Don't let your camping trip get rained out by a freak storm, rain or snow. The Kamp-Rite cot has a lot of features that will serve you well, and a few features that might not make this the best option for you. That's why we've put together this review, to give you the information you need, good and bad, to make the best buying decision.
First we're going to look at what makes this cot so popular, the rain fly, and cool frame that adds a new level of protection from the elements. We'll also go over the practicality of something like this for longer trips, or one night stays.
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Water Sealing
The Kamp-Rite doesn't come with the rainfly unfortunately, but it's worth investing in if you have the desire to be prepared for anything.
The rainfly is a God-send if you plan on taking a trip when you know there will be rain, or there's an area with heavy amounts of dew. With three different layers that can be zipped to seal the tent, you're all but guaranteed not to get drenched in this thing.
However there can be a minimal amount of water seepage since the zippers aren't water sealed. As long as you're not in a monsoon you should be fine though. Which comes in handy if you're camping as a couple and want to make someone's first impression a positive one!
Frame
Let's just start this section by confirming that it can hold 300 lbs, so the big and tall are safe. That's not an easy thing to do if you're focusing on providing the added benefits that this cot does. From the arch that supports the rainfly to the 11" legs that keep you off the ground, this thing is an impressively sturdy piece of equipment.
When you lay yourself down on it you don't feel like you need to gingerly get into it. That doesn't mean you need to see how high you can jump each time you get into bed, but it's comforting to know when you're going to sleep that you won't wake up crashing to the ground because you shifted your weight to the "weak spot".
However, one complaint about this frame is the support that runs across the center of the mattress. It can be rough to get used to if you're used to sleeping on a softer bed. This can be especially painful if you're someone who prefers to sleep on their side.
The joints are pretty easy to line up when you're setting the frame up as well. There are a few issues we've had here and there, but for the most part it performs well most of the time.
It also helps that the frame is made with aluminum, so that you're not dragging a lead weight with you when you have to pack it in or out of your camping trip. It's already not the easiest thing to carry around when it's folded, so at least it's offering you some assistance by weighing less.
Set Up
You'd think that a cot that looks as complex as this one would take significantly longer to set up, but even with the most liberal estimates, it takes 2-3 minutes with practice. Of course the key phrase in that last sentence is "with practice". It's always a good idea to do a few dry runs of your camping experience in the comfort of your backyard before you hike 2 miles into the woods and realize you need an hour to set up camp, and only 20 minutes of light left.
The Kamp-Rite Cot does come with instructions on how to most efficiently set it up, but we honestly didn't consult them ('cause you know, men). When setting this up we went mostly on instinct from having set up a few hundred cots in the past, and it was super easy.
That might be because it only folds in half, and just requires you to set up the legs and rain slip, if you bought the rain slip. If you're truck camping, this might allow another layer of protection.
Convenience
Now this is where the Kamp-Rite option loses it's luster.
If you're gonna be packing in more than 2 miles, this is probably the worst option for you. If you're camping out of your car, or in a big backyard space, then this is the perfect option! This is just our humble opinion though.
At just over 26 lbs and a folded down size of 33"x30"x6", it's anything but an ultralight camping cot. If you need cover that's provided by the rain fly and frame of this bed, then you can bring a compact tent that weighs less than this and probably takes up less room.
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