Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

The theory of the product is sound; but alas, unfortnately I was unable to set it up. I did not have the strength to bend the double poles and pop them into the legs. I was about 3/4ths of an inch short. After fighting with it for about 30 minutes, I gave up defeated and sweaty. Not too mention when I took it apart one of the single poles came loose and shot the "leg/foot" into the air and it ricocheted around the room (dogs diving for cover!) The weight of the item also seems a bit much for backpacking, but it would have been great for pack-in kayaking if I had only had the strength to put the cot together. I'm female and my uppper body strength is not that of a man. So be warned ladies, you might be in the same boat I am.

As to recommendations....I would recommend this cot to my male friends, but would forewarn my female friends. I can only give it two stars as it simply is not feasible for many.

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

my travel is motorcycle touring. this fits great with my other compact gear. i use a thin thermarest mattress and it worked very well. tension on bars on set up can be tricky. avoid whacking yourself in head. but with practice, no problems. this was my first trip, but it is strong and durability will be good. a great cot

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

First thing: I was letting a buddy try it out and we set up the minimalist 2 lbs. set up. One of the rods got bent. He weighs the maximum for that configuration but it still should not have bent. I weigh 205 but I will always be setting this up with all the rods.
Second thing: You have to lay this sleep side down to set it up. So if you cant find a clean/dry place to lay this down it could get messy.
All the other parts seem well crafted and durable. It folds down to just longer than a Nalgene bottle with the same circumferance.

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

I normally hammock camp, but over night trips on the Texas rivers finding a good hanging spot for me and my clients would often require trespassing which is not an option. I used to carry an air mattress and pump but flats and the weight were a real issue. After looking at these for a while and reading reviews, I took the plunge and couldn't be happier. My clients are a little skeptical at first but at breakfast they are all smiles. I have even started using it under my hammock when there are no trees, I just use my hiking poles, or my paddle to support the ridge line and it is like a bivy. and a big space and weight savings. My rule for gear still holds, if the biggest and most often found complaint is the price then buy it. I wouldn't be without it after using it. As for those that don't like the weight, yes there are lighter options if you compare to the pad options, but there is no comparison in comfort unless you get the the thick pads then you are at the same weight and price. My only complaint is I didn't buy one sooner!!!

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

I bought this product several years ago when it first came out (before Therm-a-rest bought the rights). It was purchased so I could get my Dad to come with us on some of our trips (he is in his 70's). The comfort of this cot is unbelievable for how light it is. It is a well made piece of equipment. Add a pad and it doesn't get much better than that for weight and space. My dad says he sleeps almost as comfortable as in his bed at home.

Of course when my dad doesn't come on our trips this dream doesn't stay at home. I have spent many nights on it myself. I use it mainly for sea kayak trips. It takes up little room and with a pad added to it my nights are very pleasant. It is a bit on the heavy side for my backpacking trips which are usually a week or more long and require me to carry more weight for other items (usually food). This would be great for a shorter pack trip.

Now a few comments about set up and such. As another reviewer pointed out it is very helpful to watch the set up video on Youtube. It doesn't set up very quick. It is a process. But once I had that process down I usually had my equipment packed and ready to go before most of my other companions.
This cot does flex when weight is put on it. That flexing causes the round feet to roll. This design is what makes the cot so comfotable. The problem which is created is it can be very hard on tent floors. I am very protective of my tents as I have spent a lot of money on them. There are several ways you can protect the tent floor. The way I have chosen to do this is to NOT put this inside my tent. I know if I do put it inside it will eventually wear through the floor of the tent. And I don't like holes in my tent. Instead I pitch my tent over this cot. This works well for me. If you plan on sharing a tent you will have to use a three man tent for two people (which I do anyway) or there is usually not enough footprint to cover two cots or to cover one cot with room for your companion.

In my camping and backpacking I try to get the most comfort out of the least weight and space. I have enjoyed the comfort and convienience of this cot for many years and am expecting many more. It has been a very durable product so far.

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

i bought one a few years ago before they were made/sold under the Thermarest brand. A tad heavy for vigorous backpacking, but very comfortable. Well worth it for short backpacking trips on rocky ground, car or ATV camping. I average about 6 nights per year on it so far, and it shows no signs of wear or fatigue.

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

Amazing.

