I Need Help - Camping 101, Please!

At cub scout camp, I see everything -- from cots to air mattresses. To me, it's one night, and I don't want to lug a ton of things there. There are pads you can get that are just a little thicker than a yoga mat that help smooth out bumps. I would never carry a cot or an air mattress.

By the way -- air mattresses and cots are colder than just being right on the ground since the air circulates under you -- it's warmer just to be right on the ground (but then again in TX, it might not matter!)

Here's a tip, though -- unless you're pulling right up to the campsite (which you probably aren't) take along a wagon to carry things from the car to the site. And remember, if it rains, keep everything, including fingers, away from the walls of the tent. One time my daughter woke up with a wet sleeping bag because she was pushed up against the wall of the tent.

Have fun!

I've been a Scout mom for many years - my son is an Eagle - I've seen it all - air mattresses, cots, big/thick mats, etc. It's totally up to you and what you're comfortable with. I don't think anyone is going to make fun of anyone - and if they do, then they're not being very good Scouts. We actually had a Scout leader that had to bring his sleep pac for breathing!!

If you do use cots, be careful of the legs/feet poking thru the tent bottom. We have cots that have rounded legs so we didn't have to worry about it.

You might also consider a big tarp for under the tent if it rains - which I hope it doesn't!!

Good luck and I hope you have lots of fun!!

I'm too old to "just sleep on the ground" We always bring foam mats. I bought some of the cheap "egg crate" bed pads from kmart and I use 3 of them stacked up. Comfy as home! I ditto the air mattress thing, too cold.

I worked with scouts for 20 years. All of my sons earned the Eagle Scout Rank as well as the Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts. I have slept in tents many more times than I like to remember, including my time as a boy scout and my time in the military, and my time as a scout leader (Scoutmaster, assistant scoutmaster).

There is no scouting award for misery. So I slept on a cot wherever and whenever I could. The rule of thumb I used was that if the wall of the tent was 12" or more higher than the top of my cot, I brought the cot and slept more comfortably. If you don't have a walled tent, put a ground cover down underneath you. This can be as simple as an exercise matt (the thicker the better) you put down and sleep on that. The exercise matt has some give to it and will keep those annoying rocks from poking you in just the wrong place most of the night.

The ground will be cold. The mattress you have at home makes a good insulator and you sleep on something warm. Sleeping on something warm and soft will make your night so much more enjoyable.

When I go to the dentist I want pain killers. When I go camping I want to be comfortable too.

Good luck to you and yours.

I don't think cots make sense - they take up so much room. When we went camping this summer we brought our air mattress and the bedding for it. Just make sure you get one that will fit in your tent and that has a battery operated pump. It worked really well for us.

is the tent you are borrowing large enough to handle cots? If not? then use a blow up mattress. And yes, I do know plenty of people who bring cots to sleep on in tents for cub scouts - even for one night.

You are going car camping not hiking camping - so it's not like you are going to be out in the boonies.

When we pitch our tent - we have a tarp UNDER the tent - it helps for insulation and keeps the bottom of the tent cleaner...I know...I know - it's dirt and meant to get dirty - but the tarp does make a difference.

If this is cub scouts - it's ONE NIGHT - not a weekend - Friday through Sunday - and really - sleeping bags for two nights isn't bad. Scope out the campground - look for an even spot with no rocks.

We use air mattresses, which we blow up with a small compressor that plugs into the car/van. You can also get a small foam mattress that rolls up. I'm not sure what kid of cots your husband has in mind, but yes, there are camping cots as well. You will be very uncomfortable and cold if you try to sleep on the ground in your sleeping bag.

People do sleep on cots. We camp with neighbors every year. Some of them sleep on cots in their tents. We sleep on twin-sized air mattresses. You also need to get a heavy-duty tarp to put under your tent, to keep the bottom of it clean and dry. And you need something outside the door of your tent (like a big rug or something like that) to wipe your feet on before stepping inside.

It depends on the size of the tent honestly. We always took cots for the adults to girls camp and other family camp outs. The kids are totally happy to sleep in a bag on the ground. It seems to be more fun for some reason...lol.

You could pack up every quilt, blanket, couch cushion, pillow, etc...and use a couple of queen or kind sheets to wrap it all in to make your own custom pad to go under you. The sheet would hold it all together while you sleep.

