Camping out at events on the cheap - Best type of air bed??

[runNjump86]

CupcakeTough, I had completely forgotten about this thread!!

The original camping excursion we ended up putting the air mattress in the back of the trailer. We swept the shavings out into muck buckets and put down a big tarp and an old wool cooler. It was cold though, but we had enough blankets.

I ended up getting a tall air mattress from WalMart when I stayed at Galway and my regular height air mattress decided to never hold air again. :lol: It has a built in pump so all I need is a power source, and since my parents bought us an emergency car pack, similar to [url=https://www.walmart.com/ip/14560016?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227009222192&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40839140912&wl4=pla-56587013569&wl5=9018794&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=14560016&wl13=&veh=sem]this one[/ur]. I also discovered the tack room is large enough to fit the air mattress! It’s cramped but I just stand it up when not in use, but it’s much warmer due to the carper and insulation.

[whichchick]

I hate camping. Hate it. But, as a broke horse person who does competitive trail / endurance, horse camping, and also the occasional event, I realize that camping is an inescapable part of Thug Lyfe or whatever. I’ve done the ‘sleep in the truck’ thing and the ‘sleep in an air mattress in the upper part of the gooseneck’ thing and really, the absolute best camping I have ever managed was in a hammock slung diagonally across the horse space of our 3-horse slant. SO COMFORTABLE!! Use with an outdoor-rated for-camping sleeping bag for best warmth. I unzip sleeping bag, put on hammock, get in hammock on sleeping bag, then fold/zip it up once I’m in there. This arrangement does smell like a horse trailer, but you don’t get rained on or dewed on and it’s amazingly comfortable. Only time my back has not hurt on getting up.

[JP60]

There are some great ideas here and when I finally get my next truck I can’t wait to try them out.

Still, showers are overrated

My old truck and hopefully my newer truck were extended cabs, so I went with the sleep in the back seat approach. What I liked about it was that by cracking the windows a little, I’d get air flow, but it would also stay warm on cool nights with a good sleeping bag. For the next truck I might make a platform that slips in to make the area flatter and then use a single size air mattress.

I tried the trailer approach (two horse BP with tack room), but unless I swept it clean, urine odor was not on my list of enjoyable smells. The sun shower bag is a great idea for I’ve used that when I sailed. I may try that in the trailer, but sweep shavings to the side to keep it cleaner.

[MsRidiculous]

One of my favorite purchases ever was my truck bed tent + truck bed air mattress. I’m just as comfortable at shows as I am at home (maybe more so, since no one is snoring in my ear or putting a paw in my face). I’ve used it in anything from 40 degrees to 85 degrees, sun and rain. Having the tent up off the ground really helps a lot. Plus it’s saved me so much money, not having to get a hotel for a night or two at every show. A friend and I were even able to camp together for two weeks at Coconino, since it’s a full size queen mattress.

https://the900facebookpony.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/img_0150.jpg?w=768&h=576

It only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish to set up the tent and a few more for the air mattress to inflate (it has a battery, so you just turn it on and it inflates itself). Love them.

[altermetoday]

Have you all seen the privacy pop up tent beds? I thought those looked kinda cool… but they are also kind of expensive. The nice part though is you can put it in the trailer and zip yourself in. That way if there are bugs around they are not eating you all night. Great idea in theory, but not cheap.

[sunhawk]

As someone who has been camping at equestrian events for over 20 years… I like collecting gear that will make a weekend more comfortable = more enjoyable. Big tent with two queen size air mattresses, large canopy with zip on screens, two folding tables, one for playing cards, one for cooking and clean-up. Large bins with lids for dishes, pots, cutlery etc. Stainless steel coffee press. One of those battery thingies so we can plug in a blender for margaritas, and coffee grinder, and gadget for blowing up air mattresses. Shower tent with a little pump and shower head. Two propane tanks, and two propane camp stoves. Small fridge that either plugs into truck or battery thingy. Those are the main things, and oh yeah, horses and tack lol

[Foxglove]

Best suggestion I ever had for sleeping in the trailer (horse part --no LQ) was to sweep out the trailer (as you do) then lay a tarp down with a throw rug over it. I also had a small clip on battery powered fan, LED battery powered light, and extra horse blankets to pull over my sleeping bag if I really got cold. I used a cot with an air mattress and kept a small table beside me. Um, I also used a “Luggable Loo” when camping in bear country since I didn’t want to “go out” at night. Probably not necessary at a horse trial where there are port-a-potties.

