LuxuryLite Cot Customer Feedback since 2007

 

 

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Greetings:  I purchased one of your Ultralite Low Rise Cots after seeing the review in Bentrideronline.com

 

The cot and I just got back from a 15 day tour of Colorado and they were the best night sleeps I've ever had in a tent.  The cot performed beautifully.  Thanks for a great product and I know you're going to be getting some orders from other fellow riders soon.    Thanks  Jeff   8/28/2007

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Hi, I just got your cot, tried it and love it. With a 2" inflatable the
weight is four pounds, less than a thick ThermoRest, a better insulator and
as comfortable as my bedroom mattress. Feel free to quote. Kelly Walker

 

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Hi,

 

This cot is so light that you can add a pad.

 

I used a Big Agnes Primaloft, air-core mattress. 20x72x2.5. They make another same size, insulated air-core, same weight, but more expensive - works as well but with the cot you don't need the insulation.

 

I tried a half-inch thick ThermaRest which was not as good. A thicker ThermaRest would start adding too much weight - but I tried a 2.5 thick and it was no more comfortable than the air-core Primaloft.

 

Anyway, I never use the air-core on the ground because that's just asking for a leak, but on your cot it is heavenly; the cot protects it from getting a puncture and the cot alone is great even if the mattress fails. I've always been troubled by the hip-joint pressure point; I have to sleep on my side. This bothers me more than rain or snow, its the only real downer on my hiking trips.

 

Nothing else has worked! Not even a 2.5 thick air-core on top of a 2.5 ThermaRest (hard to believe), and that weighs more than the cot-mattress combo - wow.  This is why I've got so many damn pads.

I can't believe that cot and mattress weigh only 4 lbs., but my fishing scale should be spot-on. This is with the addition of a spare cross-member for the cot, just in case.

 

I'm going to take it on a trial sometime in Sept. If it works as good as it feels I'll be getting at least one more for my daughter. A good night's sleep on the trail is worth far more than the cost of this cot.

 

BTW, I weigh 190 but my bones are pushing 50 yrs.

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The cots... oh the cots my friend... what can I say?!!! All summer we have pitched our tent where we would NOT have been able to without those cots!!! We stay on the rocks by the edge of the lakes and rivers, no more endless time searching for flat ground! And my back is saved!!! Those cots alone have improved our experience because of where they allow us to camp.... in every single situation we are nowhere near anyone else because they can't sleep on the terrain that we can... pure joy!!! What a product!!! I attached a picture from our last trip to Alice Lake, my wife fishing jsut a few feet from our tent!!!

 

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I took this on Cycle Oregon last year and l sletp SO well on it. As good as my bed! Easy to set up and did not have to worry about leaky air mattress of stiff piece of grass puncturing me. Laid a flannel liner on top for some warmth and then the sleeping was toasty perfect every night. Force 5 Robert

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Hello Bruce,

I purchased one of your excellent LuxuryLite cots online this summer and recently returned from a three-week trip during which I used it almost every night.  I am 5'5" tall and weigh 165 lbs.  I am exceedingly pleased with the comfort the cot provides and its lightweight, portability.

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Nancy Allen and I just completed a 77 mile backpack in the Oregon Cascade Mountains.  We both took along the Luxury Lite Cot.  Nancy has always hated backpacking because she can never sleep at night.  This year, she fell to sleep immediately and got a sound nights sleep each night.  This made her a happy camper.  I enjoyed my restful nights sleep too.  I didn't wake up at night except to visit the bushes.

 Jeanie

One of the carbon siderails on my cot broke just beyond the last footpiece. Can you tell me the cost for replacement? I use this everyday as my bed as well as for travel and it has been fantastic. I'm also using it when I do medical patient transport, sleeping in the patient family homes or airports to save families the cost of putting me up in a hotel.  LOL..the security people all ask me the product and website name...lots of them campers, apparently.

 

I now hang a sign on my bag telling the site name and my flight number and time with a "please don't wake me unless you want a demo of the cot" sign.  If it happens to fall under warranty, I'd like to see if I can get the replacement part before shipping the broken one back.  Of course, I guess I could always rough it for a few days on my old sleeping pad...yuk.

 


 

Sherpas in Tibet near Everest

Sherpas in Tibet near Everest

 

 

Sherpas in Tibet near Everest

 


 

 

Bruce, I am back from Nepal. The cot was excellent and the insulating pad worked well. Others in camp were quite envious. I gave them all your web site and hopefully some sales will come of it. I have attached a couple photos of me and the cot at Ama Dablam base camp.  Thanks again, Scott.

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I want to let you know how much I enjoyed using the Luxury Lite Low-Rise Cot this summer. This is such a great product that I would love to see it  around for a long time. A friend and I each purchased one of these cots for a three week motorcycle trip in which we camped out all but a few nights. The cots, while expensive, were fabulous since we slept very comfortably each night with none of the aching back or soreness we're used to from using just an inflatable mattress.

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We got up in a campsite "Shio-no-misaki" in Japan, with Ultralite Cot. Very impressed with its size and weight and your idea! It is difficult to realize one's idea into actual product.

Thank you very much for your effort.    Satoshi&friend, with great pleasure.

 

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Bruce,  I am getting ready for a bodacious bicycling expedition. I am riding

from Missoula, MT to Denali Park in Alaska. It will take 70 days and

pass through some very remote areas. We will be camping each night. I

have been riding my bicycle fully loaded and have slept in my tent a

few nights, practicing. I slept a full 8 hours on my Luxury Lite Cot last night. It is so

great to get a full night's sleep without my back aching.   Kelly Iniguez

 


Bruce,  The cot arrived Wednesday, as promised. I couldn't wait, so this morning I set it up in my office. I was amazed at both how light the cot is, and how sturdy it seems to be. It's also very easy to assemble. As I mentioned before, I'm a big guy; 6'2" and 325Lbs. The cot seems to support me just fine. Not really wide enough to lay on my back, since my shoulders are wider than the cot. I mostly sleep on my side and there is more than enough room for that. I was surprised at how well a cot weighing less than three pounds could support me. There was just a little sag in the center under my backside and hips. Maybe a slight modification would fix this. By using double bows the full length of the cot, it seems very strong, but stronger at both ends than in the middle; where the bulk of the weight is. Perhaps having bows closer together in the middle would hold more weight, more comfortably. For now, I'll use it as is and see how it goes. I have a three day, two night trip coming up this weekend. I look forward to trying it out for a full night.  Thanks for the quick responses to my questions and speedy service. By the way, I learned about your products by seeing the cot in the Cabelas catalog; otherwise, I wouldn't even know you existed.

