**If you are in a hurry, I recommend the NAIZEA Folding Camping Cot as the best camping cot for side sleepers. It has the best combination of comfortable design and versatility*
Being a side sleeper in the outdoors is kind of like being left-handed. It’s not a disadvantage, but everything around you is built for someone else.
An air mattress sinks in and doesn’t have enough support to make you feel comfortable, and using a sleeping bag on the ground is too stiff for the shoulders and hips.
A camping cot gives you just enough support to lay into the fabric without causing pain in your shoulder and hips.
Take a look at the best camping cots for side sleepers that offer a restful night’s sleep in the outdoors and protect the areas side sleepers suffer from the most.
Are Camping Cots Good for Side Sleepers?
An additional mattress pad attachment that lays over the top of the fabric provides extra support for a side sleeper’s hips and shoulders.
Your body has a better chance to recover after long days outdoors and you’ll get off the ground.
There have been a couple of times when ants made their way into my tent and being off the ground saved me from one of my worst nightmares.
Here are a couple of considerations to keep in mind when you’re shopping for the best camping cots for side sleepers.
Support
There are a couple of ways to look at support for side sleepers who are in the market for a camping cot.
You can consider how much weight the cot can hold and the support for your hips and shoulders as you lay down for the night.
Side sleepers experience some of the biggest pains in their shoulders and hips because these become the main resting points for your body when laying down on any sleeping surface.
When you are able to lift up the head slightly to be more aligned with your shoulder position, it can alleviate that pain.
Some of the cots on this list are able to elevate the head by tilting the headrest up a little.
All comfortable cots on this list will hold several hundred pounds but you can see that number varies from 300-500.
This shouldn’t be a problem for most campers but if you have a heavy pack or have a heavy pet that likes to jump in bed with you then you want to make sure you’re going to be covered.
As far as support for side sleepers who need extra comfort for their hips and shoulders, most of the cots on this list will come with a foam pad mattress to lay on top of the cot.
This will provide all the support you need to get a solid night’s rest. The cots that do not come with this feature will often have a mattress pad available for purchase separately from the cot.
Portability
All of the cots on this list fold up fairly easily and will not take a lot of time to unpack or tear down.
None of them will require assembly either. What separates them apart is often a carrying case or how much space they take up when folded.
The carrying cases have handles you can throw around your shoulder or carry by hand for easy transportation.
The ones that do not come with a carrying case will require you to find your own way to haul around.
Usually, this is done by grabbing a hold of the frame and carrying it this way.
Most of the options on the market will weigh about 20lbs but some can come in slightly lighter.
Either way, you don’t want to take this hiking with you but they won’t be any problem taking from the back of a car right to your campsite.
Best Overall: NAIZEA Folding Camping Cot
The NAIZEA is a quality camping cot but it has similar features to other brands making the same type of camping cot. What separates this one from others is the sheer amount of options you can choose from.
Side sleepers will be pleased browsing through multiple mattress options like a pearl cotton pad, corduroy cotton pad, and 4D air pad.
The pad is about 3″ in height so it provides extra comfort for your shoulders and hips when laying down for the night.
There are four belts that run along the underside of the cot that help to keep the sleeping surface from sagging.
This should help your body from contorting to weird positions as you sleep.
The NAIZEA is a lightweight cot that folds up easily and has its own carrying bag, but the only problem is the pad attachment won’t fit in the bag with the cot so you’ll have to carry it separately.
It’s versatile so you can use it for car camping or for traveling to your site.
The abundance of pad choices combined with the smart design build keeps the NAIZEA at the top of the list for best camping cots for side sleepers.
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Best Luxury: Coleman Camping Cot, Air Mattress, and Pump Combo
Get a restoring night’s rest as a side-sleeper with the impressive Coleman Camping Cot, air mattress, and pump combo.
The large frame holds it up on uneven camping grounds and it’s tall enough for you to store gear underneath. Removing the challenge when getting in and out of bed.
The most comforting part of the Coleman camping cot is the large queen-sized air mattress that comes with a durable cover. You can bring a big blanket or use your sleeping bag to get a great nights rest.
It’s essentially a double camping cot you can use on your own with your partner. You can blow it up easily using the battery-operated pump that comes with your cot.
Two extendable side tables come out on either side of the Coleman Camping Cot with built-in cupholders.
The tables are small and don’t have much support but being able to set your valuables right next to you at the end of a long camping day makes outdoor life just a little easier.
The biggest worry, and this goes for every double-sized camping cot, is the metal bar that runs through the middle of the cot.
With the included thick air mattress, you won’t feel even know it’s there on your next camping trip.
Best Budget: Coleman ComfortSmart Cot
When it comes to the Coleman ComfortSmart Cot what you see is what you get.
Pretty straightforward camping cot that is beneficial to side sleepers because of the thick foam sleeping pad that comes with it.
This provides extra cushion compared to stretched fabric cots and will help relieve shoulder and hip pain.
The single piece frame folds easily and will be no problem to set up or tear down but it does take up a significant amount of space when folded compared to other camping cots for side sleepers.
It’s more of a car camping cot for this reason.
The taller campers will need to purchase the Deluxe model to give some extra room because the regular cot doesn’t allow enough leg space.
It’s about 20lbs in weight so you won’t have trouble hauling this from your trunk to your site but you won’t want to take it on any hiking trips.
The Coleman won’t wow you with any special features but if you are looking for a cot that you will be able to rely on for several seasons while still providing comfort for your shoulder and hips then consider this camping cot at the top of your list.
REDCAMP Folding Camping Cots Extra Wide
Although the REDCAMP Extra Wide Camping Cot doesn’t come with an extra mattress pad, the double layer polyester fabric is sturdy enough to keep you supported all through the night. You could even add a sleeping pad if you wanted to get more padded protection.
The extra wide build provides a perfect camping cot for side sleepers who toss and turn. And the thicker elliptical shaped tubes provide more stability that holds up to 500lbs even though it’s a lightweight cot weighing in at only 17 pounds. Because it’s one of those portable folding cots, you’ll be able to get everything set up within about 10 seconds. The easy one piece frame allows you to unfold easily from the carrying case.
The side organizational pocket is convenient to throw your small valuables inside like your phone or wallet. Even though a camping mattress doesn’t come with the Extra Wide model you can still purchase one separately for extra comfort on your shoulder and hip points. The only real issue with this cot for side sleepers is the noise it makes when you move around. The fabric rubs against the frame and can be too much for some campers. But the REDCAMP can be considered one of the more durable and high quality cots for side sleepers on the market.
ABORON Camping Cots
The Aboron camping cot is a lot like the NAIZEA at the top of this list. It has similar camping cot features like the four reinforcement belts on the underside of the fabric to keep it from sagging.
It also has multiple mattress pad options that lay on top of the fabric to give you some extra padded comfort.
This is the extra wide option at 28″ so your elbows and knees won’t stick out when you’re on your side as it would for the 26″ option.
This specific type of cot doesn’t fold up as small as others so you don’t get a convenient bag to carry with you. You’ll have to carry it like a foldable lawn chair.
The Aboron isn’t quite as portable as the other options on this list but it is just as comfortable when sleeping in the outdoors.
What Is the Most Comfortable Camping Cot?
My choice for the best camping cot for side sleepers is the NAIZEA Folding Camping Cot because of its comfortable design and versatility. It comes with it’s own soft pillow and sleeping mattress so your hip and shoulders will love you after a good night’s sleep. No other camping cot on the list offers this much comfortability. It’s sturdy enough to handle up to 400lbs and sets up within seconds. The ELTOW is built for side sleepers who are looking for a comfortable option that’s also going to hold up throughout the years.
