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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Winter Camping and Activities To cot or not? Reply |
Previous Messages: | |
Author | Message Text |
bobbernumber3 |
03/05/2019 07:25PMSoledad: "...cots are a pain to sit on during the day. ..." that's what the camp chair is for! |
Soledad |
03/05/2019 03:39PM In my experience, cots are a pain to sit on during the day. They take up a lot of space, although you can store lots of gear under them. They are heavy to haul in on a toboggan, and take up a lot of space there too. In my tent, I use a synthetic roofing underlayment which is very light, anti-slip, and waterproof. Thin cheap wool blankets on top, then my Exped which allows me to use my sleeping bag as a quilt in temps down to -35. I found an Exped chair kit on Sierra Trading post for $35. Very comfortable to sit on and to sleep on. |
bobbernumber3 |
03/05/2019 08:21AM A cot is standard practice for my winter camping. Of course you need an insulated mattress or pad with a cot, just as you would on the ground. I like being able to store gear under the cot out of the way. |
Gadfly |
03/05/2019 08:15AMMinnesotian: " We follow this same rule. During the day we lean our pads up in the back of the tent, hang our bags and kind of fold back our tarp a little to give us a little more room. This helps things dry from any moisture that may have accumulated during the night. |
butthead |
03/04/2019 03:26PM Yup cots are actually colder. Air convection heat loss, so if you use one you still need insulation like a closed cell pad underneath you. butthead |
Minnesotian |
03/04/2019 02:43PM I find cots to be colder. All that cold air under you, even in a hot tent, that you have no way of heating. I throw down a tarp, then some closed cell foam, inflatable pad, and then the sleeping bag. There is also a strict rule of no walking on the tarp with snowboots. Thus we all pack moccasins or slippers. That keeps the tarp area fairly dry. |
bumabu |
03/04/2019 10:07AM Thanks guys! I was planning to use a pad on the cot, as I have frozen on a cot with no pad previously. For now, we will likely be hot tenting at a drive in site, so the weight and bulk shouldn't be a problem just yet. Later on when we graduate to a full blown hike in site, that may be more of a factor. I appreciate the feedback! |
Gadfly |
03/04/2019 08:14AM We used a couple cots on one of our first trips. Too much weight, too bulky and not as comfortable as a pad. If you do decide you use a cot you may want to use a pad with it as your bodyweight will compress your bag reducing its ability to insulate. We use a tarp in our sleeping area never had issues with moisture. |
turkish621 |
03/03/2019 08:56PM just got back from 3 nights in a hot tent, regret leaving the cots at home. It was a constant battle dealing with moisture on the floor and keeping things dry. |
bumabu |
03/03/2019 04:20PM Any not-so-obvious pros/cons to using a cot in my hot tent I might be over looking? Mainly I am worried about getting wet sleeping on the floor, and it seems like the cot would keep me a bit warmer and give me another 12 square feet of storage space.... |