Camping Cots

In this group, you'll find our camping cots and field beds. The army field bed is a highly versatile gadget. Cheap, packs small, and works like a charm both on the road and at home. Field Marshal Mannerheim, the commander-in-chief of the Finnish forces during WWII, appreciated the charm of the field cot even at his old age. His home in Helsinki has a very simplistic bedroom with a plain military field bed. He supposedly said that with such a beautiful view of the sea, you don’t need other luxuries in your bedroom. We go one better: You don’t even need the view to enjoy a good army cot bed.

Camping cot on the road

We cannot recommend the cot bed for backpacking, though. It is such a heavy, unwieldy tube that no sane person wants to haul it in the wilderness. However, a tent cot is perfect for camping with a car. It fits nicely even in the smallest piece of crap. And it is great in an army tent or other taller shelter when you want to stay a bit further away from potentially hostile nature. When you visit your peculiar uncle living in the Deadlands, it might be good to bring your own military cot with you, because you never know what else might lurk among the dust mites.

Army beds at home

The camp bunk is an ideal guest bed. It is comfortable but not so comfortable that your in-laws would want to stay at your place for too long. And when your guests leave, you can fold the camp bed and toss it in the closet.

If you have been tricked into buying the apartment that the real estate agent calls “a cozy space-saving wonder”, the army cot works perfectly as your own bed. You can easily fold the cot away when you need the few square feet for something else. And at night, you can dream of the seaside view and reorganize the defenses of the eastern front.

What is a camping cot?

The folding camping cot, military cot bed, portable cot, sleeping cot—the beloved child has many names, but the idea is always the same. The camp cot is a foldable bed that elevates the sleeper off the cold, harsh ground and packs fairly small. The frame is usually made from aluminum or steel, and the “mattress” is made from a durable canvas. Unlike the air-filled sleeping pads, the camp cot requires no pump, and you don’t have to fear it bursting in the dead of night, even when you sleep with a puukko knife under your pillow. It might poke out your eye, but it won’t poke out your bed.

What to consider when buying a camping cot

You should check a few things before ordering a cot for camping or other purposes:

• The maximum weight the cot can carry without dying of frustration.
• The measurements when packed  — will the cot fit in your rusty Trabant or in the closet at home? A full-size cot takes quite a bit of space even when packed.
• The frame material — aluminum is lightweight and sturdy; steel is even sturdier but also heavier.
• Distance from the ground — A low cot is more stable, but it is easier to get out of bed when the cot is a bit higher, and you can also store more stuff underneath. The most comfortable camping cot is, of course, usually a bit bigger and heavier than a lightweight camping cot.