Best cot for camping

[HES]

I've got a question. Most Scout summer camps I've been to the scouts stay in either tents they set up at the camp or cabins of some type. Is this what is happening in this case or not?

Beat me to it. Im currently a boy scout leader. I've not run into a summer camp program that didn't have cots and tents for the visiting troops. You can check out the web site for the camp and see what sort of tents / clots they have there. Youtube is also a great place to see the camp. A lot of scout masters love filming the camp and posting the videos.

Having said that some of the cots at these camps ain't the best. As others have said, a sleeping pad will be your best bet / investment. You lay it on top of the cot.

I love my Big Agnes. It is the most comfortable sleeping pad I have ever had. I've got back issues and never had a bad nights sleep on mine. It is uber light and very packable.

I will also disagree with the Big Agnes for your son for a couple of reasons. They are expensive. They are IMO overkill for boys. It sounds like this is your sons first summer camp / year in scouting. So he's 11 years old? Maybe made tenderfoot? Weighs less than 100 lbs? Save your money. Run to Walmart and buy him an inflatable camping / sleeping pad from there. Let him trash that and be out only $20.

Now if your son's troop will eventually be going primitive camping when he gets older / big enough, then I would invest in a Big Agnes, but that will be a couple of years down the road when he is 13 or 14 and at least Star rank.

BTW, which camp is your son going to? We head out to Camp Rainey Mountain in Georgia in a couple of weeks.

[hotbiggun42]

I've got a question. Most Scout summer camps I've been to the scouts stay in either tents they set up at the camp or cabins of some type. Is this what is happening in this case or not?

He has his own 2 man tent he uses for scout campouts. They will supply loaner tents if the boys need them but never cots.
On this campout they will be staying in large tents and while he can just use his sleeping bag and a self inflating mat like he has been since he started I thought it would be nice to make it a little more comfortable for him. He is 15 and he is on track to being a Eagle Scout.
He has an outstanding Troop leader and they have camping trips throughout the year. I am not too involved except financially and I help with fund raisers.
We live in the Pacific Northwest and I am not sure which camp they will be at this summer. When I find out I will post it here.
Thanks for all of the good suggestions. Sonds like the Big Agnes would be a good purchase.

[ra2bach]

He has his own 2 man tent he uses for scout campouts. They will supply loaner tents if the boys need them but never cots.
On this campout they will be staying in large tents and while he can just use his sleeping bag and a self inflating mat like he has been since he started I thought it would be nice to make it a little more comfortable for him. He is 15 and he is on track to being a Eagle Scout.
He has an outstanding Troop leader and they have camping trips throughout the year. I am not too involved except financially and I help with fund raisers.
We live in the Pacific Northwest and I am not sure which camp they will be at this summer. When I find out I will post it here.
Thanks for all of the good suggestions. Sonds like the Big Agnes would be a good purchase.

I think a cot would be ideal in this circumstance. it gives added comfort, gets him off the ground for moisture and insects, and gives room to store gear underneath.

my only question was when you mentioned packing it in. I don't know of any cots that I'd want to pack any distance. if this was just a few hundred yards from the car to the already setup cabin-style tent, then yeah, a cot is best. if this is a hiking camp out, then a good air mattress is the only way to go.

if he already has, as you say, a self-inflating sleep pad, then a good air mattress like the Exped, Big Agnes, or others would be a big step up. thickness matters...

[TN_Warrior]

Wow I never new pads cost so much. I never carried my due to not wanting the weight.

[PlatoCATM]

Luxury Lite. Awesome looking cot, but unrealistically expensive.

I would say an inflatable mat is the better choice for backpacking.

[kaiservontexas]

NATO sleeping pad. I love that thing, and it has held up very well for me. It also does not weight a ton.

What would be a good hammock? I need to invest in one.

[mallowpufft]

I use a 3/4 length thermarest or a backpacking hammock. Not so wonderful in a stationary tent but darn handy for if they were to do any hiking in and primitive camping.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I847 using Tapatalk 2

[usmcvet]

http://www.luxurylite.com/cover.htm

This looks interesting but expensive. Buy him a good therma rest, I have one that is about 20 years old. I'm not a hardcore camper or back packer, it is the 3/4 length unit and it packs up small for backpacking. If I aslo have one of the larger, longer thicker therma rest pads but it is huge and better for car camping, it does not pack down small.

We used this cot for the kids, again VERY HEAVY good for car camping.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/735034.uts

I use this cot with the foam pad

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Campi..._SEQ_104280480

This pad

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Campi...3Bcat104712480

Someone already mentioned this unit

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Campi...3Bcat104712480

I like that it's made in America.

[Weaver]

This cot is about the only thing I'd consider for backpacking ...
http://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com...fm/4,7475.html

But, I'd also want a Thermarest - and the Thermarest is good enough by itself, assuming you have some sort of cloth between you and the ground.

The cot can be very useful in some limited conditions - very wet soil, some bug conditions, etc - but Thermarest is the way to go all around.

[usmcvet]

This cot is about the only thing I'd consider for backpacking ...
http://www.boundarywaterscatalog.com...fm/4,7475.html

That thing looks awesome! I might have to try it.