New REI Cot - Initial Review

[barlowrs]

OK, so after a pretty uncomfortable camping adventure with my gf, we decided that, since we are car camping now and not packing gear 3 days in on our backs, it’s time to expand from our 4 season 2 person tent and pro lite sleeping pads to something a bit more comfortable.

Now, I am just fine on my thermorest pro-lite, and I had every intention of continuing to use it, but my gf was not having that, so we decided to look into other options for her. After lots of thought and debate between air mattresses, thicker sleeping pads, cots, etc, she found this little gem on the REI website:

Of course, all the local REI did not have it, but after a few phone calls, we found one an hour or so north, so we went to check it out.

After arriving at REI we immediately opened the box for a “test”. Well, she laid on it and instantly decided it was worth the $140. After that she tells me to get on and test it out…….

Now you have to understand, up to this point, I had been making fun of her non stop about being a wimp and wanting to spend $140 on a fluffy floo-floo comfy bed to camp in….BIG MISTAKE! I got on it, and well….lets just say, the one in the pictures below, has a twin that is still in the box in the kitchen :bowdown:

Folded:

Chair Mode (back position is fully adjustable to wherever you want it):

Bed Time:

This thing is VERY comfy, VERY easy to setup and all in all, I recommend it. Before laying on it, I laughed at the idea of spending $140 on a cot, but I am singing a different tune now. The specs can be found on REI here: http://www.rei.com/product/765277


All the legs have adjustable height, so you can sit level on uneven ground, the back can be set up like a COMFORTABLE reclining chair and the padding is VERY nice. Anyone in the market for a comfy cot, this one is a winner!

 

[greg mgm]

That looks very comfy!

Thanks for the review!

 

[nbleak21]

Wow, that looks outstanding... as much as I'd love to pick one up, I've got an army issue one that allows me to sleep like a rock, even though it feels like i'm sleeping on a rock!

Maybe i'll pick one up for the misses down the road though!

 

[barlowrs]

Wow, that looks outstanding... as much as I'd love to pick one up, I've got an army issue one that allows me to sleep like a rock, even though it feels like i'm sleeping on a rock!

Maybe i'll pick one up for the misses down the road though!

That was the route I was going to go down. As a kid my dad and I used old army issue ones, so I had convinced myself that I would pick up a cheap one for myself, or just keep using my thermorest pad.....well that plan fell quickly after I climbed into this thing..haha

 

[kerry]

Looks comfy. Some questions: I usually carry a camp chair and an air mattress on raft trips. This could potentially serve both roles. However, I carry my air mattress in a barrel so that it's not wet when I go to sleep on it and I carry the chairs in a nylon bag stowed on the back of the raft. If they get wet, the nylon airs out in a few minutes. However, it looks like the foam in this cot, if not carried in a waterproof bag, would absorb water leaving one with a soggy night's sleep. Is that true?

 

[john101477]

Nice buy Robert. They look really comfy, but I have a question. What's the weight rating? And what happens when you want to be intimate? Looks a bit small.

 

[barlowrs]

Looks comfy. Some questions: I usually carry a camp chair and an air mattress on raft trips. This could potentially serve both roles. However, I carry my air mattress in a barrel so that it's not wet when I go to sleep on it and I carry the chairs in a nylon bag stowed on the back of the raft. If they get wet, the nylon airs out in a few minutes. However, it looks like the foam in this cot, if not carried in a waterproof bag, would absorb water leaving one with a soggy night's sleep. Is that true?

The specs say they are made out of a material that dries quickly (polyester fabric), but I have not tested that out yet. maybe call REI? not sure. sorry I am not much more help.

As far as using as a chair, you definatly can, and it is very comfortable and fully adjustable. In fact, last night I set it up in the living room and was watching TV from it..haha (its more comfortable than our couch!)