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I tried your product out.  I slept on it for about 2 weeks using two different sleeping bags.  It’s a great product and I love the compactness and the light weight but a 24” sleeping platform is just to narrow for me to be comfortable.  If the product was available in a 32” to 34” width that would be perfect – even if the overall weight was higher.  Backpackers must be skinner than I am – I just seem to toss and turn on a narrow (to me) 24” platform.  My mission is airplane camping and so a bit more weight is tolerable.

I am currently using the “Big Grizzly” cot from Cabela’s which weighs 10lbs but does disassemble to 7”W x 36”L x 4”D and is 32"W x 84"L x 9"D when open.  Your cot in terms of disassembled size and overall weight is head and shoulders above this but I have never been able to be comfortable on the 24’ to 25” wide cots.  It occurs to me that you system might work at the wider width with the legs a bit larger in diameter and perhaps slightly beefier cross members to make it possible to support the wider width.  Sure weight would increase but I think the overall weight – even with larger legs and cross members would still come in way less than the 10lbs of the Big Grizzly.  For the aviation crowd – that would be huge.  There is a whole airplane camping market out there.

 

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First off, I wanted to thank you for writing a personal email rather than just a automatically generated message. A lot of internet-based companies don't do that anymore and it's appreciated! Second, I love the cot! I'll be working in Greenland soon and camping for five weeks and I have a strict 50lbs limit on my gear (due to the flight up there). I'm sure my not-sore back will be the envy of everyone. I was a little bit worried that it would work right for me because I'm a big guy but It's very solid and comfortable.

 

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Was just on your site looking for the new stuff and the updates, thought I would send you this pic, a good example of where we are able to camp now because of your cots... on the rocks!!!  Wonderful stuff my friend, absolutely wonderful!!!

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Hi Bruce-Last week my wife, Annie, and I were floating the Owyhee River in Southeastern Oregon with a bunch of retired engineers.  The discussion around camp one night turned to the design of a light, compact cot that could be carried in a back pack.  As it turned out, one of the engineers in our group had just purchased one of your cots and had been using it for this trip.  He raved about the simplicity and comfort of the cot and brought it out the next morning as we were breaking camp for all of us to see.  I've just received the two cots we ordered from you and have assembled one of them and tried it out.  No disappointments here!  I'll be leaving for an extended back country motorcycle adventure in a couple of weeks and can't wait to try it in the field!  Thanks for the quality product. Doug

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I have just returned from a four months of cycling from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa, camping every night and sleeping on my Luxury Lite cot.  I love it!  Have never slept better while camping.  However, seven of my plastic feet are now bent.  Some are just slightly bent, but one is quite warped.  Is replacement covered under the warranty?  If not, how much would new feet cost me?  Or can I just continue to use them like this, without worry?  You should be getting some orders from other cyclists.  My cot was the envy of the entire camp.  See attached photos.  Kathleen Dempsey  Soquel, CA  95073

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Greetings:  I purchased one of your Low Rise Cots last year for a bicycle tour of Colorado and just loved it.  I am planning a cross country tour next summer and the cot is coming along for the snooze.  I have been considering getting a replacement unit since I've pretty much beaten the devil out of the one I've got (the bedding sheet is showing its use). Then I saw the review on BentRider Online with the reference to a future tent enclosure of sorts.  I am struggling with deciding what kind of tent to take and was wondering if there is an option here to add something to the cot? If you need someone to field test the model...3500 miles would be a good test and I would be happy to try out a prototype model if a production unit isn't available before my trip.  Either way...thanks for a great product.    Jeff Kline   St Louis, MO

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Hello Bruce, Well, I thought I should write you back and let you know how I feel about the cot after using it last summer. I used it for 3 weeks on a canoe trip in the shield country of northern Ontario. As I'm 60+ and have a bad back I was hoping getting off the ground with a lightweight cot(we had 23 portages!)  would help alleviate some of the problems I've had in the past with my back. And it did....in spades! I love it. Unfortunately the sleeves of the ripstop fabric didn't stand up to the usage we put them to. I'm about to use them again for a one month trip in the Yukon and pray that my wife's and mine hold out that long. The area around where the legs attach is badly damaged and torn. Duct tape should help us through this trip I hope! Everything else about the product is fabulous though. Have you by any chance made changes to the fabric cover that might make the sleeves more robust?  By any chance does your warranty cover this type of deterioration of the product? I se it's less than a year since I purchased it.

Look forward to hearing back from you.

regards,

Peter Johnson

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Bruce:  Just finished 5400 mile 11 day ride thru the great northwest.  This finished our 48 state ride.  We camped 10 of the 11 nights out which is a new record.  The cots were very comfortable.  I had ordered my cot from aerostich and had ordered the below cot from you.  The only problem we had was on the below cot it seems the seam where the support tube slides into is to narrow and the tube fits snug and we had a hard time inserting the tube and not catching every hole for the cross supports.  My cot did not have this problem at all.  My concern is that every time the tube gets stuck in the support hole it does a small amount of damage and does add quite an amount of time to assemble and disassemble.  Are we doing something incorrectly or has this been a problem before?  Also when you say to positon on level ground, you mean it.  We both deformed one leg each and I bent one tube.  Again this was warned against.  I guess we had to make sure.  Thanks for a great product that makes travel on motorcyle that much more pleasureable.

