Car Camping: How comfortable can you make it?

I wanted to find out what other are using for padding in car camping situations while sleeping in a tent.

I use a ridgerest with a thermarest on top. Its pretty comfy, but I bet it could improve.

Some other people use several ridgerests/eggcrates combo

I was thinking of somehow incorporating a memory foam topper to a good base set up.

Thoughts?

Something I know about! I start with a decent cot ( rei.com/product/798432/rei-…)
Then a thermarest.
Followed by a 2" piece of foam I bought at an upholstery store. People use it to refoam couches.

The cot is key!

Heres my setup. Still under construction obviously.

Got a pad to lay down and blankets. Even my girlfriend likes it! HAHAHA

I live in the lap of luxury in my tent (I also live in my car for long periods of time). I have a crashpad as a base but my head and feet stick off of the ends. To remedy this I use two pillows for my head and then my clothes bag at the feet. The two pillows brings my head up higher than the crashpad and the bag just about levels out my feet. If the crashpad is too hard for you little ninnies out there you can put a thermarest on top of that and all is good in the hood.
If you happen to have a ladyfriend over for the night or are feeling extra cushy, bring a bunch of blankets and ditch the sleeping bag; turning the tent into a giant nest of comfortable lovin'. If I could have wall to wall padding and blankets in my room at home I would be one happy camper (pun intended).

Exped Synmat 9 DW. No contest.

Dream Time!!!

Check it :)

Nemo Cosmo or Astro with pillow top.
These aren't cheap...$120-$150 for the combination, but they are now the bomb in my home.

If we are traveling and staying in a hotel, the kids fight over who gets the Nemos, they'd rather have Nemos than hotel beds.

When company comes over, the company gets our bedroom & my wife & I sleep in the basement on the Nemos. They are INCREDIBLY comfortable.

In fact, our last trip to the Red (which was the first with the Nemos), was also the first that my wife said she had fun camping.

Get one. Sleep better.

Just my $0.02

autoanything.com/truck-tent…

I've never met anyone with one but they look like they would be pretty cush

This thing looks so prime!
cabelas.com/dome-backpackin…

Tristan B wrote:This thing looks so prime! cabelas.com/dome-backpackin…

Agree it looks awesome for snake country and for those who don't want to sleep on the hard ground. But starting at 229, well I don't think it's in the budget of most dirtbag car camping climbers. I use a couple of Ridgerest or similar foam pads on top of a ThermaRest, and real pillows too. Old shoulders need the padding now more than the insulation.

Yeah these things do look very comfy but the prices are where Im at also. Personaly Ive spent about $50 on my truck. Not taking into account the stuff I furnish it with. Either way that cabelas thing is very cool. I really like the vestibule like thing on the end. And would be nice thing to bring with in the case of going somewhere you cant get a vehicle. Which, for the record I do bring a tent for these sort of instaces.

I hate to admit it, but I got an air mattress from WM for around $16 - best purchase ever. On my 3rd month of a road trip, could've not lasted on thermarests alone.

Ye Ole' inflatable mattress is great for 1 person, but not for 2- because it's a little bouncy of the second person moves. They are $30 or so for good ones.

This is what my GF and I use for car camping. I'm a side sleeper, and this pad keeps my hips off the ground. It literally couldn't be any more comfortable, and still not overly bulky when traveling with other gear. Worth every penny.

rei.com/product/778152/rei-…

Eric Robertson wrote:This is what my GF and I use for car camping. I'm a side sleeper, and this pad keeps my hips off the ground. It literally couldn't be any more comfortable, and still not overly bulky when traveling with other gear. Worth every penny. rei.com/product/778152/rei-…

!! Looks like a plump oversized ThermaRest kind of air mat. Looks comfy for the price.

That's exactly what it is. The reviews on REI.com say it all.

Eric Robertson wrote:This is what my GF and I use for car camping. I'm a side sleeper, and this pad keeps my hips off the ground. It literally couldn't be any more comfortable, and still not overly bulky when traveling with other gear. Worth every penny.

I have this and if I inflate it to my liking (not too much, not too little) it is as comfortable as my bed at home.

I spent way too many years camping on beat up ridge rests. I wish I had given in a long time ago.

If you can ever make it to an REI garage sale they always have a ton of air mattresses of all shapes and sizes. Every single one of them will have holes you have to patch but you can fix them very easily.

Chad F wrote:I wanted to find out what other are using for padding in car camping situations while sleeping in a tent. I use a ridgerest with a thermarest on top. Its pretty comfy, but I bet it could improve. Some other people use several ridgerests/eggcrates combo I was thinking of somehow incorporating a memory foam topper to a good base set up. Thoughts?

How much effort are you willing to put in to make things comfortable?

Best bed around

A slightly smaller version fits in a mid sized SUV

^^^^Thats freakin great! Wheres his partner though?

When car camping with a tent I use an Aero bed, extension cord, and a 12 volt inverter in the truck. Inflated in minutes and ready to go! On solo trips though a thermarest in the back of my 4runner is perfect.

self inflating therma rest and a thermarest eggcrate pad as the base, then spread a sleeping bag out over top of that, then a blanket on top of that. sleep under a blanket and another spread out sleeping bag and pillows from my bed. even my girl is comfortable in that!