gcrank1
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# Posted: 29 Dec 2020 08:22pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Ive done everything from rolling up on the ground wrapped in my jacket to crawling in/out of a low 'mountain tent' in the rain to traditional canvas tents, pop-up campers and a home made RV from an alum. bodied potato chip step van.
My fav camper has been our current Aliner, now 11yrs old, that the top and sides can be up and ready to step into in 30sec. It makes a mighty nice tiny cabin, if you will. Btw, it goes down only a little bit slower. And it backs up very sweet.
But, towing, finding a proper site, etc. is a bit much for a few of my solo adventures so a couple years ago I became aware of the 'tent-cot', a full size, hd, cot with an attached top 'tent'. I bought a Kamp-Rite Oversize model on Amazon. The thing folds up by thirds, is heavy so yer not gonna backpack this puppy, and it has been a treat.
With the center set of legs down and the two ends folded in it fits into the back of my suv between the wheel wells. This means I can slide stuff under as well as put on top; ie, all my gear and set up fit comfortably in the back of the suv with room to spare (and would in a mini-van too).
My camp has been as simple as a suitable site with the tent-cot set along the side or the rear of the car. This is fine if not rainy or sunny hot.
If a rain/sun fly is likely needed I strap a long Tamarac pole on the off side of the suv to tie a fly on, stretch it out to a couple of poles and I have a living space to the side with access to gear through the door. The tent-cot sets up parallel at the pole side of the fly with fly still over. I can set up my chair, table cook kit, etc. between and Im good.
The oversize tent-cot is not a 'double', it is more roomy side to side and long than the old army cots thus leaving room for 'stuff' inside with me. The way the door on each side, centered, are done you can just sit down, butt into the hatch and turn/swing yourself easily in. Getting out is the reverse with the advantage that once your feet are on the ground you basically just stand up/out of it.
This is far beyond a Spartan bivy camp (got one of those too), in fact, mighty civilized and sooo beats putting up a ground tent and filling it up with gear. And at my age sleeping on the ground, even with a good mat, is ok if sleeping. The getting down and up again is the big problem.....
If in a more public setting this camp creates conversations, most people dont know tent-cots exist it seems.
I can also take one of my smaller solar panels and my old jump-start pack (which also charges off the cig-lighter onboard) and be pretty well off-grid well equiped.
I still dont find much online about folks using these, even a couple years on for me. Thought maybe someone else here might have given one a go or may find it interesting.
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