Affordable Cots For Backpackers
These cots offer an extra comfortable sleeping experience for backpackers, without compromising their backpack space or back muscles.
Our mum test-taker loved this luxurious cot that is beautiful enough to fit Scandi design nursery designs. It it is also very practical with three mattress base heights that will keep it functional until your child is four years old.
Mountain Summit Gear Horizon Cot
The Mountain Summit Gear Horizon Cot, our top budget pick, is a great option for campers who want an easy solution to sleep. It's easy to set up and pack and comfortable to sleep on. This cot's large, wide base can hold people with a height of up to 6 feet and 300 lbs. Our testers reported that it was stable on most types of terrain. It also has a side pocket for holding items like sleeping pads, water bottles, and phones. The Mountain Summit Gear Horizon Cot, while bulkier than some backpacking cots, is still portable. It fits into most car camping tents.
If you're looking to buy something a bit more luxurious then the REI Cooperative Kingdom Cot 3 is a excellent choice. This cot can sleep two people and is extremely comfortable, even without an inflatable mattress. The cot features a plush quilted, soft surface that's easy to lie on, as well as baffles on the sides to stop you from falling off. The cot is also robust, with a thick steel and aluminum bars that connect to oversized and swiveling legs, making it stable on all terrains. It was simple to set up for our testers, but the last knob connecting to the main bar required additional strength.
The Byer of Maine Easy Cot is an excellent option. It's very similar to the top pick when it comes to packing and setting up. It folds similarly to the folding camping chair. The middle joints snap together easily. It's heavier and larger than the Osage river model, however, it folds down into a smaller carry bag that's about the same size as a chair's carry bag. It also has a bigger sleeping area and a storage pocket on the side that makes it an ideal option for anyone in need of a comfortable camping cot that can double as a spare guest bed at home. You can also find the cot that has a headrest attached to provide additional comfort.
Onwak Cots
Onwak Cots are the ideal camping cot if you need a sturdy, lightweight cot. This cot has a unique folding design and is constructed of high-quality materials. It's easy to store and move. It is also very comfortable and durable and can be used as a lounger or bed.
In addition to being a wonderful cot for camping, the Onwak Cots is also perfect for backpacking and hiking. Its lightweight iron or aluminum construction allows it to easily support large loads while remaining portable and affordable. The cot has also been rigorously tested for superior quality and performance. The Onwak team utilizes the best cots materials to make its products and offers the best service, even when it's shipping in large quantities.
The Kamp-rite Double Kwik Cot is the ideal bed for couples who enjoy camping together. It can be set up in minutes and is ready to sleep. It has many convenient features including a washable denier base with a padded section, as well as a mesh storage hammock. It can also be used a chair or lounger, and it has multiple reclining positions to customize your experience.
The Coleman ComfortSmart is a great option for those who do not require a cot as comfy as a bed. It can be set up in less than two minutes. It also has a broad foot at the bottom of each leg that swivels to adjust to uneven ground. It's also reasonably priced and includes or without a mattress.
The Coleman ComfortSmart is an excellent choice for car campers. However, it's not the best option for backpackers or hikers in the backcountry. It's too heavy and cumbersome to carry for long distances, so it's best for those who are driving to their camping spots. The legs are a bit difficult to unfold and feed back into the body of the cot to store.
Helinox Lite Cot
Helinox Cot One Convertible combines the highest quality fabric engineered by a specialist with non-stretch technologies to create a lightweight camp bed that is durable and comfortable. The patented tensioners remove the need for bulky cross bars and braces, and provide great tension to the bed's surface without adding weight. They also stop the cot from getting flat when it's placed on uneven ground. The only drawback to this model is its higher price.
If you're a backpacker on a tight budget there are some other low-cost Cot options available. The OEX Ultralite Folding Cot, for example, costs less than half the price of the Helinox Lite Cot while being considerably heavier. The biggest drawback of OEX is its difficulty assembly. It isn't easy for those with smaller frames to bend five leg assemblies.
Helinox Lite Cots feature a unique tensioning system with a lever lock, which makes them simpler to assemble and disassemble. The lever is on the opposite side of each leg and features an arm pivoting that connects with the top frame bar. The other side of the lever is a tab that is compressed and is pressed to release it. The mechanical leverage of this mechanism provides immense tension to the bed surface without adding bulk or stress to the legs.
Another benefit of the Lite small cot beds is that it can be adjusted to different heights using the leg extensions. This is very helpful if you're camping in an alpine environment where you'll need to get off the ground because of snow or uneven terrain. However, the low profile of this cot could be a disadvantage if you're moving a lot during the night or when you share your tent with another.
As with other cots, the Lite Cot requires some time to set up and take down. After a few uses it becomes easy to set up and then pack. It is also incredibly lightweight and compact for a cot, and fits in the majority of vans and cars with their gear packed. This makes it an excellent choice for bike and car camping.
ALPS Mountaineering ReadyLite Cot
If you're looking for a backpacking cot that is easy to pack and set up it's the ALPS Mountaineering ReadyLite Cot is an excellent option. It is light and durable due to its aluminum frame 7000 series and 420D honeycomb polyester rip-stop material. It weighs less than five pounds, but it can carry 300 pounds of weight. It folds into the size of a carry bag 7x17 inches that makes it simple to carry.
The ALPS ReadyLite Cot is unlike other cots that require you to spread it out from the middle. Instead, its legs extend out at the bottom of each side. This means that all you need to do is spread the cot out and then tighten the straps. We found that it was one of the most simple cotes to set up, although its bulkier dimensions could make it difficult to fit in some tents.
ALPS Mountaineering ReadyLite, while not as lightweight as other cots listed here, is still the best baby cots option for backpacking cots. Additionally, its wide feet at the bottom of each leg swivel in order to adapt to uneven terrain and even allow you to sleep in the rain.