 


 

Folks,

I'm a long time backpacker/snow camper, etc - bought one of your cots 3? years ago, use it on Cycle Oregon, which is a week long event in Oregon every year. Just did a weekend ride (CO also does this event), used the cot, of course. Here is what I posted on the forum site of Cycle Oregon, FYI:

Regarding Luxury Lite cots - one of the pleasures of buying one of these amazing pieces of lightweight technology, as Don "Burrito Breath" Bolton will attest to - is dealing directly with the guy in Texas who makes these. This is a true mom and pop operation, very small-time, and you don't have to go thru any middlepersons, you can deal directly with the people who design, engineer and manufacture these beauties. That is part of the experience. If you care about small world type relationships - knowing who makes your stuff - go to their site - www.luxurylite.com - check out all the brilliant super light weight backpacking items they make, and you can have the pleasure of emailing or talking with them. I think it is totally charming that he posts photos (acceptable to Southern Baptists) of his attractive spouse. I've enjoyed personal contacts with real people at North Face, Sierra Designs, Down Home, Columbia, Nike and others over the years. Take advantage of their southern hospitality (their website indicates they have a place you can stay if you visit!), and get the uncommon pleasure of dealing with people who benefit from your purchase. I once told the owners of Rejuvenation in Portland (they published it in their catalogue) "You put the fun back in spending money!" Have some fun, buy one of these directly, be sure to mention Cycle Oregon - you won't regret it.

 

Every time I set up your cot, I give out your web address to 5 or 10 people. I'm planning on buying one for my 21 yr old son this fall as a present. Love your work! Best to you. If you ever wanted to arrange with Cycle Oregon to have a booth at their week long event in early September - where people could "test drive" your products - I'm sure you'd sell 500 of them. (CO has 2000 to 2200 riders, mostly 45 year old attorneys and doctors, it seems). Note: Hire my son (College boy in Oregon with lots of back pack experience) to staff it for you.  Thanks for making it possible for me to keep sleeping on the ground.

Gordon Anslow - 56 year old backpacker/marathon runner/XC snow camper in denial.

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I have loved the cot.  I have had it on an 86 mile backpacking trip in New Mexico, 52 mile canoe/portage trip in the Northern Boundary Waters of Canada, various hikes and backpacking in the Smoky Mountains, and countless other camping trips.  I can’t think of camping without it.  However, this last weekend on a campout a section of one of the side bungee corded poles broke.  It did not affect the use of the cot, and in fact I didn’t know it had broken until I was putting the cot up after completing the campout.  So the cot worked great notwithstanding the break.  It broke about an inch down from the end on one of the sections. It was simply snapped in two.   I’ll need to replace that side pole.  Let me know how I need to do that with you.  My shipping address is  Frank N. Stockdale Carney  2665 Fox Creek Drive  Germantown, TN 38138

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Ultra light and compact Thermarest style mats? R U CRAZY? Comfort is important! Unless you sleep on a slab normally the thickest largest Thermarest you can stuff in your bag is important for your comfort. Remember this will be a week of heavily exercising by day, some level of frivolity by night, and only the cold cold ground to comfort you. Several years back I went with the ultra lite cot _www.luxurylite.com and there is NOTHING BETTER! Your bed will be the same every night, regardless of roots, rocks, or holes. Not cheap but neither is a good Thermarest and the cot breaks down to an extremely small and lightweight package for transit. A Thermarest takes up bag real estate in a wholesale fashion.

 

Don "always a better gadget somewhere" Bolton

 


OK, since you asked - screw any more electronics. Yah yah yah, I bring a cell phone to check in with my lovely wife and daughter. But - I don't need no steenking GPS. I can tell when I'm going up or down, and I WANT to be lost!! I spend way too many days a year knowing exactly where I am and what I'm doing. Time to get cornfused, I say!!!!

 

Now here's a gadget for you. Go to luxurylite.com and buy an ultra lightweight cot; simply the best money I've ever spent in my life. Sleep like a baby on something that weighs 24 oz and stuffs into 4" x 16".

 

Tender Chunks  Cycle Oregon Forum 2/26/08

The thing about the luxurylite cot that is so frikkin' awesome is that there are no hard spots - you essentially sleep in a long sling, and your body depresses different parts down more or less until weight is distributed. I find every position I turn into as comfy as at home - none of that bone-deep ache in your hips that comes from sleeping on the ground on pads. I bought the pad that goes with it. I also bring a flannel sleeping bag liner my wife made, and a 25 year old down bag - most nights, I use the liner and just drape the bag over me, with feet stuck in the bottom. (Like a comforter than won't slide off.) If I didn't have this cot, I probably wouldn't be riding any more.

 

Tender Chunks

Cycle Oregon Forum 3/2/08

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Bruce, Brilliant design! I've resumed camping after a hiatus of almost 15 years because, thanks to your cot design, I can once again sleep soundly on the ground. I'm a side sleeper and I'd given up on getting a decent night's sleep with just an air mattress. With your Ultralite Cot, I no longer have to search out motels on my motorcycle trips to get a good rest and it packs small in my saddlebags.

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Hi Bruce, Just wanted to drop you a line about the UL Cot. I just recently  returned from a 31 day expedition to the Outside coast of Vancouver  island, where I was kayaking solo (350 miles) and used the UL cot every night. I have to say I'm very impressed and really the cot made  the trip possible. Between landing on rock beaches late in the day and  having significant shoulder injuries, the cot really helped me get a  good night's sleep, stay dry, and allow my tired shoulders and back to  relax before the next day's paddle.

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I RECIEVED MY ULTRALITE COT A FEW WEEKS AGO AND ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN ONE A LONG TIME AGO. I SLEPT BETTER ON IT IN A NATIONAL PARK, THAN I DO IN MY BED AT HOME. WHEN IT GOT COOL I USED IT WITH AN INSULATED AIR MAT AND GOOD DOWN BAG AND WAS SNUG AS A BUG IN A RUG. I COULDNT BE MORE PLEASED WITH IT......ALEX IN ARKANSAS

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Stuart Goring in Ethopia

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Hello,

   I just received your your Ultralite cot. It's amazingly light and  wonderfully comfortable. My question is regarding the anticipated  lifespan of the product in terms of frequency of use and longevity.

