Camping Essentials: Cot vs Air Mattress Showdown

Sleeping outdoors is a pretty good experience. But if you want to start the next day as fresh as a daisy, you have two options; cots and air mattresses.

They both are pretty good options for sleeping in a tent. But which one of them is the best? We are about to find all in the following post, so keep reading till the end!

In a hurry… Our best picks

Air mattresses and camping cots are solid options if you compare them for camping purposes. However, overall, a cot is a better option if you are car camping (check the top rated car air mattresses).

Camping Cot or Air Mattress: Which is Right for You?

What are camping cots?

A camping cot is a portable bed that can fold up. It comprises a metal frame with canvas stretched over it. Most of these cots are ideally suitable for one person. But you can also find some options suitable for two people.

What’s best about camping cots?

The biggest advantage of these cots is they are elevated from the ground. It means you are above ground and safe from that creepy crawlies like spiders, beetles, ants, snakes, or others that might scare the living heck out of your smack in the middle of the night.

Furthermore, this bed will come in handy if you deal with heavy rain on your trip or those messy tent floods. You will be safe from getting wet, at least from underneath.

The objective here is to stay warm while staying off the ground when it’s cold and vice versa. These cots are excellent when it comes to supporting. So, if you are dealing with back pains, you should go for them.

What do camping cots lack?

But they are pretty stiff, and if you prefer to sleep on your side, a cot might not serve you well. However, you can make them less stiff if you use a good-quality mattress topper<span style=”font-weight: 400;”> with your cot.

Moreover, these beds are pretty bulky, and they are not very easy to carry on the go. So you can find the queen and king-size cots pretty easily. You will also need a large tent to fit these cots inside.

But the good option is that you can purchase a tent with an inbuilt cot. This is a tent with its very own cot built right inside it. You will only need a sleeping bag, and you are all set. But these tents are pretty hefty, and you can’t use them for backpacking.

However, you have the option of choosing smaller cots that you can conveniently carry on your back. If you want to carry something on the go, pay attention to weight and size. These cots can be pretty expensive too.

Pros

• Camping cots provide excellent support.
• They tend to elevate you off the ground, keeping you safe from rainwater, flood, and bugs.
• Can handle harsh conditions.
• Pretty easy to set up and take down.
• Some models are extremely lightweight and ideal for hiking.
• You can use the space underneath the cot for storing your gear.

Cons

• Not suitable if your preferred sleeping position is side sleeping.
• They don’t fit in smaller tents.

What’s an air mattress?

An air mattress is a portable and inflatable mattress bed made of PVC in most cases or some similar material. These air mattresses come in different sizes, from single to queen and even king.

Air mattress sleeping pads are pretty comfortable for a good night’s sleep (check the best air mattresses for long term use). They will provide you with decent protection from small rocks or sticks on the ground on which you are lying.

What’s best about air mattresses?

The best thing about these air mattresses is that you can easily adjust their air according to your personal preferences (check how to make an air mattress more comfortable).

If you decide to go for less air inside, you will have a softer mattress. Hence, you will get plenty of contouring comfort. However, you will also have to deal with lesser ease of movement, and it won’t work for you well if you are a back or stomach sleeper.

On the other hand, if you decide to blow more air into it, you will get a firmer mattress. In this scenario, you will have plenty of support and ease of movement. But it won’t work for you if you are a side sleeper.

Moreover, air mattresses are pretty good when it comes to portability too. Most of these air mattresses are pretty lightweight. Therefore, they are pretty to carry.

You can also find heavier models of these air mattresses, so make sure to closely look at the size and weight of the option you want to buy.

What do air mattresses lack?

The worst thing about these air mattresses is that they tend to rupture. If you slice it somehow on a rock out there in the open, you will carry a huge pile of floppy fabric. They are also not the most comfortable options on the market.

Hence, it is important to carry a repair kit to patch it up when you have time on your hands. Moreover, these air mattresses have to sit directly on the ground. They can make it difficult to stay warm when cold and vice versa.

Of course, you will be close to the ground, so you will have to deal with those close encounters with creepy crawlies. Unless you have a self-inflating air mattress, battery-operated pump, or even an air compressor, you will need a manual pump to blow air into your mattress.

It requires a fair bit of effort and, of course, a lot of elbow grease. And if you are thinking about blowing your air mattress with your mouth, this will be a pretty long, hard day for you. So, be sure to carry an air pump with you if you have an air mattress on your trip.

Pros

• Air mattresses come with adjustable firmness levels based on how much air you pump in.
• They are suitable for side sleepers because they are not too firm even if you have fully pumped them.
• Most of these mattresses are compact and lightweight, so you can conveniently carry them.
• Various sizes are available.
• They are pretty affordable, but some models can be pretty expensive.

Cons

• You have to place them directly on the ground to get less protection from heat or cold.
• Not that great in terms of back support.
• They are prone to rupture.
• Manual pumping takes a lot of effort.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between a Cot and an Air Mattress

While both camping cots and air mattresses offer unique advantages for outdoor enthusiasts, making a choice largely depends on individual needs and the nature of the camping trip. If you’re venturing into rugged terrains or expecting wet conditions, a camping cot can ensure you stay elevated from the ground, providing safety from potential flooding and critters.

