The Best Cots For Hiking and Hunting
A restful and peaceful night is essential when you're hiking or hunting, and cots are an excellent option for keeping you off the ground and comfy. However, cots can be heavy and hard to transport for travel.
We compared and scored 10 of the best cots on comfort, portability and durability.
Comfort
A good night's sleep is vital to enjoy your camping trip. Instead of sleeping on the ground you can rest comfortably in a sleeping cot. Find a cot that is light but also offers a solid foundation. This will guarantee you a restful night's sleep. Cots that feature a mattress-like surface are particularly desirable and are often designed to be used in conjunction with an air mattress or a sleeping pad to add an extra layer of insulation.
Finding the right cot is crucial for car camping or backpacking. Consider lightweight options such as the Helinox Lite Cot and ALPS Mountaineering ReadyLite Cot for backpackers. These are extremely portable sleeping solutions that can be carried in your backpack. If you do a mixture of car camping and backpacking and camping, you might want to consider something heavier such as the REI Kingdom Cot 3 or Coleman ComfortSmart Deluxe.
If you want a more luxurious option, all of the cots that made this list are designed to be as similar as they can to a traditional mattress. They're heavier than their ultra-lightweight counterparts, however, they're easy to carry and set up on the trail.
It's important to also consider the materials and construction of the cot when selecting one. Fabrics that are thin are more prone to rips and tears so choose an cot that is made of top-quality fabrics that are designed to withstand the rigors of daily use. Look for details like a 600D polyester fabric and reinforced seams to ensure your cot will last for a long time to be.
A cot must also offer a good amount of cushioning to shield you against the hard rough surface. Certain models, like the Coleman ComfortSmart Deluxe, are cushioned and quilted, whereas others, like the REI Kingdom Cot 3, come with baffles to stop your feet from sinking. Also, a cot must be long enough to meet your height and wide enough for you to comfortably lay down in. Find a cot that has an adequate weight capacity to be able to help your body, especially if you're traveling with a partner or pets.
Portability
The best cot newborn camping cots are lightweight and take up less space in your backpack. This allows you to put more sleeping gear in your backpack. They are less heavy than other alternatives for camp bedding, which is a big advantage on long hikes and multi-day backcountry excursions. Considering how much time you'll spend packing and unpacking your gear, the ability to move a cot around is a significant aspect in its overall score.
Depending on the model you choose, it can take a couple of minutes to unfold and set up a coffin. Certain models are more difficult and require more assembly. Some have components that are difficult to locate or connect. Some cots are equipped with storage pockets, or other features that help you minimize the amount of time spent making your bed.
The most flexible cots have adjustable legs, which allow you to adjust them for different ground conditions. Some cots are equipped with a tether that helps keep them in place during stormy or windy weather. They're particularly useful for backpacking, when the security of your shelter may be weakened by uneven or unstable ground.
Consider how often you'll use the cot as well as the place you intend to stay when you select a cot. Cots with a lightweight design and compact fold are perfect for backpacking, while the ones with a strong construction and a larger sleeping space are better suited to basecamps or camping in cars. If you intend to use your cot beds mostly at home, you should consider investing in a set of bedding designed specifically for the cot you have. This includes fitted and flat sheets as well as the pillowcase that matches.
If you're in search of a comfortable, easy-to-set-up cot that's suitable for all types of camping and camping, the Byer of Maine Easy Cot is a fantastic choice. It folds down into a case resembling an outdoor chair and comes with a strap for easy transport. This cot does not have the biggest sleeping area of our top selections. However, its sturdy materials and durable frames make it a great choice for most camping trips.
Easy Setup
Cots are often a necessity for camping but they can be more difficult to set-up than other sleeping equipment. This is due to the fact that they require you to put them up on an even surface, which can be difficult to find in the wilderness. Additionally, some of them have bars over their foot and head areas that you could prefer not to hit during your sleep.
Thankfully, the best cots that we tested are simple to set up. Some of them are self-standing and are a massive relief since it eliminates the need for you to figure out how to secure them while others have an easy fold-out design and just a few clicks to get them into the proper position. Traditional cheap baby nursery cots for sale; http://www.kaseisyoji.com/, are a different story. You have to assemble the frame yourself and tension the fabric, cheap Cot beds (topspeed.lv) which takes lots of energy and time.
The Alps Mountaineering Double Kwik cot is among the easiest to set up, which means it can be used both for car camping and tent camping. It can also be used for trips to backpack. It's heavier than your typical camping cot, but it can be tucked away to the same size as a folding campchair's carry case. It's extremely durable, constructed of a rugged and comfy 600D polyester, with a sturdy aluminum frame.
We also recommend the Coleman Pack-Away Cot. It is simple to set up. It has a unibody design that removes bars across the head and feet. This makes it perfect for those who sleep on their backs and sides. The cot also packs down to a size that's about the same size as the bag you carry in your favorite backpack. It's a bit heavier than other cots we tested however it's extremely sturdy and is suitable for adults up to 225 pounds.
The Helinox Lite Cot is a lightweight cot that is easy to set-up. It takes only a few seconds to unfold and snap into place and only requires a few pulls to take it apart to store it. The legs are locked using a unique lever-lock mechanism that is extremely secure and offers a sturdy platform for your sleeping bag.
Durability
The most comfortable camping cots are built to withstand the rigors of abuse and use. They are constructed with sturdy materials such as aluminum frames and tough fabrics. Fabric must be tightly woven to ensure that it will not tear when the sleeping person. A high-quality cot is made of 600D polyester which is heavy duty and can withstand wear and tear. The best cots are made with double stitching and reinforced seams in high stress zones such as pole sleeves.
They're great for camping, as they will keep you warm and free of any bugs or other creatures that could be lurking around in the dark. Cots can be a great substitute for sleeping mats and foam mattresses for hiking or backpacking. However not all cots are made in the same way, and some require you to pair them with an additional sleeping pad to ensure optimal comfort. This can be a huge hassle, especially for backpackers with a heavy bag.
Some cots come with an air mattress to make them more comfortable. This lets you have a restful night's sleep without bringing a sleeping mat. However the cot is heavy and bulky, which means it can be hard to fit it into a tent, even if the tent has plenty of space.
The Helinox Lite Cot is another great option that doesn't require an additional pad to be comfortable. Its aluminum frame, which is lightweight, provides good support and is extremely comfortable to sleep on. Our testers who used it on hiking backpacking trips said they were more comfortable than using an air or foam pad.
They're also ideal for guests staying with you, and you don't want to have them sleep on the floor. They're also a great addition to a camper, RV or any other vehicle with mattresses. They're more comfortable than inflatable mattresses. Additionally, they're more stable than a tent or air mattress, which means you don't have to worry about them shifting or blowing up in the middle of the night.