Cots and camping with kids.....

[Twistedup]

i was wondering if any of you have any preferences on what kind of cots to buy for children. we have been a few times with air mattresses and they take up so much room and you cant put anything underneath of them and so i am trying to decide what kind of cots to buy for 2 adults and three kids ages 5, 5 and 3. camping is not new to me but it is new for the kids and still a a bit new for my wife. we both like the idea of having a way to put stuff under the beds and having a bit of floor space in the tent and not have the kids and the mastiff walking on our bedding all day as they go in and out of the tent. anyway the tent i have is 13 x 9 and its pretty roomy when there isnt two queen size air mattresses on the floor. anyway thanks for the help and suggestions be well and happy camping everyone.

[a65hoosier]

Re: Cots and camping with kids.....

This will be helpful: http://www.campingforums.com/forum/s...highlight=cots

[tplife]

Re: Cots and camping with kids.....

We camp year 'round, have raised 3 kids and put their comfort and safety first. Cots and air mattresses have no place in our camping equipment due to the way they freeze you out by sucking the heat out of you - we don't want to bring a mountain of sleeping bags and blankets to compensate. If you camp outside of summer, invest in some ThermaRest or MegaMat self-inflating sleeping pads (stores like Costco and REI also sell knockoff versions). They are available in different thicknesses and widths, we like the 25 X 77. Just make sure that whatever you buy, it states that it has an R-Value of 5.0 or above. The alternative would be to use some kind of heater inside your tent as it's the cold air around you that makes cots and those big air mattresses worthless. Now get out there!

[actad]

Re: Cots and camping with kids.....

Two options and both fold up like a camp chair:

One is a cot I use for me (I am five foot tall) but my grandkids love. I got it for under twenty dollars in February, but it is not a bad price right now at $25. It is comfortable for me as a side sleeper. The head of the cot being slightly raised keeps my pillow on the cot, too. The grandkids don't roll off of it. I like it as an alternative to a hammock and often use it in the yard to relax.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trai...p-Cot/39511132

The other is fine for the soon to be six year old, but all the grandkids have been using them since they were two. (I keep one for the dog to use instead of getting dusty/muddy on the ground.)

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Regalo-My-...el-Bed/4433186

I also have the Coleman Ridgeline and many toddler naps have been spent on it. It folds in half, so has a bigger area that needs to be stowed.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Ri...p-Bed/17215240

This one and the Regalo are usually in the store. The Ozark Trail one had to be ordered online.

[toedtoes]

Re: Cots and camping with kids.....

Actad - how does the dog like that cot? I'm still trying to figure out a solution for my spoiled beasts - they don't believe in sleeping on cold hard ground and as soon as the sun goes down, they are ready to go into the clipper for the night (they want their couch!). At $25 on Amazon, that Regalo looks interesting. Its limit is 75lbs which is Moose-dog's weight and Bat-dog is about 10 lbs less (they've both lost weight and are slim and trim). Blankets and cushions don't work because they're still "on the ground".

[actad]

Re: Cots and camping with kids.....

At first, she ignored it and we were using it as a footrest. But, then I put a fleece blanket on it, even though it comes with a nice washable cover. Now, she really likes laying on it, perhaps because that blanket is what she lays on when in the truck cab. The bed allows her to stretch out. I bought the grandkids' new ones, but the dog one I picked up at Goodwill for $5

[Twistedup]

Re: Cots and camping with kids.....

thanks everyone i have some great food for thought. I know you have to have more blankets when you have a cot since you are up in the air and it can take heat away from all sides, but the thing i am interested in is getting up off the ground so we can put some clothing bags and other items under to free up some floor space.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Cots and camping with kids.....

actad, here's a heads up for ya on the feet of the Ozark Trails cot. They are the weak point in construction as you can't replace them; learned that the hard way with my Cabela air mattress stand:(. My suggestion is to take the time to carefully place thread reinforced duct tape around the plastic surface to keep the feet together when and if they crack. Do this on some day before ya camp with a box cutter or Xacto knife and you'll thank yourself when the plastic breaks.