The Best Cots For Hiking and Hunting
When hiking or hunting, a good night's sleep is crucial. Cots are an excellent option to keep you cozy and off the ground. However, they are heavy and hard to transport on the road.
We compared and evaluated 10 of the best cots on the quality of their comfort, portability, and durability.
Comfort
A good night's sleep on the trail is crucial to enjoying your camping experience. Unlike sleeping on the ground, cots help you stay away from the cold and uneven terrain while providing a comfortable place to rest in. When choosing a cot, ensure that it is light and offers solid support to ensure you get a great night's rest. Cots with a mattress-like surface are particularly desirable and are often designed to be used with an air mattress or sleeping pad to add an extra layer of insulation.
The right cot for you is essential for car camping or backpacking. Consider lightweight options such as the Helinox Lite Cot and ALPS Mountaineering ReadyLite Cot for backpackers. They are extremely portable sleeping solutions that can be easily carried in your backpack. If you combine car camping and backpacking, consider something larger and heavier, such as the Coleman ComfortSmart Deluxe or REI Kingdom Cot 3.
If you want a more luxurious option 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.
When choosing a cot, it's also important to consider its materials and construction. The fabric's fragility can lead to rips and tears, so look for a cot made of high-quality materials that are made to stand up to regular use. To ensure that your cot lasts many years, look for features like a 600D poly material and reinforced seams.
A cot must also offer a decent amount of cushioning to keep you from the hard and uncomfortable ground. Some models, like the Coleman ComfortSmart Deluxe are quilted and padded, while others include REI Kingdom Cot 3 have baffles that stop you from sinking into the cot. A cot should be long enough to accommodate your height and wide enough for you to comfortably lie down in. It is recommended to choose a cot that has a sufficient weight capacity, especially if you are traveling with a partner or pet.
Portability
The best camping cots are lightweight and can be placed in a smaller space in your pack. This lets you fit more sleeping equipment into your backpack. They are also lighter than many other camp bedding options and can add up quickly on long hikes or multi-day backcountry trips. The mobility of the cot is essential when considering how long it takes to pack and unpack your gear.
It may only take a few minutes to unfold and assemble a cot, dependent on the model. Some models are more complicated and require more assembly. Other models have parts that are difficult to find or connect. Some cots have built-in storage pockets, or other features that help you minimize the amount of time spent building your bed.
The most versatile cots come with adjustable legs, which allow the user to adjust them for different ground conditions. Some cots are equipped with a tether that helps keep them stable in conditions of stormy or windy weather. They are particularly useful for backpacking, when the stability of your shelter can be compromised by unstable or uneven ground.
When choosing a cot, take into consideration how often you'll be using it, as well as the place you'd like to stay. Cots that are lightweight and fold compactly are perfect for backpacking. However cots that are built to last and have a larger sleeping area work better for car camping or basecamps. If you intend to use your cot mostly at home, it's worth purchasing a set of bedding that is specifically made for the cot you're using. It usually includes flat and fitted sheets as well as an appropriate pillowcase.
If you're looking for a comfortable easy-to-set up cot that is suitable for a variety of camping and camping, the Byer of Maine Easy Cot is a fantastic choice. It folds into a case similar to an outdoor chair and is equipped with straps for easy transportation. This cot doesn't have the biggest sleeping area of our top choices. However, its strong frames and sturdy materials make it a great option for most camping trips.
Easy Setup
Cots are often required when camping but they also are more difficult to set up than other types of sleeping equipment. This is due to the fact that you need to place them on an even area, that can be difficult to locate when camping. Some of them also come with bars for the foot and head that you might not want to touch when sleeping.
The top cots we tested were relatively simple to set up. They are also self-standing, which is a huge relief since you don't have to worry about how to secure them. Some have simple folding designs and only require a few clicks. Traditional cots are different. You must assemble the frame yourself and tension the fabric, which takes an enormous amount of strength and time.
The Alps Mountaineering Double Kwik cot is one of easiest to set up, which means it can be used both for car camping and tent camping. It can also be used on backpacking trips. It's heavier than your typical camping cot, however it can be folded down to the same size as a folding campchair's carry case. Cot Bed is extremely durable, constructed of tough and comfortable 600D polyester, with an aluminum frame that is sturdy.
Another model we recommend is the Coleman Pack-Away Cot, which is also easy to set up. It has a unibody design that eliminates bars on the head and feet. This makes it ideal for back and side sleepers. The cot can be folded down to a size similar to the bag that you carry in your preferred backpack. It's heavier than some of the other cots we've tried, but it feels very robust and is suitable for adults up to 225 pounds.
We were also impressed by the Helinox Lite Cot, which is a very light cot that is very easy to install. It takes just a few moments to unfold and snap into place and then a few pulls for it to be broken down. The legs lock into place by a unique lever lock system that is extremely secure and provides a solid platform for sleeping bags.
Durability
The best camping cots are built to withstand a lot of abuse and use. They feature durable components like aluminum frames and sturdy fabrics. Fabric must be tightly woven to ensure that it will not fall apart under the weight of an individual sleeping. A high-quality cot will be constructed of 600D polyester, which is heavy duty and can stand up to wear and tear. The top cots also have reinforced seams and double stitching in high-stress areas such as pole sleeves.
Cots are great for camping as they keep you off the ground, comfy and protected from insects and other creatures that might be roaming in your campsite at night. They also offer an excellent alternative to sleeping bags and foam pads if you're hiking or backpacking. But not all cots are created to be the same and some require you to pair them with an additional sleeping pad for maximum comfort. This can be a big problem, especially for backpackers who are already carrying a heavy backpack.
Some cots, for instance the REI Co-op Kingdom Cot 3, use an air bed to make them more comfortable, so you can get an excellent night's sleep and not need to carry a sleeping pad along with you. However the cot is big and bulky, so it's not easy to fit it into a tent even if the tent is plenty of space.
The Helinox Lite Cot is another fantastic option that doesn't require an additional pad to be comfortable. Its aluminum frame is lightweight and provides great support and is comfortable to sleep on. It was more comfortable for our test participants to use on hiking trips than an air or foam cushion.
They are also ideal for guests staying with you, and you don't want them sleep on the floor. They're also an excellent addition to an RV or camper because they're much more comfortable than inflatable mattress. Plus, they're more sturdy than tents or an air mattress, so you don't need to worry about them bouncing around or blowing up in the middle of the night.