Ultra Lite Cot - Thoughts and Recommendations

[OregonSteeler]

Been looking into some ultra lite cots and wanted to see if anyone does multi-day backpack hunts with them? I like the idea of using them with a floorless but not sure if it would be worth it due to added weight and size?

I'd love to hear from people who use them and what the positives/negatives are?

 

[AK Troutbum]

I picked one up earlier last year and used it for the first time, 8 day spike camp, Kodiak goat hunt, under a Mid shelter. My hunting buddy also brought one, mine a Helinox and his a Thermarest. The Thermarest is much more involved to set up with many parts and pieces, whereas the Helinox was pretty easy and only takes me about 2 min. On the last night in spike camp, one of the two long main supports on my buddy's cot broke, which fortunately for him, it was the last night sleeping on it. I don't know if the break was more do to him abusing the cot by shifting around on it or not, but it still seemed to me like it should have been able to put up with that type of abuse/use. As far as comfort goes, I slept wonderful with the only issue being my pad occasionally slipping out from underneath me and getting cold whenever that happened. Next time I use it, I think I'll just bring a couple straps and strap the pad to the cot.

 

[r7s]

+1 on the Helinox. I have a Cot light or Cot Tall that I take on horse packing drop camps. Light and comfortable. The tall version makes for storage room underneath in my tipi.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I've got a 10 year old LuxuryLite (Therm-a-Rest) cot that's been to hell and back without a hitch. It goes to Alaska every year and puts up with some abuse. That said, I've always recognized the long side-support poles cannot be abused by sitting on them. That was proved to me last season when my hunting partner broke his side pole on a new LL cot by sitting down directly on it. I'll be the first to say I'm not in love with the assembly procedure, but the end result is a very light and tight cot. Mine now has a few repairs to the top fabric but the frame parts are as good as day one. Amortized over 10 years it cost me $20 a year to sleep on a good cot.

I likely would not backpack a cot at all if I was on a multi-day backpack (every day) trip or hunt in chillier weather. I probably wouldn't take a stove either on that type trip.

The Helinox: Looks good. I've thought about buying one to try but something stops me every time. I think it has to do with overall dimensions vs weight. I've got the bigger LL cot and...well...somehow I can't seem to get an identically sized Helinox in the same weight category. Can't remember the exact issue but that's my recollection. I still think the H-cot looks like a winner.

 

[mwestvang]

You can put a couple small strips of velcro on the cot and pad to keep it in place. works very well.

 

[justinspicher]

I’ve got both the helinox and the LL, and they both have pros and cons. I’ve used my LL quite a bit, but since I’ve got a nice hammock now I use that in the early season. I reserve my cot for winter camping when I can put it in my sled.

 

[Steve O]

I have a LL and I absolutely think it is worth its weight. I am not a bivy guy in any way, so I set it up once and am thankful every night for its comfort no matter how far from civilization I am. I am very careful with anything I take way back in, so I expect it to last a good long time.

 

[Ironmerganser]

I have the helinox lite also. I have not packed it in yet, but I have done some car camping with it and it is AWESOME. Very comfy. I am thinking I am going to pack it in instead of a pad this year since I lightened up my shelter and got a SO LBO.

 

[jmez]

I bought a Thermarest last year and wasn't overly impressed. To me it isn't worth carrying in on a backpack hunt. I took it in the first time and I used it both with and without my sleeping pad. Neither configuration was noticeably more comfortable than just sleeping on my pad. It was a couple extra pounds with no benefit to me. On my second trip I left it in the truck, wasn't worth carrying in.