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Camping at Airport Cot - Tent?

rockwoodrv9

rockwoodrv9

Well Known Member
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I am preparing for a cross country trip. I do not plan to camp much but there may be a time or two where I cant get a ride into town or I just want to stay with my plane. since I am traveling alone I do not have any weight issues. I looked at tents and saw this raised cot, tent. My thought is it is off the ground and would hardly be noticeable. I am not looking for a tent to last forever or in hard weather. I will just stay in a hotel those nights. does anyone have any experience or suggestions for a night or two right on the asphalt next to my plane? Thanks



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rockwoodrv9 said:
I am preparing for a cross country trip. I do not plan to camp much but there may be a time or two where I cant get a ride into town or I just want to stay with my plane. since I am traveling alone I do not have any weight issues. I looked at tents and saw this raised cot, tent. My thought is it is off the ground and would hardly be noticeable. I am not looking for a tent to last forever or in hard weather. I will just stay in a hotel those nights. does anyone have any experience or suggestions for a night or two right on the asphalt next to my plane? Thanks



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It looks to me like that thing will blow away in any wind. Hard to tie down any tent that’s placed on a paved ramp. Also, don’t be fooled into thinking ‘off the ground is good’. At night cold air will get underneath. You need a foam pad under you, regardless if you’re elevated or on the ground. My opinion: If you want a tent plan to move off the ramp onto the grass, where you can use stakes. For easiest, lightest weight, get a good foam pad, a ‘bivy sack’ (an oversized sleeping bag cover made of Goretex) and sleep under the wing.
 
I agree with Bob - avoid the asphalt. I camp from time to time next to my aircraft, with a small tent, sleeping bag, and inflatable pad - all from the cheap sports store we have in Europe called Decathlon. My pro tip is to bring a good pillow with a pillow case. If you are not a sound sleeper, might want to bring some earplugs. It's nice to wake up at 3 in the morning for a "break" and look at a beautiful clear sky full of stars.
 
Camp in the grass, no asphalt or hard packed dirt.
Get a really good tent that does not leak. I recently did an (2) month flying trip and camped a lot. And, my tent was the only one that did not leak (from heavy downpours AND flooded area). It's a Black Diamond HiLight 3P tent. Tent vestibule if you want more room. Bring an Exped blow-up mattress pad (super rugged and comfy). Even the Exped small backpack ones are super durable.
First photo is Cavanaugh Bay, Idaho. Second is Garden Valley, Idaho (with vestibule).
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As above. That tent you pictured would look great in the back yard but not for even mildly serious camping. And it looks pretty heavy. Weight is ALWAYS an issue when flying!

You need: 1) a light-weight but adequate tent. Look at Big Agnus for an example of tents, pads and sleeping bags. Not your only choice but a good place to compare. They make great camping products. Made for backpacking in which every ounce makes a difference!
2) a good pad, either one you blow up or one that self-inflates as it unrolls.
3) a good, light sleeping bag. Even in the Summer nights can get pretty COLD.......🥶 Down would be the lightest for the warmth, but there are a lot of new synthetics that rival Down without the cost
4) Compact, fold-up chair that fits in a small bag. Again, look at Big Agnus or Helinox. MUCH better than sitting on the ground or asphalt. You won't regret having one!
5) You would also not regret having a JetBoil compact stove. Runs on small propane canisters and you can heat water for your morning coffee, evening dinner
6) Dehydrated meals. They come in a large variety and you put the hot water right in the bag and stir it up with your long spoon. No pots and pans needed! Town might be further away than you want to walk......or maybe there is no town nearby. Increases the variety of places you can put up for the night.
7) A good tuque (pronounced 'tuke', eh? Canadian for warm knit beanie!) Keeps your head warm at night. May not be needed for warm-weather camping but see #3.
8) Speaking of your head: see post #3. Mickey is right: there is NO substitute for a good pillow! "Camping pillows"? Um.....probably not.......

Camping equipment is similar to tools: if you buy junk, you will likely be replacing it with quality stuff down the road as you find you really LIKE to camp with your airplane. Get quality now. Ends up being less expensive in the long run......


That's a good start! I do a lot of Airplane Camping and the above list makes me comfortable wherever I happen to end up.........
 
Thanks for the suggestions. This tent may not be the best option but these are my reasons for looking for something different. My route will be from Michigan to Idaho, Utah, and Colorado visiting old friends and family. I may pop up to Seattle if the weather and timing works.

I have had 3 lower back surgeries and 2 cervical fusions so I will be bringing a nice air bed mattress and a foam pad to go on top of it. I have recently lost 35 pounds so I can bring a few real comfort items.

