Couch Surfing Kit Bagged and Ready to Go

 

 Couch-surfing Comfort Sleep Kit

 

Yes, I’m a bit of a gearhead and not ashamed to admit I like my comfort as I age.  If you read my post about lodging on April 1st, 2013, you read about alternative lodging like Couch Surfing and Global Freeloading.  I put together (and have used) a sleeping kit rivaling my bed at home (possibly even more comfortable).  It’s quite expensive (buy like I do when the item turns up on sale if you can) but, believe me, boy is it comfortable!  The whole kit would equal the cost of about three nights in a three-star German hotel.  My philosophy about crashing at someone’s home is that I should be grateful I have a roof to sleep under and a bathroom.  Consequently, I want to impose on  my host as little as possible so I bring my own bedroom with me.  I have used this when visiting relatives but it has more promise than just using it on overnight or weekend visits here in the USA.  The entire kit weighs only 12.6 pounds (or less, depending what items you put in it), has a bed with mattress, chair, pillow, bedside table, light blanket or down comforter depending on temperature, and a bag to put it all in.  I could add a silk sleeping bag liner if I wanted.  I can only rationalize taking this kit with me overseas if I planned on a month-long trip and almost every place I stay is free lodging because my goal is one carry-on bag.  This kit would have to be checked baggage most likely.  Yes, it should meet carry-on requirements if you’re allowed to bring two carry-on sized bags aboard but I would be ready to check it if necessary.  You would also have to carry two bags with you when traveling by train or whatever.  I toyed with the idea of adding some Fozzil dishes and a cook pot weighing about half a pound but the way I see it, you’re spending nothing on lodging so you can afford to take your host out for a meal or two and you can buy your meals or some sandwiches to gnaw on otherwise.  For my budget, I went high on the hog on this one.  Start out with the bag.  It’s an Eagle Creek packable duffel which weighs only eight ounces.  Inside it is the bed, a Thermarest Luxurylite Mesh Cot at 3 pounds and 12 ounces, 26 inches wide, and 72 inches long (get the 26 inches wide—the extra cost is worth it).  I feel compelled to say a few words about this cot.  It is mesh so it is cool in the summer.  It'll hold about 325 pounds.  I weigh about 180 and it doesn't bottom out.  I can sleep on my side and never touch the ground.  If you knew me, you would say "wow!" when I admit that it's almost as comfortable as sleeping in my hammock.  The pillow is a Cocoon ultralight air core pillow which weighs about four ounces.  The mattress pad is a Thermarest  Basecamp sleeping pad  measuring 20 inches wide by 72 inches long, is two inches thick, and weighs in at two pounds and nine ounces.  For car camping, we use a Thermarest Trail Pro which is 25 inches across and 72 inches long (2 inches thick).  It's just too big for the Eagle Creek bag so it doesn't get to go overseas even though it fits the cot perfectly.  Also in the kit is a Thermarest Trekker Chair into which the pad fits to make a really comfortable chair.   The chair, sans pad, weighs in at about three quarters of a pound.   Besides a silk sleeping bag liner (silk is the way to go on a liner and I highly recommend this company),  I have the option of a super warm down Thermarest Ventra Down Comforter (made by Thermarest so it fits) weighing in at 2.5 pounds or a Coolmax travel blanket weighing in at about ten ounces.  My bedside backpacking table (which can also be used for one or two person picnics) is a GSI Outdoors MicroTable weighing in at one and a half pounds.  Photos below.  The doggie is Sassy the Wander Dog who is too old for travel now but is an expert on comfort.  It was a job getting her off the down comforter so I could take the pic.

Left to right:  Ventra Down Comforter folded in half length-wise, Luxurylite Mesh Cot, and Micro-table.  Resting on the cot are a Cocoon air-core pillow, a Thermarest Basecamp inflatable pad, a Cocoon Coolmax blanket folded in half length-wise and a bit under to make it fit enough for the photo.  The Trekker Chair is on the blanket.

 

View of the Trekker chair behind the micro-table beside the cot with the Cocoon pillow and Ventra comforter on it.  The Coolmax blanket is in its bag sitting on the table.  Sassy is unhappy she had to move off the comfortable sleeping area.