Ultralight Cot and Tussocks

[Lrs183]

Hello everyone,

I'll keep this short and sweet. Does anyone have an idea on how a cot would do in the tussocks near haul road? A cot really ups the ante with quality of sleep vs sleeping on a pad on the ground.

My concern is the legs/feet trying to tear through the tent floor. Is it possible whether near the road or making the 5 mile hike in to find clear enough ground to make good contact? Or is the tent just simply going to be too high?

Thank you!

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Hard to answer accurately because tundra height and depth (tussock growth) varies with substrate and elevation where you end up for the night. Most guys rough it without a cot for the 5-mile journey. After having done this hike many times, a cot has never made the list of wishes or regrets for not having them.

 

[Lrs183]

I definitely agree it is not a must have per se. I just also know these cots that can be stowed in a backpack are as little as two to three pounds. That is a small price to pay for added comfort. But then again it could be nothing more than a paperweight if the area for camp won't allow for it. I guess it's just one of those things if I do opt to bring it I can just go in with the expectation that it may not work.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Everyone agrees this particular 5-mile (one-way minimum) trek feels and is harder than anything they have to compare it to. The tundra requires uneven high stepping, low stepping, boggy-soft negotiating, sidestepping, and a plethora of ergodynamics not listed or imagined in my description. a 50-pound pack just isn't smart going IN or coming OUT. Many people take a small plastic sled to help. Some don't.

The successful rifle hunters end up with at least 2 trips and roughly 20-30 miles round trip to seal the deal with meat back at the road. Whether you drag a sled or try to backpack it back to the road, the name of the game is to LIMIT your provisions to <20 lbs and plan to come out with roughly 125-lbs max. If you go in with 40-50 lbs with rifle weight, you're humping an extra leg for that extra 25-lbs in your pack. I don't know of anyone who successfully packs out 150-lb in a backpack with one straight return trek over tundra in this area. I'm sure their are some guys who do it, but I just don't know of them.

You'll find it necessary to shed every unnecessary ounce of "comfort," much less a 2-lb cot IMO.

Perhaps take it and leave it at the road for a more comfortable base camp and treat the hike-hunt as a spartan spike camp scenario?

 

[Lrs183]

Well, experience trumps ideas in this case. I've always been a minimalist with packing. Because I simply don't want to carry the weight. Regardless of whether I can or not, haha.

It'll all come together. Thank you Larry. Always spot on advice.

 

[carter33]

Iv used the lightest helinox a handful of times on fly out hunts and honestly unless your on near perfect ground i find they’re almost more of a nuisance than not having one at all. Paired with my sea to summit “body size” sleeping pad I find myself slipping off quite a bit. In the future I’m just gonna save the weight and use a more comfortable wider and thicker pad.

 

[Lrs183]

I could see that being an issue. Chances are I'll just end up using my standard inflatable pad and sleeping bag. Cot may not be a good option for this which is fine.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

What I do to provide as much cushion and warmth while sleeping on the tundra without a cot is my Big Agnes 2.5" air cushion pad. That sucka is straight up the BOMB, easy to blow up with your mouth and easy to deflate. Hands down the best air mattress I've ever used, and I have 5 other ThermaRest and Sea to Summit models collecting dust on my gear shelf...most have leaks in them from rosehips and granite dust, but that Big Agnes is still rockin.