I am more concerned with being cool enough rather than too cold. I plan to be gone about 8-10 days and maybe sleep by the plane two or maybe three nights - maybe none. My thought on the tent on a cot was it would be almost invisible next to the plane and off the hot asphalt. It would draw less attention from cops or others passing by. I didnt consider it blowing away but could easily tie it to the wing. If I take a standard tent, I will need a cot for the support and getting off the ground.

As for food, I would pick up something on a stop or the night before so Im not taking any cooking equipment. I may modify that and bring my small jetboil and a pot but plan to eat out or grab a sandwich from my small cooler. I do plan to bring a folding chair and a rechargeable light.

I have enough Marriott points to stay in hotels whenever I want but wanted an option for a couple places along my route where I may want to be at a small airport. A reasonably tall tent so I can fit a cot and airbed on it is probably a better idea. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
Now, if someone could come up with a triangular tent that could use the pavement tiedown anchors on an adjacent tiedown, then pavement camping might have some merit.
 
rockwoodrv9 said:
Thanks for the suggestions. This tent may not be the best option but these are my reasons for looking for something different. My route will be from Michigan to Idaho, Utah, and Colorado visiting old friends and family. I may pop up to Seattle if the weather and timing works.

I have had 3 lower back surgeries and 2 cervical fusions so I will be bringing a nice air bed mattress and a foam pad to go on top of it. I have recently lost 35 pounds so I can bring a few real comfort items.

I am more concerned with being cool enough rather than too cold. I plan to be gone about 8-10 days and maybe sleep by the plane two or maybe three nights - maybe none. My thought on the tent on a cot was it would be almost invisible next to the plane and off the hot asphalt. It would draw less attention from cops or others passing by. I didnt consider it blowing away but could easily tie it to the wing. If I take a standard tent, I will need a cot for the support and getting off the ground.

As for food, I would pick up something on a stop or the night before so Im not taking any cooking equipment. I may modify that and bring my small jetboil and a pot but plan to eat out or grab a sandwich from my small cooler. I do plan to bring a folding chair and a rechargeable light.

I have enough Marriott points to stay in hotels whenever I want but wanted an option for a couple places along my route where I may want to be at a small airport. A reasonably tall tent so I can fit a cot and airbed on it is probably a better idea. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Hey Rocky if you transition Northern Utah you have a place to stay.

Glenwood Springs - 1.jpeg
 
One of the guys I fly with camps with one of those. It has a 3” thermal pad and he uses his sleeping bag and a small pillow. He swears by it. We have been in some strong winds and it is always upright. Normally he places his bags on the cot when he is not in there to weigh it down. The coldest I have camped with him was just at freezing. I prefer to sleep in a hammock with a similar set up, 1.5” thermal pad, sleeping bag, bug netting and a simple rain fly. He is set up in about 5 mins. My hammock takes a few more minutes as I have to bag inflate my thermal pad. My lightweight backpack tent takes about 15 mins to be sleep ready.

Agree with all of the points that a good bag with a matching pad will keep your bottom warm. I camp quite often and I really only go for the tent when my wife is with me. I did try out his cot/tent for a few mins and I was suprised how roomy it felt. With the hammock, the bug netting is about 12” from my face.

After a career of jumping out of airplanes for Uncle Sam , I am a good inch shorter and my back is fubar. The hammock is my goto place to sleep. Just my .02.
 
Cth6 said:
One of the guys I fly with camps with one of those. It has a 3” thermal pad and he uses his sleeping bag and a small pillow. He swears by it. We have been in some strong winds and it is always upright. Normally he places his bags on the cot when he is not in there to weigh it down. The coldest I have camped with him was just at freezing. I prefer to sleep in a hammock with a similar set up, 1.5” thermal pad, sleeping bag, bug netting and a simple rain fly. He is set up in about 5 mins. My hammock takes a few more minutes as I have to bag inflate my thermal pad. My lightweight backpack tent takes about 15 mins to be sleep ready.

Agree with all of the points that a good bag with a matching pad will keep your bottom warm. I camp quite often and I really only go for the tent when my wife is with me. I did try out his cot/tent for a few mins and I was suprised how roomy it felt. With the hammock, the bug netting is about 12” from my face.

After a career of jumping out of airplanes for Uncle Sam , I am a good inch shorter and my back is fubar. The hammock is my goto place to sleep. Just my .02.
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I know a lot of people that swear by hammocks and love them. I have seen a LOT of videos of people that didnt do great in them and laughed too hard to try one out! Unless I can set my camera up first, then maybe I would try it! Ha!!
 
