Are Camping Cots Comfortable?

As long as people stand with the trend of camping, new camping equipment is invented to make camping easier and comfortable. When it is about sleeping while camping, air mattress, and camping cots are always the first things you have on your mind. But many of the new campers ain’t familiar with camping cots and want to know if camping cots are comfortable.

Whether it is about camping or your go-to life, having a comfortable sleep time is a must for us. To have a better next day, we need sufficient sleep. While camping in a tent, it is pretty much difficult to get a place to sleep that is comfortable and spacious. Camping cots can be a very good solution for this. But it is about the fact of comfortability that people prefer the most.

To say it straightly, camping cots are of course comfortable for a good night’s sleep. Basically, a camping cot contains a padded surface that is supportive and smooth. So, it ensures softer bedding. For winter, it is even better as it is elevated off the ground. So, it prevents ground cold and helps you have a warm sleep.

However, about the camping cots, you better learn some basics if you are planning to purchase one. Most importantly, you should learn about the comparison between a camping cot and an air mattress. Just continue staying till the end and I am sure you will have zero questions about the camping cot.

 

Are Camping Cots Comfortable?

About the bedding for camp, the first preference of most of the campers is comfortability. I have already ensured you that camping cots are quite comfortable and smooth. This kind of minimalist bedding comes with newfangled frills like box springs. Sometimes, the box springs are altered with a mattress.

The camping cot structure is mostly made of steel or aluminum. But the surface is made of canvas or polyester pad. So, the bedding surface of most of the cots is smooth and quite supportive. For the mattress or box springs, it will provide you with a blousing and foamy surface. So, undoubtedly I can say that a camping cot is comfortable to sleep on.

About comfortability, I cannot help mentioning the fact of warming facilities. A camping cot has an elevated steel or aluminum structure and so, the bed doesn’t touch the ground anyway. It is around 6 to 12 inches above the ground and sometimes it is more.

In winter, the ground is colder than natural. So, if you use bedding right on the ground, the bed material will absorb the cold from the ground and make it harder for you to sleep comfortably. But when it is a cot, you don’t have to think about the ground cold. The space between your cot bedding and ground will eventually save you.

So, whether it is about the warming facility or the softness of bedding, the camping cot must be a better option. Indeed, a camping cot is comfortable, warm, and flexible. Still, there are some issues when you shouldn’t choose a camping cot and better go for an air mattress. Right after learning about the comparison between a camping cot and an air mattress, I will disclose the fact.

 

Camping Cots vs Air mattress

A big issue is seen as a cause of debate between camping experts about a camping cot and an air mattress. Some prefer a mattress while some of them go for the cots. If you are also confused about it, hopefully, I have enough resources to help you.

Here, a camping cot is a folding and minimalist bed mostly used for army camping or adventure camping. An iron, steel, or aluminum frame is used to keep the need elevated from the ground. Generally, a cot is light in weight, smooth in texture, and easy to carry.

On the contrary, an air mattress is also known as an airbed or a blow-up bed. It is a kind of inflatable mattress made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Some of these airbeds are even made of rubber. You have to use a hand-held pump or portable air compressor to blow up the bed. And when you deflate the bed, it will be very small in size.

However, there are specific functions for that a camping cot performs best and some are for the airbed. Pro campers often have both of them and use the best one for a particular trip.

Issues, a Camping Cot Is Better Than an Airbed

There are some facts for why you should always choose a camping cot. First, say, you must keep a cot when it is winter and you are traveling in ice-covered land. Let’s check out other issues for what you should go for a cot.

• A cot will provide you with underneath storage space as you can keep things under the bed.
• If the ground is muddy, wet, or dirty, you will have no problem when it is a camping cot. You can eventually set up your cot in any place.
• A camping cot has no issue regarding surface cold as the bedding space is elevated over the ground.
• There will be no hassle of inflation or even deflation if you have a cot.
• The bedding space of a cot is comparatively spacious and you can sit there and even get a place to change your cloth.
• In comparison to an airbed, it is durable and there is no issue of air leakage either.

