rnArmy
Adventurer
Oh that would be me!
I have quite a bit of experience using a tent cot. We took a couple of them on a trip we took to Canada (and ran the Dempster Highway on this particular trip).
Ours was made by Cabela's. Girl not included (bummer). Shown without the rainfly attached.
Double sized tent cots generally run about 48" - 54" wide by about 80" - 84" long. I can't really see them being made as a triple sized tent cot. There's a bar running down the center length ways, so you have to pick a side to sleep on. I think the double size is just right for one person as you can put your clothes and firearms or a dog or whatever on the other side. They are comfortable to sleep in, but for me anyways, they're generally not tall enough to fully sit up in (at least the Cabela's one - some have a higher ceiling). But the small-ish interior helps keep it warm inside. And I loved being off the ground. They worked out ok on our trip.
Two issues with tent-cots though to be aware of:
1. They don't fold up small - they take up a lot of space! Figure folded about a 4' square and about 8 - 10" tall. And you can't fold it with your bedding inside it like you can with some RTTs. And then once folded, you have to put it in the carrying bag. Doable, but not quickly. Figure they weigh about 55lbs. On mine the legs are made of steel.
2. With the rainfly on (as pictured above) and the awning out (which is a nice feature) you kinda have to get down on your knees to get inside. I had a cut piece of HF foam as a kinda carpet at the door to keep my knees clean as I was getting in and out. I think you can see the knee pads in the picture above.
And on our Cabela's ones, the roof is flat, so rainwater will pool up there. Mine has never leaked, but there has been a lot of rain pooled up there that I had to push off when I woke up. And the awning will let water pool on top too. Some tent-cots have a domed roof that should shed water.
After the trip, my buddy took his tent-cot home, and I took mine home. I wasn't sure what to do with it, and then I came up with the idea of using it as an RTT on my trailer. I removed the outer legs and then bolted it to the trailer's lid. The carrying bag would no longer fit, so I had a custom vinyl cover made. I've been running this setup for years, and it has worked out well.
To get in, I step on the fold-down step (you can see it beside the ammo can in front of the cooler), then step on the cooler, then into the tent. This Cabela's tent cot is built solid.
When setting it up when used as a RTT and it is windy, it is a little bit of a challenge to get the rain fly on.
And I can still access the inside of the trailer with the tent opened-up.
Lemme know if you have any questions.
Last edited: