Awesome cot! - Helinox Cot One Convertible, Insulated

This is without a doubt my favorite cot. I have found as I get older that my body and my back in particular can no longer take sleeping on the ground, even with a big sleeping pad. Previously while my son was in Cub Scouts I started using a regular cot in my large cabin style family tent, and it made a big difference when paired with even a basic Thermarest pad. Now that I have transitioned to smaller tents and Boy Scouts, I began to look at smaller/lighter options.

First purchase was a Byer of Maine Allagash cot. Nice cot, but a pain to put together with the spring steel legs. I also found that as I lay on the cot, my bottom would often rest on the center legs, even with a pad on top, and I was still well within the weight limit. I also noticed some pulling of the seams in several areas, so I let it go.

Next was a Alps lightweight cot. Better spacing on the legs so no bottoming out, but it was heavier and even more of a pain to get together, especially with the long side arms.

I then got a good deal on a Thermarest Ultra lite mesh cot. This was very comfortable to sleep on, but did take some work to assemble and disassemble. I did like the smaller package it makes when fully collapsed, so I still have it for any potential light backpacking trips I may take.

Then I splurged on the Helinox. Although heavier than the Thermarest, and longer when packed up, it is so easy to put together. Couple minutes and it is ready to go. The cot is a little stiffer than I would like, and has less give than the Thermarest, but still provides a good nights sleep. Bonus is it is a little taller and I can actually store small items underneath the cot (empty stuff sacks, books for reading, etc.) which also helps frre up space inside the tent. As long as you have the room lenght and height wise, it is very nice to have.

I use mine in a Marmot Tungsten 3p and an REI Quarter Dome T2+ with no issues. I also use an Exped Downmat 7 or an older Thermarest pad on top, which makes a huge difference in comfort.

If you can find it for a good price on sale or in conjunction with a coupon you won't regret it. Honestly I would consider paying full price for it after having used it for almost a year now, it has made that much of a difference in my ability to camp with my son. I am by no means an ultralighter, but I have been trying to find other ways to lighten my load for the eventual backpacking trips that will allow me to still haul some of these other items.

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.