A few tips for tent comforts

Four words: Queen Size Air Matress!
My dad's coming to town the day after I get back, and I give up the bedroom for him, so I'm just going to pitch the tent again in the backyard and sleep there for another week.

Another thing to add is a spray bottle of Fabreeze to settle the dust before bedding down at night. Actually any spray mister will work.

When sleeping in a tent on playa I utilize either a "Thermarest" brand self-inflatable backpacking pad or just a foam rubber mattress overlaid by a moving blanket. Very comfy either way.

If you can add some extra fabric of any kind between the tent body and the tent's rainfly it'll stay way cooler. Again, moving blankets work well for this purpose.

Pitch your tent to the west of a high profile vehicle or shade structure. This will give you another hour or three of protection from the sun allowing you to sleep in later.

** I have to add another vote for an air mattress or pad of some kind. **

I used to think this was some kind of princess-y cop out. Then I started reading backpacking, camping and hiking materials and they all mention the importance of some kind of ground pad or inflatable matress. It's not just about the extra padding, it's about heat conservation. You need something between your bag and the ground so you don't lose all your body heat to the cold ground. And an extra blanket is just not going to do it.

My Testimonial:
It really, truly does make a world of difference in your comfort, and therefore your state of mind and your enjoyment. I used one for the first time at our regional last year. This was in high desert and it was unusually cold that year. It rained, snowed, or rained and snow every day. We woke up to slush piled on our tent and our water froze overnight. The majority of people were miserable and uncomfortable, it was a harsh year by everyone's standards. I'm the kind of person that is painfully cold when it drops below 60. Seriously. I'm totally incapable of making or maintaining my own body heat. But I actually had a great time at the eventIn part due to the fact that I was warmer when I slept and actually did get some sleep. It made such a difference in my outlook.

You can get discounted pads on places like www.overstock.com and www.sierratradingpost.com . Target sells a Coleman queen size inflatable mattress with built-in battery powered inflator and carrying bag for $30. You may even be able to find a used one at a thrift store or ebay.

just wanted to give some more Yes votes to some of the things Genie recommended:

* KOOL TIE

...I'm hoping to make some things based on the kool tie for my next playa trip. Also wetting your hat or clothes can help keep you cool. Anyone know if it's ok to use your shower grey water (not food grey water) for hat and clothes wet downs?

* King-sized sheet to cover bed and pillows and protect from dust. Don't sleep under it, just cover when you aren't in bed.

...I don't do the sheet thing, but I do make sure to cover the bedding.
First, I always put the pillows *inside* the sleeping bag when I get up. Even if the tent gets buried in dust, you won't have to put your face in it.
Second, I make sure the blankets and bag are flat (not bunched up or twisted around, letting dust inside) and then folding the bedding together in half, pulling the bottom end up to the pillow end. That keeps the dust on the underside of the bedding, leaving the top part that's exposed to my hands and face cleaner.

* Plastic drawer bins: Best stackable solution. Easy to see, access and sort. Place under a table to minimize dust. All items in drawers were zipped.

...While those soft duffle bags are great for airplane trips, they're not very helpful for playa camping. Though the plastic bins or drawers may seem like they take up more room, they are so much more useful than luggage bags. First, they're better at keeping dust out. Second, they keep your stuff easily accessible and organized: no rummaging through an every-milling load of stuff and no endless searching in the dark. Third, you can use the top of the bin or drawer as a table or nightstand.

* Foil: Cover your car windows on the inside with foil.

...I just use one of those foil windshield visor, the kind meant for when you park your car in the summer. I've heard some people cut them up and use them for the other windows too. It's a good idea to have something blocking the sun from your car. One, it will prevent the things you have locked in there (like an ipod) from becoming damaged from the intense heat. Two, it will make prevent your car from turning into an oven (unless you plan to cook on the dashboard, in which case you want to use it as an oven). Three, it will make it more comfortable when you get in it to drive home.

In addition:
- Consider a small, portable camp stove.
Even a single burner just big enough for a tea kettle or soup pot can make a big difference. Every time I've done playa camping or regional camping (just as cold) I've been reminded how a hot beverage or soup makes cold evenings or cold mornings 10x more manageable and enjoyable. When you've been eating dry foods for 3 or 4 days a hot bowl of soup is the most amazing thing you've ever had. A cup of hot chocolate or hot coffee in the morning makes everything seem less annoying. ;) The other reason I was able to enjoy myself at last year's regional despite the rain and snow was due to the stove. It was the first time I'd ever used one and now I consider it essential. Being able to offer a neighbor coffee in the morning will also make you many friends. :)

- for those starting out from scratch, here's some thoughts on what gear you'll need:
tribes.tribe.net/burningma...db5af5eb75

Oooh! Back on topic. In 05 my tent mate brought a bus tub. She used it for everything from washing dishes to putting water in for sponge baths. I used it for a spongebath one day when it was too dusty out for a shower and it was really handy. Put it on a table and it's great for washing your hair.