Therm-A-Rest UltraLite Cot

Product Description

As light as 2 lb. (.9 kg), the award-winning UltraLite Cot is lighter and packs smaller than any cot on the market. Offered in a range of sizes, this lightweight cot opens up new opportunities for comfortable nights outdoors. The patented BowFrame cot design creates a stretch-free fabric bed that offers superior, off-the-ground sleeping comfort, and the ultralight cot comes with a stuff sack for easy packing, whether you’re out fishing or kayaking for the weekend, or riding a dual sport across the continent.

Features

• Cot's patented BowFrame design eliminates painful crossbars and squeaky joints.
• The lightest cot on the market - so light even backpackers carry it.
• Compact design fits easily in a pannier, portage bag or backpack.
• Cot stands up to heavy use; waterproof, stretch-free nylon cover, anodized aluminum poles and lightweight nylon feet.
• Assembles quickly and easily - no tools required.

Top Reviews

Best Cot I've slept on in my 15+ year career, See pic and review to see how I tested it out
by BWMeeks (5 out of 5 stars)
January 11, 2015

This Cot is as advertised. Great, light weight, durable, and the large (26"x77") was very roomy. Easy to assemble, and packs back up into a very nice little bundle for easy storage or packing; I however, packed mine into my (F4 Terminator pack) in separate pockets (poles in one, and rings/legs in other). I've deployed several times and have slept on many a cot; this one is by far the most comfortable and to be honest, small enough to deploy with and use instead of the "issued" cots. Plus, its low profile but high enough off ground to prevent the dangerous loss of body heat through convection. I Slept in it overnight in 30 degree Fahrenheit (slight wind chill) and drizzling but constant rain. I had no "cold" spots but I did have a Space blanket underneath (negligible weight/space increase for those hikers/campers) and I had a poncho liner that I allowed to drape over as additional insulation and the draping provided the "dead-air" effect further increasing the insulation between my body and the ground. I used a light weight waterproof Bivy cover (no sleeping bag) and one additional Poncho liner over top of me and was just fine temp wise overnight. I recently purchased an ENO Hammock system and have yet to test it out, but I will likely make this Therma Rest COT my go to sleep system, based on how light, compact and comfortable it is.
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Nice, and comfortable
by David Lubertazzi (5 out of 5 stars)
April 4, 2014

I needed a cot for a field/camping trip the Dominican Republic. I am a biologist and while I have camped a lot in my lifetime, it has been awhile. I was concerned I would have trouble with my bad back. This cot was great. I had a thermarest pad, for my upper body, that I used with the cot and was amazed with how comfortably I slept.

I was a bit concerned about issues with the legs that others reported (putting holes in the floor of the tent) but I had no such problems.

In some sense when the cot is set up it does seem a bit flimsy - but it really is not. Still, I thought I should be careful. I felt it would not be a good idea, for instance, to drop myself down onto the cot from a full standing to a sitting position. This would introduce a lot of weight to one part of the cot very quickly and potentially stress the few legs that would bear the brunt of this force. On the other hand the cot is really lightweight, is quite strong and works surprisingly well.
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Well rested and happy
by Mark Wedge (5 out of 5 stars)
November 10, 2016

I have used this cot for 4 nights motorcycle camping and so far I am very happy with its performance, size and weight. It is even possible to spend some time on your side. I am normally a back sleeper and move around very little but on one of the nights the temp dropped to 30F and I rolled on my side and tucked myself well below my sleeping bag opening to keep warm. I'm not small...5-10 / 245, and I did not bottom out the cot with my shoulder or hip. I also used a Big Agnes insulated inflatable air mattress between my bag and the cot. It seemed to be a very good combination and far better than using the air mattress on the ground, which is what I have done for the last 10 years. Don't wait 10 years. Buy the cot! You will be happy with your purchase.
Note: I chose the regular size to save weight and space. It fits me fine. If you are a restless sleeper and my size, or larger, you may want the wider version. I did lots of research on brands and chose the Therm-a-Rest because I am familiar with the brand and their quality. It costs more; lots more compared to some on the market but I trust the brand and have some level of confidence that they would stand behind their product if I experience a problem Good luck with brand X and problem resolution. I hope this review helps as there are a lot of choices available out there.
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It is more comfortable than sleeping on the ground.
by Fred E. Elum (5 out of 5 stars)
October 24, 2016

