The camp cot thread; what's good, what's bad ...

[jeffryscott]

I am beginning to look for a cot and am finding the information here is scattered all over. So, I thought it might benefit the community if we had info in one thread.

I will be looking at a cot for myself, and eventually one for my wife and I, and two for my girls, ages 9 and 7. Since I will get the most use of one, and have the bad back, I am thinking an XL size since I am 6'3 and about 220. I have pads to put on, so that is covered. There are so many choices, I just want to stay away from a bad one ...

Favorites? Ones to avoid? Post them.

A few I am looking at are: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camp...Rprd735034&WTz_l=SBC;BRprd735034;cat104280480 and http://www.rei.com/product/814205/byer-easy-cot

Easy to setup, take down and comfort are primary considerations. Stored size is also important, but less so than the other criteria.

As for double cots, there seem to be few choices, but two I have found are the Kamp-Rite, here: http://store.kamprite.com/product.php?is_hc=Y&mode=add&productid=16139&cat=254&page=1

It looks good and doesn't appear or have a bar in the middle. Anybody with experience with this one?

The other double is the Cabelas queen here: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...15049.uts?WTz_l=SBC;cat104795280;cat104712480

Again, looks good ...

For the kids, I have thought of bunk beds (while the kids are fine sleeping on the ground, I think they would be miffed if I was on a cot and they were on the ground) these would save space in a tent. Cabelas has these: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Disc-O-Bed-Cam-O-Cot-Bunk-Beds/735034.uts

Any experience?

Thanks!

 

[barlowrs]

Love my REI Comfort Cot...VERY comfy! Also cool that the backrest can be adjusted so I can make it a chair, or just sleep with my head higher.

http://www.rei.com/product/765277/rei-comfort-cot

 

[silvrzuki77]

I would not buy anything from REI, they do not support off highway vehicles. So your money is helping with shutting down our access. Luckily I have a basspro down the street.

 

[ken richardson]

My vote is for the Camptime Roll a Cot. They are very comfortable, light weight, and relatively easy to assemble. I used to have the canvas type and aways had trouble getting the cross bar at the head/foot to seat firmly. Was always a major wrestling match. Now not so much but I recommend setting up any cot you get outside the tent first. Always is a hastle if you are doing it in the tent.

 

[Douglas]

Another vote for the REI Comfort Cot. i have spent 20 nights on it so far, and it is amazing. For reference, 40 year old male with two blown disks. The only down side is folded size.

 

[1leglance]

Great thread Jeff
I have never been happy with the cots I own but I like the Camptime Roll Cot
I also like the tent that goes on a cot that I saw at Bass Pro once..been thinking about that alot

Looking forward to what folks post here

 

[MAD Duo]

I have the Cabela's heavy duty Army cot and it has worked great for me. Used it off and on the last 6 years and no problems thus far. Folds up pretty compact and can be wedged anywhere in the bed of a truck. Super sturdy to boot.

 

[TangoBlue]

I wasn't enjoying sleeping on the ground anymore. I picked this cot up 2 years ago after a long search for something that packed small, reasonably priced, and lightweight. I found this from Alps Mountaineering and have been very pleased.

http://www.alpsmountaineering.com/furniture/cots/lightweight-cot

Features

Dimensions: 30" wide x 74" long x 7.5" tall
Carry Bag Dimensions: 14" x 2" x 34"
Color: Green
Fabric: 600D Polyester
Very Lightweight and Compatible
Durable Steel Frame
Weight: 11.5 lbs.
250 lb. Capacity

 

[Honu]

we might be selling the trailer and going to a tent so got some cots so far the camptime roll a cot is great spent about a week on it so far and love it


we are also going to try the disco and have the kids sleep on the bottom they are very heavy kinda large to pack but seem pretty nice and comfy cause they are wide ! you can order the narrow ones direct from them for your kids ?

the upside to the disco is the bunk idea and more room you can easily drop the top one down and it makes a couch we thought on those days if we get stuck inside it might be handy ? but who knows as we tend to get out even if it rains

one thing about the disco went to cabelas and they have these 36 inch wide self inflating mat that matches the 36 inch of the disco and got to say it was pretty nice with the width

my kids are 3 and 7 the 7 year old loves the cots she did not like the idea of sleeping below us but thought it would be OK if we slept on the bottom and she slept on top if we got the disco heehehhe

 

[fatrat]

The Disco is awesome! My 3 & 7 yr old girls would love that. This is a great thread as I have been thinking about getting cots for the family.

 

[elefex]

My wife and I don't use beds, just cots.

We've tried out the "roll a cot" but I have returned that back to REI. It is very comfortable and a very good design, it may work for your application. The reason why I have returned it is that I found the fabric stretches out a lot and will become very warped in <1 year of daily use (for reference, I weigh <140 lbs).

The "tongue-and-groove" lightweight cots like the Byer Allagash AL suffers from a design flaw of the groove where the legs are inserted into. After a year or so, they will enlarge and make your cot less sturdy. If you are handy with tools, it is a relatively simple fix however.

Right now, we are using the "Disc-O-Bed" from Cabelas and have been using that daily since June. It is doing fantastic and is a wonderful product. When you call the company for customer service, the owner answers the phone! They have very neat add-ons for it, we have purchased two of the optional night stands. The top bunk could collapse down and the cot could be converted into a couch in a couple of seconds. This bed could take a lot of weight as well (the most we've had on it was about 230 lbs. ).

In addition to the Disc-O-Bed, we also have an "Emergency Cot" made by Slumberjack. This design of cot is very, very, sturdy but it is also incredibly heavy.

One tip if you want to be real comfortable: have an insulated mat such as a closed cell foam mat under you, it is crucial if you don't want to freeze. Put a small foam twin-sized mattress topper on top of that and cover it with SHEETS. I can almost guarantee that it would be more comfortable than your bed at home.

 

[Honu]

Interesting on the camptime roll cot stretching
One question does it return or stay stretched ?

The disco end shelf unit seems cool also told the wife if I got one the IV stand they have for it would make a great lantern holder

For me the upside is I can fit 4 camp time cots in less space than the disco and less weight
The upside is we need less tent with disco but straighter walls are important as sloping walls tend to loose floor space quickly with the height ?

Elefex you ever try that couch layout they show ? Is it real or gimmick and to uncomfortable or hassle etc...

 

[jim65wagon]

It's Slumberjacks for us. Comfy, no center cross bar, easy to setup and takedown...

 

[tdesanto]

Jeff, find out what Marzonie is using. He's using a cot full time now.

 

[womacje]

I have 60 days on the Camp time roll a cot, and I love it! Link here