By Caroline Williams
I have always had
issues with my joints when sleeping on the ground, and have tried
several different types of sleeping pads, to no avail. To make matters
worse, I had neck surgery in June 2015, so finding
comfortable outdoor sleeping arrangements is even more of a challenge
for me.
When flipping
through an outdoors gear catalog one day, I noticed a piece of camping
equipment I never knew existed: the ultralight cot. I nearly fainted
when I saw the price tag - they can run up to $250
- so didn't pursue it further.
However, a little
voice in my head wouldn’t let me stop thinking about what it would mean
to sleep comfortably, no matter the conditions. I did a little research
and found these cots are relatively light and
easy to set up. After more research, I landed on the lightest one I
could find (2 lbs., 9.6 oz.), which was a paltry $249.99. Unfortunately,
it was out of stock everywhere, including online.
Because I had a
Wilderness Volunteer trip coming up soon, I opted for my second choice.
This one was 3 lbs., 2 oz., plus it was a bargain at $239!
I got it home, set
it up in my kitchen and tried it out. It was extremely comfortable – I
even took a short nap (until my cat woke me up begging for food, but
that’s another story). I slept on cots at Girl
Scout camps way back in my youth, but they were never anything I would
rave about. In fact, I might still have a bruise on my back from the
middle cross bar on the cot I used in 1976. It’s not a stretch to say
that my new cot was light years ahead of that
old canvas and steel cot.
Fast forward a week
later and I was out in the desert, cot and all. It was a car camping
trip, so I didn’t have to make the decision whether or not to jettison
it from my pack. Good thing, because after the
week was over I was hooked. There were no protrusions poking me in
weird places, I could sleep on my back and side without issue and I
slept the best I had in a long time inside of a tent.
Luxury item or
necessity? That’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself. All I
can say is, I will never camp without it again.
Helinox Cot Lite
The basics: $249.95 | holds 265 lbs. | weighs 2 lbs., 9.6 oz
Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite Mesh
The basics: $249.95 | holds 325 lbs. | weighs 3 lbs., 2 oz
Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite
The basics: $239.95 | holds 325 lbs. | weighs 3 lbs.,15 oz
(NOTE: these are the only three that I’ve found on the market.)
Do you have any cot favorites? Know about other options? Let us know in the comments below.
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