One thing that every camping trip has in common, is the need for sleep. A night of good night’s sleep is very important on my camping trips because it replenishes the energy needed to do all those other camping activities. It can be difficult to split firewood, cook over a fire, or go on a hike when you can’t keep your eyes open due to the lack of sleep.

When I plan my sleeping arrangements for camping trips, I ask myself a few questions as guidelines.

This gives me a good idea of what sleeping set up to pack.

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Who all is sleeping?

Is it just me or do I have a partner or family to consider?

What are you sleeping in?

Do I need a large tent or can I sleep in a simple hammock setup? (SPOILER: no I can’t sleep in a hammock.)

Where are you going to be sleeping?

Are you camping in the mountains? At a campground? Hiking the Backcountry?

When are you sleeping?

Will you be sleeping in cold weather or hot weather? Is there rain or snow in the forecast?

Why are you sleeping?

Duh, you need it

Level 1: Mobile 1-person

My level 1 arrangement is my most simple sleeping setup. This usually consists of a sleeping mat, a sleeping bag, and a one-person tent.

Level 1 is geared towards more the backcountry/hiking style of camping. Mobility is the top reason for this setup. I want to be able to hike, camp, and sleep easily with everything on my back. It’s hard to hike a huge tent, poles, and a large inflatable mattress into the backcountry. Modern brands have made this easier by using stronger, lighter materials in their constructions, but being mobile-friendly usually comes with a trade-off for super comfort.

Some people simplify this setup even more and just sleep in a hammock. All you need for a hammock are two trees for hanging. I, however, have never found hammocks comfortable to sleep in all night, so I’ll stick with my sleeping tent, pad, and sleeping bag.

Level 2: The Tent Cot

The tent cot is my second-level sleep setup for camping. It is the main sleeping setup I use when I go camping. The tent cot is just what It says it is. It’s a cot with a tent enclosure. There are 2 reasons why I prefer this setup for the majority of my camping trips.

The first is its simplicity of it. Just unfold and a pop-up. That’s it. Tent and sleeping quarters are set up in a 5-minute window.
The second reason is, that the cot-tent raises me up off the ground. No rocks, roots, or sticks to worry about like you do with setting up a tent. Also, being up off the ground eliminates the problems of water, mud, and the loss of body heat from sleeping on the cold hard ground.

There are two drawbacks to this type of setup though. The first is that that tent cot is not mobile friendly. This is not a backcountry sleeping setup. A small walk from my truck to my campsite is all the hiking this setup is good for. It’s just too bulky to use on an overnight hiking trip. The second drawback is that it only fits the only person.

The tent cot does make a 2-person version, but if I need more sleeping space for another person, I use my Level 3 sleeping setup.

Level 3: The Tent

Level 3 is where my comfort reigns kings and wins out over lightweight mobility. This is also my setup for when I need to make room for another person. The only traveling this setup ever will do is from my truck bed to my setup spot. Maybe a whole 20-30 feet. This setup uses a large tent and 2 bedrolls of sleeping materials that just aren’t viable in my 1-person setups. I will do another full post on how I setup Level 3, because there is a lot to include, but here is a summary of what it entails; A large tent, two blankets, an inflatable air mattress, a two-person sleeping bag, pillows, a fan, and a welcome mat. Level 3 is the most comfortable sleeping setup I have for tent camping. This is also as close to “glamping” as I like to get. I feel to surpass Level 3, involves a pull-behind or motor coach, but that’s for another post.