Northern Dancer
Survivalist
Selecting a camp cot is like selecting a bed. A good, even a medium priced cot, with not tip or fold up. [If you have set it up according to the instructions.] It would have to be really cheap. You need to consider the size too. We had a greenhorn come to camp once with a cot - a cheap special. First of all he was 6 foot 2 inches and it hadn't occurred to him to measure the width and the length. It turned out to be a kids bed.
Again - think of your needs. Read all the reviews and select one accordingly. THEN you need to think of what kind of mattress you will want. My rule of thumb is that I never buy plastic - ever. I have a sleeping bag insert over my mattress to provide extra warmth and softness.
As you can see I have an aversion to roughing it.
While I think I will go ahead and get the tent listed above, I was really hoping to find a 3-4 season tent that would work well in the winter, as well as in the summer. Do you have any suggestions in that area? I know the kind you have are good but I need to find something smaller and a bit cheaper in price.
Unless you actually plan to camp in the winter you really don't need a four season tent. A four season tent has stronger material to manage the ravages of winter - ice, snow and high winds. A four season tent is designed just for that - Spring, Summer and Fall - depending where you live. Getting a four season tent is never really cheap because of the nature of its use. True - sometimes you can catch a closing out sale - but they are few and far in between. I still like to stand at base camp so a smaller one is out of the question. I do use a three season tent tripping - but that is a matter of choice and not a necessity. Even a simple summer tent will do okay with an extra fly.While I think I will go ahead and get the tent listed above, I was really hoping to find a 3-4 season tent that would work well in the winter, as well as in the summer. Do you have any suggestions in that area? I know the kind you have are good but I need to find something smaller and a bit cheaper in price.
It really boils down to choice and yes how much you have to spend.
I do agree I would rather spend a few more dollars on a quality product than a poorer one that lasts a lot less. Neighbours bought one of the cheap pop up tents. It lasted one trip. No...I would spend a few extra dollars to assure that I'm getting what I need.