Greatest Tenting Cots of 2023

How We Examined Tenting Cots

The GearJunkie staff features a broad spectrum of out of doors fanatics. From hunters and anglers to overlanders and rock climbers, there’s one attribute that all of us have in frequent: a mess of nights spent sleeping exterior. Over a few years, we’ve tried nearly each sleep system for tenting, and cots stay a tried-and-true favourite.

Writer Billy Brown started our seek for probably the most comfy place to put down our heads in 2021, with an preliminary slate of 9 cots that coated the wants of most outside folks, from the cot-curious to the hunting-camp diehards.

In 2022, contributor Justin La Vigne added an Alaska-sized portion to our cot protection when he trudged out to his distant cabin within the forty ninth state with a number of cots in tow. La Vigine is an expert backcountry information and has personally tromped over 7,000 mountaineering miles (motive sufficient to necessitate one of the best in tenting sleep gear).

And at last, tester Meghan LaHatte isn’t any stranger to the tenting scene as she has lived in rural Colorado for the previous 6 years. As an avid climber, hiker, and biker, Meghan is aware of the significance of a very good night time’s relaxation underneath the celebs earlier than these action-packed days. She assisted in updating this information most lately by testing cots throughout a tenting journey on Kebler Go this previous summer season, and continues to check cots on a rolling foundation to maintain our choice recent.

Sleep is all the pieces when testing a tenting cot, so we spared no minute of shuteye in weighing these transportable bedrolls towards each other. Throughout testing, we take into account quite a few components, together with sturdiness, weight, worth, and most of all — consolation. It’s unimaginable to gauge the standard of a cot with out really sleeping on it. We did our due diligence and caught some Zs on quite a few cots till we recognized one of the best.

Purchaser’s Information: Find out how to Select a Tenting Cot

The query of tenting cots versus sleeping pads will depend on how you propose to journey. Contemplate how you propose to make use of your sleeping system and take a look at the choices beneath.

Tenting Cots vs. Sleeping Pads

Tenting Cots

Tenting cots elevate you off the bottom, offering a softer night time’s sleep. In addition they assist to forestall the chilly floor from chilling you as you sleep.

In addition they present a a lot bigger sleeping house. This makes it much less seemingly that you simply’ll roll off of it in the course of the night time. Nevertheless, cots are typically heavy, they usually’re a lot bulkier than sleeping pads. This makes nearly all of them lower than superb for transportable use.

For individuals who solely sleep a brief distance from their automobiles, tenting cots are a terrific alternative. Since they gained’t be hauling their cots far, the added weight and bulk aren’t as a lot of a problem.

On this case, consolation and ease of setup are usually the largest considerations. As a result of tenting cots are usually a better approximation to the common mattress, they’re often extra comfy than sleeping pads.

Sleeping Pads

Sleeping pads are a lot lighter and extra compressible than cots. They’re additionally usually softer than cots that don’t have built-in cushioning.

Nevertheless, they do require you to sleep on the bottom. This exposes you to the bottom’s hardness and may let chilly switch from the bottom into your sleeping bag.

As a result of backpackers have to hold all of their gear with them whereas they hike, weight and packed measurement are large concerns. Many backpackers are keen to sacrifice the added consolation of a tenting cot for lighter and extra packable sleeping pads.

Many pads are additionally designed so as to add among the facilities that cots present. Insulated pads are constructed for cold-weather tenting. The insulation throughout the pad absorbs among the chilly coming from the bottom, stopping it from sapping warmth out of your sleeping bag.

Inflatable sleeping pads hold you off the bottom and will let you sleep on a cushion. These are softer than non-cushioned tenting cots however are often louder, because the light-weight materials could make a crunching sound if you transfer on it. The commonest description is that it’s like sleeping on a bag of chips.

Intrigued by sleeping pads? Take a look at GearJunkie’s full gear information to study extra.

Tenting Cots & Sleeping Pads

If luxurious is the objective and weight isn’t an choice, a tenting cot plus a sleeping pad is the best way to go. A tenting cot paired with a foam sleeping pad gives one of the best of each worlds.

The cot will elevate you off the bottom and offer you a much bigger house to sleep on, whereas the pad provides a very good quantity of softness. It’s much like the operate of the field springs and mattress of your mattress at residence.

If you wish to mix a cot and a pad, test to see if the cot you’re taking a look at has an add-on pad. Some corporations provide pads designed particularly to work with sure cots. This ensures that your pad will match completely together with your cot. Some even have securing techniques to connect the pad to the cot, which prevents it from transferring round or sliding off whilst you sleep. For a comfortable, all-in-one pad and cot choice, take a look at the REI Kingdom Cot 3.

Ease of Setup

Any piece of drugs is ineffective for those who can’t set it up. The mattress of a cot is usually composed of a fabric that’s stretched tight over a body that helps your physique.

