Good cot with some issues - Therm-a-Rest Mesh Cot

I have an older version of this cot, bought shortly after Thermarest purchased the original manufacturer. I find it to be very comfortable to sleep on, especially with a pad on top. Mine has twist bows, so 2 sets of poles for each leg, although you can remove some for lighter weight at the expense of decreased weight capacity. I am a larger guy, about 250 and 6', so I use all the poles. For the last couple years I have alternated between this one and a Helinox Cot One. However, on my last campout I ran into a situation that this cot did not like, and significantly detracted from my enjoyment of camping.

The area where we were camping was pretty uneven, so it was almost impossible to find a well leveled spot. That night I discovered this cot does not like it if the ground is slanted from front to back. I found the legs in the middle would periodically pop off as I moved around at night, due to the angle of the ground. I don't think I have ever had something like that happen with any other cot, and I am fairly sure there have been a few other times when I was stuck with uneven ground at a campsite.

As long as you are careful when choosing a site you should be fine. It packs up super small, and is not hard to assemble once you do it a few times. It would still be on my list for camping when space is at a premium. The Helinox is better constructed and easier to assemble, but it is so tight it is like sleeping on the ground. There is less give, so a pad is pretty much required.

I have since picked up a Go-Kot from a thrift store, and find it to be the perfect compromise between comfort and ease of assembly. When I have the room I usually take it now.