BaseCamp

Such a good question 😅 when I would camp with my bf, no matter how much I liked snugs & hugs, for me it came down to the best sleep coming from separate pads, bags, and a 4 person tent for just the two of us for space 😂🤣💀 as somewhat of an aside, I’m not partial to air mattresses (in general, but especially for camping) since the air inside gets really cold, & they often lose air! When car camping, I just bring my ~luxury~ thermarest basecamp along with a cheapy yoga mat & cheapo felt blankets for padding & find it quite plush 😁

I second this.. I was having back pain issues as well, I switched to the thermarest Basecamp 2.0 earlier this year and it has been such a blessing. plus it's an R6 which is perfect for cold Washington weather

I usually bring my Therm-a-Rest pad and a light sleeping bag, but half the time I end up just sleeping on top of it in my pajamas with a sheet over me.

I switched to a thick foam sleeping pad (Therm-a-Rest Basecamp) a couple years ago and honestly, it was a game changer. At first I was worried about comfort, but if you get a pad with a high R-value (like 4+), it's way warmer and shockingly comfy once you get used to it. If you want a bit more elevation, a cot can work, especially if you toss a foam pad or even a self-inflating pad on top. Just remember, cots can let cold air underneath, so you’ll want an insulated pad between you and the cot.

A mistake I made was buying Thermarest Basecamp in regular size. Name brand but it’s their bottom offering. The size regular is only 20” wide which everyone including my petite wife complained about. The thickness at only 2” isn’t great either. I now use them on top of some cots which fixed the issue. I would advise pads that are at least 24” wide and 3” thick (unless putting on cots), and also long enough to accommodate you if you’re tall.

car camping only: Thermarest Basecamp

my biggest issue with air mattresses is they have no r value, so the cold ground just seeps in right thru it. I used a thermarest base camp with an REI cot last fall to camp, and it worked perfect for me. My hips and back didn't hurt at all, and I stayed warm.

no definitely the opposite, like I said, zero issues with warmth with my thermarest, either when I had it just on the ground, or when I used it on a cot.

I have a thermarest "Basecamp" model I got from REI probably 30 years ago and its still going strong. Never leaked. Cost me about $85-90 back then so it would probably be 130-150 these days. My philosophy with outdoor gear is "Buy once: cry once"