[JenJ]

You guys are camping in luxury
I have a 2 horse bumper pull. I pick out the poop, sweep shavings to one side, drop down a small air mattress, a sleeping bag and some extra blankets, and fall happily asleep.
that said, this is never for more than two nights, and I am usually so exhausted by the time I crawl into “bed”, I could sleep anywhere!
flashlight, alarm clock, toilet paper and cooler w food and water, along with the all important extra mug of coffee brought from home (I don’t care if it is old and cold the next day … I NEED my coffee first thing in a.m.) seem to cover the bare necessities for me.

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

You can stuff a 4" memory foam mattress in a Rubbermaid tub. Buy 4 bales of hay, and put the memory foam on top, for a awesome bed. You still have the 4 bales to feed, so not like it cost you anything.

[lucegoose]

[QUOTE=whichchick;9021179]
I hate camping. Hate it. But, as a broke horse person who does competitive trail / endurance, horse camping, and also the occasional event, I realize that camping is an inescapable part of Thug Lyfe or whatever. I’ve done the ‘sleep in the truck’ thing and the ‘sleep in an air mattress in the upper part of the gooseneck’ thing and really, the absolute best camping I have ever managed was in a hammock slung diagonally across the horse space of our 3-horse slant. SO COMFORTABLE!! Use with an outdoor-rated for-camping sleeping bag for best warmth. I unzip sleeping bag, put on hammock, get in hammock on sleeping bag, then fold/zip it up once I’m in there. This arrangement does smell like a horse trailer, but you don’t get rained on or dewed on and it’s amazingly comfortable. Only time my back has not hurt on getting up.[/QUOTE]

Yes! Camping hammocks are inexpensive and take up zero space when packed. You can even get all sorts of accoutrement to use it outside (stakes, rain fly, etc). A colleague used that exclusively when we took kids on backpacking trips and was cozy even when it was cold/damp. And it takes so little time to set up.

[enjoytheride]

I camp in the dressing room of my bumper pull. I had one saddle rack removed under the mangers and that is where my feet go.

[TownesThatBigChestnu]

Is it weird to enjoy sleeping on an airbed?

Sorry So Wordy, I’ve become a forced expert on airbeds lately.

I moved & borrowed $$$ Aerobed, for a couple days until I could mattress shop and fell in love with it. I slept so well on the Aerobed until it got a slow.leak after a month. Ran out and grabbed a $12 no frills Intex brand and the $10 easy universal pump. Going on 3months and it’s fine with daily use. Got 2 more on sale for $9 at Walmart online.

YOU MUST GET A MEMORY FOAM/EGG CRATE MATTRESS TOPPER. It was like sleeping on an ice slab at our barn sleepover, or even in a cold room. The foam is barrier to the cold, comfy and flattens the grooved surface. Put down thick protection underneath the bed.

Buy 2 of the Intex cheapies. A leak hurts less if you only paid $12 for it and have a ready spare. Read the directions to seal the valves properly after inflating, its tricky and and you will lose air.

These can be found in Walmart store with the bedding or online. Bring your nice full size sheets and good pillows, you never want a cot, sleeping bag or to camp again

Note: Stores won’t take back air mattresses anymore,

[TownesThatBigChestnu]

I’ve tried them both expensive Aerobed and cheapies Walmart brands. I’m super careful. The Aerobed started slow leave around the 1 month mark that I possibly could have found fandango patched with three kit, but I ran out to Walmart just before closing and picked up a $12 Intex brand. With separate pump. No frills. The pump wasn’t a harder than to the Aerobed. It’s lasted 3mo with daily use.i have the same fancy bedding I had one the Aerobed but sleep just the same. Surprisingly comfortable and supportive.

[JustinStokes]

Today there are a lot of different air mattresses in the shops, but when I bought a mattress for camping, I read reviews about the best air mattresses http://bestairmattresseshub.com/ , since I can learn everything about the mattress. But of all mattresses, I liked Coleman SupportRest Elite.

[visorvet]

I haven’t read all 4 pages, but when I visited my mum recently I bought this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0…?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It far exceeded my expectations for comfort, and I am a middle-aged gimp with a lot of neck, back, and other musculoskeletal issues that interfere with quality sleep.