help with a cot

[tramp844]

whats the best cot ? slumberjack,one of cabelas.....? i like the "army" style cot but there are so many out there i just dont know . i kinda like the cabelas cots but would like your input. Tks.

[MacGyver]

Re: help with a cot

I could have sworn I posted a response to this before, along with other responses that disappeared. Anyway, here's what I had to say:

I'm really sold on the Byer Easy Cot. Unlike the traditional cots that have end bars that can be a bit tough to get in place, the Byer almost sets itself up. With the cot lying on its side, lifting the side rails moves all three legs into position, with maybe a slight bump needed to firmly set the end legs. Topped with my Thermarest pad, it's the most comfortable thing I've slept on while camping. It packs up just as easily as those camping chairs that are all over the place now and isn't much bigger when folded up. It's anything but light, but a heavy frame and heavy fabric are a good thing in this case.

[tramp844]

Re: help with a cot

[QUOTE=MacGyver;37083]I could have sworn I posted a response to this before, along with other responses that disappeared. Anyway, here's what I had to say:

I'm really sold on the Byer Easy Cot.
Thank you for posting ( re-posting ) this. It is a good looking and at a good price. I will check into it. Thanks again.

[Ed B]

Re: help with a cot

I have the older style Cabelas guide cot and sleep great on it. The final end bar can be a workout. The new style with the lever appears to have corrected the difficulty getting the last bar attached. I am in the big and tall category so needed something rated for heavier guys.

[ArizonaSportsman]

Re: help with a cot

What do people use underneath the feet of the cot to avoid damaging the floor of the tent? It would seem that the individual feet would place a lot of pressure on the thin tent fabric.

[tramp844]

Re: help with a cot

What do people use underneath the feet of the cot to avoid damaging the floor of the tent? It would seem that the individual feet would place a lot of pressure on the thin tent fabric.

Carpet squares, tennis balls split open, drink coasters , small plywood squares ............

[MacGyver]

Re: help with a cot

If you go the plywood route and have a router, I recommend using a quarter round bit to put a curved edge on the squares. While at it, plunging a depression in the center to accommodate the feet wouldn't be a bad thing either.

[tramp844]

Re: help with a cot

+ 1. custom made cot and chair foot pads. ...when you get them made post pic's

[MacGyver]

Re: help with a cot

Wish I could oblige - I had a set years ago when I had a nylon floor cabin tent. That tent's been gone for years. The floor on my Kodiak is so thick, carpet is more than enough protection.

[tplife]

Re: help with a cot

I'm a 4-season camper, so I couldn't use a cot outside of the intense heat of summer - 0.75 R-values (cots and hollow-tube air mattresses) mean doubling up on my insulation, and that's just plain crazy! ThermaRest, REI, EMS, and MegaMat have uber-thick self-inflating pads. Otherwise, get the lowest-to-the ground cot you can find and stuff the empty air space with foam, clothes pine needles or what-have-you, and best of luck!

[MacGyver]

Re: help with a cot

tp - We all know how adamant you are about pushing the R value thing when it comes to air mattresses and cots. But the OP didn't say anything about needing it for cold weather, so why bring it up again? But, while we're at it (again), can you please explain how peoples' real-life experiences seem to counter what your numbers say? I'm pretty thin, with no real R value of my own, and I've been more than comfortable on cots and air mattresses in all but the coldest winter freeze. And that's without layers and layers of blankets, padding, pine needles, spray foam insulation, a fire under the cot or whatever else you might think is necessary for comfort.

[Oldcoyote]

Re: help with a cot

Slumberjack big cot, thermarest base camp pad. In October add old Coleman bag under down bag as additional insulation. Fall asleep wondering if the TPLIFE hypothermia will get you.

[tplife]

Re: help with a cot

MacGyver, you've done it again! I must admit, I hide behind so-called scientific laws, and thermodynamic measurements by real-world technical specialists, peer-reviewed authors, and experts. Forgive me, I've spent nearly four decades feeding my family behind the tenets of these off-the-wall theories of numbskulls, not real-world experts like yourself, who think that measurement and observation based on Scientific Theory is the Holy Graile! There's a place for those who cannot learn from others, and it's called ignorance. My success is based upon what you see in my signature. I'm 6' tall and I weigh 175 pounds, so I'm a fatman unlike you and need warmth beside my blankets. Forgive me brother, for hiding behind science! Find it in your heart to accept that my real-life experiences are different than yours, even if I've "been camping since 1960".

[Mellow Man]

Re: help with a cot

I am not a cot guy but have used them in the past.

In response to the concern about compromising the integrity of the floor. A cot that features a "U" Shaped leg configuration does much to mitigate concerns about damage to the floor. As pictured...

Although the cot pictured above is made by Coleman, I am not endorsing any brand - only configuration.

[toedtoes]

Re: help with a cot

MacGyver - if you couldn't tell, that was a tplife apology.