Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Cot suggestions

How's that working out for you in a tent?

Must be a sturdy tent....

Air beds are not like air mattreses. It's quite easy to add air every other night for the contraction of the air inside. I buy mine for about $13 on sale every year..
Last year, I sent 22 nights on one. Darn comfortable bed for a senior that is for sure.

Up on a bed frame and a heavy blanket between your sleeping bag and the hair bed and it is warmer than a cot.The problem is most guys won't put that blanket down and then won't turn thier bag back in the morning to let body presperation that builds up, dry up

I purchased the REI Comfort Cot for my elk hunt last year. We were staying in a stock trailer, so I needed something that would level itself out. Im 6'2" so I needed one on the larger size. I absolutely love this cot. I did my research like you are doing now and found not one complaint about this cot. Way more comfortable than anything cabelas has. We have a cabelas and rei store in my town, so I was able to go and try them out and check out the construction. No comparison.

http://www.rei.com/search?query=cots

Well, I don't want to hijack the thread but take a look at this.
http://www.treklightgear.com/treklife/index.php/sleeping-in-a-hammock-guide/

Basically, you can replace your tent with a good hammock/tent setup. I've not done it in really cold weather, but I've read it can be done.

Scopolamine, that's a heck of a good tutorial on hammocks. Thanks!

Why would anyone want to replace a woodstove heated, stand-up room, gear storage, cookshack/sleep quarters tent or trailer set up with a hammock, in a trailhead situation?

Maybe someone that doesn't have all that gear in the first place.

You could still set your hammock up inside a heated wall tent with a little ingenuity. Then, you'd really be comfortable. Of course, a fifth wheel is even better!

That's gay..

The army cots work but are small, creeky, and if your tent has a floor will punch holes in it.

The outfitter xl is nice and that's what I use. Yes it's huge but you can put all your junk underneath it which helps offset it's footprint. It does sag some but it doesn't bother me and I sleep great on it.

It seems like the alaskan cot is a good compromise between the two but I have no experience with it.

The Slumberjack was one of my best outdoor purchases and I can't fault it still. Will help me elk hunt this fall. And deer. And everything else.

+1

I'm a big fan of the Roll-A-Cot. Just don't sit on the ends! Relatively light, compact when stored, and luxurious with a pad on top. Its a car-camping item for me, but some people take them with dogsleds, pack animals, ATV-camping, etc. The tension adjustment is key for me... some canvas cots sag badly and kill my back. The waterproof mesh top is nice too. No worry if it gets wet if its carried unprotected, and it breathes in warm weather.

I used an Aero-bed a few times but there's no insulation and sucks the heat out of you. Lot colder than I would have thought with that big of an air cushion. There might be better models now.

The big one Cabelas sells is great but no mater what you buy be sure and get a very good pad to better insulate your underpin

Very good advise. I'll add that cots and air mattresses are a disaster in cold weather. I have a 4" closed cell foam pad that goes with me everywhere. Another cold weather trick is to drape a blanket, etc. over the sides of your cot to help keep cold air from circulating underneath you.

My cousin found a canvas cot organizer at an Army/Navy surplus store that goes clear to the ground on both sides and also has several storage pockets. Nice in ways, but also gives bugs something to crawl on. We were in Idaho the end of May hunting bears and he found a couple ticks in his bag that I guarantee scaled his organizer...

Also wanted to add, I leave my cot tree home when we go to Idaho because I don't want ticks dropping off of my stuff onto me during the night. Doesn't matter how well you check your gear, there's always more of them suckers!

There's been a variety of cots/airbeds, etc. in our wall tent camps. I have and like the Davis Tent cot and pad. Cabelas Outfitter XL cot and pad are good too.

Foam pads for sure....no air for me

If you already have a good wide cot, here's a useful accessory for a quick camp. Sold Sportsmans Warehouse, Cabelas, etc.
Teton Sports Outfitter 1 person tent, approx 3' x 7'