BYER OF MAINE, Allagash Plus, Cot, 76" L X 30" W X 8" H, Lightweight Cot, Extra Wide, Camping Cots Adult, Holds up to 250lbs, Single, Portable Camping Cot

I am thrilled with the purchase of these cots. They are exactly what I wanted. I researched low profile cots for several weeks prior to purchasing two of these cots. We are involved in cub scouts and we camp a lot as a family. We already own two other cots, but they are very heavy and cumbersome.In my quest for the perfect cot, I needed something that was lightweight, compact, easy to set up, and had at least a 30-in. width. (There are more compact, lightweight cots on the market, but they cost a lot more money and they are very narrow in width which I think would be pretty uncomfortable.)Our cots arrived on Monday morning. I came home during my lunch break and set them up. The first cot setup was very frustrating and it took about 25 minutes of wrangling the thing before getting all of the legs in. However, the second cot was put up in less than 5 minutes. There is a little bit of a learning curve with these, but once you understand what you are doing the set up goes very fast.The fabric is thick and well stitched. The cots appear to be durable and very well made. They should last a long time. My eight-year-old son and I slept on these cots in the living room for three nights to help loosen the fabric up. I disassembled and reassembled both of these cots three times in three days. Each time it got faster and easier. Just for the fun of it, on Thursday evening I timed myself with a stop watch. It took approximately 1 minute and 31 seconds to set up, and 1 minute and 30 seconds to take it down and pack it up.I am a single mother with a chronic illness. I have low muscle tone, yet I was able to set up these cots with very little trouble once I figured out what I was doing. You have to work smarter not harder. I put these together standing up with the cot on its side. I put a leg in the opposite hole across from me. Then I use my body weight, a little muscle and my thumb to push and guide the other end of the leg until it pops into its proper place in the second hole. The first leg is usually the most difficult and requires the most patience, strength and guidance.There is a Youtube video titled “Base Camp Cot” by Leslie Hunt. She is reviewing the Mountain Trails Camp Cot which is also sold on Amazon. This video was very helpful to me in setting up my own cot and I use the same method for getting my legs into the holes as she does. I considered making my own Youtube video setting up these cots, but why reinvent the wheel when someone else has already done the work? Ms. Hunt’s video is very easy to understand. The Mountain Trails Camp Cot is similar to the Byer of Maine Allagash Plus Cot in the way the legs are installed. (The side rails on the Allagash cots are already installed so you can disregard that part of her video.)I chose this cot over the Mountain Trails Camp Cot for a few reasons. 1.) The side rails are already installed which makes set up easier and faster. 2.) The weight capacity is 250 lbs. for this cot and it seems more rugged. 3.) It has a double-reinforced center panel.I took a chance on ordering this cot because of the mixed reviews. Many people complained of the double-reinforced center panel. However, my son and I find this cot to be very comfortable. We sleep on our sides, belly and back. We move a lot in our sleep. Neither one of us has noticed the center panel. I weigh 215 lbs. and I come nowhere near bottoming out in this cot. The fabric is comfortable and it conforms to our bodies to relieve any pressure points. The cots are stable.I’m so glad that I purchased two of these Byer of Maine Allagash Plus Cots. I highly recommend setting these cots up prior to your camping trip and sleeping in them to relax the fabric. I anticipate getting a lot of use out of these and I would not hesitate to recommend them to other women, family or friends (including people with illnesses or disabilities who are able to stand up for a short period of time and have use of all four extremities.) (NOTE: I do think that children will have a difficult time setting these up if they do not have the height or weight to maneuver the legs into place – especially in the beginning when the fabric is still new and tight.)I will link the Youtube video titled “Base Camp Cot” by Leslie Hunt down in the comments.

Perfect for camping. Low off the ground which is great for smaller tents. These cots are long, so they fit adults 6’+. Very comfortable. Better than air mattresses. Folds up fairly compact for such a large cot. If put back together correctly, legs can be used as a handle. Easy to carry. People comment on its size when open vs size when carrying. They can’t believe how easy it is to put together and pack up. Compared to their cot with many poles and legs and snaps and locks, etc. my only complaint is my 12 year old cannot assemble by himself, not because it’s complicated, but because of strength to pull leg back. It unfolds easy, put one side in the holes and then using the rubber handle, it takes force to pull other side of leg to insert into opposite hole. He has always managed to find an adult to help him. Easy to take apart though. So many benefits beyond the other cots I have seen. We have used for camping, scout outings, and an extra bed for hotels for the kids. Definitely recommend this product.

I received this cot last week, but just today got time to try setting it up. I have not yet even slept on it; that comes tonight. After sleeping on it a few times, at least at home if not in camp yet, I'll add more of a "review" to this post. For now, this is just some set up tips that are different from those that I read in other reviews -- which were very helpful anyway, even though they didn't work for me.Some background. I'm an older (70 next month), small man with not much upper body strength right now. (A cardiac arrhythmia has prevented me for six months from exerting during exercise for until we get the arrhythmia tamed. No pull-ups right now.) So when I tried the method offered by the company, I couldn't even close to getting the first leg in place. (Those with average strength or better will have no trouble with that.)So I reread the excellent review just below by Jennifer D, who referred me to a Youtube video review of a different but similar cot by Leslie Hunt. I watched the relevant part of that video, and tried it. Again, no cigar. The problem with that technique is that when I stand this cot up on it's side and try to force the leg in with body weight, the hinged support frame folds up on me, making the entire rig unstable. (The cot that reviewed by Leslie Hunt is not hinged like this one.)So, being an innovative person who enjoys challenges I went back to my chair and thought it through. Like Jennifer correctly asserts, with this cot, one has to work smarter, not harder. So I got an idea. Again, I laid the cot upside down on the floor with holes up. I rolled up my sleeves, got down on both knees on the outside of the side of the frame closest to me, starting at the "right" end (as I'm looking at it on the floor). I inserted the first rod into the hole nearest me. With my knees on the outside of the frame such that when I pulled the bar to bend it, the cot was prevented from sliding by both knees. That way, I could pull/bend the bar with both hands/arms. Bingo. First rod popped right in. Then I did the two middle holes. Both easier -- but honestly, for me, the first pole was easier.Then, another challenge for the final leg bar on the other end. Because of fabric tension, after I put the close end of the final leg into the hole closest to me, the opposite support bar would not stay out far enough to get the leg into that last hole. I'd push the end of the side out again, but the same problem occurred twice.So back to the chair. Idea: cut a prop to force the two side support rods away from each other and keep them there. Looking around the studio a bit, I found a seasoned, 3/4" stick used for a different project. I cut it so that it can be stretched between the side supports and keep them tight. At first I tried 27", but that was too tight. So took off another3/4" for a 26 1/4" stick. See the image.Piece o' cake. That stick -- or something similar -- is now going to become part of the tent. Suggestion to Byer of Maine: consider offering an optional 26 1/4" pole for those who want/need an easier set up.I'm going to leave it set up for a week or so and sleep on it some; that will help loosen it up a bit by stretching the fabric so that future set ups should be easier.______Ok, first impressions of comfort, based on five minute trial. It's clearly a quality product: fabric and metal parts are great, stitching is very well done. I think it's going to be quite comfortable, and WAY better than the ground (which I slept on as a backpacker for decades -- now I'm ATV camping, and this cot will fit well on the rear rack). I'm going to use an air/foam mattress on this cot. (I also own the Coleman Camp Cot II, and use a 3" foam mattress -- Shikobuton, I think it's called -- for it at home or "base camp". It significantly improves comfort for me.) I'll get back with an update after some sleeping on it.