Vlad said:
Hey Rocky if you transition Northern Utah you have a place to stay.

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Hey there Vlad! I do plan on heading out to Yellowstone, then Caldwell Idaho, down to St George - Moab area. I will be sure to stop in and see you. When I get closer dates I will email you my plans. It will be good to see you again!!
 
rockwoodrv9 said:
I am preparing for a cross country trip. I do not plan to camp much but there may be a time or two where I cant get a ride into town or I just want to stay with my plane. since I am traveling alone I do not have any weight issues. I looked at tents and saw this raised cot, tent. My thought is it is off the ground and would hardly be noticeable. I am not looking for a tent to last forever or in hard weather. I will just stay in a hotel those nights. does anyone have any experience or suggestions for a night or two right on the asphalt next to my plane? Thanks



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Consider a lightweight cot inside a tent that is on the ground. I used this at OSH and it was stupendous.
 
rockwoodrv9 said:
Thanks for the suggestions. This tent may not be the best option but these are my reasons for looking for something different. My route will be from Michigan to Idaho, Utah, and Colorado visiting old friends and family. I may pop up to Seattle if the weather and timing works.

I have had 3 lower back surgeries and 2 cervical fusions so I will be bringing a nice air bed mattress and a foam pad to go on top of it. I have recently lost 35 pounds so I can bring a few real comfort items.

I am more concerned with being cool enough rather than too cold. I plan to be gone about 8-10 days and maybe sleep by the plane two or maybe three nights - maybe none. My thought on the tent on a cot was it would be almost invisible next to the plane and off the hot asphalt. It would draw less attention from cops or others passing by. I didnt consider it blowing away but could easily tie it to the wing. If I take a standard tent, I will need a cot for the support and getting off the ground.

As for food, I would pick up something on a stop or the night before so Im not taking any cooking equipment. I may modify that and bring my small jetboil and a pot but plan to eat out or grab a sandwich from my small cooler. I do plan to bring a folding chair and a rechargeable light.

I have enough Marriott points to stay in hotels whenever I want but wanted an option for a couple places along my route where I may want to be at a small airport. A reasonably tall tent so I can fit a cot and airbed on it is probably a better idea. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Rocky
You are welcome in Larson Lodge anytime. We have three extra rooms and Sweetie makes the best Mexican food. Seriously. No restaurant comes close. I'll make you some waffles or pancakes for breakfast with all the fresh ground coffee you want.

As a long time camper...
I have camped on pavement. No likey. It radiates cold or heat. As far as equipment...
-Dang good tent. Your choice. I have used the same one for 30+ years and it still serves me well.
Thermorest mattress and pillow. Keeps you warm. Self inflating. I have four because they are so good.
Dang good sleeping bag. I have two each for serious cold and two for above 32.
The rest is incidental. If you can sleep warm and dry, nothing else is a big deal.
I like a little device to boil water for coffee or to make MRE meals.
Hardware for eating is handy. A good Swiss Army or camping set works.
Freeze dried food, instant coffee and makins.
Light.
Good water bottle like a Yeti.
Fire starter kit if really in survival mode.
Personal protection if so inclined.
 
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wirejock said:
Rocky
You are welcome in Larson Lodge anytime. We have three extra rooms and Sweetie makes the best Mexican food. Seriously. No restaurant comes close. I'll make you some waffles or pancakes for breakfast with all the fresh ground coffee you want.

As a long time camper...
I have camped on pavement. No likey. It radiates cold or heat. As far as equipment...
-Dang good tent. Your choice. I have used the same one for 30+ years and it still serves me well.
Thermorest mattress and pillow. Keeps you warm. Self inflating. I have four because they are so good.
Dang good sleeping bag. I have two each for serious cold and two for above 32.
The rest is incidental. If you can sleep warm and dry, nothing else is a big deal.
I like a little device to boil water for coffee or to make MRE meals.
Hardware for eating is handy. A good Swiss Army or camping set works.
Freeze dried food, instant coffee and makins.
Light.
Good water bottle like a Yeti.
Fire starter kit if really in survival mode.
Personal protection if so inclined.
Click to expand...
If I get close to your area I would love to stop in and meet you. I have been too much of a wimp to fly into OSH and see everyone. Maybe if I put a smoke system on so people can see me in the conga line, I would give it a chance!!
 
I have two tent cots. They are really well made and are fantastic when there may be a chance of rain or flooding. You won't wake up floating on an air mattress like what happens to many people at Oshkosh. They are also easier to enter and exit since they are elevated. And less likely to find snakes or scorpions trying to get in. And talk about a great place to sit down and take off and store your shoes, right under the tent (shake out before use). Seem to get less grass and dirt inside the tent cot too since you leave the shoes outside.

