camp beds
Submitted: Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 10:31
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Member - peter r (NSW)
Need some thoughts on what outback travellers use to sleep on and there storage in a loaded 4x4 with roof rack. we have been using a king size blow up bed ,its now has a few repairs and time to change ,I do have heavy swag mattress but as i get older find them a bit hard to sleep on .I have single pole coach type tent. A few ideas that you have found to be good will help us find what we need. thanks
Reply By: Member - Teege (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 12:25
Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 12:25
Peter
If you have been using a king size blow up, I guess you already have the side frame for your centre pole tent. We use a similar setup and originally used self inflating mattresses on the ground. As the years went by it got harder and harder to get up off the floor, so we have now graduated to fold up stretchers. Should have done it years ago. They fold up into a bag very similar to the popular fold up
camp chairs. We still use mattresses, but have been assured by numerous people that we don't really need them. Be careful if you buy stretchers, firstly, get good quality ones - the first one I bought snapped as soon as I sat on the side. Secondly, you don't need huge ones. Just get the ones that are slightly longer and wider than yourself. The big plus with using stretchers is that you have freed up all the space underneath for storage.
teege
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 13:47
Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 13:47
I once slept on a stretcher.
Coldest night's bloody "sleep" I've ever had. The cold air gathers under the base and as there is no insulation properties on the mattress base, the cold seeps right through.
Perhaps they would be OK with a good quality swag on top on the stretcher but then again, I've found no need to have anything under my swag at all.
A good quality swag should have a high density "egg crate style" foam mattress for support and comfort. All I have in addition is an opened out single sleeping bag to act as a doona and I'm good.
Bill.
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Follow Up By: Member - Teege (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 14:00
Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 14:00
Bill
I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience. But we did an 11 week trip through the Outback, the
Kimberley and
home across the
Simpson Desert, last winter. Slept the whole way on the stretchers, with a mattress and sleeping bag - no problems. Temperature got
well below Zero on a number of occasions.
teege
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Follow Up By: Member - Jason B (NSW) - Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 14:30
Saturday, Jan 15, 2011 at 14:30
I second that.
I have a
Southern Cross touring tent and have a queen size self inflating mattress which is great but takes up a lot of space and then you have to carry all of your bedding as
well.
If you have the space get a good quality swag (or 2), and a weather proof canvas bag for it to go in (look at the
southern cross web site or downunder etc for some ideas). The benefit of the swag is that you can leave your bed made up in it with your pillow etc making it quick and easy to set up. With it in a weather proof bag you can throw it up on the roof if you have no other space and your bed will be safe and dry.
If being on the ground is an issue you can put it up on one of the stretchers as described and have the best of both worlds.
Regards
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