Alexandra Ramirez
1. TETON
Best Overall Camping Cot
5/5 Product Rating
The TETON can support up to six-hundred pounds, which is a feature I particularly like. While many of us may throw things on our sleeping bags while we camp, you’ll find that you can’t always pile things on top of cots. Of course, this isn’t an issue with the TETON. This gives it a large degree of durability, one which is backed by its included warranty. It’s comfortable, it’s durable and it can support anything you can possibly throw at it. The TETON XXL is always a great choice.
– Jonathan Maxwell
2. Kamp-Rite
Best Overall Camping Cot – Runner Up
4.8/5 Product Rating
One thing you’ll notice about this cot immediately is that it is an incredibly convenient bed relative to its size. While many oversize cots have a tendency to make setting up camp a bit of a complicated ordeal, this is not so much the case with the Kwik Cot. While it certainly still carries a bit of weight about it, you’ll find setting it up and taking it back down to be a breeze. You’ll likely most appreciate the Kwik Cot if you’re the type who hates the act of setting up camp and taking it down, as this makes things run a bit more smoothly.
– Jonathan Maxwell
3. Coleman ComfortSmart
Best Budget Camping Cot
4.7/5 Product Rating
My favorite part about the Coleman is how easy it is to set up. While all smaller cots are typically more favorable when it comes to setup time, this is even more so the case with the Coleman. Relative to its overall size, you’ll find it extremely easy to set up and take down. This is obviously a huge plus if you plan on actually using your new camping cot outside of the house.
– Jonathan Maxwell
Camping Cot Buying Guide
What is a Camping Cot?
Camping cots are a great way to get outside and experience the outdoors for a night without getting too close to the outdoors. Camping cots almost resemble a hammock which has its own stand reaching low to the ground, removing the need to tie your hammock to trees in the exposed outdoors. You might consider a camping cot to be halfway between a hammock and a mattress.
Much like any other mattress or mattress-like product, whether you find yourself able to get a good night’s sleep entirely depends on whether or not the camping cot you have chosen for yourself is compatible with your sleeping habits and preferences. As such, this review aims to help you find the best possible camping cot to suit your needs, giving you a great night’s sleep wherever you may be.
Clearly, a few considerations need to be made if you plan on getting the best possible camping cot for your needs. To get a better idea of just what type of cot would best suit your interests, ask yourself the following questions.
What type of mattress do you enjoy sleeping on?
If your answer is anything but a quick “firm,” you’ll most likely want to look for the very softest camping cot available. Your average cot is much more firm than your average mattress. The softest cots tend to have lower weight capacities.
How much time are you willing to put into setting up your cot?
While there are a few exceptions, a good general rule to go by is that bigger cots take longer set up. If you’re looking for a cot that takes a second or two to unfold, you may want to settle for something smaller and lighter in stature.
How many people will be sleeping in your cot?
Unlike shopping for mattresses, shopping for cots requires you pay careful attention your model’s weight capacity. Remember, the actual part of the cot that you lay on consists of a very small piece of fabric. Take a cot’s advertised weight capacity as law.
Types of Camping Cots
There are several types of camping cots at your disposal. You’ll find each one offers its own list of pros and cons. Do you know which type is the best for you?
- Oversize Camping Cots – We covered two of these in the list above. An oversize camping cot can typically hold at least four hundred pounds without risk of breaking. They also tend to be about as wide as a double bed, if not wider. These are best for those who plan on sleeping in the cot with someone else or like a bit of extra wiggle room as they sleep.
- Portable Camping Cots – Of course, all camping cots are portable. Some; however, are much more portable than others. Typically, these will be lower in weight and take a very small amount of time to set up and take back down. While portable camping cots and oversize camping cots are usually exclusive categories, you may find some overlap with a bit of searching (as is the case with the Kamp-Rite Oversize Kwik Cot).
- Military Cots – Military cots come with a variety of features which one may consider as being “tactical.” Typically, these cots are rather small, can hold a large amount of weight relative to their size, are easy to set up and come with pouches in which you can store items as you sleep.
Common Camping Cot Features
As you can see, each camping cot is best suited toward a different person. Whether or not you prefer a soft, hard, big or small camping cot is up to you to decide. There are; however, several features which can benefit everyone, no matter their camping cot preference.
- A Large Weight Capacity – Now, it goes without saying that larger cots will generally be able to hold more weight on average than smaller cots. However, it can’t hurt to look out for a cot which can hold a large amount of weight relative to its overall size and level of softness, as this will also increase its level of durability.
- Pouches – Unlike many features which can be detrimental to your camping experience depending on your own preferences, an abundance of pouches can never steer you wrong. While I would never recommend paying an extra fifty dollars or more for a pouch, it certainly can’t hurt to keep an eye out for cots which have some included. Although many people are unaware, camping cots are far from guaranteed to be equipped with pouches of any sort. If you can get an extra pouch or two, you’ll most likely thank yourself later when they come in handy.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, you’ll have to decide what’s more important to you; having the largest cot possible, having the most convenient cot possible or meeting somewhere in the middle by way of compromise. While we’ve covered three of the very best camping cots currently available on the market, each one of them belongs to one of the above three categories, requiring that you decide where your priorities lie.
You’ll also have to decide how soft or firm you want your cot to be. Generally speaking (once again, this is a rule which has a few exceptions) cots with a larger weight capacity will be more firm than those with a very small weight capacity. For this reason, you may find it beneficial to skimp on the weight capacity and only get what is needed.
Do you need a large or small cot? Would you prefer a softer model or a firmer one? Is the ease of setup important to you? By figuring out just what it is you’d like to see in your dream cot before you begin shopping for one, you’ll be able to walk away a happy camper.
