Hi, going on family camping trip for first time in July. A friend has given us camp beds for me and OH. Do I need mats as well to be comfortable or just a sleeping bag on the bed? We will be away for a week and I need my sleep!(Although the 3 kids may scupper that!)
Sims are very popular round these boards. they can be quite dear though. a yoga mat or duvet underneath you would be a cheap compromise as you've probably got them already.
SIMS are not mandatory but they do make the camp bed more comfy. I find the material on a CB very unforgiving and you can find you have hip/shoulder ache after a few days. If you haven't got SIMS and don't want the expense of buying them then as suggested, sleeping bags, blankets and duvets work just as well. If you do go down the SIM route you will probably want a small sheet over the top to stop it sliding down the camp bed.
Slightly different question on camp beds and comfort. I have seen 2 camp beds which are 51cms high - the height I need - but one has a bar across each end, the other has different legs and only side bars.
1. Is one 'better' than the other, and if so why?
2. How difficult is it to put end bars through?
------------- Mavis
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I don't use a sleeping bag as I prefer a duvet, hence I use a SIM on top of the campbed, and it is very nice and cosy.
DK
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I sleep better on my campbed-sim combo with sleeping bag plus fleece blanket than on my actual bed!
------------- 2015 April: Polstead, Suffolk. May: Two Acres, Ely. Waveney River Centre and Whitehall Farm, Norfolk. Aug: Howstean Gorge / The Quiet Site / Fron Farm / Cae Du / Trevayne Farm - BOOKED!
We had used the 4 wire camp beds and just used our sleeping bags no problems, we up graded to the bigger folding type(without the head and foot bars) and noticed the sag more. We have since got 2 10cm simms and this made a big difference, no sag and very comfy. We tried various simms in the store 3cm, 5cm, 7.5cm and 10cm I was happy with the 7.5 but the missis prefers the 10 so we got 2 of them so we were both at the same height as we use a double sleeping bag.
so yes you can use campbeds as they are and add simms later on as an added luxury further down the line
I would try them on their own first. We had slept on them for many holidays quite happily and it was only when I came on here that I realised people put mats or SIMs or even airbeds on them!