The Best Cots For Hiking and Hunting
A good night's rest is vital while hunting or hiking, and cots are an excellent option to keep you off the ground and comfortable. However, cots are bulky and hard to transport for travel.
We compared and evaluated 10 of the best cots for the quality of their comfort, portability, and durability.
Comfort
A good night's rest is essential for a successful camping excursion. Instead of sleeping on the ground you can rest comfortably in a cot. Find a cot that is lightweight but also offers an adequate amount of support. This will ensure an excellent night's rest. Cots with a mattress-like cover are the most desirable. They are usually designed to work with an air mattress or sleeping pad as well as other insulation.
Finding the right cot is crucial, whether you're car camping or backpacking. Think about 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 nursery cots are doing a combination of car camping and backpacking you should consider a heavier option such as the REI Kingdom Cot 3 or Coleman ComfortSmart Deluxe.
If you're looking for an even more luxurious option, the top-rated cots listed here are all made to look as like a traditional mattress as they can. Although they're more heavy than their ultra-light counterparts they're still fairly easy to transport and put up on the trail.
It is important to consider the cot's materials and construction when choosing one. Flimsy fabrics are prone to rips and tears, therefore, you should choose an cot that is made of top-quality fabrics that are designed to withstand the rigors of daily use. To ensure that your cot will last for many years, look for features such as a 600D poly fabric and reinforced seams.
A cot should also have adequate cushioning to keep you from the hard and uncomfortable ground. Some models, such as the Coleman ComfortSmart Deluxe, are quilted and padded, while others, like the REI Kingdom Cot 3, come with baffles to stop you from sinking in. A cot should be long enough to fit your height and wide enough to comfortably lie down in. You should select the cot that has the right capacity for weight, especially if traveling with a companion or pets.
Portability
The best camping cots fold flat and take up a small amount of space inside a backpack, allowing you to fit more sleeping gear in your backpack. The cots are lighter than other options for camp bedding, which is a big advantage on long hikes and multi-day backcountry excursions. Considering the amount of time you spend packing and unpacking your gear, the ability to move a cot around is a major factor in its overall score.
It can take just several minutes to fold and put together a cot dependent on the model. More complex models require more assembly, and some come with parts that can be difficult to locate or connect. Some cots have built-in storage pockets or other features that can help you minimize the amount of time you spend setting up your bed.
The most versatile cots are those with legs that can be adjusted, allowing you to adjust them for different terrain conditions. Some come with a tether to help keep them in place during storms and stormy weather. These are especially useful when backpacking because uneven or unstable terrain can affect the stability of your shelter.
Consider how often you will use the cot as well as the place you intend to camp when selecting a cot. Cots that are lightweight and compact in size are great for backpacking. However, cots with a lot of weight and have a bigger sleeping area are better suited for basecamps or car camping. If you intend to use your cot at home primarily, it is worth investing in bedding that's specifically designed for the kind of bed you've got. This includes flat and fitted sheets as well as a matching pillowcase.
The Byer of Maine easy cot is a great choice if you are looking for a comfortable and easy-to-setup cot. It's ideal for all camping styles. It folds down into a carrying case that's similar in size to a standard camping chair and has an attached strap for easy transport. It doesn't come with the biggest sleeping platform of all our top picks but its strong materials and durable frame make it a great choice for most camping trips.
Ease of Setup
Cots are often required when camping, but they tend to be more difficult to set up than other types of sleeping equipment. This is due to the fact that you need to set them up in an even area, which is difficult to locate when camping. Some of them also have bars on the foot and head that you might not want to touch when you sleep.
The top cots we tested were relatively simple to set-up. Some of them are self-standing which is a major relief since it doesn't require you to figure out how to secure them, while others come with a simple foldout design and a few clicks to get them into the proper position. Traditional cots are usually a different story as they require you to construct the frame and tie the fabric yourself and can take quite a bit of strength and time.
The Alps Mountaineering Double-Kwik-Cot is one of the easiest to build and can be utilized for tent or car camping, as well as for backpacking trips. It's a little heavier than the average cot but it packs down to a size that's about the same size as the carry case of a fold-down camping chair. It's also extremely durable, being made of tough and comfortable 600D polyester, with strong aluminum frame.
Another option we suggest is the Coleman Pack-Away Cot, which is a breeze to set up. It's a single-body design that eliminates bars across the head and feet. nursery cots makes it ideal for back and side sleepers. The cot can be folded down to a size comparable to the bag that you carry in your backpack of choice. It's a little heavier than some of the other cots we tested but it's very sturdy and is suitable for adults who weigh up to 225 pounds.
The Helinox Lite Cot is a lightweight cot that's easy to set-up. It takes only a few moments to unfold, snap into place, and then a few pulls for it to be broken down. The legs lock into place using a unique lever-lock mechanism that is extremely secure and provides a sturdy platform for your sleeping bag.
Durability
The most comfortable camping cots are designed to withstand a lot of abuse and use. They feature durable components like aluminum frames and robust fabrics. Fabric should be woven tightly so that it doesn't fall apart under the weight of an individual sleeping. A good cot will make use of the heavy-duty 600D polyester, which will withstand lots of wear and tear. The most durable cots have double stitching and reinforced seams in high-stress zones like pole sleeves.
Cots are great for camping as they keep you off the ground, comfortable and secure from bugs and other creatures who might be swarming in your campsite at night. They also provide an excellent alternative to sleeping bags and foam pads if you're hiking or backpacking. Not all cots provide the same level of comfort, and some require a separate sleeping pad to use alongside them. This can be a big problem, particularly for backpackers carrying a heavy bag.
Some cots have an air mattress to make them more comfortable. This lets you get a good night's sleep without bringing the mattress. However the cot is large and bulky, so it can be hard to fit it into a tent, even if your tent has plenty of space.
The Helinox Lite Cot offers another great option, which does not require an extra sleeping pad. Its aluminum frame, which is lightweight, offers a great level of support and is extremely comfortable to sleep on. It was more comfortable for our test subjects to use on hikes than a foam or air cushion.
Cots are ideal for camping, but they can also be used in other scenarios for instance, when you have guests stay over and you don't want them sleeping on the floor. They're also a great option to an RV, camper or any other vehicle with a mattress. They're more comfortable than inflatable mattresses. They're also more stable than an air mattress or tent which means you don't need to fret whether they explode or shift during the middle of the night.