After reading many reviews and pondering for a long time I purchased the Ultralite Large Cot. I am not sure why so many people write that instructions are not included. Mine has both a pamphlet in 6 languages and instructions sewn into the stuff sack in 3 languages. The instructions are very important as the assembly requires attention to detail or you will break the cot. Maybe the instructions and stuff sack is a recent improvement.

Some important details NOT emphasized well or mentioned in the instructions:

You must stand on each of the side rails when assembling or you will struggle to get the cross bars in place or bend them.

You must pull up gently on the cross bar or cross bow until it just barely slips into place.

Do not put any weight on the side rails at all or you will bend them.

I weigh under 250 lbs and 6ft tall. Neither my hips or shoulders bottomed out when lying on my back or side. I found that it is easiest to roll into it from the side.

I called customer service with some questions. The woman I spoke with was very helpful.

EDIT May 2017:

After sleeping in it while camping I discovered some additional details. It is a little loud. If you move a lot you will hear it. Not bad. but noticeable. Don't rock it the long direction. It is not super strong and you may break the tabs on the feet. Overall, still more comfortable than my 1" self inflating mat. If camping with my wife will need something more robust like a 4" mat.
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made it possible for me to go camping even with chronic back issues
by S. Noble (4 out of 5 stars)
October 20, 2015

I'm a female in my twenties with scoliosis. When I was fifteen, I had a spinal surgery and now I have Harrington rods in my back. I'm also overweight. Because of my scoliosis, I don't always sleep well in my own bed, and it's common for me to wake up with aches and pains in my back.

But I really wanted to do this camping road trip with my friend, and so I started researching what I could use that would enable me to sleep. Sleeping on the ground was out of the question. An air mattress would have maybe been okay, but since I was flying I needed something that would pack down small in my suitcase. After reading a lot of reviews, I went with the Therm-a-rest LuxuryLite UltraLite. I was intrigued by the design, how small it packs, the fact that I knew it would accommodate my weight just fine and the great reviews.

Setup is not hard-- just tricky the first time. I was clumsy and busted one of the rods a little on accident, but not badly. Watch the video before you set it up.

I tested the cot and while it was a vast improvement off being directly on the ground, I knew that it would not suffice by itself. My hips bottomed out when I was on my side. It was a bit disappointment, knowing how much I had already spent, and realizing that I would need to purchase a mattress pad. But I was really determined to make the camping trip work. I ended up purchasing a Therm-a-rest NeoAir Trekker Therm-A-Rest NeoAir Trekker Air Mattress, Pistachio, Large
, and pairing that with the cot worked great for me. Camping was a success, and everything was small enough to pack into my suitcase for the plane.

I'm happy that there's an American company making good quality products like this. If it wasn't for Therm-a-rest, I probably couldn't have taken the camping trip. I would definitely recommend this cot to anyone struggling to get a good night of sleep while camping. It's worth the investment.
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Bent Leg on Therm-A-Rest after two nights...really?
by Karen C. (3 out of 5 stars)
April 23, 2015

