A few months back I posted a photo on Instagram with the caption “we need not be pagans.” It drew more comments than I expected, including a note from Alaska woodworker Zach LaPerrière asking me to share my sleeping setup. So here it is.
My primary objective when I sleep outside is simple: under the stars and actually sleep well. The specifics shift with conditions, but most of my nights are in the arid Southwest, where rain and bugs are rarely the primary worry. Temperature comes first, wind second. For car camping my go-to is a cot setup: the Helinox Cot One Convertible with leg extensions that raise the bed about 8.5 inches off the ground. It packs small, weighs roughly five pounds, and I keep it in the truck almost all the time.
I’ve tried dozens of cots. The most comfortable I ever used was REI’s Wonderland Comfort Cot—adjustable, well padded, and luxurious enough that I could lounge on it all day. It slept great with no extra padding. The downside: it’s huge and heavy, the kind of thing you notice every time you pack the truck. That’s why I sold mine and stuck with the lighter Helinox.
Padding matters. You can get by on the Helinox without added cushioning, but I prefer a softer surface. For inflatable pads I like the Exped MegaMat (4 in, R-value 8.1). Lately I’ve been using the Hest Foamy, a foam pad with an R-value around 8.8 and a waterproof bottom layer. Because it’s foam it won’t spring a leak, so it’s great when I want to toss something on slickrock or sand and skip the cot entirely.
My insulation layer depends on the night. If it’s warm, a cotton blanket will do. If it’s cool, I reach for wool blankets or a sleeping bag—no strict brand loyalty, I rotate through NEMO, Marmot, and Exped bags. A pillow is non-negotiable; I used to bring an old house pillow and I’ve been testing Hest’s Camp Pillow recently. It tucks into a sleeping bag hood nicely—could be a touch softer, but I’m adapting.
When I think about sleeping in nothing but clothes or a poncho, I’m intrigued. In the 1990s, on a mule-packing trip in Durango, Mexico, I watched a mule packer sleep soundly on the ground with only a wool blanket. It was impressive—likely easier if you sleep on your back. I’m a side sleeper, so every time I’ve tried to sleep directly on the ground without a pad, I’ve concluded: no, not for me. Maybe I need to tire myself out more.
For backpacking and bikepacking I still favor inflatables like Therm‑A‑Rest NeoAir models for their weight-to-comfort ratio. For simplicity and reliability I sometimes go with closed-cell foam: on a recent overnight in a remote canyon of Grand Staircase I used an Exped Flex 1.5R. It’s fine on sand but a bit thin on hard ground. Exped’s newer Flex R3 doubles the thickness and improves comfort, but at about 18 ounces it’s heavier than many inflatables—illustrating the tradeoff: weight and bulk versus durability and simplicity.
Inflatables are light but require inflation and can leak. Foam won’t fail in the same way but takes more space and weight. Is a bivy better than a tent? A quilt better than a bag? A single waterproof bag good enough on its own? I enjoy experimenting to find answers.
There’s no perfect setup. Every biome, every body, every trip goal, and every night’s weather changes the equation. I’ve had miserable nights but also many great ones, and I try to maximize comfort where I can. I’ve set a personal goal of 100 nights of camping this year, which gives me plenty of opportunities to test gear and setups. If you want me to try a pad, bag, or combo and write about it, or if you want to share how you sleep soft while sleeping rough, let me know.
—Stephen Casimiro
