Sleeping Cots As Your Best Outdoor Travel Buddy

You may be set to go on a camping, hiking or backpacking trip, and you are already excited to go out into the sunshine, see the sky, smell nature and relax from a busy schedule. And you've already packed food, skewer, knife, jacket, sunscreen, ropes and camera among the things you will be bringing. Now comes the part when you have to choose what sleeping implement you would have to bring or buy. You would have three choices: cots, pads or mattresses.

You are better off looking for sleeping cots if:

(1) You prefer to be elevated from the ground when sleeping because you are afraid of being slept in with crawling objects. Or you want air to circulate under your bed to keep you cool while sleeping during hot conditions. In the same way, you want to keep yourself off from the cool ground when the temperature drops.

(2) Your idea of comfort is not being poked on your thighs and back with sharp objects on the ground like rocks and tree roots.

(3) You want ease in sitting down or getting up. Because a cot is elevated, you can easily get into or out of it like your regular chair or bed.

(4) For the above, you do not mind the carrying and packing considerations that are more tedious than that of just having a sleeping pad. Pads are less bulky, generally lighter in weight and easily rolled or folded.

(5) You do not mind having to set up a bed in a way more complicated than just putting down a sleeping pad but mind inflating a mattress mechanically or with an electric or battery-operated pump. Cots would have frames that you pull off to stretch a fabric you'd be sleeping on.

(6) You do not mind buying a high-end model of a cot that costs as much as a similarly sized mattress.

So when comparing sleeping cots, what should you look into?

Comfort. The only way to know this is to test the cot out by sitting or lying down on it. Get the feel of the material and the design and see whether everything feels just right for you.

Size. There's nothing as uncomfortable as sleeping in a bed that is undersized -- narrow or not long enough for your comfort. A good cot for you should enable you to reasonably move -- especially if you're one to move a lot -- without fear of falling off in the middle of the night.

Stability. Look at the framing of the legs whether it is straight and level and could hold when placed on uneven ground.

Ease of set up and dismantling. As you would undergo this process before and after sleeping, look for cots that are easily and nicely laid down and folded up.

Weight. As bulk and weight is a consideration for carrying your cots, look for ones that are as lightweight and as compactly packed as possible. Know whether the cot comes in a storage bag, whether the bag has a sling, and whether the sling is adjustable.

Durability and water-resistant quality of fabric. Inspect whether the stitching is secure and strong enough. Know whether the cloth is waterproof or is able to dry off quickly.