By The Hazli Family — Peter & Louise · November 1, 2026
Quick answer: Sleeping on your side puts your weight on two narrow points, the shoulder and the hip, so side sleepers tend to notice a thin camping bed quickly. A memory foam camping mattress can suit side sleeping because the foam gives under those two points. For a side sleeper we recommend the four-inch depth (Twin XL or Queen) and a width of at least 36 inches so your bent knees stay on the bed.
This post is about comfort: how the bed feels when you lie on your side, and which choices can make it feel better. For the material basics, start with our memory foam camping mattress guide.
Why side sleepers struggle at camp
On your side, your weight concentrates on the shoulder and the hip, with a gap at the waist. Many camping beds do not handle that well.
- Thin foam pads can bottom out, so your hip feels the ground.
- Air beds can push back. Let air out to soften the shoulder and the hip may touch the ground.
- Bare cots are taut fabric. See camping cot vs foam mattress.
Memory foam compresses most where the load is highest, so the shoulder and hip can settle in. That is the reason it is the type we recommend to side sleepers who can carry a real mattress to camp.
Thickness: four inches if you can
Depth is the most important choice for a side sleeper. Three inches is enough for most back and stomach sleepers, kids and cot use, and it can work for lighter side sleepers too. Four inches is the one we recommend if you sleep on your side and have the headroom for it.
In the Hazli range the four-inch depth comes on the Twin XL (80 × 40 × 4 inches) and the Queen (80 × 60 × 4). The four smaller sizes are three inches. The trade-off for four inches is a bigger, heavier roll and an inch less headroom in a car; our mattress thickness guide weighs it up.
Width: bent knees need room
Side sleepers do not lie straight. The knees bend and come forward, and the top arm reaches out. On a 26-inch Cot size, a side sleeper's knees can hang over the edge. On a 30-inch Single they are close to it. At 36 inches (Twin) there is more room, and at 40 inches (Twin XL) more again.
For a couple where one or both sleep on their side, we would start with the 60-inch Queen. Memory foam also tends to pass along less of a partner's movement than an air bed does. The double and queen camping mattress guide covers sharing, and the camping mattress sizes guide shows how to check these widths against your car or tent floor before you order.
Pillows: the second half of side sleeping
- Head pillow height. On your side, the gap between the mattress and your ear is the width of your shoulder, so a side sleeper often wants a thicker pillow. Bring the pillow from your bed, or stack two camp pillows.
- A pillow between the knees. A small cushion, a folded fleece or a rolled towel keeps the top leg from sliding forward.
- Something to hug. A spare jacket in a stuff sack can rest under the top arm.
Setup notes for side sleepers
- Unroll early. Memory foam needs time to expand after being rolled, and you want the full depth. Out of the bag the moment you arrive.
- Let it warm. Memory foam can feel firmer when it is cold and softens as it warms. Lie on it for a few minutes before you judge it. Our post on memory foam in the cold explains.
- Level the floor side to side. A side sleeper on a sideways slope rolls toward the low wall all night.
- Fitted sheet, blanket under it on cool nights.
- Use the wall. If the mattress is narrower than the space, put one side against the car or tent wall and the gear on the other side.
Tip: At home, lie on the new mattress on your side on the living room floor for twenty minutes before the first trip. You have 30 days from delivery to decide.
Foam vs air for side sleepers, briefly
With a typical air bed, the main adjustment is firmer or softer overall. Memory foam responds locally to where your weight is, without you doing anything. The memory foam vs air mattress comparison covers the rest: weight, pack size and setup.
Our recommendation
For side sleepers who drive to camp, we recommend the Hazli Matrix Air-Cell memory foam camping mattress in the Twin XL (80 × 40 × 4) for one adult or the Queen (80 × 60 × 4) for two. It was named Best Camping Mattress in the USA for 2025 by Best of Best Review. The cover is waterproof, removable and machine washable. Every Hazli product is CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX certified.
The trade-offs are the same for every sleeper: it is heavier and bulkier than an air bed, it takes cargo space while you drive, and it needs time to expand after unrolling. You have 30 days from delivery to decide. It is sold here, on Amazon US and on Amazon Canada. See the sizes on the memory foam camping mattress collection.