Pulling the fabric tight sufficient to assist your weight requires a very good quantity of pressure. Many individuals discover it difficult to tug the final part of fabric over the body, usually requiring assist from one other individual to tug with sufficient power.

In our expertise testing these cots, we’ve discovered that the smaller a cot packs down, the extra sophisticated it’s to arrange. Typically, there are extra items to place collectively, and there are extra components that must be secured to create and keep pressure. Additionally, there are sometimes snap-together or folding sections that may pinch your fingers for those who’re not cautious.

We’ve even had a tester make the error of attempting to assemble a backpacking cot together with his down sleeping bag mendacity on high of it. Within the course of, he snapped two items collectively over the sleeping bag materials, inflicting a small tear within the bag.

The end result was clouds of fantastic down puffing out and filling the air within the tent each time the bag moved, which led to a late-night seek for duct tape (and quite a lot of swearing).

As is usually the case in terms of gear, there’s all the time a tradeoff in terms of how straightforward a tenting cot is to arrange. On the whole, the larger and bulkier a cot is, the simpler it’s to arrange. Smaller cots require extra items to be damaged down, however they weigh much less and pack smaller. Bigger cots are tougher to hold round, however they often require one or two steps to arrange.

Some cots are engineered with state-of-the-art applied sciences that make them simpler to assemble, particularly for individuals needing extra accessible designs and purposes. These applied sciences embrace easy-lock mechanisms, adjustable springs, and pop-out assemblies.

Determine whether or not you like comfort or mobility, and select one of the best cot on your wants. On this checklist, each the King Camp Folding Cot and the Coleman ComfortSmart Cot stand out for his or her fast and straightforward setup.

Consolation

Once more, there’s a tradeoff right here. Bigger camp cots with loads of house and padding are universally extra comfy. Nevertheless, they’re all however unimaginable to pack with you on a protracted hike or backpacking journey. Though smaller camp cots are much more cellular, they lack the frills and creature comforts of a bigger cot. Beneath are a number of methods you’ll be able to take into account your first or subsequent tenting cot when it comes to consolation.

Some cots require you to pair your sleeping pad with them for optimum use, whereas others even have built-in pads hooked up to the cot itself. Including a sleeping pad to your tenting cot setup may also help improve the heat and luxury of your setup — particularly in case you are used to sleeping in your pad alone anyway. 

Cots that don’t essentially require an added sleeping pad are likely to have the texture of laying in a hammock. The material needs to be stretchy sufficient that your physique is comfortably supported, however not completely missing in construction that you simply really feel such as you’re sinking in. We felt that the Disc-O-Mattress carried out properly on this occasion. 

When contemplating the consolation of a tenting cot, it’s additionally sensible to consider its total measurement. For those who are likely to toss and switch or sprawl out when sleeping, snagging a wider or double-size cot would in all probability be the only option for you. King-size cots just like the Teton Sports activities Clothing store XXL Camp Cot are essential in case you are planning on sharing your cot too. 

Lastly, it’s straightforward to neglect about top from the bottom when buying round for a tenting cot. Since you’re elevated off the bottom, you gained’t really feel any protruding rocks, sticks or lumps as you usually would sleeping on the tent flooring.

The airflow underneath your cot even helps regulate physique temperature by conserving you cool when it’s heat and defending you from the frosty floor through the winter. When contemplating top off the bottom, remember the fact that a shorter cot could be higher suited to tenting in a automobile, whereas a taller one can work greatest inside a taller dome-style tent.

For those who’re going backpacking, consolation is secondary to ease of transport. Ideally, you’re going to wish to go together with a cot that’s light-weight and packs all the way down to a manageable measurement. For those who’re tenting subsequent to your automobile, consolation is a precedence, so take into account the extra particulars beneath.

From this checklist, we’d take into account the Coleman Airbed Twin Cot among the many most comfy camp cots in the marketplace on account of its additional cushiony software.

Heat

It’s value noting that sleeping on a tenting cot is very like sleeping in a tenting hammock. With out the insulation of the bottom beneath, you’re extra more likely to grow to be chilly. It’s vital to both convey an underquilt or pair your cot with an insulated sleeping pad.

Tenting cots with built-in sleeping pads will usually be hotter than these with out as the additional cushioning helps you insulate physique temp. These thicker pads just like the one discovered on the  REI Co-op Kingdom Cot 3 paired with a heat sleeping pad would hold you loads cozy throughout some winter tenting motion, however the thinner pad on the Coleman ComfortSmart Cot could be greatest for summer season tenting for those who don’t want the additional insulation. 

