Even at the best of times, camping can be a smidge uncomfortable. There’s usually a struggle for headroom and somewhere to sit and stay dry, and we’ve often found that blow up mattresses are never blown up enough and often leave those with a bad back, aching even more the next day.
There is a solution, and it’s cot beds. Nope, not the ones you settle your little bundle of joy into each night before top toeing out of the room, but ones for adult campers to use and relax into. Cot beds are also referred to as camping beds and are preferred by some as they raise the sleeper off of the ground.
While comfort and warmth are pretty much guaranteed to be better than sleeping on a ground mat, there is a downside. These beds take up space, so probably not best for those camping while hiking but undoubtedly much more user-friendly for those camping in a tent with a car.
What is a cot bed?
This isn’t your baby’s high-sided sleeping bed. No – in this situation, it’s a lightweight adult-sized bed which uses durable fabrics and can fold down to a compact size for use while camping.
They’re generally more supportive than a blow-up mattress because the hard-wearing, durable and slightly elasticated fabric doesn’t have to contend with the ground’s unevenness. Generally speaking, they’re easier to set up as they fold out instead of pumping up, and when put away, they fold back down again.
What are the best?
Put your feet up as we take a little look through the best camping cot beds for adults.
FE Active Folding Camping Cot
Price: RRP £74.99 | VIEW OFFER
This is an excellent camping cot for your tent and outdoor camping – it’s lightweight, comfortable, easy to set up and compact. The frame is made from lightweight but high-grade 7075 aluminium with foldable nylon joints, which help it pack down and set the cot bed up. The fabric on which you sleep is made from 420D water-resistant Oxford polyester. Weighing around two kilos, it will take a maximum load of 113 kilos.
Pros:
• Good materials
Cons:
• Potentially fiddly to set up until you’ve practised
KingCamp XXL Folding Camping Bed
Price: RRP £69.99 | VIEW OFFER
The King Camp has gone for three legs which fold away, as opposed to the multiple legs of the FE Active folding camping cot. These legs are set up in an ‘x’ formation, and it looks much more like a traditional camping cot bed and boasts a load capacity of 120kg.
It uses reinforced steel in its X-leg design which provides stability, and the sleeping fabric is 600D Oxford polyester which is wear and dirt-resistant. The large size and X-leg build have the cot weighing around 9kg.
Pros:
• Large size
• Good materials
Cons:
• Heavy
Quechua Single Inflatable Camping Bed Base
Price: RRP £69.99 | VIEW OFFER
Here’s a wonderful idea from Quechua. While an inflatable and not ‘instant’ to erect, this camping cot bed uses slats akin to those found in your bed at home.
The inflatable section lifts the cot bed off the ground and provides a mattress feel to your camping holiday. Compatible with any camping mattress with a maximum width of 70cm, you’ll get a comfortable night’s sleep. The maximum weight recommended for this cot bed is 110kg.
Pros:
• Unique style
• Good support
Cons:
• Needs to be inflated
Robens Outpost Low Camp Bed
Price: RRP £98.99 | VIEW OFFER
Perfect for lifting you off the uneven ground for a good night’s sleep, the Robens Outpost Low Camp Bed has been constructed with a lightweight yet durable aluminium frame and features an adjustable frame tension and compact, small pack size for easy transportation. The camping bed is also quick and easy to assemble and is completed with corner straps for holding an insulated mat in place during the winter months.
Pros:
• Reputable brand
• Small and portable
Cons:
• More expensive than other models
Advanta Endurance 6 Leg Memory Foam Bedchair
Price: RRP £179.99 | VIEW OFFER
This Six Leg Memory Foam Bedchair forms part of the exceptional Endurance range from Advanta. Fishermen love to tell a tale, and one of them is that being comfortable on the bank can make a massive impact on your angling success (or otherwise). This bedchair uses a whole range of top-notch technology to ensure that you can enjoy a blissful night of rest on the bank to land that killer carp.
While we can’t promise that this cot bed will improve your angling success, it’s a clever catch for anyone looking to have a peaceful night camping.
Pros:
• Memory foam
• Comfort put first
Cons:
• Too chunky to be truly portable
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