The cross bows flex, the round feet roll as needed to let the frame stringers bow in under your weight. It feels almost like a mattress. It does not feel like you are laying on a tight sheet like in a normal cot. The surface actually adjusts to your contours to some degree. It is pretty comfy with just the fabric on top, but if you put a full size pad on that, it is as comfortable as my bed!
Seriously.
It's almost three pounds though. Even so, I think I will actually carry it hiking. Definitely by bike or motorcycle. If it means sleeping well, it might be worth the weight even on foot. I am very impressed. I am a side sleeper, and it works well for that. You can bend your knees and get comfortable. Stomach is good too. So is the back. I'm really pleased with it.
Assembly takes a few minutes, but it is worth it.

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

Lower back pain made me try a conventional cot w/self-inflating pad on top. That works well, but is a lot to carry, in both weight and volume, when camping.

Tried Byer Allagash, but poor quality resulted in the fabric sagging too much so that after about 3 weekend camps, my backside touched one of the metal bows (I'm 165lbs, same thing happened for my wife at 120lbs.) They're also quite a bit to carry. I wish they worked (tried 2 of them) because they were a lot cheaper.

I was very hesitant to spend so much money on this cot, but was desperate. I'm glad I did. It's small, light, and comfortable.

This uses reinforced fabric that hasn't stretched yet and it doesn't appear like it will. When you assemble it, it feels more sturdy than the Byer. It takes a little while to assemble, so practice at home.

I also like the fact that your weight is distributed over more points, which is better for your tent floor.

If you're lighter or want to try customizing the cot, you can add, move, remove, the single and double bows. Obviously, if you remove some parts, the weight of the cot will be even lower.

Two negatives - price and height (it's more difficult to get off a low cot.)

Made in USA w/Easton aluminum bows, and all the parts seem well made.

I purchased 2 directly from luxurylite before they were available from REI. They sell spare parts and an optional mesh cover.

Comments about Therm-a-Rest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot:

I've owned this product for a couple of years now and thoroughly enjoy it and am a grateful owner. Not only is it ridiculously small and unbelievably light, it is also pretty supportive and I get a decent night's rest on it. I often fly to my destination to camp (but car camp once there) and having this cot takes up next to no room in my suitcase. When you receive it you will be hard pressed to believe that this becomes a cot based on weight and package size.

Before you set this up for the first time make sure you go to youtube and type in "Luxury Lite" to see how it's done. It makes understanding the assembly much easier. I thought I was going to snap the poles the first time I was putting it together, but they are tough and aren't going to give and are made to handle the tension strength. Handily enough, this product will still work even if you broke a couple of poles since you don't need all 6 brackets to get support. 4 of them will do, just not as well esp. if you can't do a double support in the midsection area which really helps keep you suspended.

If you're a pretty lean, light person you can get away with less poles and/or not doing a couple of double brackets in the midsection. If you've got some meat on your bones I'd recommend using all of the poles and doubling up in the middle. Again, the YouTube video will make all of this clearer to you.

Here's the one problem I encountered and it may be partially my own doing (emphasis on partially - product performance a factor here too in my opinion). After using this for a week of car camping at Rocky Mtn. NP I noticed that there were a few small holes in the bottom of my REI Camp Dome 2 tent. I fully admit that I often move about during my sleep and maybe that contributed to the small holes, but for this price I expect nothing less than perfection. The holes were nothing all that drastic since I'm a car camper who uses the Camp Dome footprint, but they're still there. I've managed to remedy the problem by encasing the entire unit in a cheap fleece zippered sleeping bag which also happens to make it a little more comfy too. Great for someone like myself who is car camping, not so great for those of you headed into the backcountry. Those headed into the backcountry could consider purchase of a second footprint if space permits to use inside the tent to take the damage vs. the floor itself. Maybe others won't even experience this problem, but I'm inclined to think that unless you sleep very still that there's a chance these small holes will happen, usually under the torso area where weight is the greatest.

I often use this with my REI Stratus (size large) air pad. Then this goes from being a nice little cot that won't deflate and suspends me nicely to something that is very comfortable and provides great rest after an active day. Since I'm using a fleece bag with it to protect the tent floor from further damage it helps it stay on there nicely, esp. if you use a couple nice sized pieces of non skid shelf paper. Again, I'm a car camper so I can drag along whatever - not so much for those wanting to use it in the backcountry. And at least in my Camp Dome 2 tent there is no way that 2 of these will fit in there. 2 people using this product in a 3 person tent will be just fine though. Definitely place this in the tent before staking it down, esp. if you're using a 2 person tent.

It's 24 inches wide and while I wish it was just a couple inches wider I wouldn't trade having this for my trips, esp. when I'm flying to get to my destination.

Solid construction, good support, lifetime warranty, made in the USA. Recommended.