I intend to use the cot for napping in the office and as a travel bed.  Is the cot capable of sustaining frequent use, assembly, and  disassembly or should I anticipate replacing the cot periodically?  There are periods when I spend weeks at the office sleeping a few  hours at a time but several times a day. I'm wondering if I need to baby it or not and if it's designed for frequent use. Thanks.  -David Lee

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Greetings: I purchased one of your cots two years ago for a bicycle tour of Colorado.  By the time the trip was over, I could have sold everyone a cot :)  So now I'm planning a solo trip from St Louis MO to Astoria OR along the Lewis & Clark trail.  I'm sort of a weight fiend and even drill holes in the tooth brush to save on weight so its a strong testimony that my cot is comingn along.  I wrote you shortly after getting it with a suggestion to fill the ends of the side poles so they would slide into the cot sides easier.  I believe mine has suffered excessive wear and tear through no fault of the product and I would like to see if I could just order a replacement for the fabric itself.  The poles and legs are fine.   Please let me know if this is possible and a cost.  Thanks,  Jeff

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Bruce,  I apologize for the delayed response - I have been out of town.  To give you some background, I purchased the cot with the intention of replacing my Thermarest Ultralite 3/4 Slapping Pad.  I ultimately decided to stick with the pad for 2 primary reasons:

1) Assembly time - I assembled and disassembled the cot several times at my office.  While I found the instructions and assembly very straightforward, it still took me 3-5 minutes each time.

2) Uneven surfaces - I used books to create various uneven surfaces and tried laying on the cot.

I also found the difference in weight and space difference hard to rationalize in comparison to the pad.  I am still relatively young and don't find the pad uncomfortable.  The cot was more comfortable, but not enough to make me carry the extra weight. All that said, your product is incredibly engineered and very innovative.  If I was currently using a conventional cot, I would switch to the LiteCot without hesitation.

Take care,   Ben Spinks

 

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Gadling Gear: Luxury Lite Cot  by Tynan (RSS feed) on Jun 11th 2008 at 3:00PM

It was a crazy couple of days. We returned from trekking in Yakushima, Japan with just under 18 hours to find a condo for the next month in Taipei, pack, and get on the plane to go there. And that's how mistakes happen. My friend and I booked a great little condo in downtown Taipei. I could have sworn that it said there was a bed AND a sleeper sofa in the condo. After two nights on the 3 foot long sofa, I caved. I'd been eyeing the Luxury Lite cot for years now but just couldn't justify buying it. I didn't do much (any) camping, and I lived downtown. Time to pull the trigger. My friend was so impressed with the pictures and stats of the cot that he decided to order one as well. There's a lot to be impressed with. The cot is full length, keeps your entire body off the ground, yet it packs up to a tiny 2 pound 2 ounce package that you can fit in your backpack.

 

When the packages came (remarkably quickly, especially considering we were on the other side of the globe), we tore into them. We'd been waiting around all day because we knew that if we didn't answer the door for the delivery guy, we may never get the package (this already happened in Panama). In my excitement I tried to build the cot without the instructions. No dice. Thirty seconds after reading the one page instructions, my light-as-a-feather cot was fully assembled.

 

The inventor of the cot is a Texan named Bruce. What I love about Bruce's inventions is that they are supremely versatile and functional. The cot, for example, has several configurations that you can easily put in, depending on whether you need to be higher off the ground, have more support in a particular area, or want to pack as light as possible. Despite simultaneously testing plastic bags as pillows, which is a story for another time, the cot was very comfortable. It's not soft like a bed, but instead cradles you like a very taut hammock. If a good bed is a 10, broken glass and nails are a 1, and a bad bed is a 6, I'd give the luxury lite an 8 for comfort. Impressive considering how light it is and how tiny it packs up. In fact, if the Guinness Book had a record for most comfort per ounce, I think the Luxury Lite would win.

 

I'm looking forward to taking the luxury lite with me next time I go camping, but until then it will make a perfectly acceptable replacement for a bed. When two friends stayed too late at our hotel and didn't want to walk home, we broke out the cots for them. When we have sleep in an airport next month because of an overnight stopover, the cots will be deployed My friend sleeps on his instead of his bed, although he has to put it on top of the bed because the apartment is so small.

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Hi there, I sent a mail when I first started using the cot, back in 2007, to tell you about how much I liked it.  That was about a year before my Philmont trek in June 08.  I have to say that I like it even more now, a year and a half later.  The cot not only survived the nearly one-year of primitive camping while working up for the Philmont trek,  made it through all 70-odd miles of our Philmont adventure in the New Mexico wilderness (breaking it down and putting it back up every day for 10 days), but has accompanied me on every campout, every month, with my Boy Scout troop since I received it. 

 

 I am amazed at how durable it is!  After all this time the frame is perfect, and the feet hold just as well as the first day.  Even where the fabric has worn on the rail edges, from the countless times I’ve stood on it to put it together (on rocks, dirt, brambles and briars), the integrity of the support is not at all compromised.  It’s also still as comfortable as the day I received it. Thanks again for the outstanding product, I recommend you to all of my friends.   Best regards,   Rob

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Debbie,  Thanks so much for the timely shipping.  I camped out Friday and Saturday nights; it got down to the high 20's both night's (quite cold for us Florida boys!)   The cot is great.  It wouldn't work for me using sheets and blankets but with a sleeping bag it works great.  The cool mat made the cot even more comfortable.  But, I've gotta tell ya, when I slipped my therm-a-rest pad inbetween the cot and cool pad it was heaven!  All the "campers" in their motorhome's were worried about me but I think I was probably more comfortable.  Thanks so much for a great product and great customer service. Jack Lambert.

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Wow Bruce!  early this morning the parcel arrived. cot assembled in 5 Minutes, nearly missed my call to work, tried it out and felt asleep again...superb!   kindest regards & thanks a lot p.s.: i will soon use it on a little trip, hopefully it rains so i can spend a day in my tent in bed reading a god book ;o)

 

pps.: just to let you know, our customs charged me another 6o Dollars, nevermind luxury is luxury ;o)

wayne sutherland

dapplesweg 17

CH-3007 Bern

Switzerland

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I ordered 2 of these cots in the spring of 2008 for a 2 week Canoe trip in the Northwest territories. My wife & I are both over 50 & although I felt we could handle the canoeing part of the trip I was not so sure about getting a good nights sleep after a long day on the river. I had ordered 3 different sets of sleeping pads & was not happy with any of them. I found your cots in Cabelas catalogue & ordered them right away.  I am happy to report that they worked perfectly. The other members of our group were very curious about them but at first there were some comments that they looked like a lot of trouble to set up. By the end of the trip most of those people were asking where they could get them.   Ted Craig

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Used  it all last weekend. LOVE IT!    Thanks,  Tom

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Bruce,  I ordered Luxury Lite cot on March 4, 2009.  I must tell you that it has changed my whole outlook on Boy Scout camping.  I am a side sleeper and my hips would kill me during the night while sleeping on a

Thermarest Pad.  We are going to Philmont in 2010 and I want you to know that your cot has made it possible for me to attend. I was literally at my wits end trying to find a sleeping solution. Thank you

for helping me continue as Scoutmaster of Troop 342.  Thanks again for an OUTSTANDING, MADE IN USA product!

