Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Helinox Cot Lite - feedback?
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pos1 |
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Shimbo |
pos1: "Your comment on noise is interesting. It's one of the things I don't like about my current pad...and most pads I've had. Since I constantly roll back-and-forth it makes a terrible noise every time. But tent mates have never complained, surprisingly." The Therm-a-Rest CotLite that I mentioned is somewhat noisy, especially due to the mylar sheet on the bottom. However, I have never actually had a problem with it. As someone else has mentioned, once you get a cot, you won't be rolling over every hour or two. In my case, I was actually able to go the whole night without interrupted sleep. |
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bwcadan |
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LilyPond |
pos1: "Currently using an Exped Synmat, which I do like primarily because of pack size and weight. But, as I get older it's more difficult to get a good night's sleep on a pad. . . . I'm not terribly worried about the weight. A little worried about pack size. And a little worried about warmth. . . .Having never slept above the ground I have no reference for how much colder a cot can be. . . .I'd rather not bring both the cot and pad, which I've read lots of people do." (1) If you're not comfortable on the Synmat alone, I assure you that the Helinox cot with no pad will be WORSE. The cot provides a wonderful feeling of suspension, but zero cushioning. You need the cot and the mattress. The cot plus the Synmat is the most sleeping comfort you can possibly have. (2) I've never been cold on a Helinox Cot with the Exped Synmat 7 (or 3-D7, which I prefer for the box sides) plus a 20-degree down sleeping bag. I've camping down to 25 degrees several times with that setup. No problem. You would freeze on the cot without the mattress. I don't have the Lite. I have the Cot One Convertible and highly recommend it. |
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Shimbo |
https://www.amazon.com/Therm-Rest-Ultralite-Cot-Regular/dp/B01MYXWFCO/ref=dp_ob_title_sports?th=1 I am 6'5", and (unfortunately) about 250 lbs. This little cot supports me very well. (note - I got the "large" version) I am a side sleeper and can never get a full night's sleep on a normal camping air mattress. This cot has allowed me to get a RESTFUL night's sleep in the backcountry(™ haha don't sue me), without waking or turning. This cot is very light-weight and honestly it feels a bit flimsy. HOWEVER - it is more than strong enough, and I get a good night's sleep even though my hip touches the ground. My hip can even be on one of the bars! The point is that it supports your whole body, similar to how a hammock does. The part of my hip that is touching the ground is not experiencing very much pressure. One note about the durability - I have had an issue where the mylar heat reflector layer on the bottom of the cot has started tearing apart (no doubt due to the fact that my hip touches the ground). This is a nuisance, but I still love this cot, and I purchased different under-cot heat reflector from Therm-a-Rest to make up for this. https://www.moosejaw.com/product/therm-a-rest-luxurylite-cot-warmer_10238396 I've never winter camped with this cot, but we did a late September (freezing over night) trip, and the wife used this cot without any complaints about heat (that's saying something). I would use a high R-value air pad in truly frigid temps. (e.g. Therm-a-Rest X-Therm Max or even the closed-cell RidgeRest with the heat reflector) One last note: some have complained about this cot making noise. Before my first use, I sprayed a bit of silicone-based lube in all of the pole sockets, then assembled the cot. I have never had a problem with squeaky joints. |
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pos1 |
So, I'm thinking about a cot. Looking at the Helinox Cot Lite. I'm not terribly worried about the weight. A little worried about pack size. And a little worried about warmth. I do 3-4 trips per year. One in mid-May, two in summer and one in Sept/Oct. It's the spring and fall trips I'm worried about. Having never slept above the ground I have no reference for how much colder a cot can be. I do have a good down sleeping bag (I think it's a 20-degree bag). I'd rather not bring both the cot and pad, which I've read lots of people do. Any feedback in general would be appreciated. |
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butthead |
butthead |
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Savage Voyageur |
A space blanket sounds good on paper for this but I’ve heard it does not. It is too slippery, makes a lot of noise, and a condensation nightmare. A yoga mat will provide you with the needed insulation under your cot. It holds tight to what it’s on, rolls up tight and small. |
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BigBearArlich |
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mjmkjun |
I am a side sleeper too and own a Helinox Cot Lite. My suggestion is to buy the wider Helinox Cot One. Otherwise, your arms fall off the cot. Not terribly annoying but it might be if a back sleeper. I ended up getting the wider version and it does make a difference. My joints do still hurt when I sleep on a cot vs no cot--but far, far fewer discomforts. If I've had a particularly rough day then joint or muscle soreness can not be avoided no matter what. (Tylenol for breakfast!) I have slept with a Synmat 7 and without any air pad on the cot lite but always with sleep bag rated to 32*. (sometimes unzipped as a cover) I've never awoken cold. My trips are in mid-to-late June or early September. Last year, I invested in a Dream hammock and have only one 4-day trip sleeping in that setup. First impressions: No aches other than normal muscle fatigue of a 69 yrs old man. Zero joint pain as there are no pressure points in a hammock. I slept more on my back in the hammock and experienced sounder sleep than I've ever had on an air mat or cot. Better than my mattress at home, in fact. That surprised me! I did sleep on my side during the course of the night but discovered that as I shift positions I find a comfy zone with minimal movement. Zzzzzzzzzz (the packed size of a Cot Lite vs Cot One is the same. Cot One has 1 less leg brace which, overall, is a bit more weight.) |
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Shimbo |
LilyPond: "pos1: " |
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LilyPond |
Shimbo: "I am very comfortable on my Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite CotLite with no pad. (In late spring / summer / early fall conditions)" OP indicates he's getting older, maybe referring to joint problems (hips, shoulders, back). One of the advantages of the Helinox cot is its drum-tight surface, which creates a stable sleep surface with no sagging and no movement of the frame. My cot hasn't shown any stretching after about 30 uses in spite of how incredibly tight the clamping devices stretch it. But it's not soft enough to sleep on without a mattress, ***at least not for older folks. The Helinox cot is quite a bit sturdier and more stable that the Therm-a-Rest cots, according to reviews. |
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pos1 |
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butthead |
butthead |
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mjmkjun |
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