Acamp bed is a narrow, light-weightbed, often made of sturdy cloth stretched over a folding frame.^[1] The term camp bed is common in the United Kingdom, but in North America they are often referred to ascots. Camp beds are used by themilitary in temporarycamps and in emergency situations where large numbers of people are in need of housing afterdisasters.^[2] They are also used forrecreational purposes, such as overnightcamping trips.

It is believed thatKing Tutankhamun, who reigned inEgypt from approximately 1332 to 1323 BC, may have had the first camping bed. WhenTutankhamun's tomb was opened in 1922, a room full of furniture was found to contain a three-section camping bed that folded up into a Z shape.^[3] Though the king, who had aclubfoot, may never have taken part in long-distanceexplorations, the elaborate folding bed suggests he had an interest in camping andhunting.^[3]

TheNew-York Historical Society owns a camp bed thought to have been used by GeneralGeorge Washington during theAmerican Revolutionary War, including during the hard winter at Valley Forge. It is made in three sections, with each section consisting of a wood frame stretched with canvas, supported by an X-shaped wooden base withiron mounts. According to the donor, Washington gave the camp bed to his recording secretary,Richard Varick, at the close of the war. It was passed down through Varick's descendants until it was donated to the Historical Society in 1871.^[4]

Napoleon Bonaparte and his high-ranking officers used camp beds with a frame ofgiltcopper. The bed's six legs had wheels, and its vertical poles could support a canopy. Striped twill was attached to the frame by means of hooks in the copper frame. Napoleon died in such a camp bed on 5 May 1821, on the island ofSaint Helena.^[5]

• Various camp beds
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  German soldier on a collapsible camp bed, 1941
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  American Army Folding Bed, used inWorld War II
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  French portable field bed withmosquito net
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  Cots for potential evacuees from the2007 California wildfires

• Camping chair
• Stretcher
• Wall bed

• Video of George Washington's military camp bed