However..... They are very bulky and heavy. There's a lot going on with the cot sub-structure that adds weight and length to the package. I don't think that I could carry two in my RV-8. And one would really bulk out the aft baggage area. So keep that in mind.

I used them at KOSH one year but we had a Comanche driver bring them for us. I also stayed in them at the Gila Wilderness Fly-In but again had my brother fly a Cessna 172 in we all used as a cargo carrier. I would probably get more RV use out of a lightweight conventional tent.

The Gila was cold but we did fine with a pad and sleeping bag.
 
My RV isn't finished yet, but my wife and I take cots to sleep on at Oshkosh in our Cessna 170. They are heavy, but after sleeping on them I don't plan on sleeping on an air mattress ever again. Not sure what I'll do when flying my RV to Oshkosh yet.

I don't wake up at 2am with my butt touching the ground anymore. Some of the other advantages for the two of us are that we can actually sit in our tent, the room below the cot is great for putting our bags, you don't have to crawl around on an air mattress, and it is much easier to get dressed when standing in between the two cots.


 

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dstates said:
My RV isn't finished yet, but my wife and I take cots to sleep on at Oshkosh in our Cessna 170. They are heavy, but after sleeping on them I don't plan on sleeping on an air mattress ever again. Not sure what I'll do when flying my RV to Oshkosh yet.

I don't wake up at 2am with my butt touching the ground anymore. Some of the other advantages for the two of us are that we can actually sit in our tent, the room below the cot is great for putting our bags, you don't have to crawl around on an air mattress, and it is much easier to get dressed when standing in between the two cots.


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That cot looks nice. I will still need an air bed on it but it is wide enough and off the ground enough to sit on. It says it is 21 pounds. It doesnt look that heavy but maybe it is.
 
rockwoodrv9 said:
That cot looks nice. I will still need an air bed on it but it is wide enough and off the ground enough to sit on. It says it is 21 pounds. It doesnt look that heavy but maybe it is.
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I probably don't need to say this but, if you get this tent (or any tent system, for that matter), set it up in the back yard and spend a night or two in it before you take it on the road. That way you will also know how it is set up. Sometimes you will be doing that on the road, in the dark with the Wind blowing.......... :oops:

I use a tall Coleman Queen size mattress at OSH and there is nothing better. I can sit on it. Top it off with the battery-operated blower before retiring after a LONG day on the field and it's nearly like being at home! Too big for that tent but there are multiple twin-size blowup mattresses (amazing how many there are!) that would elevate you off the ground, be amazingly comfortable and you can sit on them. I would use a in-tent cot before that elevated tent. IMHO.....YMMV........been camping since I was 4 yo..........
 
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A song suddenly comes to mind:

🎶See them tumbling down
Pledging their love to the ground
Lonely, but free, I'll be found
Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds🎵

With apologies to the Sons of the Pioneers
See post #5 about tools and buying quality first..............

😉
 
If you really want to camp with your plane, I agree with others that suggest a regular tent plus a cot, but from your post I’m not really sure that’s your goal. It sounds more like you’re just looking for an option when for some reason you can’t get a hotel or ground transport from the airport. Lots of airports have lounges that are accessible after hours. With the wealth of airport information available these days, why not just plan one of those for your o/n stop and if needed put your cot inside?
 
Regardless of what you decide, pick your overnight with considerations for location.
Many small airports are located in industrial zones and may be noisy especially at night.
I’ve stayed in some nice lounges that were noisy as hell. Gypsum plant, Freight forwarding lot, etc….

Also, the areas you are flying into can have severe storms. No tent can stand up to a thunderstorms winds. I bailed into an open hangar, slept on a table, and picked up the pieces of my tent for the garbage the next morning….
 
For boiling water and cooking, I do like the solo stove mesa xl coupled with an Amazon device to set a frying pan up on it. Uses sticks for fuel and doesn’t take much to get it rolling. Cooked bacon and eggs every day with it at Oshkosh. That said, propane may be cleaner and less sooty, but then you’re dependent on having a canister of fuel, so just pick what’s more important to you.
 
JonJay said:
Regardless of what you decide, pick your overnight with considerations for location.
Many small airports are located in industrial zones and may be noisy especially at night.
I’ve stayed in some nice lounges that were noisy as hell. Gypsum plant, Freight forwarding lot, etc….

Also, the areas you are flying into can have severe storms. No tent can stand up to a thunderstorms winds. I bailed into an open hangar, slept on a table, and picked up the pieces of my tent for the garbage the next morning….
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Some tents can when properly pitched. Just take a walk around Oshkosh after a big storm.
 
