Cot paired with pad advise

[Yukon Cornelius]

I’m in the middle of spending a lot of money for winter camping. Trying to get the whole family set up so we can spend some later winter/early spring nights under the northern lights.

I’ve bought everyone cots so far and have some less expensive sleeping pads (rf4-5).

Before you suggest buying a Nemo or Thermarest pad that costs $240, please understand that may happen down the road. I just can’t drop that much on all of us.

You guys think that a cot paired with these klymit/kelty/big Agnes pads with a rubber foam will be ok?

We will be in tipi with stove. But I also don’t plan on waking up every two hours to stoke the fire.

How cold will it be? Moose season we see temps below freezing. And I don’t really want to take them out below 0, so I will say anywhere from 0-60. What we have now will work above freezing.

 

[Dos Perros]

Theoretically the R-value is additive. Meaning if you have a R=5 pad, and then put a R=4 pad underneath it, then you're at R = 5+4 = 9.

I almost always put a foam pad under my Thermarest in winter when car camping, more to protect from puncture and because the bed of my truck is kind of corrugated. Anyway, for the $, what you're suggesting is pretty cost efficient.

 

[rayporter]

i put the foam pad on top of the air pad for max heat retention. cold air on the sides of the air pad will affect its r rating. this works well.

with a cot you have no danger of a puncture.

 

[LongWayAround]

I almost always use my air pad with a closed-cell foam pad on my cot but not typically down to those low temperatures.

 

[SDHNTR]

I put a foam pad down on top of my cot. Then drape a couple of mil surp wool blankets over and then a cotton sheet over it all. Been down into single digits comfortably.

 

[Westernduck]

I’ve been comfortable using layers of foam mattress toppers. How many depends on if I’m using another camping type pad.

 

[ericacymcdonald]

I also use foam mattress toppers cut to size for cot camping. They don't list R values but I have used them well below 0

 

[cowdisciple]

Thermarest z-lite or similar are useful for many things - $47 at full price. Shooting mat, under the inflatable pad, etc.

Thermarest claims:

• Layer It: Add 1.7 R-Value and protection from punctures when you layer the Z Lite under another sleeping pad.

 

[thegrouse]

I would add this foam pad with an R 2.0 value to your current pad.

Ozark Trail Foam Lightweight Sleeping Pad 72.8"L X 21.65"W, Silver Gray - Walmart.com

Tomorrow Buy Ozark Trail Foam Lightweight Sleeping Pad 72.8"L X 21.65"W, Silver Gray at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

I find when it is super cold I stay warmer on the ground than in my cot. If it is above 15 degrees I am fine in my cot, below that I get on the ground.

 

[WNYHunter1]

I have the folding foam nemo pad and like it more than their insulated air pads. I paid that with a big agnes down quilt and love it.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Lots of great ideas here. I used a Thermarest vesper this fall and fell in love with the quilt.

And our warm nights in AK are extremely cold for most folks. I mean, it’s currently -22 at noon. No wind either.

I may just cut some foam pads to fit the cots I purchased.

I can’t wait to get out and try this.

 

[Idaboy]

If you are sleeping on cots you will be much warmer (ground thermal conductance of cold vs layer of air) ..I agree with others that closed cell foam is cheap and high R value. That with cot will go miles. Really any self inflating pad on top of that and you will be fine.

 

[jblam]

Do you have old sleeping bags you can bring and lay on top of? That paired with a piece of foam or cheap camping pads has worked great for us.

 

[justinspicher]

Helinox Cot with a NEMO foam pad, Sierra Designs Backcountry bed with a Sea 2 Summit Air mat, not sure what the R rating is. This has been pretty comfy for me. If I have the space and I don’t have to carry it, I will also put my super woobie over the foam pad then put my sleeping bag on top of that.

 

[4rcgoat]

Filling up the space beneath the cot with whatever you can will help some also.

 

[muskysaloon]

I used this one this year and it fit our cots amazing and is super comfortable. I think I got it on sale for $65

https://www.amazon.com/Elegear-Inflating-Sleeping-Ultra-Thick-Insulated/dp/B0BRR6X1P1/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1JPT8VUYVFI9E&keywords=elegear%2B3%22%2Bself%2Binflating%2Bsleeping%2Bpad&qid=1704576541&sprefix=elegear%2B3%2Bself%2Binflating%2Bsleeping%2Bpad%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-5&th=1