On the other hand, if portability and space are a concern, air mattresses might be the better choice due to their lightweight nature and easy storage. Additionally, consider the setup time: while some modern air mattresses boast quick inflation, setting up a cot can be more straightforward and less dependent on additional tools like pumps. Lastly, think about the comfort level you desire.

While cots can be enhanced with mattress toppers, air mattresses allow for firmness adjustments to suit personal preferences. Weigh these factors carefully to make an informed decision for your next outdoor adventure.

Cot vs. Air Mattress – Side-by-Side Comparison

As you are now fully familiar with cots and air mattresses, it is best to compare them side-by-side. Therefore, we will be compressing them into different categories and sides, and one of them will come out on top.

Features	Camping cots	Air mattresses
Comfort (for back pain)	Yes	No
Durability	Yes	No
Warmth	Yes	No
Setup	Yes	No
Portability	No	Yes
Size	Yes	No
Affordability	No	Yes

Comfort – Ultimate Winner Is Camping Cot

Comfort might not have the same definitions for everyone out there. But if anyone has been dealing with some back issues, you should prefer to sleep on a cot. They offer you the right type of firmness level, so there is plenty of support.

Some of the best options for people who prefer to sleep on mattresses for back pains. If you are looking for more support, you can add pain relief pillows to these cots.

But if you are a side sleeper, this is not the right kind of surface for you. You will find it a bit too stiff, and the tight canvas might not provide you with enough pressure relief, which will result in discomfort. In such a scenario, the air mattress is a better option, similar to combination sleepers.

Durability – Camping Cot Is Winner

Without any doubt, the winner of this round will be camping cots. It is purely because air mattresses are prone to ruptures. As a result, these air mattresses can deflate and be completely useless. Though you can repair them pretty conveniently, you need a repair kit for that.

In comparison, cots are pretty durable because they are made of sturdy material to withstand all types of conditions. So, they can withstand rough weather fairly easily as you will have a strong platform to rely on.

Warmth – Our Vote Is for Camping Cot

When staying warm or cold during your camping trip, camping cots have more advantages over air mattresses. And it is primarily due to the fact that they are elevated from the ground.

In cold conditions, you will have to make some efforts to stay warm if you tend to sleep on the cold ground or a surface directly on the ground. This is the case with an air mattress.

Sleeping in an air mattress makes it hard for you to warm up in cold conditions and vice versa because you are directly on the ground.

When elevated off the ground, you might allow air circulation around and under you, but staying warm on a cot is much easier than on an air mattress.

Setup – The winner Is Camping Cot

When talking about setting up and taking down a cot or an air mattress, camping cots have another clean victory over air mattresses.

You can easily fold their legs in no time, and they are all ready to move in a jiffy. Furthermore, flossing them back up and opening them for some rest times is as easy as it can get.

On the other hand, you have first to inflate air mattresses. And for this, you need to have an air compressor or an electric pump that runs on a battery.

If you forget to bring your pump with you, you might have to blow it up with your mouth. And things start going south from there in terms of your energy level for the trip. Deflating a pumped mattress takes a lot of time if you compare it with taking down a cot.

Portability – Air Mattress Is the Winner

The portability of both these options will entirely depend upon the model you have at your hand. You can find various models and sizes of these air mattresses and camping cots. You can find their bulkier models as well as the lightweight ones.

But if you’re going for a car camping trip (check the bestselling air mattresses for truck), you won’t be too concerned about weight and size. On the other hand, Backpackers will have to be more careful about what they can carry on their backs.

But in terms of portability, air mattresses have a clear advantage over cots as you can carry them on your back easily.

Size – Award Goes to Camping Cot

This is slightly a tricky aspect of both the products. But in terms of dimensions, cots are much bigger, and you will need a bigger tent for them.

An air mattress can also take up a lot of space. And as it has no space underneath it that you can use, cots do provide you with that space underneath them that you can use to place your gear. Cots can be pretty versatile when it comes to using up the space.

If you look at this situation from such a perspective, you will see that camping cots have a trump card up their sleeves, which puts them at a massive advantage over air mattresses.

Affordability – Our Budget Pick Is Air Mattress

The most important thing of all is the price because everything boils down to whether you can afford it or not.

Air mattresses are more affordable than cots when generally speaking. But camping cots tend to be more durable, last longer, and deliver good value for money.

Final Thoughts

Without a doubt, air mattresses are pretty good. But that’s only the case if you are looking for a budget-friendly option and want to go on a hiking or backpacking trip. You can deflate these air mattresses and conveniently carry them on your back.

Cots might be a better option for car camping. Even if you can find smaller cots to carry on your back, this is the case. They are certainly a better option compared to air mattresses.

They are more durable, long-lasting, and comfortable for people with backaches, and they offer excellent temperature control.