Camping season in Alaska has officially started! But does the thought of sleeping on the hard, cold ground keep you from heading out of town and setting up camp in the woods?

Good news: camping no longer requires you to toss and turn and try to get comfortable on roots and stones barely covered by a bedroll. You can choose from all manner of camping mattresses, and even lightweight ones good for backpacking can be comfortable. Furthermore, camp pillows have come a long way; many can be compressed into small, packable pockets and then expanded when it’s time to sleep.

The Anchorage REI has a great selection of camping mattresses, including thick, fleece-topped inflatable ones that are good for folks with back problems. And if you’re car camping, you’re only limited by how much you can fit into your car! Thick foam pads and tall inflatable beds as well as your regular pillow will easily roll up into your trunk or back seat.

Do you have any coping mechanisms for sleeping in a tent?