REI Co-op Kingdom Cot 3 Review

Options and craftsmanship are what make the REI Co-op Kingdom Cot 3 unique. We could tell at first glance that it is well-made. Every facet of this high-quality camping cot is thoughtfully crafted to give sleepers a restful snooze. Additionally, if you just want to read a book or chill by the campfire, the Kingdom Cot can easily take the shape of a shay lounge. This adjustment allows you to comfortably sit up with your legs out in front of you. We love this cot but held back on calling it our favorite because it didn't score well in metrics that examine the size, weight, and cost.

Performance Comparison

Ease of Setup

The Kingdom Cot earned decent scores for ease of setup, but we hesitated on shelling out a higher-tier score. To be clear, our testers were always able to deploy our Kingdom Cot; however, setup just never became routine or inherent. The product is bulky and relatively heavy. Additionally, its bi-folding design is somewhat unconventional, and its legs are oddly placed and tend to fold up if not perfectly positioned.

Once the legs were in place, we encountered a fair amount of resistance when trying to push the headrest side of the cot into place. In fairness, most cots on the market have a certain level of tension when laying them flat. In some cases, they need to be forced into their final position. However, the Kingdom Cot requires a little extra force to snap it flat, enough that it initially feels like something could break. All said, once we understood this product's nuances, we became more proficient at setting it up. However, the process just never became perfectly routine.

We really like the Kingdom Cot's large pivoting feet. Their ball-and-joint design enables the cot to maintain a higher level of stability on uneven ground. They also go a long way toward protecting a tent's flooring from being snagged or punctured when the cot is put into place.

Portability

Portability is not the Kingdom Cot's strong suit. This 82-inch-long beast folds up large and doesn't have a carrying case. Additionally, there are no obvious or designated handholds, so it can be a little confusing to decide where to grab the product.

Weighing nearly 24-pounds, it's one of the heaviest cots on our list, making it one of the more difficult cots to move from car to campground.

Preparing the Kingdom Cot for transportation takes a few more steps than we would prefer. Due to its extra padding and bi-folding design, the cot must be smashed into place. After both sides are folded in, the user much force the cot flat, while hand-tightening the adjustment hinges to lock it in place. The entire process is similar to forcing a knee on an overstuffed suitcase, while trying to zip it closed.

Forcing the cot flat and locking it into place takes a little more time and effort than we prefer, so we opted for folding the two ends in and carrying it as-is. However, regardless of how we chose to transport the Kingdom Cot, we found it to be bulky, hard to grip, somewhat unbalanced, and a little heavy.

Comfort

After several nights' sleep on the Kingdom Cot, we awarded it a solid score for comfort. Although the score isn't the highest available for this metric, it's still very respectable. The cot's quilted fabric is made from thick polyester, which is attached to the metal frame by way of a looped bungee system.

We like that the bed is fully suspended, but we held back on higher comfort scores because we feel it's a little firm. That said, We enjoyed sleeping on our Kingdom Cot, and we feel most sleepers will enjoy it as well, especially those who like a firmer bed. When combined with a simple sleeping pad, we think this cot becomes very comfortable.

We like the product's perimeter padding, which surrounds the sleeping area and does a great job of keeping the sleeper centered. In particular, this feature helps younger sleepers from falling off the cot during the night. However, the main function of the padding is to ward off the hard, metal frame below. We think this is an excellent design and sets the Kingdom Cot apart from many other models, which leave the metal fully exposed.

Extra features are this product's strong suit, which is why we named it our top cot for versatility. The Kingdom Cot offers a raised, padded headrest and footrest. Additionally, it can be adjusted into a lounger, which is excellent for catching some sun in the outdoors, reading a book before bed, or sitting around the campfire.

We also love that the legs just below the headrest can be extended, providing customizable levels of incline for people who like having their upper body slightly elevated while sleeping.

Durability

After examining this cot from head to toe, we feel it deserves higher-than-average scores for durability. The manufacturer certainly chose high-quality fabrics, metals, and components. Another stand-out feature is a very durable, water-resistant, polyester cot fabric. It's extremely rugged and held up to weeks of unkind use during our testing.

We also love how securely the fabric top is attached. Thick, strong, bungee cording laces the fabric to the Kingdom Cot's frame, making it extremely secure but stretchy at the same time. Additionally, a mixture of steel and high-grade aluminum creates a sturdy, adjustable frame that can support up to 300-pounds.

Our only durability concern centers on the cot's adjustable, cog-style hinges. They are plastic and employ a hand-tightened, twist knob to lock them into place. Although we saw no immediate wear and tear during our testing, we still see the design as a potential weak spot on the Kingdom Cot depending on the level of care during use.

Should You Buy the REI Co-op Kingdom Cot 3?

What Other Camping Cots Should You Consider?

For buyers who are more concerned with purchasing a product that scored more evenly in our metrics, we suggest the Coleman Pack-Away Cot. The Pack-Away, is our favorite overall cot because it performs well in all of our metrics' testing, but balances this performance with a more friendly price tag. If pure comfort is your top concern, you may want to study up on the Coleman ComfortSmart. It's not as durable or easy to carry as other models, but it certainly is comfortable.