 

[barlowrs]

Nice buy Robert. They look really comfy, but I have a question. What's the weight rating? And what happens when you want to be intimate? Looks a bit small.

haha well, they are rated to 300 lbs, and, even though I have added a few pounds lately, my gf is still tiny, so we would probably be ok. We bought two though, one for each of us. as for intimate, ehh, well figure that out as we go, the second one could be a spare if we break the first one...HAHA

The cot itself has a suprisingly large surface area. It is quite a bit bigger than the old army cots I am used to. Me and my gf could fit on one pretty easily, just the weight is getting close to the limit (thanks to my newly aquired gut haha)

 

[john101477]

Haha that's why I suggested the queen size cot from cabelas lol. 500lbs rating. The one advantage to having two is you can set them on either side and have room in the middle to walk and what not but if ur still in that lovey dovey stage in your relationship you probably wanna hold hands or what ever. I showed Desiree your cots and she was like hell yeah. U have your space and I have mine lol. Not gonna happen hahaha.
As for the gut do not feel bad. I been laid off since feb of last year and have packed on an extra 50 lbs. Thank god Des has a fast metabilism. Even after our daughter she only added 4-5 lbs from our wedding day 3 years ago

 

[brentbba]

Robert,

Even tho I don't know you, I officially hate you for posting this product! Darn that does look comfy!! :drool:

I've gone from a Slumberjack cot, to a twin air mattress to a full air mattress in my tent back to the cot. I use a thermarest for thermal insulation on all of the above and just find that I sleep best on the cot!

Looks like the padding on this REI model would provide thermal insulation by itself, not to mention the comfy padding above what a thermarest provides - not to mention the built in convenience. Love the chair position too for a little night time reading before going to sleep.

 

[Salue]

Funny, I ordered this yesterday too and used my 20% member discount (I'm guessing you used it on something else already?) since it expired yesterday. I've been using the Camp Time Roll-a-cot and although it's light and rolls up small, after laying in the REI cot at their Seattle store, I decided to get one.
If you have room for one of these to bring camping, I don't think you'll go back to a pad/air mattress.

Cheers,
Salue

 

[barlowrs]

Robert,

Even tho I don't know you, I officially hate you for posting this product! Darn that does look comfy!! :drool:

I've gone from a Slumberjack cot, to a twin air mattress to a full air mattress in my tent back to the cot. I use a thermarest for thermal insulation on all of the above and just find that I sleep best on the cot!

Looks like the padding on this REI model would provide thermal insulation by itself, not to mention the comfy padding above what a thermarest provides - not to mention the built in convenience. Love the chair position too for a little night time reading before going to sleep.

HAHA, its ok, I understand the hate...it is nice and comfy. I will be taking my thermorest with me just in case, but another nice thing is that the leg configuration allows gear to be stored under the cot which will limit the air under me.

 

[nbleak21]

damn, you've got my brain tickin... so is it really THAT comfy??? I'm in iraq right now, so I dont have the op of just testing one out... but planning on camping as soon as i get back so i'd like to get whatever other gear sooner than later... and this is sounding more and more tasty!

 

[barlowrs]

damn, you've got my brain tickin... so is it really THAT comfy??? I'm in iraq right now, so I dont have the op of just testing one out... but planning on camping as soon as i get back so i'd like to get whatever other gear sooner than later... and this is sounding more and more tasty!

Well, I am fine on my thermorest prolite, however, my gf is quite picky, so the fact that she likes it, means it is..haha. the mattress part has padding all through it, and the coolest part it that it is not strung across taught like on a military cot, it is actually held in place by a huge bungee cord that wraps the entire circumference of the cot, so you are almost like in a padded hammock (though its not THAT free-floating).

I will admit, it is pretty damn comfortable, both as a chair and a bed.

After this weekend I can give you all a report of it in real life camping and not just setup in my apt watching TV on it.

 

[nbleak21]

Yeah, I saw that it looked as though it was bungee suspension... but is it really just one complete bungee cord? I could understand 6 or so big ones intertwined, but if it's just one, and it breaks due to abrasion or the no sock dance then you'd be SOL, right?