Tenting cots with out hooked up sleeping pads are nice for absolutely customizing your sleeping setup so that you don’t get too frigid or toasty whereas attempting to catch these Z’s. What we love concerning the ALPS Mountaineering ReadyLite Cot is the choice to insert a sleeping pad into the platform, making for a safe match that can hold your physique loads insulated with out slipping out from underneath you. 

No matter you resolve when contemplating heat in a tenting cot, it’s all the time sensible to convey additional sleeping luggage, blankets, and insulation, particularly for those who’re winter automobile tenting. You possibly can all the time shed a number of layers, however there’s not a lot you are able to do for those who haven’t introduced the right provisions to remain cozy.

Sleep Space

Earlier than shopping for a cot, you’ll wish to first be certain that the cot is sufficiently big so that you can sleep on with out resting on the body. Most cots are lengthy sufficient to suit individuals as tall as 6 ft and run simply over 2 ft extensive.

For those who’re on the taller or wider facet, many cots such because the Klymit Cedar Mesa Cot provide XL or XXL variations. These cots are usually longer and wider to accommodate bigger individuals. Throughout testing whereas elk searching within the highlands of Colorado, our Editorial Director Sean McCoy introduced alongside the Cedar Mesa for 14 days straight, and the additional house garnered rave opinions from even the most important 6-foot, 200-pound hunters.

On this checklist, the Teton Sports activities Clothing store XXL Camp Cot provides a whopping 81 inches from head to toe. For those who’re unsure whether or not a cot will fit your needs, search for the specs on-line. The specs web page will present the cot’s dimensions, so that you’ll be capable to see whether or not it’s a very good match for you.

Cushioning

Most cots don’t have cushioning — the sleeping space is a bit of fabric like polyester cloth stretched tight to offer assist. Many campers discover these cots to be too agency, so that they’ll add a sleeping pad of some sort to offer cushioning.

For those who’d choose to sleep on one thing that appears like your mattress at residence or need an additional mattress for visiting people, search for a cot that comes with cushioning hooked up, such because the Coleman Airbed Twin Cot, or the REI Kingdom Cot 3.

Weight & Packed Measurement

A lot of the tenting cots are designed for automobile tenting, the place pack measurement and weight are much less of a problem. Tenting cots are typically on the bigger facet, weighing wherever from 12 kilos on the decrease finish to round 30 kilos on the upper finish.

Parts comparable to materials, cloth, and design issue into the burden of a tenting cot. Tenting cot frames made with supplies like metal will probably be heavier than these fabricated from aluminum. Cot materials like canvas and polyester have a tendency so as to add on weight in comparison with lighter nylon and mesh. Contemplate the place you’ll be utilizing your tenting cot and the way the general design could have an effect on your skill to hold it to your campsite or backpack with it by means of the wilderness. 

Talking of packing, a few of these cots are higher suited to only be tossed in a automobile moderately than packed in a backpack or duffel. Whereas we completely beloved the Coleman ComfortSmart Cot, we discovered that its 20-pound packed measurement was fairly cumbersome and actually solely superb to throw within the trunk if there was room. 

For searching purposes, packed measurement usually is the make-or-break motive for whether or not a cot comes alongside to the yurt or not. Contemplate that you simply’ll want to have the ability to load up your cot onto no matter ATV you’ll be driving in on, and that almost all camping-style cots of the folding fashion are too massive to perform this. Look to extra packable cots just like the Klymit Cedar Mesa Cot for one of the best searching software, a cot that our elk-fanatic tester referred to as “probably the greatest cots he’s ever slept on.”

Additional nonetheless on the opposite finish of the spectrum, some tenting cots can pack as small as a camp chair or sleeping bag, making it value it to throw in your backpack for an extended mileage tour. The ultralight Helinox Lite Cot actually soared on this entrance because it solely weighs in at 2 kilos, 12 ounces, and suits beautifully in our backpacks with out taking over an excessive amount of actual property.

Automotive Tenting

For those who plan on tenting subsequent to your automobile, the primary factor to think about is how a lot house you’ve got obtainable in your mode of transportation, and whether or not you’ll have sufficient room on your cots and the remainder of your gear. In case you have ample house, consolation usually turns into the primary precedence.

Select the largest, cushiest cot you could find, and don’t fear concerning the weight. Simply be sure to have sufficient room in your automobile for it.

Our go-to alternative for soft automobile tenting? The ultra-adaptable REI Co-op Trailgate Automobile Sleeping Platform. And for those who’re trying to shack up within the truck mattress? Go for the set-and-forget ease of the FLATED Air-Deck.

Hike-In Tenting

Individuals who camp in spots that require a brief hike from the automobile have extra concerns. If you need to hike to your campsite, make it possible for your tenting cot is gentle sufficient to hold to the positioning. Additionally, be certain that the cot isn’t too cumbersome to hold alongside the opposite needed gear.