I really want to talk to someone for Therm-A-Rest...but I can't seem to find an actual website for them...I bought this UltraLite Therm-A-Rest cot for my daughter and had it shipped directly to her by Amazon. $239.00 !!! Holy Moly, that's allot of money! I figured it was worth it since she was going to be sleeping on it for 5 months, and packing it around with her! She slept on it exactly 2 nights and she says one of the "legs" is slightly bent! She says there are instructions about how to get on and off properly.(which she did.) She only weighs about 115 lbs. fully clothed! So I am sure it can't be a weight problem. I am EXTREMELY upset that there is already a problem with what is supposed to be a top of the line camping cot! I would like to see if Therm-A-Rest would send her a new leg, gratis, to see if it was just a fluke. And hear from everyone out there if they are experiencing similar problems. I don't want to return it without trying out a different leg, first. But I sure want my money back if it is not quality merchandise. Amazon appears to only offer return or replacement, and says to contact the manufacturer with questions, but I can't find any info on how to do that. Signed, "Frustrated AZ Mom"
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Good, but not Great (inconvenient, not 100% durable)
by Robert Ames (4 out of 5 stars)
June 19, 2016

Used in conjunction with a Therm-a-Rest LuxuryMap sleeping pad for 6 nights on an endurance biking trip.

I first bought the LuxuryMap and tried sleeping on that a few nights on the floor in my apartment. It was "OK" but I wasn't 100% comfortable.

I saw this cot and figured it'd be worth a try to double up and get a better nights sleep.

Of the 6 nights, I used the cot 4 times and the sleeping mat twice by itself.

In all cases I when I slept with the cot + mat combo I slept very well and was alright on the nights with just the mat itself.

The nights I didn't use the cot was because it was late and I was tired and frankly it was easier to just blow really hard into the LuxuryMap to get something comfortable and not have to worry about fiddling around and setting it up / tearing it down.

Two or three of the aluminum rods have slightly bent, I have no idea why although it didn't materially affect my sleep. I'm 6'2" ~185lbs and got on/off as instructed (no weight on the side bars, only on the plastic feet). Size was good (I got the "Large" in both the mat and cot).

Summary: Size was good, comfort with an additional mat was excellent, product quality pretty good, although I don't know why some of the bars have bent. Convenience was 50/50 in that I didn't set it up every night but I did notice a difference between nights when I did have and when I didn't.

Another random side-effect: because the cot raises you off the ground for sleeping, you all of a sudden have a bit of extra storage (ie: to put stuff-sack bags under the cot near the head, and shoes under the cot near the feet).
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The extra 3 lbs. will lay easy on your well rested back.
by Dale Thomas (5 out of 5 stars)
March 13, 2016

I've had to compromise on my pack weight because of this cot but it's been worth it. It adds an extra 3 pounds to my base weight but a good night's sleep makes those 3 lbs. lay easy on my back. I've not had a single broken crossbar and the cot cover has worn well. The feet are unforgiving on the tent floor, a cheap ground cloth over the tent floor works nicely. On chilly nights, the cold air gets under this thing and can become uncomfortably cold. My wife solved this with a lightweight emergency blanket placed over the cot which provides enough insulation for me.
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Good, could B Better; Best option for in-tent and off-ground sleeping.
by amanda (3 out of 5 stars)
August 22, 2016

I love my outdoor adventures, but I also love my comfort. I am no hefer, but I am built solid, always have been. I'm the kind of person that actually likes going to those carnival "guess your weight!" and to date, people have not been about 30lbs off. I'm built for fun in the outdoors, and I love to go for it! I do not outweigh the weight limit and at a 5'4" frame, it would be hard to! I needed something sturdy and something to sit off the floor of my bottom-less tent, but low enough that it wouldn't take up all the room in my tipi with sloped walls. After reading the reviews, this seemed to fit the bill. I got one for me and one for my husband over a year and a half ago. My husband is a big man 6'1" and weighs in over 200 lbs. We both like the cot, but I don't love it. For what it is, it's a good buy and I haven't found anything better yet. We like to go all season camping, and I found that on the colder nights, the cot cuts through my sleeping back and my butt freezes the whole night, making it hard to sleep. I feel like it has been long enough and we have been camping enough times to officially say, these cots have been "broken in". That being said, I am still not comfortable on this without an additional sleeping pad, something I wish I had known on our first excursion in 23 degree F. I was warm enough on top from my down sleeping bad and the fleece insert, but laying on this without a pad... the cold cuts through... and I woke up with a back ache. Even with the Therm-a-Rest reflective layer that clips to the bottom... it helps with the cold, but does little in frigid weather. If I had the chance to do it again, I wouldn't buy the additional pieces. The pillow keeper from Therm-a-Rest is helpful to keep my pillow in place, especially since my pillow wont fit inside my mummy bag. Without it, my pillow pops off the cot several times a night. I really like the pockets too, so I can keep items like my chapstick handy without it rolling around and getting lost on the ground or under the cots. Again, wouldn't buy the extra pieces again, the pillow holder is really too big and my pillow slides around a bit with it, but not as bad as without. I digress...

