can help you sleep or read.
• Gear Line Organizer: For water bottles, phones, keys and other small objects a gear line organizer is a good option to keep all your belongings in one visible place.
• Clothes and Shoe Basket: For all your clothes, shoes and extra blankets not in use. One or two cloths and/or shoe baskets can help somewhat organize your stuff. It’s up to you to make it neat though.

See you at the campsite!

Sean's an avid camper, kayaker, and RVer. He loves spending time finding new trails and campsites to take his family and friends.