 

Mark Frick   Scoutmaster   Troop 342

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Bruce,  I talked to you today about a couple of bent bow tubes and a tear in the fabric of a LuxuryLite cot I purchased about a month ago.  I have the damaged parts packaged up and will ship them to you tomorrow.  I also told you how much I like the product - here's my testimonial.

 On July 3, 2009 I left southern California with a group of riders on a 17-day motorcycle ride up the Great Divide Trail, a 2400 mile route of mostly dirt roads that roughly follows the Continental Divide from the Mexican border in New Mexico to the Canadian border in Montana.  The plan was to camp out the entire way and I wasn't looking forward to sleeping on an air mattress.  A few weeks before D-day, I saw an ad for your LuxuryLite cot and watched your on-line video - I ordered it immediately and am I glad I did.  The cot was beyond my wildest dream (no pun intended) - I got a better night's sleep on it than I do in my own bed.  After 14+ hours of arduous riding every day, it was critical to get the good sleep I needed to recover for the next day.  At 68 years old, my reserves aren't what they used to be.  I needn't have worried - I got home a couple of days ago none the worse for wear.  I'm pretty sure the LuxuryLite cot played a major role in successfully completing my adventure.   Doug Printz

 

 

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Hi Bruce,  I got a chance to sleep on my new cot using the pad and pillow. I am absolutely impressed with the cot itself.  Unfortunately, need more cushioning than the pad affords. I am a big guy who sleeps on my side and found that the foam compresses too much under my shoulder and hip and the pad made no difference.  Also, I tried several different inflation levels with the pillow and found it to be too firm for my liking. I ended up using under a small conventional pillow in order to soften things up a bit, which defeated the whole purpose.   For those reasons, I would like to return the pillow and cool mat for a refund.

 

 The cot, however, belongs in the Smithsonian for technical excellence.

Thanks.   Patrick Norris

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Good Morning, Bruce.  Just got off the phone with you questioning  timing of a wider cot.  Please put me on your list when I can order a 28" or wider cot.  We own several of your cots and are extremely pleased with your products.  Thanks again, Pat Feenstra

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I really appreciate your prompt and courteous service.  The cot, as you know, came in right on time. First actual use (not counting set up check at home) was an overnight in a cavern (one of the few in this area not closed due to WNS). I normally camp in a hammock, so my preferred sleeping comfort expectation is very high.  I am quite pleased to report that while it will not ever replace the hammocks, it is a VERY close second.  I will NOT be sleeping on the ground on a pad any more.. 

Superb design, well executed. Once your cot got here, I understood the price compared to conventional cots.  There is no comparison between your design and conventional units. After a single use, it has become my permanent choice when there are not convenient trees.  It is far more comfortable than any pad or air mattress, even the 8” thick ones, and packs down small.

 

 If you are interested in user demographics,  I am a male, 51, 250 lbs, 5’11”.  I have been camping since ’64 – year round about 40-50 nights per year, with Boy Scouts and family, in small tents under tarps, and in hammocks (preferred since back injury a few years ago).  I have been backpacking since ’69, keep pack weight under 20 # before food and water.  We nearly always camp, hardly ever stay in a motel.  Preferred camping season fall, winter and spring, but we do camp in summer too.  Thanks again – troy gilmore

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To LuxuryLite,  I would like to thank you for your brilliant products. I am extremely gracious to witness that every ounce of your ultralight cot is dedicated to an exceptional comfort level; a work of super perfection, or "super-fection" if I may. The only complaint I would like to point out is that it's so comfortable my friends kept stealing it from me, so unfortunately my first night wasn't as comfortable as it should have been. Any tips on how to keep these amazing gears to myself?

 

Your UL cot, Cool mattress, and Stuff-It pillow are my ultimate camping bed solutions. The combination of these products form an orchestra of comfortable sleep, unnoticeable carrying weight and volume, and supreme price-to-product satisfaction; I have absolute confidence in your products that my future house guests will be as satisfied as I am in their sleep experiences, because I intend to use them as not only for camping, but also to serve house guests. So, thank you LuxuryLite, for making my life richer. I have this overwhelming eagerness to explorer the nature that I have never felt before; as I'm writing this letter, I am planning for a week-long trekking at the Appalachians. Please keep up the great work, and have a great day.  Sincerely, Jae, from Reading, Massachusetts.

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Thanks for the awesome bed. Here are the campsite pics for Bruce,  Jeff

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Hi Bruce,  What a pleasure it was to meet the genius behind the Ultralight Cot!  As I said on the phone, your cot has been down the remote Alumine, Collon Cura and Chimehuin rivers in Argentina and the very wild Teton River gorge in Idaho.  It is a total game-changer in that it enables you to get a restful night’s sleep anywhere.  It’s like taking a luxury hotel down the river with me!  After 25 years of teaching fly fishing and 40 years of backpacking, I can say that I’ve never seen/used a more innovative and downright indispensable product.  [You hereby have my permission to use my comments promotionally if you’d like.]

Thanks for telling me about the black plastic feet for warm weather.  Please include four of them with the cot I just ordered that you are shipping to my friend, Dave Hagengruber, in Clancy, Montana.

Warm regards,   Macauley

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Hi Bruce,  I've used your cot for nearly a year now, and have to say it makes sleeping in the outdoors nearly perfect.  Thanks for making a great product.    I'm exploring the possibility of opening a camping supply store in the Cincinnati area and would like info on becoming a LuxuryLite dealer.  Could you provide me with product availability, pricing, order min/max, and shipping terms. 

