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The Most Comfortable Way to Sleep Outside: A Practical Guide

Haven Tents · October 21, 2026 · 4 min read
Two Haven hammock tents hanging side by side in an autumn forest

What's the most comfortable way to sleep outside? For most people it comes down to four things: a flat, evenly supported surface; insulation underneath you as well as on top; shelter from wind, rain and bugs; and a setup you can sleep in your normal position. How you get there depends on how you camp. Car campers can bring a cot, a thick mattress or a rooftop tent. Backpackers usually rely on a good pad in a light tent. If you sleep on your side or stomach, or wake up sore on the ground, a lay-flat hammock tent gives you a flat bed off the ground with the insulation and shelter built in. No single setup is best for everyone; here's how to choose.

Our pick: For side and stomach sleepers, and anyone who wakes up sore on the ground, a lay-flat hammock tent is the most comfortable way to sleep outside wherever there are trees or room for a stand. It ticks all four boxes in one kit: a flat surface, insulation underneath, and a built-in bug net and rainfly. Car campers should start with the Haven XL or the Haven Safari, and backpackers with the Haven Spectre. Families who want everyone in one shelter will do better with a large tent and thick mattresses.

Two Haven hammock tents hanging side by side in an autumn forest

The four things that make sleeping outside comfortable

  1. A flat, supported surface. Your body is used to a mattress. Lumps, slopes and curves (like a traditional hammock's banana shape) are what keep most people awake.
  2. Insulation underneath. The ground, or cold air under a hammock or cot, pulls heat from below faster than air does from above. A sleeping bag compresses under you, so it doesn't do much there.
  3. Shelter. Wind, rain, bugs and early light all wake you up. A good rainfly, a bug net and a sheltered spot matter as much as the bed.
  4. Your normal sleep position. If you sleep on your side or stomach at home, a setup that forces you onto your back won't feel comfortable however soft it is.

Options compared

SetupFlat surfaceOff the groundSide/stomach friendlyBest for
Tent + thin backpacking padYesNoDepends on padBackpacking, lowest weight
Tent + thick pad or camp mattressYesNoBetterCar camping
Tent + cotYes, firmYesUsuallyCar camping with space
Traditional hammock + underquiltNo, curvedYesHard for mostBack sleepers among trees
Lay-flat hammock tentYesYesYesSide and stomach sleepers; anyone sore on the ground
Rooftop tentYesYesYesVehicle-based trips

Why we built a lay-flat hammock tent

Our founder, Derek, spent years sleeping badly outside: on a pad over rocks and roots, then in hammocks that bent him like a banana. The Haven is his answer: an insulated air mattress held flat in a suspended frame, with a rainfly and bug net built in. You sleep off the ground, on a flat surface, in whatever position you sleep in at home. The design is explained in The Secret Design Behind the Haven Tent, and what we mean by an outdoor sleep system is on our hub page.

It has trade-offs. Each Haven sleeps one person (285 lb rating, or 350 lb for the Safari), it needs two trees, a stand or a hitch mount, and it's heavier than a bare hammock or an ultralight tent. When a ground tent is the better choice is covered in Haven vs Ground Tents.

Three Haven Tents hanging between aspen trees on the Main Salmon River

Match the setup to what keeps you awake

The best shelter for sleep depends on what's waking you up. Start there:

What keeps you awakeWhat usually helps
Rocks, roots or a slopeA level site, a thicker pad, or getting off the ground (cot or hammock tent)
Sore hips or shouldersMore cushioning, or a flat bed off the ground; see Camping With Back, Hip or Joint Pain
Cold from belowBetter insulation underneath (why it matters even off the ground)
HeatShade, airflow and a lighter bag; hammock tents in hot weather
BugsA shelter you can zip fully closed
Early lightAn eye mask, or pitch where morning shade falls
NoiseEarplugs, and a site away from roads and busy loops
Wind and rainA shelter pitched for storms; hammock tent vs tent in rain and wind
Feeling crampedA roomier tent, or a wider bed such as a 30 in Haven

Comfort tips whatever you sleep in

  • Test at home. A backyard night tells you more than a spec sheet.
  • Dial in your bed. Inflate pads fully and top them off at bedtime. In a hammock, get the hang angle right (guide).
  • Dress for the night's low. Bring a bag or quilt rated below it, and sleep in a dry layer.
  • Bring a real pillow and earplugs.
  • Vent your shelter to keep condensation down (managing condensation).

Find the right setup for you

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