CAMPING BEDS / COTS

Gordyman

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In my never ending quest for a decent nights kip when camping, I am thinking of investing in a camping bed (or cot as they are sometimes called).

I currently use a Thermarest blow up mat and Sea to Summit sleeping bag. Both are excellent pieces of kit; but I think that if I am a tad more off the ground I will be more comfortable.

I have done some research and the Thermarest Ultra light cot gets a lot of good reviews. However it is expensive at £160. But if I get a good nights kip it will be a worthwhile investment. Before I take the plunge however I thought I would ask if any of you biker mates out there have one of these and what your views are.

Thanks for your replies.

:beerjug:
 
thermarest cot

I have one and its very comfy to sleep on. however its not very tough and the aluminium bars bend very easily. It is also not simple or fast to put together or take apart. Especially if its dark, raining, in a tent or drunk. The feet can damage the tent groundsheet if the ground is too hard or soft. I would not buy another, they have copies on ebay and ali express I would buy one of those.
 
In my never ending quest for a decent nights kip when camping, I am thinking of investing in a camping bed (or cot as they are sometimes called).

I currently use a Thermarest blow up mat and Sea to Summit sleeping bag. Both are excellent pieces of kit; but I think that if I am a tad more off the ground I will be more comfortable.

I have done some research and the Thermarest Ultra light cot gets a lot of good reviews. However it is expensive at £160. But if I get a good nights kip it will be a worthwhile investment. Before I take the plunge however I thought I would ask if any of you biker mates out there have one of these and what your views are.

Thanks for your replies.

:beerjug:

Hi Gordy,
Have a look on eBay at the Chinese rip offs, you can get them for about £60.
Search under ultralight in camping and hiking.

HTH
Neil
 
I have one of the Chinese knock offs and they are ok but take a little effort to assemble and take apart. One of these with a blow up mat on top is pretty good.
 
Thanks for all your tips and good advice. Big Dave the Helinox looks very good but very expensive. I have a Helinox chair which is very good and also a Chinese copy. The Chinese copy is a high backed version. Both seem as good as each other so far. So much so that I am thinking of selling the Helinox chair and getting another Chinese high backed version.

I have checked out the other options that have been suggested in this thread and gone for a £60 version of the Thermarest.

Thanks for all your advice. :thumb2
 
Thanks for all your tips and good advice. Big Dave the Helinox looks very good but very expensive. I have a Helinox chair which is very good and also a Chinese copy. The Chinese copy is a high backed version. Both seem as good as each other so far. So much so that I am thinking of selling the Helinox chair and getting another Chinese high backed version.

I have checked out the other options that have been suggested in this thread and gone for a £60 version of the Thermarest.

Thanks for all your advice. :thumb2

I know the Helinox is expensive but it works at 6'4'' and tosser sized the XL with four legs with exped mattress on top it works,
as you already have a thermarest a good combination for a nights sleep.
 
With just six or eight feet on a cot I’d be worried about damaging the groundsheet, especially on soft ground. So that’s saving up some jam jar lids to spread the weight.
Tom
 
I've been using the cot without any problems with the groundsheet for a year now.
 
Not a cot but just FYI

Love my exped down mat 9
Just a blow up jobbie with down inside and it’s 9 cm thick, but get the pressure spot on and it’s comfier than a comfy thing

:beerjug:
 
I’ve been camping on the bike this year around Europe and was having this issue too. I’ll admit to being a bit of a chubber so was looking at something that wasn’t going to collapse the first time I farted. The only thing that really looked up to scratch was the helinox max cot. Pretty difficult to get hold of here and had to get it direct from helinox and yes it is bloody pricey but I’ll say this it is more than a match for 19 stone of 6foot lard. My pal went down the Chinese copy route and every night whenever he moved there was a loud crack and it deposited him out the door of his tent, he swore blind it was going in the bin when he got home. Because we were heading into Andorra I purchased a thermarest max mattress to go on top and a blow up pillow and if I’m really honest I slept like a king every night. Yes the price is stupid but I’ve now got top notch kit that really works and should last forever so what value do you put on that.
 
I have one of these............. rated up to 23 stone! ...................... and I use an exped mattress on top if it's really cold. Never had any ground sheet issues.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00N1X5...&pd_rd_r=945c676d-966f-11e8-9bd2-33f0015d34fd

Only recently got a R1150RT but it goes across the back seat on the 1150RT and sticks out the same distance as the panniers - or you could secure it across the top of one pannier long ways.
 
Any up to date recommendations please Comrades?
Nothing on Amazon though as I won't use them.
As ever TY in advance.

Edit: I should add I'm thinking about a camp bed as I already have an Exped which I'm not particularly enamoured with.
 
Any up to date recommendations please Comrades?
Nothing on Amazon though as I won't use them.
As ever TY in advance.

Edit: I should add I'm thinking about a camp bed as I already have an Exped which I'm not particularly enamoured with.

Camp beds, come in assorted shapes, wights and sizes. In order to help comrades to help you, can you narrow it down a bit please, as to whether:

a. You are looking for something that you want to take in the car

b. You are looking for something that you want to take on your motorcycle
 
A good point, apologies.
Let'' say both.
Smething to be used when I'm away in the car, and on that basis let's make it a double.
And then something that will pack down small and light when I'm on the bike, this would be a single.
Thanks again.
 
Thanks, comrade

Solo, camping on motorbike: Helinox Lite Cot

Solo, camping by car: Hi-Gear Slumber Camp Bed

Dual, camping by car: Something which blows up
 
In the car with no space issues we use(d)two 5cm Thermarest mats, with a duvet on top of them and a Duvet over us with proper pillows for years, then got a campervan!
If I camp with the bike it’s usually only a couple of nights at a race meeting etc, beer is normally involved so sleep isn’t normally a problem, just the hangover!!

Al.
 


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