Thanks,  Marc Hess  Fireside Outdoor Gear

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 Hi Bruce,   I have your Ultra Lite cot and that must be the best thing for motorcycle camping  since the invention of the tent.

Regards,  Maurice

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Bruce, I talked to you earlier today about replacement poles for my cot. I measured the black one and it’s 12 1/8”.  I just ordered extra feet and the HiRise Kit and would appreciate you enclosing an extra gold and black pole to replace the ones I screwed up.

 

I have to tell you – I’m 59, 6’2” and 275 lbs. and was turned on to your cot by a friend who is about 5’10” and 170 lbs. We take a 1-2 week motorcycle trip every year and unless it’s pouring we camp. I’ve gone through many leaky air mattresses and wasn’t really sure the cot would hold me, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well I slept on the 1st night without the usual cold coming through the mattress.  Thanks for a great product!  Ken Gould

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I decided at the last minute to order the Luxury Lite Cot , with the cool mat and the hi-rise kit. For the Boy Scout Camp trip. It does live up to its claim , I have a really thick (famous brand name insert here) thermal inflatable mat and they are not even in the same league. Not to mention the 4 inches of rain that fell, kept me high and dry as the Boy Scout tents are in a little need of waterproofing.  The cot is comfortable and silent, no cot shifting noise like the military ones. Because of the weight and size it is a perfect choice.

tom,   ohio

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Hello there, Bruce,

 

Just got back from the week's kayaking through the St.Regis Canoe Wilderness up in the Adirondacks, and enjoyed the best nights of sleep I've had in the backcountry for decades!  The cot easily met my hopes for comfort  - and offered the additional benefit of keeping me up off the wet floor of the tent through several days and nights of relentless, ground-soaking rain.  So even on this first trip it was worth the price.  Thanks for making such a very cool product, and may your business prosper!

yours in well-rested satisfaction,   Jeff G

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Thanks Bruce,  I ordered one of your cots  a couple of weeks ago and used it camping on a cycle tour last week. My wife tried it and said she had to have one too. Very comfortable. I slept so much better than on a thermalrest. We are leaving for a week long tour the end of the week and so my wifes cot will be here just in time.   Thanks again,  Mark

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Without a doubt, Bruce's cot is the single most important piece of gear I own.  A simple, ingenious concept that is so far superior to any pad.  IMO, the key to any pleasant outdoor experience is having the ability to rest comfortably. This cot succeeds in many ways. Keeps a lot of creepy crawlies off oneself to boot. This, and a warranty of the highest quality, makes this a long term investment. Thank you, & Happy Trails. Albert P. in the Rockies

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Bruce, I just received the new hardbound 50th anniversary catalogue from Cabella's and was delighted to see the Luxury Light cot listed for sale on page 474.  Your cot deserves wider notoriety and availability.  It's the greatest backpacker sleeping apparatus I've ever used.  I notice you're on the Campsaver website also.   Let's hope the new sales outlets mean bigger profits and success for your organization.

Mark Holm,  Barnes, Wisconsin 

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Hello, Your luxurylite cots are somewhat of a legend for me and my brothers who do occassional backpacking and car camping.  However, I am curious in regards to your v bags since I am a side sleeping but admittedly on the rotund size 5'10" @ 300 lbs. Thnak you for your response,  bruce


 

No worries, I already have one. In fact I think I recommended the cot to almost everyone in Boy Scout Troop. We are the luxury lite backpackers, Ray

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I have used the LuxuryLite cot for the last three years while backpacking. I am in my sixties and just cannot sleep on a pad on the ground anymore. I don't care how thick the pad is, I will get sore shoulders and hips - I am a side sleeper. With the LuxuryLite cot, there are no pressure points. I put the cot under my tent, Because the cot is under the tent, you don't have to use a ground cloth or worry about rocks and sticks. If it is going to be cold at night, just put a 1/8th inch closed cell pad on top inside the tent. I have used the cot on the AT and PCT. I always get a good night's sleep and don't wake up during the night because of pressure spots. Yes, it does weigh a bit, but when you subtract the weight of your ground cloth and regular sleeping pad, you arn't adding much weight at all. A good night's sleep can make your backpacking trip much more enjoyable.  Amazon review.

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The UltraLite Cot is as good as the hype. No more dealing with self inflating pads thad don't really inflate or cheapo pads that aren't worth a damn. Or air mattresses where you end up on the ground in the middle with big puffs of air on either side of you.... The thing also kicks butt over my previous cot that had the cross bars jamming me in the back and weighed quite a bit more. This thing packs down small enough to go in my backpack no prob. It's light weight coming in at just over 2 lbs. My main reason for purchasing the ultralite cot is for bike touring. I have a bad back and more than 1-2 days camping out are havoc on my back. With this cot I could use it 365.25 no prob. Also, the thing is low profile enough to fit in a 1 or 2 person tent no prob. My other cot would not.

 

It is pricey but it's made of quality parts backed up by a life-time warranty. But thinking about it, I easily paid close to the price in buying all of those other pads. Assembly is easy as long as you use the right technique. My only complaint is that there are quite a few parts involved such as the nylon feet, 2 piece cross bars, and side rail bars. Amazon review.

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I do a good amount of car camping, but I also wind up flying to a variety of festival events, so my camping gear over the years has evolved more and more to be like a gram-conscious backpacker. I do a lot of forest and desert camping, and was finding that I just wasn't getting solid comfort from a trail pad, and I gave up air mattresses long ago due to how cold they make you and how bulky they are.

 

I read everything I could about the LuxuryLite cot before deciding to buy it, and I still had a healthy amount of hopeful skepticism. As a side or stomach sleeper, I've had my share of bad cot experiences. But the small packing size and super-lightweight profile of this one really had me curious. I took it camping in Oahu in December 2010, just three days after it arrived at my house. I did a bit of a test run on the hallway floor before I left and it assembled and disassembled as easily as the literature and videos promised.

 

My first thought when I woke up my first morning after sleeping with it at the event site was "this baby just earned its price!" I'd slept on uneven ground with quarter-sized chunks of gravel embedded in it without any hint that was what was actually below me. Lying on my back, side and stomach all worked, and I was well-supported in all positions. I did use a trail pad on it for warmth and was totally cozy, plus the pad didn't slide around when I rolled over. Three days later when a monsoon-like rain storm came through, the cot took it's worth up a notch when my tent flooded, and the cot kept the sleeping bag and other bedding high and dry. When my friend who had stayed in a flooded cabin caught up with me to see how I was doing and I told her about the cot, her immediate response to my story was "All hail the Cot!" Indeed...

