Does anybody use a cot?

[calamaridog]

I like cots too, you can store your gear underneath them and maximize your tent space. I like the ones with aluminum poles.

I want a Tent Cot for solo trips where I don't need the whole tent.

 

[slepe67]

My Uncle Sam gave me a US issue cot, Thermarest, and sleeping system with Gore Tex liner. I use this setup all over the world and it has never let me down. For military use, or my own personal camping/hunting uses. I used to average about 190 days a year on a cot, and could not sleep on my bed well when at home. Hurt my back. Wife loved that....I think the Thermarest works well with the cot, especially for keeping the cold air from under you, and, I hate bugs crawling on me in my sleep. Not to mention, sleeping on cold, frozen, lumpy ground kinda sucks, since we are used to those comfy bed things. Use the cot without the Thermarest in the summer, and a cool breeze blows up from underneath. Well, depends on where you are....I recommend this setup. And a lot cheaper then REI. Sorry, (REI, not trying to punk you out) but, you can go to any army navy surplus and get a surplus cot/heavy ass arctic sleeping bad for pennies on the dollar compared to REI. Just my $.02. later JL

 

[Ursidae69]

Chuck (Ursadie or however the hell you spell that) seems to be really happy with his Big Black Cot. And he isn't ashamed to let people see it either. :sombrero:

(seriously....)

Running your mouth when I'm outta town... Slacka..

My cot is from Cabelas, here is a link. It's pretty hardcore.

I rarely use tents anymore unless it's winter camping or potentially going to rain and the back of my rig is full. Most often I'm on a cot, falling asleep to the view of the stars.

 

[vanguard]

I admire your big black cot. :smileeek:

If I like the concept and my $40 cot doesn't last I'll put it on the short list. Having said that, my cot arrived today and it seems pretty strong. I set it up in the house and both the kids jumped on it and started goofing aroud. It seems pretty well built.

I rarely use tents anymore unless it's winter camping or potentially going to rain and the back of my rig is full. Most often I'm on a cot, falling asleep to the view of the stars.

Spoken like a guy from out west. That approach will quickly get you very wet out here. I just thought about this. I've gone camping 6 times in the last 6 months and it rained every single trip.

 

[HiLift Jack]

Cots work had a bunker set up one time for the kids,

but I buy a cheap chaise lounge from K mart or such and use it until it fails. These have looped legs that are easier on the tent floor and can be used as a chair around the fire. Thermarest on top and lights out, in doors or out.

 

[Beowulf]

I wanted to revive the dead here.

How is everyone's cots doing? Are you still using them? Any new extremely compact Cots out on the market now?

 

[BigAl]

My cot is from Cabelas, here is a link. It's pretty hardcore.

I also use the cabelas XL. I bought the foam pad that goes with it. It feels pretty close to a single bed. The cabelas cots don't sag much so they are a little stiff without the pad.

 

[FourByLand]

I have a tent cot available if anyone is looking.

 

[vanguard]

I used a cot for about 2 years and grew to think it was the right decision. The only problem I had with it was that as part of the entire camping package it was getting to be a pita to set up. I would sometimes take the day off of work just so that I didn't have to set up camp at night. It was still better than an air mattress but not good enough.

A few months ago I got a hole in my tent so I went looking for something new. I was thinking I'd get one of those tents that you can toss in the air and they land setup, even though it would mean sleeping on a pad.

In the end I bought a tent cot. http://www.kamprite.com/pages/products/oversize (I'm not sure that link will work without the location cookie)

I've been on a few trips with it now and I'm really happy. I can go from pulling it out of the bed of my truck to actually being inside of it in less than 3 minutes, even if it's dark and windy. This youtube video is part of what sold me on the concept.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BKO-oZWNwaA

 

[ckkone]

I was planning on getting a couple of these from Cabela's this weekend....

 

[Lynn]

i have a similar cot, folds in half, with three hoop legs...one center, one at each end. while it is comfortable, it squeaks like a massive wet balloon with the slightest weight shift (the fabric dragging against the metal frame), and anyone sleeping nearby eventually gets on your case.

any good way to take the squeak out of the cot? other than the noise, it's pretty comfortable.

-sean

I know that this is a revived thread, and Sean's question was posted a long time ago, but just in case anyone else has this problem...

We had a cheap cot that squeaked. After a liberal dose of baby powder, it has been silent. I suspect it may need another dose some day, but it's been quiet for quite a while now.

 

[kellymoe]

The only time when I am better off on the ground is when it is very cold and windy. I found that even with a good pad on the cot I still got cold if there was a wind blowing, sucked the heat right out of me. I now sleep on the ground when it's really cold and save the cot for warmer trips.

 

[greybrick]

This is an interesting design for a lightweight cot;

http://www.luxurylite.com/cotindex.html

.

 

[atavuss]

here is another idea:

http://www.kamprite.com/pages/home

 

[greybrick]

Here's a neat design if camping in an area with large trees or if a teepee pole structure could be rigged; no need for a cot;

http://www.floatingbed.com/styles-settings.html