Issues, an Airbed Is Better Than a Camping Cot

And then it is an airbed that you can carry when you have very little space to carry things. Also, the following issue will prefer an airbed too.

• The deflation size of an airbed is very little and you can carry it on your backpack or just hang it with the bag. Additionally, an airbed is not even more than a few pounds.
• You cannot enjoy a bed-like feeling with a camping cot more than an airbed.
• The inflation and deflation process for an airbed is pretty much easier and quicker.
• An airbed is cheaper than a camping bed.
• You will also get an adjustable firmness with an airbed.

So, if you prefer durability, warming facilities, longevity, and comfort, you should go for a camping cot. On the contrary, if you prefer portability, cheap, and lightweight options then an airbed must be your pick.

 

When Should I select a Camping Cot And When to Avoid?

From the point of comparison between a camping cot and an airbed, you must get a brief idea about both of them. Now, the question is when you should go for a camping cot and when not.

It is sure that camping cot is overall better than an airbed. But it is not for any situation. You should pick a camping cot especially when you are traveling in your car so that carrying the cot is not a problem. Besides, for winter it must be a true need for you.

Whether it is folding or not, a camping cot is from 15 to 25 pounds in weight. So, when you are hiking a mountain or walking for long, you should avoid carrying a camping cot. But there are some lightweight cots that have minimal folding dimensions. You can carry such a cot if you wish.

If it is the rainy season, you may not get the ground dry all the time. And you cannot just sleep anywhere. In this case, you can simply use your cot and then sleep over the ground not even touching it.

Next is of course about the winter. You must know the reason already and so, I prefer using a cot when it is cold outside. Still, if you have to carry it for long, you should use a cot when the ground is cold.

Now, the fact is when you don’t need to carry the cot. When you hike, you cannot possibly take your car out with you. Besides, you have to hike the long height of the mountain. So, carrying at least 10 pounds will be an extra burden. So, here, you should avoid a cot.

Also, if it is a dry season and you don’t need to stay there for long, you can take an airbed, hammock, or sleeping pad. Besides, you shouldn’t carry a cot if the place is not perfectly horizontal. You may not set it up properly when the land is not straight.

Hopefully, you understand the use of a camping cot and also the situation when you shouldn’t carry it for camping. As you see, in most of the camping places except high mountains, a camping cot is the best solution as it is comfortable and elevated.

 

How to Make a Camping Cot More Comfortable?

Many people complain that a camping cot is not very much comfy. From my point of view, I must say that a camping cot is comfortable enough to give you a better sleep while camping. Besides, on your camping spot, you are not having an air-conditioning room with feather beds. So, you have to survive with whatever you have. In that sense, a camping cot is definitely comfortable.

However, still, if you want to make it even more comfortable, I have some ideas for you. You can add some extra equipment to make it softer and comfortable. For that, you have to buy some bedding equipment. Firstly, you can buy a thick and soft sleeping pad to set it on the cot. Here, you have to remember to check the dimension of the pad and make sure that it fits the cot perfectly.

Secondly, you can buy an air pillow to have support for your neck and head. You can also use a normal pillow or have two pillows as well. The next option is pretty much mandatory and you have to manage some sheets but make sure that the sheet is clean and durable. Besides, you will need a comfortable blanket to keep yourself warm and cozy. Also, you should manage a mosquito net to protect yourself from insects.

These are the additions you can add to make your camping experience more comfortable with the camping cot. Make sure that everything you are buying for the cot is in the appropriate size to fit the cot. But having these items are not necessarily important if you don’t need to have a bed-like sleep experience while camping.

 

Final Verdict

Camping cots are enough comfortable and you have also learned to way make them even more comfortable. So, about camping cots, I can anticipate that you have no confusion left. But still, I suggest you have an alternative to a camping cot for the situation it is harder to carry the cot. On another side, a camping cot is the safest bedding option for sure. So, take your decision wisely and stay connected with us. Thank you.