 


 

 

Hi there,

I received my cot last week and used it over the weekend on a one night camping

trip. I must say I am very pleased with your product. As an industrial designer

I appreciate products that are well developed and truly usable. It assembles

quickly and relatively easily and packs nice and small. It supports my weight

perfectly (145lbs). I awoke with none of the stiffness in my back that I usually

have after sleeping on a pad on the ground. I am looking forward to using it

this weekend while camping in Yosemite and later this year on my trip to

Australia.   Keep up the good work!   Raphael

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HI Bruce,

I spent the weekend in Yosemite and had another couple of nights on the cot. In comparison to a mat. I would say for me - the sleeping surface being raised off the ground is the most important feature for comfort. Because I sleep on my side. The tensioned material gives in the right places much like a hammock or a thick foam mattress. Even on ground that is slightly uneven and covered in debris you don't notice like you would on a mat. I am wondering if a version of the cot could be made with a similar material to that used on an Aeron chair.

 

Raphael

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Bruce, The cot was introduced to us by a very good customer and semi-part-time employee of sorts, Roger.  He is so enthusiastic about it that he left his with us for a month so that we could get feedback.  We had it out during our open house last weekend and he actually came by and answered questions about it, we started taking orders that day and have 5 of them pre-sold. We recently started getting into selling motorcycle friendly camping gear as a result of our “Gear-Up Getaway” camping trips that we do every month.  Many people are looking to us for advice on camping gear and asking if we can get it for them.

Your cot is fantastic, this from a guy with two torn discs in his back!  I will be getting one before my next outing.  Michael Spencer  General Manager   BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County

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recieved the cot today after initial setup, i am very happy, much more comfortable than a thermorest,

thanks   paul schluter   alice springs   central australia

 

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Now the word luxury may not seem appropriate on a back pack hunting trip, seems like an oxymoron of sorts. But let me tell ya, combine this cot with a good mat and you'll be a better hunter. I bow hunt the high country, I've scrutinized the weight of everything I carry and even with this product I still pack under 30 pound for 3-4 days. Buy this and you'll be impressed with the quality for sure. Cabelas review

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It's not cheap but there's nothing like it out there. Once you get over the initial sticker shock and put this thing to use you'll find yourself,  showing it off to your friends and family. It's a great marriage of the comfort and versatility that comes with the ground clearance of a cot and the lightweight and size of pad.

Pros -

- Very light weight & smaller than a standard backpacking pad rolled up.

- Keeps you above the ground so there's no more worrying about rocks, roots or uneven/lumpy ground giving you a back ache.

- Better comfort than a heavy air mattress at a fraction of the weight.

- Capable of holding a tremendous amount of weight for it's size and weight. Exceptionally durable.

Cons

- Price is double what you'll pay for a standard pad but your getting so much more.

- Set up can be a challenge and requires adequate space and a fairly flat surface to accomplish. It can also take some time.

- When set up it's very rigid so there's no option to cram it into a space that's too small, ie a one man tent may be too skinny in places and the cot's rigid corners will poke out.

Overall this is an absolutely phenomenal product. It's about the most innovative and effective breakthroughs I've ever seen in outdoor products. A real achievement.  Cabelas review.

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Mr. Warren,  Wanted to let you know how happy I am with the LLU Cot. We are doing a lot of motorcycle camping and the cot has helped me finally get a good nights sleep.  We are heading to Alaska for a two week motorcycle camping trip in August as part of the Progressive Adventure for the Cures. Do you think the V-bag would keep me warm enough? Temps that time of year are supposed to get down to the 20s.

Best,   M Dantuono

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26 April 11  To Luxury Lite,  I really love your product - It's the best gear I have tried for a long time. I have been backpacking, alpine mountaineering, and was as assistant scout master (18 years). My 30+ years in the high sierra - the desert, and the northwest forests testify to this cot. I put my pads and other cots away - I'm a gear head. I have used this and slept very well.   Tim Rother, San Jose, CA.

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Got it today.  My wife (who hates it when I spend money) says it is very comfy.

In fact she said it was too comfy for camping.  Thanks for such swift service. I wish all vendors were like you.  /s/    Bill Steinborn

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Dear Bruce: I’ve been using your cot for the last two years, and it’s fabulous! (I think I probably sold about three of them for you during RAGBRAI last week.)  Unfortunately, one of the black feet has cracked. I understand this is under warranty.  Please let me know if you want me to send back the cracked foot and what other procedures need to be followed. Also, if you have cards or ads you’d like me to distribute to folks who ask, please feel free to send them along.  Many thanks, and best regards, Frank S. Hagelberg

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Hello Bruce and / or Debbie, I have recently returned for a 1 week camping trip where my Luxury Lite UltraLite Cot performed to my absolute delight.  Thank you very much for a wonderful product. I assembled it after watching the videos and found the assembly to be really straight forward. Thanks for offering the video.  I do have a suggestion for an improvement - offer a wider model,  somewhere about 6" wider.  In the warm weather camping, I didn't use my sleeping bag, and I found that one arm or the other would fall off the side of the cot.  It wasn't especially comfortable to have my arm hanging off.  My solution was to prop my arm up on my pack, (well actually it was a duffel bag with clothes- I was car camping not backpacking as I prefer), and that was a good solution.  I believe a wider model would  really have a broader (no pun intended) appeal.    Regards,  John Jelinski

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Due to having three fused vertebras in by lower back finding comfort while out in the woods seemed impossible. Then I discovered the UltraLite Cot. This high quality American made product has allowed me to find the comfort I was searching for while not compromising weight or practicality. Ben Cruz, Wasilla

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Hello Bruce,  My Ultralite cot been going strong for four years of continuous expedition use now, which is very good going, most equipment doesn’t last that long under these conditions let alone ultra light gear Unfortunately I returned from our last trip to the Kalahari and unpacked to discover that the ripstop fabric top is missing!!! Is it possible to purchase a replacement top??

