Ultra Lite Cot

[Guest]

Love it. Quite easy to put up , maybe ten minutes. A couple of mods and it would go together in five.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7WmRe-zbrg&feature=player_embedded

My only experience with those cots has been watching a couple people set up different model cots and paying attention to their commentary during and mornings after.

One guy had practiced setting a Therma-rest cot up like he was practicing violin for first chair. He had it down to muscle memory without looking at instructions and it still took him a good 10 minutes, although he had the same thoughts about possible modifications each time.

If I counted correctly in the video intro there are 12 feet (and 12 coasters if you want that tent floor protection), 2 shock corded poles, 18 separate poles center poles, and some assembly procedure required. My math sucks, but the calculator reads 42 pieces (with coasters).

One of the folks I saw use a cot didn’t have the advantage of a nice grassy meadow to stand atop the cot on while assembling, we were on a gnarly rock cliff site. It was an added degree of difficulty.

I think the other cot was a Helinox. It was faster and easier to set up, but that one at least, and maybe the Therma-Rest as well, had longevity problems. They seemed to especially suffer when subjected to uneven rocky ground, where all of the feet were not in level contact, even little voids or divots that a sleeping pad would easily cover and cushion. The foot coasters probably help with uneven ground as well.

Most comically, the Therma-rest assembler was using a small tent. A small, side entry tent. Getting the assembled cot into the tent was like driving a semi around a narrow switchback, except it took a helper to hold to door gap wide open while the cot driver turned and twisted. Cot penetration, with an even smaller end entry tent, was far easier.

I don’t mean to dis lightweight packable cot designs, but I haven’t seen anything that would work for me. Would that I could sleep comfortably in a hammock, that would solve several tent issues, but I’ll sacrifice space and weight for a thick Thermarest, now an XL Luxurymap

Well, that and a bit more auxiliary cushion added. I have a half piece of RidgeRest pad used as windchair insulation or camp kneeling pad. I slip that under the self-inflating pad before bedtime. That short piece spans my side -sleeper pressure points at shoulders and hips. And, bane of all inflatable pads, helps prevent thorn, shell shard, or sand spur punctures.

 

[memaquay]

I'm going to re-evaluate my initial "plus plus plus" score for the thermarest. Over the five or so years that I have owned it, I have steadily packed on the "beef" to the point that I have become, in the words of my diplomatic father-in-law "fat". I don't know if the material has stretched, or if the spring in the poles is diminishing, but when I use it now, I can feel the poles in my back. I am thinking of combining it with some sort of inflatable system, because it does tend to level out uneven ground really well.

As to wondering if the legs will penetrate the floor of the tent, the answer is no. I've probably put over 50 nights on it, and no holes in floors.

It is somewhat challenging to set up, but if it works for you, it is worth it. I'm thinking of trying to get two more sets of poles and legs to see if that keeps me off the poles.

It's a lot of dough to spend, especially when I almost get as good a sleep on an old canvas type air mattress that our hardware store has for 29 bucks.

 

[ppine]

I have used the Thermarest cot many nights. It is a little bit difficult to set up put really good for canoeing. It gets the mattress off the gravel. It is cool in summer. It needs a pad in winter. Very comfortable.