I get croup after sleeping out doors all night. So I wake up coughing and hacking and wake up everyone in the vicinity. I hate camping...lol.

Some of the wonderful things they have nowadays really make it a lot more doable though so if your family really likes it I suggest you do invest in some items to make cooking easier and that will help you to have more free time to do stuff with the family.

I have heard that people that cots, not unheard of! I always use an air mattress and throw a thick quilt over that. I know lots of people use the foam pads too. The biggest thing though as mentioned here is the tarp under your tent...
Have fun!

I went camping with a group this summer. Yes, people DO sleep on cots... however it's kind of a "luxury camping" thing and the purists will make fun of you. We had several (older) people sleep on cots - it does help especially when you are prone to arthritis or back pain.

I don't like sleeping on the bare ground, especially if it might get a little damp, so I have a foam mat to sleep on. Many people also love self-inflating sleeping mats - these are very thin air mats that provide nice insulation.

Before you go make sure that you practice putting up your tent in the yard and making sure that nothing is missing.

Good luck!

If it's cold we don't like sleeping on air mattresses. The air in the mattress tends to stay cold. You can get camping pads. We use these all the time. They hold bit of air and they are much warmer than air mattresses. We have had cots but they are not very comfortable in comparison to the camping pad in our opinion.

Air mattresses...
You'll need a portable air pump for them to make it easier (plug into your car, or something full of D batteries).

You can sleep on cots or the mattresses, either way. It just is a bit more work, and you need to bear in mind that it will elevate you... and depending upon the size of the tent itself and how it is designed, you don't want a tent "wall" in your face.

We've been camping with our 3 year old since he was just over a year old. I was surprised how quickly he was able to adapt to it. Each year we do tend to think of something new to bring with us though. So don't feel bad about not being an expert!

It all depends on where you are going, and for how long. For sleeping, I would suggest bringing at least one air mattress, and think about getting one for each person in your group too. And make sure you bring extra batteries for the mattress pump! Our pump gave out when we went camping earlier this month, but luckily we had extra batteries. Air mattresses are good since they will keep you off the ground, but you will still be able to keep warm since you won't have cold air blowing in under you like you'd get with a cot. So it may be OK for Texas, but I would not suggest sleeping on a cot. You will probably get too cold being elevated off the ground like that.

Here's some other things to think about bringing: lots of flashlights, not just one. A camping lantern too, a flashlight is great, but you might want to have more light when sitting around the campfire at night. A camp stove, and extra fuel, or charcoal if there is a bar-b-que pit where you are camping.

We always bring more food and water than we think we are going to need, and more clothes, and more blankets than you may think. You tend to use more calories when camping, it just takes more energy to be active like that. And more clothes since we tend to get dirtier than we think we will when camping, either just through dirt, or spilling food, or we just get too cold over night. I ma just be a klutz, but I've gotten so filthy when camping, but since I've brought extra clothes it's been OK.

Good luck and have fun!

Cots depends on your personal preference and space. My 4 yr old sleeps on a folding cot when we camp. DH and I have an air mattress.

You will want a ground cloth or tarp and then the tent over it. Make sure the tarp isn't sticking out or you'll end up wet.

They can sleep in sleeping bags (make sure they are winter weather weight) or bags on camping mats. I suggest a layer to stay off the ground, even if it just an old quilt. You can also get air mattresses, but you want something between you and the cold air. Bring socks and warm clothes like sweatshirts with hoods to keep warm overnight.

My husband is a big camping guy, and I'm often along for the ride. Honestly, if you have a huge tent, cots might be doable, but they'd be a PITA. You have to squish every fold-in cot through the door, then set it up. When you're breaking camp (aka leaving) reverse course. They'll also crowd up even a huge tent, making it hard for everyone to get around inside.

What just about everybody uses are mattress pads. There's a kind you blow up (they usually come with pumps, so you don't have to blow them up like a balloon), and there's a smaller kind that self-inflate. Either way, you'll barely feel the ground beneath you -- it'll just feel like a mattress with a different texture. They have them at camping stores and sporting good stores. They may have a version at somewhere like Wal-Mart too, but likely lower quality. Or ask the Scouts if there's an option to rent or borrow a few.

If you have to do cots for some reason, not a big deal. I don't know why anyone would ridicule you. Mattress pads are just a lot easier.

