If you want to save time and eliminate the hassle of traditional hunting camp setups, the Tent Cot from Kamp-Rite is the solution you’ve been waiting for.
by the HuntDaily staff
Some of us are fortunate enough to hunt right out of our backdoors. For the rest of us, it could take a couple of hours or more to get to our hunting grounds. That’s a lot of time and logistics to deal with. It also redefines getting on your stand in time for first light. More than once we’ve had to get up at two or three in the morning, and then drive for two or three hours just to beat sun-up. That makes for a drowsy day in the woods.
The obvious solution to this ongoing aggravation is to drive to our hunting location and camp for the night. That, however, can be a major hassle for a one- or two-day hunt. And what if you need to change your hunting grounds from one day to the next because of game movement or other conditions? That has happened to us on several elk hunts.
Setting up a camp is fine when camping is the objective, or when you plan to camp for several days in one spot. Yet when hunting is the objective and you only need to spend one or two nights in the sticks, or you need to be mobile and change hunting locations, setting up and tearing down a typical camp each day is an effort not well spent.
Of course, you could always forego the tent and sleeping bag thing and try to stretch out in your truck, but …no. Been there, done that, and it sucks. You get a rotten night’s sleep (if you sleep at all) and suffer from a tired and achy body the next day.
Recently we came across a solution to our dilemma—something that lets us set up camp in just a few minutes anywhere we park the truck, and that provides us with a night’s sleep that’s more restful and comfortable than sleeping on the ground or in the pickup. It’s called the Tent Cot, and it’s seriously changed the way we bowhunt. Now we can get a full night’s rest and still be in the woods before first light. Then there is the time and money saved by not having to drive for hours every day.
The Tent Cot is just that—a tent that is a cot (or vise-versa). The folks at Kamp-Rite make it and they produce several variations on the Tent Cot theme to meet your specific camping needs. There are six models, from the two-person Double to the narrow Compact model. Each incorporates a unique folding cot platform with an integrated tent that includes ample nylon and screen mesh panels that roll up so you can customize airflow and comfort. They also come with a rain fly, which makes the tent both waterproof and windproof to meet all climates.
We chose the Oversize Tent Cot, and recently tested it out on our first bowhunting expedition of the season. Set up was as simple as unfolding the cot, securing the two leg straps, and supporting the tent roof to the two shock-corded rods. Literally, we had our sleeping quarters set up and ready to go in under two minutes. The biggest challenge was finding a level spot for the set up. Another advantage of the Tent Cot is that it sits up off the ground, so we did not have to worry about pitching in a low spot or laying out a ground tarp.
Inside, the Tent Cot offered plenty of shoulder width and head and legroom. When sleeping in a tent in cold weather, I like to dress in my base and first-layer clothes while I’m still in the tent (TIP: I keep my clothes warm by placing them under my sleeping bag). The Tent Cot offers plenty of room to wiggle into your first set of clothing before you crawl outside, which is huge bonus when it’s snowing or raining outside. There is even enough room inside to stow your daypack and other sundries you may want to keep inside with you at night.
Some heavy-duty cots we’ve slept on over the years (think military surplus) have fabric that is stretched so tight between the frames that they’re almost like sleeping on a hard floor. The Tent Cot’s floor is tight enough to provide good back support, but with enough “give” that you just nestle into it. Add the Kamp-Rite Single self-inflating mattress—which fits perfectly inside the Oversize Tent Cot—and you’re in for a perfect night’s sleep.
Over the years, we’ve engaged in every type of camping imaginable for hunting and spring trout fishing—from bivy sacks and wall tents in the Rocky Mountains, to truck beds and pop-up tents in the Appalachians—and all have their place depending on the situation and conditions. Nevertheless, when it comes to a camping solution that delivers simplicity, comfort, maximum protection, and no-fuss mobility combined, the Kamp-Rite Tent Cot wins all the marbles.
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Article copyright 2015 by HuntDaily.com; promoted by Kamp-Rite
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