Reviews You Can Rely On

How We Tested Camping Cots

Thursday April 11, 2024

In our quest to find the best camping cot you can get, we spent months rigorously testing these products head-to-head. We looked at how easy they are to set up and break down, how comfortable each one is, and how durable they are, as well as much of a hassle they are to you. We unfolded and folded each cot dozens and dozens of times, as well as had a variety of different people try them out in all sorts of scenarios all to help you choose the perfect one.

camping cot - setting up and collapsing some of these cots every day will get old...
Setting up and collapsing some of these cots every day will get old real fast.
Credit: Marissa Fox

Ease of Setup


Ease of Setup is our most important testing metric, accounting for 40% of the score, with the bulk of each cot's score predicated on the amount of effort it took to assemble and disassemble each one. To score this, we unfolded and assembled each cot. And then took them apart. And put them together. And took them apart. And back together again. And apart. Over and over.

camping cot - the pack-away can be a little cumbersome to pack away but isn't a...
The Pack-Away can be a little cumbersome to pack away but isn't a huge hassle.
Credit: Marissa Fox

We set up and broke down each cot dozens of times in our tests, looking at how long it took, how many pieces each one is made of, and how much effort it took.

camping cot - we found it easy to pinch your fingers if you weren't careful on...
We found it easy to pinch your fingers if you weren't careful on some of the cots.
Credit: Marissa Fox

We also looked for any points where it was easy to pinch your fingers when unfolding the frame and how much effort it took to get the folded cot back into its carrying bag.

camping cot - there is quite a difference in the packed size between these products.
There is quite a difference in the packed size between these products.
Credit: Marissa Fox

Portability


Next, we compared how easy each cot is to carry around. This metric accounts for 30% of the final score for each product. Starting off, we measured each cot and measured the amount of volume that each camping cot occupied when it was folded up.

camping cot - most of the backpacking cots won't fit back into their case unless...
Most of the backpacking cots won't fit back into their case unless carefully packed.
Credit: Marissa Fox

We also looked at how well each cot packed in a car or if you strap it to the outside of the pack, as well as how each one felt to carry.

camping cot - this cot tends to bottom out unless you have your weight evenly...
This cot tends to bottom out unless you have your weight evenly distributed.
Credit: Marissa Fox

Comfort


Responsible for 20% of the final score for each camping cot, our next metric is based on how comfortable each cot is. We had a wide variety of people with different body shapes and sizes try out each cot and aggregated their results to award points.

camping cot - the xxl gives you more than enough room.
The XXL gives you more than enough room.
Credit: Marissa Fox

We also checked to see if it was easy to hit your elbows on the side rails or you are prone to hitting your head or feet on the frame.

camping cot - the construction and design differ greatly cot to cot.
The construction and design differ greatly cot to cot.
Credit: Marissa Fox

Durability


For our final metric, we evaluated and ranked the durability of each cot. We based the majority of our scores on our overall impressions of the design and construction of each cot, as well as if they sustained any damage during our extensive testing period. Additionally, we read through other user reviews to look for any common complaints or issues.

camping cot - we would be concerned with the fabric ripping or stretching over...
We would be concerned with the fabric ripping or stretching over time since it was so easy to accidentally catch when installing the legs.
Credit: Marissa Fox

We also looked at the amount of weight each cot is rated for, awarding more points to models that had a higher weight rating.