BYER OF MAINE - Maine Heritage Cot, Folding Camping Cot, 375 lbs Capacity

I found the instructions included worthless so went online and found a video. I of course had already begun and was doing it wrong, including injurying myself and getting blood on the nice wood. Minor, no real problem, but was frustrated that I couldn't get the last peg in. The video helped a lot and so I started over and was again at the last peg and still found it difficult. Also after pulling the velcro apart and attempting to do what they showed in the video, which was putting the peg in without the 'canvas' around it, and then putting the canvas back around the rod and velcroing it back. This would not work. However, putting the last peg in without the canvas around the rod helped to stretch everything a little as I let it sit that way for 15 minutes or so. Then I took the last peg out, put the wood piece back through the canvas and found that by putting my foot, as instructed , and ALSO putting weight down on the top of the crossed legs, I was able to align the hole with the peg and complete the assembly. Whew!! Without my weight down on top of the crossed legs the hole would not align. I thought about it and realized this 'difficulty' made for a secure and tight stretch on the 'canvas'. So had no complaint other than I didn't know how to correctly proceed to get the assembly done. I'm very happy with it, wish it were maybe a bit wider, it is very long, so someones height likely would not be a problem. And I love the wood!! I have to add a heavy pad so I don't feel like I'm in a hammock, I don't think my back would tolerate it without the extra pad. Someone with a sturdy back might not mind at all without a pad. I love the wood, love the wood, love the wood!! Thank you Byer of Maine for making this.

I've only got two nights in it so far. I took it on a Bout Scout camping trip to avoid sleeping on the floor. We had a cot like this when I was a kid and I recall it worked well, plus this one had the size and weight limit to support a Big and Tall guy like me and the price was attractive compared to other big guy cots. I put an Exped inflatable on it for more insulation.Pro:Epic construction. It is built like a tank. I expect I'll wear out before it does.Stiff and firm sleeping surface. The fabric is drum-tight.Stable. I was not worried about flipping it.Easy disassembly. The velcro sleeve at one end allowed the end bar to come out easily. After that, it folded right up.Customer service is spectacular. I emailed the manufacturer Sunday evening after the trip and he replied in less than 20 minutes with an answer.Con:Heavy. Being that strong and stable requires weight, but this isn't for through-hiking the AT. My sixth grade son had trouble carrying it.Difficult to assemble. The end bar is tough to get on. If it wasn't, the cot wouldn't be as stable or strong.It squeaked when I got in or out. It was very cold, the cot was very new and I'm a significant portion of the weight limit, so any of those issues may have contributed. The manufacturer suggested waxing the joints with a quality auto wax or a wax that would leave a dry finish. I'll try it out.In short, I want to give four stars for the squeaks, but the immediate solution from the manufacturer made up for it. Don't drop it on your toes and sleep well.

My wife and I just used these cots for the past two weeks in Portugal. The one pictured on the left had been left set up in this room, subjected to the full extent of mid-Atlantic oceanic weather for a year. A storm blew in while we were away and knocked it on it's side, some spiders had set up shop in it's crevices, and some lichen had started to grow on it. Righted her, brushed off the webs, and used a wet handkerchief to wipe away the lichens. Good as new. I could have cleaned it up better but didn't want to waste the water. Pleasantly surprised at how well it weathered out there.Very sturdy with 315 lbs kinetic weight no problem, very comfortable to sleep and sit on, aesthetically pleasing. What more do you want? The slightly concave shape cradles you nicely and at 6'2" I had plenty of room for pillows at my head. Some paraffin applied to the areas where wood touches wood mitigated the minor squeaks.The poly fabric provides zero thermal insulation. This would be great in hot weather but the cool and humid environment we use them in required the foam/canvass mattresses you see on the photo. They made an already comfortable cot into a veritable "bed."We are looking forward to using these cots for the rest of our days.They also doubled at saw horses for a couple of days and held up great to handsaw work.

I have set up and utilized the cot throughout the intense SW US summer, into fall and winter. I tended to place the cot on its side during rains and provide a shaded pad for it during the hottest weather. The cot is very comfortable, is sturdy and easy to maintain.

Put it in save for later, then the priced jumped a lot! Don’t feel that much of increase was a good company move, I’d have probably bought two w/o that price jump. Had to give it a good leverage to snap the last end into place.Slept on one growing up full time rotating it with two brothers, it was a perfect fit for the space as 4 kids in one room. Full bed, the cot and a baby bed, the cot was by a window so you could see the stars. Guess that’s how I’ll use this one to do some star gazing from the backyard. Have to say tho that the old Army cot had more give, so I did put some 4 inch foam on this new one (the body is much older now). The stars are still the same.