All the best,  Stuart Goring, South Africa.

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Hello there - I have had one of your cots for about 5 years now and love it.  Use it when I go car camping and also on the week long bicycling trips I take each summer.  The holes on the underside of the tyvek fabric appear to be "ripping out" or getting a big larger than they originally were.  Is that anything I should be worried about or that I should try to stop by using duct tape right before the hole and duct tape right after the holes?  Or do I need to buy a whole new fabric for the cot?  Thanks for your assistance. Cheryl Harris, Add-Venture Bookkeeping, Inc.   Portland, OR

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Bruce, Thanks for such a prompt response to my email!  Glad to know that I don't need to worry about additional damage resulting from the punctures I made in my cot.  That's great news! I can't say enough great things about Luxury Lite cots!!  After several years of uncomfortable nights sleeping on Thermarest pads, my husband was ready to put an end to our backpacking days.  That was, until a friend of his told us about your cots.  The price for a cot is fairly steep compared to other backpacking gear, but my husband decided to buy one and try it out anyway.  Wow, what a difference it made in his comfort!  It took a week before I just HAD to ordered one for myself.  Now we can't wait to hit the trails and enjoy the great outdoor knowing that when it's time for bed we'll sleep like babies and - even more importantly - won't wake up stiff and sore for days to come.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for making a great product that allows us to enjoy backpacking once again!   Julie Jensen

 

Awesome! Thanks. Love the luxury lite I picked up a while ago. A good nights sleep helps so much with recovery after a day of climbing or riverboarding. I really appreciate what you guys do. Camilo Santana

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Hi,

Aerostich gave me your contact information to see if I can get some

spare parts.  It looks like I bought your LuxuryLite Cot-MIL.

Love the product; it really changed my experience of camping because

for the first time I'm actually able to get a good nights sleep.

Thanks a lot.   David Scarborough   Spearfish, SD

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Hello,  I just spent a backpacking trip with a failing thermarest and found your site. Are there any pictures of the Mesh Cover over the cot? Is this something that has some structure or just a drape? Thank you!

Annette

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Thanks for getting back to me. And much much thanks for turning over the order so quick. I've been a city rat my whole life. At 36, I'm discovering the whole camping thing. It's awesome and surreal.

Thanks for making a product that let's guys like me go out and explore.

Have a great week.  -Camilo

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Stuart Goring in Schipol airport and Kalahari Desert

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I want to say thanks for making a great sleeping platform.  I have used the cot on a five day, four night float on the Smith River,  a week with the Smokejumper Association trail crew and an eight day, seven night float in the Bob Marshall Wilderness all in Montana.  I had nothing but comfortable nights of sleep on this great cot.  A friend bought one at the same time and went on the same trips and he felt the same.  One night we got lazy and did not put them up and I can tell you that was the last night that it happened.  You have produced the best set of directions for putting the cot together that I have ever used.  They are so easy to read and follow compared to any other directions that I have used.  So thanks again for a great product that works wonders and gives you a good nights sleep.  David Dayton

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Other than an odd noise evey now and then I never noticed anything different, and the cot/thermarest combination was the best I've ever had.  Better than the ultra-firm mattress in the motel the last day of the trip.  I wish you had sold these in my Army days   Thanks.  Bill Steinborn

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I just wanted to thank you so much for selling me this cot! I am a boy scout leader age 46 weight 235 pounds 6’2’’. I have lower back problems; I have tried all sorts of blow up models and roll ups. I have purchased a large, heavy and bulky cot, which has served its purpose most of the times.  I had to go to SEA BASE ( Florida keys island with no amenities at all ! ) I had very little room to pack and carry. I was able to fit your cot and the mattress pad into the waterproof bag. It was a back saver for the whole week!!

  

I then flew up to Colorado for a week to live on a dude ranch. Well the beds were so bad, (we even tried putting board under the mattress ) luckily I remembered I had my cot and set it up, and had great sleep for the rest of my trip.  You have the friendliest and most helpful customer service, you really go that extra mile!! - Steve 9/19/11

 

 

 

 

 

 

325lb visitor to Outdoor Retailer.

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Hi Bruce,  I just wanted to thank you for the discount you provided me on the luxury lite cot!!! I LOVE IT.  My mission trip this summer was amazing and I will tell you that everyone was jelalous of my luxury lite cot.  I slept soooo great and it was perfect for world travel.  I just wanted to thank you so much for your support on my trip.  Nicole Yandle

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Find me another cot teenagers can walk on, October 9, 2011   By   reibunny - See all my reviews

This review is from: UltraLite Cot by LuxuryLite (Misc.)

I bought two of these for camping but last weekend I used them for a teenager sleepover. It turned out to be a good way to test them out. I couldn't watch! The girls were so rough on my nice new cots, they just plonk down on them (as teenagers do) and with teenager stuff thrown everywhere they were walking all over the cots whenever they needed to get up. When they stepped on them, the fabric just seemed to stretch down to the ground without complaint and the cots were still all in perfect shape the next day. **Very impressed**. Find me another cot teenagers can walk on.

 

I tested one out by sleeping on it in the chilly room of the house with the window open pouring cold night air on me all night. I slept through the night and was warm in my sleeping bag, though the plastic-like fabric felt a little hard, after all, it has to stretch tight enough to hold you off the ground. It was still MUCH softer than the ground but I'm a city girl and I was very aware I was not on my own soft bed. Just before the sleepover I added a Thermarest Prolite 4 Women's L mat which I got on sale for $135 each. The curve of the cot holds them in place and they turned it from 'cot' level comfort to 'bed' level comfort -- heaven. The girls stayed in them all day, they were too comfy to get up.

 

P.S. I am 24 and female. I constantly get laughed at by my mom and friends because I am pathetically weak in the arms, so believe me when I say this cot didn't require much strength at all to set up, I just brace my arm against the inside of my ankle and it clicks together no problem. I can do it in about 5 mins or less. All the parts are light and putting them in place was easy (even for me). Also when the girls wanted the floor again we just leaned them up against the wall - easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stuart Goring on Baobab tree in Africa - Elephant proof camping

 

Stuart Goring camp in the Kalahari.

Stuart Goring in Baobab tree in Africa - Elephant proof camping.