I've used thermarests, egg crate-type mattress topper foam, and an air mattress. If you can get the air mattress, go for it. If not, I'd recommend a thick mattress topper.

Friends who camp a lot just told me their new trick: they always put a tarp under the tent but found that the tent floor would still get wet if it rained. The rain was simply running between the tarp and the tent floor. They now do a tarp on the ground under the tent but put a second waterproof tarp inside the tent, covering the entire floor and going a little way up the side of the tent. They have stayed totally dry inside while it was raining outside -- no more rain seeping into their "waterproof" tent via the floor.

A cot will be a pain to carry. Don't bother. Get a small air mattress but be certain you get one that has a hand pump to inflate it or can be otherwise easily inflated.

Iv'e found that the silver mats sold to campers as "pads" to go under sleeping bags are pretty useless. Don't make things softer at all.

They sell mats, cots and air mattresses to make camping more comfortable. I used to camp quite a lot when I was younger but spent way too many night sleeping in a puddle or having rain dripped on me - so pray for no rain. There are few things less comfortable.

While I understand the boy-scout camping thing - if I was you I'd take this as an opportunity to have an overnight to yourself and let your husband & son go without you. Now that i'm in my 50s I look at camping no differently than being at home - except you're cooking & cleaning with antiquated equipment. I no longer camp. I do hike, I do enjoy nature - but I enjoy climate control, toilet facilities within 10 feet and a cozy bed even more.

We always put a tarp under the tent when setting it up and when I was a kid we just slept in the sleeping bag inside the tent. They now make so many different things to sleep on, air mattress, foam pad and cots. I would not use a cot in a tent, you don't want to rip a hole in the bottom (floor) and then have to replace it for your friend.

I would recommend using foam mats or one large one that you would put onto your mattress at home (the ones that look like egg crates). They are light weight and easy to carry. Yoga mats will also work.

If you are "car camping" versus hiking in to a camp site then you have a lot of choices. Because my gear is all from my canoe expedition days, I sleep on a foam pad that can be slightly inflated as well (about an inch thick). But I have friends that use a cot or an inflatable mattress for added comfort.

We always sleep on the ground.

I haven't read the other answers. My tent days are over. My daughters do tent camping with Girl Scouts, so below are a few suggestions.

Place a tarp under the tent.

Bring along a small fleece throw to place beneath the upper half of your sleeping.

They make special foam camping mats that are very light weight and roll up. However, they can be a bit pricy. A less expensive alternative is a yoga mat.

You could also bring along an air matress, however, you'll need to make sure you have a way to blow it up. You could even use one of those cheap air matress floaties for the pool.

As far as cots are concerned, I would ask about the camping arrangements. You may need to walk a distance to your camp site and cots can be heavy and bulky to carry.

Have fun!

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You can do whatever you want when you are camping. My husband used to sleep on a cot in the tent. Unless you have a big tent, that could be a little awkward, though.

You could sleep on an air mattress. You will want a thin pad to go under the air mattress or sleeping bag -- sometimes this is called "insulite." Check with REI or an outdoor store about it. The reason you want it is because the ground gets really cold, and will make you freeze no matter how many sleeping bags you wrap yourself in. If you are in a cot, you won't need insulite, but if you are on an air mattress, you will need it because the cold ground makes the air in the mattress really cold, and you will feel it.

I have no idea what others have said (haven't read them yet) so I'm probably going to repeat.

Usually you want to put a tarp down on the ground underneath the tent to keep the actual tent floor (and therefore you) from getting wet. Regarding the cots, I would worry that the cots would wear holes in the bottom of the tent. Granted, that would also be less likely to happen with a tarp down. Other options for something to sleep on are the "kinder mats" for kids (that's what we always used) and then they also make "air mattresses" that can go inside or under sleeping bags. They're not traditional air mattresses, I just don't know what else to call them. Here's one: http://www.rei.com/product/778152/rei-camp-bed-35-self-in... These roll up like a sleeping bag and take up less room. I'd go with the pads vs the cots since this is a scouting trip. You're supposed to "rough it," ya know. ;) Ultimately, it doesn't really matter. Generally, no, people aren't going to sleep on cots because they take too much room to pack and too much room in the tent itself. Good luck, and if you have any other questions, I'll be happy to give an answer!