Camping Cot Buying Guide: Size, Height and Mattress Fit

Quick answer

Choose a cot by width first, then check height and weight rating. If you are tall or sleep on your side, a 1-metre-wide king single cot such as the Oztent RS-1S King Single Cot Series II gives you room to roll over, and it is rated to 200 kg so it can carry both you and a swag. Pair it with a self-inflating mattress that matches the cot's width, and confirm your tent's footprint before you buy.

Start with width: why a king single cot changes how you sleep

Cot width decides whether you can stretch out or spend the night fighting the edge. Standard camp stretchers are often narrow enough that a sleeping bag bunches against the frame. A king single cot gives you roughly 1 metre of bed width, which is the difference between sleeping on your side with your arms in front of you and sleeping like a pencil. If you are over about 6 feet tall or you move a lot at night, treat width as the specification you refuse to compromise on.

Width also determines what you can put on top. A wider cot accepts a wider mattress or swag without overhang, and overhang is what causes cold spots and sagging at the edges. Measure the internal width of your tent first, then subtract the space you need for a doorway or gear. A cot that fits the tent but leaves no floor space for your boots is a cot you will resent by the second night.

Height and frame: getting in and out without a fight

Cot height affects two things: how easily you sit down and stand up, and how much cold air sits under you. A low stretcher is lighter and packs smaller, but you have to lever yourself up from near the ground, which gets old fast on a long trip. A higher frame is easier on knees and hips and usually has a more stable base because the legs have more triangulation.

Check the frame material and leg design rather than assuming all cots are equal. Aluminium frames keep packed weight down for vehicle-based camping, while the leg configuration determines whether the cot wobbles when you shift your weight. If you plan to put a swag on top, the frame needs to be rated for that load, not just for a person lying still.

Weight rating: read it as a total load, not a body weight

A cot's weight rating covers everything on the frame: you, your bedding, and anything you drop on the bed during the night. A cot rated to 200 kg is not a marketing number, it is the margin that lets you add a swag or a mattress without the frame bowing. If your combined body and bedding weight is close to the limit, choose the higher-rated cot even if it costs more or weighs more.

Weight rating also tells you something about the joints and fabric. Higher-rated cots tend to use stronger hubs and heavier-denier fabric because the manufacturer expects real load. That is a durability signal, not just a safety one.

Cot and mattress compatibility: the measurement most buyers skip

A mattress that is wider than the cot will overhang and roll you toward the middle or the edge. A mattress that is much narrower leaves a gap where cold air collects. The safest approach is to match the mattress width to the cot width, then check the length so your feet are not hanging off the end of the mattress while the cot continues underneath.

Thickness matters too. A thicker self-inflating mattress raises your sleeping height and can make a swag feel cramped if the swag is designed for a thin mat. If you are using a swag rather than a tent, check that the mattress fits inside the swag's footprint before you commit. For a single camper who wants a simple setup, a self-inflating mattress with an R-value around 7 is a reasonable cold-weather baseline, but confirm the actual rating on the product page rather than assuming.

Packing, storage and tent fit

Before buying, measure three things: your tent's internal floor width, the diagonal you need to unfold the cot, and the packed length of the cot against your vehicle. A cot that packs to a long tube may not fit across a small SUV boot or roof box. If you camp from a trailer or 4WD with a long cargo area, packed length is less of a constraint and you can prioritise comfort.

Also think about setup order. If the cot must be assembled inside the tent, you need enough floor space to open it without bending the frame. If you assemble it outside and slide it in, the tent door width becomes the limiting measurement. Either way, write the numbers down before you shop so you are comparing cots against your actual space, not against a showroom floor.

Decision rules for choosing a camping cot

• If you are tall or sleep on your side: Choose a king single cot with a bed width near 1 metre, such as the Oztent RS-1S King Single Cot Series II. Narrow stretchers force you into one position and make the edge the enemy. Width first, everything else second.
• If you plan to use a swag on top: Confirm the cot is explicitly designed to hold your swag, not just a person. The Oztent RS-1S is designed to hold the OZTENT RS-1 Swag and carries a 200 kg rating, which is the kind of margin you want under a swag. Match the cot to the swag, not the other way around.
• If you sleep cold: Prioritise a mattress with a stated R-value and a cot that keeps you off the ground. A self-inflating mattress with an R-value around 7 and a hi-flow valve, like the Oztent Cirrus, reduces the cold that comes up through the frame. Insulation and frame height work together.
• If you camp from a small vehicle: Measure packed length and folded width against your boot or roof box before you buy. A comfortable cot that does not fit your vehicle is not a bargain at any price. Pack size is a hard constraint, not a preference.
• If you are close to the weight limit: Add your body weight to your bedding and swag, then compare the total to the cot's rating. Choose the higher-rated frame when the margin is thin, because ratings cover the whole load on the frame. Rate the load, not the person.

Products that show the trade-offs

• Oztent RS-1S King Single Cot Series II: The Oztent RS-1S King Single Cot Series II has a 200 kg weight rating and is designed to hold the OZTENT RS-1 Swag, with a 1-metre-wide bed. This is the clearest example of width and load rating working together: the 1-metre bed gives tall or restless sleepers room, and the 200 kg rating means you can add a swag or mattress without exceeding the frame's limit.
• Oztent Cirrus Self-Inflating Mattress: The Oztent Cirrus Self-Inflating Mattress uses Hivetec 30D soft-touch stretch fabric, Tuff-Tek 75D polyester with laminated TPU, a hi-flow multi-function valve, Comfort Core Foam, and an R-value of 7.2. The R-value and valve design tell you this mattress is built for cold nights and quick inflation, but its width still has to match your cot. Check the mattress dimensions against the cot bed before buying so it does not overhang or leave a cold gap.
• Oztent King Kokoda Chair Series III: The Oztent King Kokoda Chair Series III has solid aluminium armrests, adjustable lumbar support, a 330 lb weight rating, and a patent-pending Positive Lock System for accessories. If you are already carrying a cot and mattress, a chair with a high weight rating and adjustable support keeps your camp seating consistent with the comfort level you chose for sleeping, and the accessory system lets you add to the setup later.
• Oztent Gecko Chair: The Oztent Gecko Chair has adjustable lumbar support, a height and tilt adjustable table, a 150 kg (331 lb) weight rating, solid armrests, and packs flat. The flat pack and built-in table suit campers who want a compact chair for eating at the cot or by the fire. Its weight rating is in the same range as the Kokoda, so the choice comes down to whether you want an accessory system or a table.

Who this setup suits

Best for

• Tall campers and side sleepers who need a 1-metre-wide king single cot
• Swag users who want a cot rated to carry both a person and a swag
• Cold-weather campers who want a cot and a self-inflating mattress with a stated R-value

Not for

• Ultralight backpackers counting every gram, who should choose a sleeping pad instead of a cot
• Campers with very small tents who cannot fit a 1-metre-wide bed and still move around
• Buyers who need a cot that packs into a short, compact bag for air travel