Slumberjack Cots

I've only ever owned one cot before. It was a cheap folding cot that didn't weigh much, but also wasn't very sturdy and had a very small sleeping area. This Slumberjack cot is very sturdy, packs small, and has a surprisingly large sleeping area. It's very firm, so you'll need a mattress, inflatable pad, or thick sleeping bag to provide back support, but this is a fantastic cot when you need an extra place to sleep. It packs very small and can be carried on your back in the bag that is provided, however this cot is made of metal so it is rather heavy. I wouldn't recommend trying to hike with this on your back, but for a mobile home, camper, cabin, RV, or campsite, this thing is really wonderful! It can also be very handy if you have unexpected overnight guests (in-laws, for instance).

My last cot's X-joint braces lasted about 20 nights under my weight, so I chose this as a new, heavier-duty cot. I camped on it for 4 nights and it worked great. I found it easy to assemble, but it does take some strength. Note that the joint plates (the flat plates at the "X" junctions on the cot's legs) are not the same as those shown in the product images - they are beefier than what is shown and will not bend as easily. Perhaps the mfgrs should update the product image to reflect this. Also not shown are the cross-straps that are attached across the the X sections down near the feet, which also give it extra strength. The pocket storage underneath is of limited usefulness since anything you place in it will slide to the center and become difficult to reach while in the cot. If you simply want to store something that you can easily retrieve at other times, it would work fine. All in all, this cot was comfortable and sturdy and held my 290-ish lbs without concern.

I've been on the hunt for a good cot that will last a long time, I'm a fairly big guy at 6 feet 225 lbs. I tried this cot and the Kamp Rite Kwik Kot and ended up returning both. For the Kwik Kot I left feedback on that one but the bottom line was it felt like it wanted to close up and the material really stretched when I laid in it. The Slumberjack is nice and big (almost too big for my huge tent) and I had no problem getting the last end bar in place but there were 2 things I didn't like about it. First is it rocks quite a bit from head to toe, every time I shifted I could feel it rock, I've read this is common with the X shaped leg cots but my concern was over time this rocking will break one of the legs where they cross each other. The 2nd thing I was concerned about was the plastic buttons that held the end bars in place, being plastic I was afraid they would break over time as well. In summary it's a nice sturdy cot but I didn't want to take a chance with it breaking due to a couple flaws in its design.

When I first used this cot it seemed excellent. The frame is very sturdy and the cot was comfortable. If I had written a review at that point I would have given it 5 stars. But the second trip I took the cover burst like a balloon. Really, I could feel it give a little, and by the time I could get off it there was a 4 foot long rip. It was then I started looking closely at the material of the cover - it is some rubberized material with a few threads in it - not a real canvas. And it has zero rip-stop capability. I tried to sew it but it was like trying to sew a balloon - it just doesn't work. The Slumberjack people say they will give me a new cover, but they never seem to have one in stock to send (for 4 months?). Only get this cot if you plan on using it once! My previous cot lasted 8 years.Update Oct. 2009: The Slumberjack folks were bought out by another company which may explain the difficulty getting a new cover during the crossover. With the new owners I was sent the promised cover [actually, they sent me 2 covers.] Used it one month long trip with no problem yet. We will see how it lasts next year.

I purchased a "like new" slumber jack cot and was extremely disappointed in its actual condition (which was probably "good" at best). It came scratched/banged up and missing a few screws. Speaking of screws, This item was very wobbly until I went around and tightened every single remaining screw on the cot (some of which were stripped). This improved the stability of the cot, but not by much. As for the cot's comfortability, I have slept on better. If someone held a knife to my throat and made me say one good thing about this cot, it would be that it is made of what seems like high quality materials.

I took this to Myrtle Beach, SC...knowing we'd be short of beds for the group that was going...and it packed great in the luggage and when it was taken out of the box, I thought it would be alittle harder to assemble, so my grandson did it for me and I aired up two plastic floaters to use as a mattress, not knowing if it would be comfortable or not. I wound up taking one out from under the quilt I used to put ontop of them, added pillows instead for that side of the cot. I slept like a baby. It was awesome...! The compartment underneath was handy for my shoes. I took it down myself and put it back in the storage bag that came with it. My son has it stored in his garage right now...no telling where all it will be used, once it was shown how useful it was. The only thing...and that is for me, I had to move it around from the Place I put it to sleep to another wall during the day, not wanting to tear it back down and put it back up. I would suggest some small wheels be added to the cot and some bumpers on the bars that slide under the foot and head of the canvas...they were alittle sharp. I am going to put tennis balls in my bag to use for the feet so that it will scoot easier...and not mark up a floor, which thank goodness it didn't. It's well worth it's price and really bigger than it looks. My advice....BUY it!