I started volunteering at OSH in 1987 (how is THAT possible??) and went through a variety of tents. I started with my cute little REI single person dome. It actually did pretty well but I needed something bigger to store my stuff. I actually don't remember what tent came next, but I had two air mattresses in it: one for sleeping and one that functioned as a Personal Equipment Flotation Device. I just expected water to be in the tent after an Event.

Then I landed on Cabela's Alaska Guide 4-man tent. Used that for years, maybe decades. Still have it. Then, as my tent mate needed more room, moved up to the 6-man and recently sprang for an 8-man. TONS of room in that tent! In the.....how many years has that been.....?....many years I have camped at OSH near the Vintage Operations Building in the trees, I have since NEVER had water in my tent. Yes, I seal the seams every few years. It is securely staked down including the 'outriggers', especially on the West through North, as that where the storms come from. I have been inside during some terrific storm Rain/Wind events.....2023 comes to mind.......and was tempted to reach up and hold the tent up but that was never necessary. And dry.

If you go to the Vintage Volunteer area SouthWest from our Operations Building where most of us camp, that is an area we affectionately call 'Camp Cabela' as the majority of us have Cabela tents and most are Alaska Guide. It is sea of GREEN!😊 We have all been there long enough that we understand the need for our shelter to be the best and that will survive whatever OSH and Ma Nature throw at us. These tents have no equal. IMHO.....and that of Vintage Volunteers. 😊
 

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Overkill on my part, perhaps - but on long cross country trips I generally have a full backpack in the rear seat of my RV-8. That way, any landing spot is capable of becoming home for a couple weeks if necessary. My tent is a Bibler/Black Diamond mountaineer type that has withstood many a stiff wind. A complete backpack setup (with laptop computer in one of the pockets) gives me that extra sense of confidence if I were to be AOG somewhere without facilities - or at one of those wonderful RAF strips that are popping up all across America.

IMG_4815.jpegIMG_4873.jpeg
 
A man prepared! I love it! Osprey Aether +70: great choice of backpack. None better! Plenty of room and a comfortable load! I even see your Sunhat sticking out from under the flap!
 
PandaCub said:
Overkill on my part, perhaps - but on long cross country trips I generally have a full backpack in the rear seat of my RV-8. That way, any landing spot is capable of becoming home for a couple weeks if necessary. My tent is a Bibler/Black Diamond mountaineer type that has withstood many a stiff wind. A complete backpack setup (with laptop computer in one of the pockets) gives me that extra sense of confidence if I were to be AOG somewhere without facilities - or at one of those wonderful RAF strips that are popping up all across America.

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Love the Biblers. Have 2 of them and you’ll never have to worry about wind or rain. My wife loves the Awhanahee, with the ExPed pad. The pad is bulky but there is no comparison.
 
tom_AZ said:
If you really want to camp with your plane, I agree with others that suggest a regular tent plus a cot, but from your post I’m not really sure that’s your goal. It sounds more like you’re just looking for an option when for some reason you can’t get a hotel or ground transport from the airport. Lots of airports have lounges that are accessible after hours. With the wealth of airport information available these days, why not just plan one of those for your o/n stop and if needed put your cot inside?
Click to expand...

I have checked my tentative stops and made sure they have a lounge open all night or look the other way on camping. If it looks like crappy weather, I will detour to a town I can get to a hotel. I do not have a rigid schedule and Im old enough to care more about being comfortable to saving a few bucks! Ha!

I ordered a cot and a camping air bed. I will give them a try at home and see if I need a thicker mattress or maybe a mattress topper to help out. Im going to get a tent - just in case I need to stay outside. Maybe at West Yellowstone where they have a campground at the airport or down in southern Utah. I have had a bunch of offers from VAF friends and other friends to stay so I am looking forward to the trip.

Thanks again everyone. I appreciate the info and opinions. Im new to this flying stuff with my first flight review coming up next month so I havent been a pilot long enough to have an ego! Ha!!
 
I've used a cot-tent a couple of times. They're great if you have room for them, but they're heavy and bulky. Mine weights about 30 lbs and folds up into a shape like a giant pizza box thats probably about 3' square and about 6" thick. The one you linked looks like it probably collapses into a smaller package, but I suspect you may have trouble fitting it into the baggage compartment of an RV9 unless you takeout the passenger seat.

Pleas let us know how it works out.
 
Until we had an exhibit at AirVenture, I had one of these if I went solo without Suzanne. Took high winds and rain with no issues at all. I had a cot to make things easier. The tent with the rain fly can roll up and fit into a backpack.
 

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