Top 5 Comfort Camping Tips

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Think camping has to mean suffering? Think again. Comfort is the key to making any trip enjoyable—especially if you’re not into “roughing it.”

When I talk to people about my love of camping and being outdoors, I get some side-eye from people who know me well. The other day my dad was like, “you know, of all the people in this family, you’re the last one I would’ve guessed would be into hiking and camping.” And I totally get it! I’m not, like, a get-your-hands-dirty kind of person. I’m not into “roughing it” in any way, shape or form. I never really liked being outside and I’ve never been a big nature person until my late 30s.
A lot of that probably has to do with the fact that I grew up in Texas. While there is some beautiful landscape here, I grew up specifically in the land of concrete and highways. There’s practically no public land where I’m from. I was just never really exposed to nature until I got older and explored it on my own, mostly in places that weren’t Texas.

But that’s only part of it. Another thing I learned when I got older is, it’s actually possible to camp comfortably.

This is me camping uncomfortably. After one night of sleeping on the ground at Enchanted Rock in 2023, I swore I’d never do it again—and I meant it.

Once I learned a few tricks, I realized that camping didn’t have to be miserable. If you love the idea of camping but hate the thought of being uncomfortable, read on for my top 5 comfort camping tips:

1) Your car is way comfier than the ground.
Let’s be real—sleeping on the ground isn’t fun. Rocks, roots, uneven terrain… no thanks. Sleeping in your car gives you a flat, insulated, and secure space to get actual rest. If you’re curious how I turned my Jeep into a comfy mini camper, check out my no-build Jeep camping set up here!

2) A hard sleeping pad is almost as comfy as a real mattress.
Amazon has a ton of Japanese sleeping mat options, which are similar to futon mattresses. The specific one I have is no longer available, but there are some others, like this mattress, that look like they’d be great, too. These mats offer way more support than traditional camping pads or inflatable mattresses. At first, I tried sleeping on a yoga mat—big mistake. I felt everything. Yoga mats are good for yoga, not for sleeping in your car.

Yoga mat sleeping pad. I do not recommending if you’re a Princess-and-the-Pea type like me. I felt everything.

3) Sleeping bags are fine, but when the weather is mild, a bunch of soft blankets are the comfiest.
Unless you really need a sleeping bag rated for low and freezing temperatures, a bunch of blankets can be so much more comfortable. Especially if you’re like me and you toss and turn. Sleeping bags aren’t my favorite for that reason, so even when it’s chilly, I just pile on more blankies. You can adjust them easily as the temperature changes. If you’re not camping in freezing temps, you can skip the restrictive sleeping bag.

You can layer soft and comfy blankets like these and add and subtract them depending on your personal levels of comfort and the weather.

4) Bring TWO Pillows.

Just grab your own pillow off your bed. Better yet, grab two! There’s no reason to suffer.
If you don’t want to bring your inside bed pillows out into the wild, you can invest in some that are just for camping; but don’t skimp on quality!
Something like these comfy memory foam pillows will work perfectly.
I currently have these pillows on my bed and always take them camping with me. I just swap out the pillow cases for clean ones when I get back.

5) Not having access to a toilet doesn’t mean you have to pee on the ground.

One of the biggest concerns for new campers is where to go when there’s no toilet around. My favorite solution? A spill-proof female urinal. (Yep, “spill-proof” is key—trust me). There are a lot of options, but this female urinal is my favorite.

You can dump it outside if you’re way out in the bush, or if you’re at a campground and just don’t want to walk all the way to the bathrooms in the night, empty it into a toilet in the morning. Once you get home, you can clean out the container in the shower with some Dawn dish soap. Using vinegar also eliminates odors.

What are your essential comfort camping tips? Let me know in the comments!