Review With Video: Thermarest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot for Motorcycle Camping

If any single article has revolutionized my motorcycle camping experience, it’s Thermarest’s LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot. I could not have predicted what a difference it made in how soundly I slept, how well rested I felt, or how much easier it was to get up! Sleeping on a cot like this is a wonderful way to start the day when camping, and sets you up for a safe and enjoyable day of motorcycle riding.

review thermarest luxurylite ultralite cot for motorcycle camping — The LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot from Thermarest lifts you off the cold, hard and sometimes wet ground. It replaces the need for an inflatable sleeping pad. I am wearing Icebreaker brand Merino wool baselayers reviewed here.

review thermarest luxurylite ultralite cot for motorcycle camping in tent — The LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot fits neatly into my 3-person tent, with room for another if Im traveling with a friend.

The LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot offers three additional benefits over and above the comfort factor. First, it creates additional storage space in your tent for small items, like my my SolarMonkey Adventurer solar charger, that can fit underneath it. Second, if your tent does leak when it’s raining, the cot keeps you up off the ground preventing you and your sleeping bag from getting wet. Lastly, that small elevation makes it a lot easier to stand up. I’ve even used the cot at home when I’ve run out of sleeping options for guests. It’s much more comfortable and restful than the sofa.

review thermarest luxurylite ultralite cot for motorcycle camping assembly — The directions give you a couple of options for putting the cot together, depending mostly on your weight. There are basically four components: black plastic feet (12), gold female poles (8), black male poles (8), collapsible shock-corded poles (2), and the fabric cover.

It’s easier to set it up outside your tent so you can stand on the inverted fabric to insert the stays, but if it’s raining, it can be done inside your tent.

Watch this video to see in detail how easy it is to assemble Thermarests LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot.

I chose the standard method because it gives me the most support, and comfort. That means there are two single bows at each end, and two twist bows in the middle to support where the bulk of ones weight is. When assembled, the fabric is pulled taut to give a comfortable surface with minimal sagging.

review thermarest luxurylite ultralite cot for motorcycle camping sleeping — Flip it over and it’s ready for you. Be careful testing it out before you’re ready to sleep because, youll soon be in dreamland.

Thermarest says you can use it as shown in the photo above, without an inflatable sleeping pad, but I found that I could still feel the bow beneath my back, depending on my position. Adding my Thermarest sleeping pad made a huge difference all around. I was comfortable, I didn’t feel the bow in my neck and I was warm because I was off the ground. Also, the cot can be a little “creaky crinkly” when moving around and the pad muffled that.

review thermarest luxurylite ultralite cot for motorcycle camping size — The packed dimension of the cot is 16 inches by 5 inches, thats about 4 inches taller than my BMW boots reviewed here on WRN.

If you’ve avoided camping because of the discomfort of sleeping, try this cot. It will change your view of camping forever. Suggested retail is $219.95. For more information and to find a retailer near you, visit Thermarest.com.

4 thoughts on Review With Video: Thermarest LuxuryLite UltraLite Cot for Motorcycle Camping

Philippe

I also use the LuxuryLite with a pad. It’s more comfortable.
Anna Dahl

I am very interested in that lightweight portable cot but could not find a price or how to order it could you please provide me with the information thank you
1. Genevieve Schmitt
  
  The price is at the end of the article, and there is a link to the cot manufacturer’s website there as well where you can buy it online.