Cot Pro's:
*Sits off the ground without taking up too much head room in a tipi.
*Seems fairly durable, it's still holding up well through a lot of use.
*Stacks well side-by-side for double sleeping and naturally locks together for a comfortable snuggle -if on top of sleeping bags.
*Ultra light and fits in my pack.

Cot Con's:
*Slippery material has you sliding off if on a slight slope and your pillow acts like a hockey puck on ice.
*No insulation factor =COLD
*Bar below butt bends slightly... irritating but doesn't impede use.
*No padding =little comfort (but far better than feeling the bumpy ground.)

Overall:

I'd say it's worth the price. I would like to see an addition that clips on the top that is akin to the 'Exped Deepsleep System', where it packs down small, but provides additional warmth, padding, and comfort that wont slide around. It's hard to operate efficiently without a good sleep and I think this cot is a great start but needs more. As it is, I am mocking something up, but it's taken a lot of trial and error to find anything that works well enough to let me sleep decently. In all fairness, I sleep at home with 12" foam pillow-top mattress on 600 ct. eucalyptus sheets. I'm a bit of a princess when it comes to my comfort needs. This cot is a pretty sweet deal, but I am a pretty tough customer. Admittedly, my husband sleeps like a babe on these without any extra padding. He has not complained of the cold and am surprised when I mention it. Just all depends on preference. :)

Disclaimer:

For consumer and reviewer information... I did NOT receive this product as a free product to review (though i'd love to get into that!) and I don't leave reviews on ANYTHING until I have a set opinion with a really good opportunity to utilize the product extensively. Just a regular person leaving my review for other regular people.
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Like taking a Tempupedic Mattress to Camp
by Trevor (4 out of 5 stars)
April 6, 2015

I used the Thermarest luxurylite cot this weekend and I really liked it. A couple of observations and comments.
1. I had a 3/4" Big Agnes Brand Thermarest style pad underneath my Big Agnes brand sleeping bag. I'm confident that I it caused me to be cooler than if I've been on the ground. Put another way, I'd say it knocked 10 to 15° off my 25 degree rated down sleeping bag. The night temp was in the high 20s and I had to put on a down jacket and down pants to stay warm.
2. It does squeak and creak a little bit when you shift weight or toss around in the bag. The material is kind of crinkly, but neither I nor the people in the tent had a problem with it being too noisy during 2 nights.
3. My wife used it one night and said it was like having a Tempurpedic mattress brought to the camp. She really liked it. I thought it was much more comfortable than when I slept on a pad on the ground the second night.
4. Setup was pretty easy if you don't already have a bunch of gear cluttered on the tent floor and you follow the instructions (which I didn't do the first time). The instructions are woven into the bag which is nice. You can't really set it up unless there is an easy place to lay it down flat. I'd say it takes about 5 min to set up once you know what you are doing.
5. I think it would be a nice insurance policy against a leaky tent floor--especially bc down bags do so poorly when wet.
6. It creates some extra room to store stuff underneath which is nice.
7. I have the "L" size and it was great for sleeping on my side or back. I was not cramped at all.

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