Search for a tenting cot that’s stowed in a bag, ideally one with handles or a shoulder strap. You’ll be pleased about particulars like this when it’s time to hike your gear out of your automobile to the campsite.

The Klymit Cedar Mesa Cot is an excellent alternative for those who’re on the lookout for a tenting cot that’s gentle sufficient to hold with out getting winded. The included dealt with carrying case made establishing camp tremendous straightforward and handy with out too many journeys hauling gear from the automobile.

Backpacking

On the whole, tenting cots are usually not very suitable with backpacking. Cots are heavy and hulking — two phrases that backpackers keep away from in any respect prices.

If backpacking is your main fashion of tenting, and also you completely should sleep on a cot, take into account one of many light-weight cots we profile above. The Helinox Lite Cot or ALPS Mountaineering ReadyLite cots are gentle sufficient to take into the backcountry, however are nonetheless comfy sufficient to sleep on for those who often go automobile tenting.

Looking

Distant searching outposts accessed by truck, ATV, or pack animal could be made all of the extra livable with the addition of some cots to your wall tent. Monitoring can take it out of you, and that’s even earlier than the true work begins, so investing in a cushty, but packable, cot will make your hunt all the higher. For those who’re going gentle and rucking into your basecamp, most of the backpacking-style cots will make the grade, however for vehicle-assisted hunts, transferring as much as the consolation of a extra well-rounded cot is properly well worth the weight.

Packability is the secret in terms of cots for searching, and also you’ll have to intention for a cot that may slot in your side-by-side, or within the panniers of your trusty stead. The Cabela’s Large Outdoorsman Cot is our go-to for damn-the-weight endeavors for actually massive hunters, however the cot we find yourself reaching for most frequently for a hunt is the Klymit Cedar Mesa Cot, a platform that collapses down impressively for the additional massive sleeping house it gives.

Sturdiness

Sturdiness varies extensively with tenting cots. We’ve discovered that there’s a proportional relationship between weight and sturdiness with the sort of gear. Typically, the heavier a cot is, the more durable it’s.

Heavy automobile tenting cots are made up of sturdy frames composed of metal or metal alloys. These heavier metals give the cot an exceptionally sturdy construct. This makes them extra proof against drops, exhausted campers flopping down on them, roughhousing youngsters, and no matter different vigorous actions a mattress may face.

Lighter cots have frames which might be constructed with aluminum or another light-weight materials. The lighter weight is nice for trekking it into the woods, however they’re usually way more fragile.

Light-weight cot frames are sturdy sufficient to assist campers’ weight whereas they sleep however should be handled with extra respect. In our testing, we’ve discovered that these lighter-weight cots are greatest eased into when it’s time for mattress.

For those who’re tenting subsequent to your automobile and weight isn’t any subject, you’ll be able to go for a heavier cot and tough it up a bit. On this checklist, the Coleman Trailhead II Cot is supremely sturdy, however it weighs a hefty 21 kilos. If a lighter, extra packable cot just like the King Camp Folding Cot higher fits you, just be sure you’re extra cautious with it than you’d be with a 30-pound behemoth.

Equipment 

If you wish to elevate your tenting expertise and maximize the performance of your cot, take into account the equipment that come included or as add-ons for an additional worth. These equipment can embrace facet tables, storage compartments, pockets, sleeping pads and different useful components. 

We had been impressed by the included facet desk and cup holder included with the Coleman’s Tenting Cot with Facet Desk. Having the ability to have your water bottle, ebook and headlamp at arm’s size is a serious plus. 

Actually wish to go all out with the equipment? Contemplate the customizable bunk mattress fashion Disc-O-Mattress. You possibly can order this pet with additional cloth cupboards, organizers and sleeping pads that heighten tenting to an additional degree of luxurious. 

Worth

The tenting cots that we profile right here signify an correct sampling of the costs you’ll see when looking for a cot. They range in worth from $45 to $80 for easy, no-frills fashions, however cots can attain $300 and above on the greater finish. When looking for a tenting cot, weigh the choices you want towards how a lot cash you need to spend.

If you’d like a easy cot to maintain you off the bottom if you sleep subsequent to your automobile, begin with the lowest-end cot and take into consideration what you’d like so as to add to it. A easy automobile tenting cot consists of a folding body with materials stretched over it and may price someplace south of $100. On this checklist, the Coleman Trailhead II is our Greatest Finances decide at simply $55.

Need added cushioning or group choices? Be ready to spend just a little bit extra on an upgraded choice, someplace within the vary of $150-250.

In search of a cot that’s gentle and straightforward to hold right into a walk-in campsite? These choices will price just a little bit extra due to the light-weight supplies and design that go into the development. These usually price round $200-250 and may attain $300 and above with add-ons like rain flies or built-in tents.

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