This Camping Cot Packs Small, Sleeps Big: Kelty Lowdown Cot Review

Camping comfortably as a chronic side sleeper can feel like an impossible mission. I’ve searched far and wide for a sleeping setup that could keep up with my tossing and turning, but the challenge persisted.

Enter the Kelty Lowdown Cot ($150). Tiny but mighty, this cot has earned a place in my ever-growing gear closet. It’s not only comfortable for my less-than-parallel sleeping style, but also surprisingly simple to set up, especially given its lower-than-average price point.

The Lowdown Cot is exactly as its title says. This camping bed takes up hardly any space when packed away in its zippered storage bag, and once set up, it sits a little less than 7 inches off the ground, providing enough room to leisurely rest without feeling like you’re on a behemoth in your tent, where space is often limited. 

I put the Lowdown Cot through the wringer during one of my camping-filled summers in Gunnison–Crested Butte, Colo. Through nights spent fireside in the alpine desert and among some of our area’s most prominent peaks, it delivered.

In short: The Kelty Lowdown Cot is a compact sleeping system with enough width and support for side sleepers to rest without discomfort. Built with an aluminum frame and 600D polyester fabric, it’s durable yet light enough to toss in a duffel or backpack, weighing just 4 pounds, 12 ounces. For short backpacking trips or hike-in campsites, this cot stands out as a versatile, lightweight option.

Looking for a new camping cot? Check out how the Lowdown compares to the rest of the options out there in GearJunkie’s Best Camping Cots Buyer’s Guide.

Kelty Lowdown Cot: Review

First Impressions

When a small package arrived at my doorstep, I was skeptical about what it contained. And I was even more surprised to find that upon opening it, it was the Lowdown Cot. I’ve tested many cots for GearJunkie, and I can promise you, this is one of the smallest yet.

So what’s inside? The Kelty Lowdown Cot comes with two collapsible poles, five collapsible joists, a cot tarp, and a convenient zippered bag for storing everything. The cot fabric itself sports a leafy design — a fun, unexpected touch in a category where most brands stick to plain, neutral colors. I appreciated the extra personality.

The cot’s legs, or joists, come with small rubber bands to keep the pieces bundled when broken down. While handy at first, I found myself losing them quickly during testing. In a future redesign, it would be great to see these integrated directly onto the aluminum components.

As for the poles, they’re impressively lightweight yet sturdy once assembled. At times, the compression felt like it might be too much, but the frame held strong every time.

Assembly Made Simple

Now for the nitty-gritty. At first, I was wary of how the setup might go, since the Lowdown seemed to have more moving parts than other cots I’ve tested. But I was pleasantly surprised to find the assembly process straightforward, even without instructions.

The two long poles slide into fabric sleeves along either side of the cot. Once that’s done, each bracket assembles into a wide “Y” shape and clips into the poles at the breaks in the fabric. These struts pull the cot material taut without making it overly stiff.

Locking the brackets into place required some effort, but with a bit of leverage against the ground, they snapped into place securely. The brackets bow noticeably, yet the flexible aluminum is designed to handle the pressure, and that tension is exactly what gives the cot its supportive comfort.

Once set up, the Lowdown Cot is slim enough to slide easily through a tent door or into a car trunk without snagging or bumping. Unlike many cots that feel heavy and awkward to maneuver, this one is refreshingly easy to move around.

In use, the cot measures 75 x 27.5 x 6.7 inches. It fit neatly inside my two-person tent, leaving enough room for my dog to sprawl out and for me to stash my 65L backpack inside with space to spare. Furthermore, the cot sits 6.7 inches above the ground, creating space underneath for books, luggage cubes, water bottles, or whatever else you want close at hand in the tent.

Disassembly is just as simple as setup. Flip the cot on its side, use its natural flex to pop off each leg, and slide the poles out. All of the components collapse into themselves, making it quick and easy to pack away.

Comfort Throughout the Night

The comfort of this cot genuinely impressed me. The feel lands right in the medium-firm range — soft enough to sleep on your side without pressure points, yet supportive enough that you don’t sag like you would in a hammock. For reference, I’m petite, so larger-bodied campers may want to test it themselves to see how it feels.

To get the truest sense of its comfort, I tested the cot without my usual sleeping pad. The actual material itself felt fine through my sleeping bag, and I appreciated that it made very little noise at all while I tossed and turned during my testing iterations, which I’m sure my camping neighbors were grateful for as well.

At 27.5 inches wide, the cot provides ample space to curl up. I never felt cramped, and my dog was even able to hop up with me, which felt like a major win for both of us.

For winter camping or anyone who prefers extra coziness, the Lowdown pairs well with an insulated sleeping pad. That said, it’s perfectly usable on its own during warmer months, making it a versatile option depending on your setup.

Packability

During one of my testing iterations, I brought this cot on a short backpacking trip — less than 6 miles round-trip — in the West Elk Mountains of Crested Butte. I opted to leave the storage bag behind to prevent wasting precious backpack space. However, I was able to store all the components in the lower vestibule of my backpack, allowing it to remain organized when I arrived at camp. 

Luckily, I had that extra compartment in my pack that accommodated the legs, cover, and poles, but if you had a spare stuff sack lying around, you could probably fit most everything in it. The included storage bag is perfect for walk-in campsites or car camping, but its bulky nature makes it less than ideal for journeys where pack space is critical. You could also attach the zippered bag to the bottom exterior of a backpack, if absolutely necessary.

There are some lighter and more packable cots on the market, such as the Helinox Lite Cot, which weighs 2 pounds, 12 ounces; however, it comes with a significantly higher price tag of $300. This cot strikes a nice balance: at just under 5 pounds, it is heavier than ultralight options, yet far more affordable, making it a solid choice for shorter backpacking trips where weight isn’t the top priority.

Some Critiques 

Overall, I was impressed with the Lowdown’s performance as an affordable, lightweight cot. That being said, there are a few areas where it could be improved.

First, the cot’s length may not be suitable for users taller than 6 feet, as it measures just over that height. An extended size option would be a welcome addition.

Second, the five collapsible legs can feel a bit clunky when packed in a backpack, and sometimes try to reassemble themselves after being stored. This raises the risk of puncturing a backpack or the included carrying case. As mentioned earlier, the separate rubber bands designed to keep the pieces bundled are easy to lose, so it would be great to see them built directly into the design.

Finally, the legs’ feet don’t pivot, which makes it important to find a flat, even campsite. On rocky or root-filled ground, the cot can wobble slightly, cutting into comfort. Adding pivoting feet could further elevate the Lowdown’s performance.

Kelty Lowdown Cot Final Thoughts: A Versatile Option

At $150, the Kelty Lowdown Cot is a solid option for a cot that won’t break the bank. With a lightweight and user-friendly design, this cot is ideal for individuals seeking their first camping cot but who are put off by more substantial and rugged options. 

At just over 4 pounds, the Lowdown can easily be thrown in a duffel or the car, making it a quick solution for a bed at a music festival, walk-in campsite, or overnight backpacking excursion. The included zippered bag keeps all of the components organized and safely stowed, and won’t take up much space at all in your gear room. 

And while it isn’t lighter than some other competitors in the cot market, it is definitely more affordable and sturdy enough to support most sleepers (and their emotionally attached dogs). If you’re a few inches above 6 feet tall, you may want to pass on this one, as you might find your feet hanging off the end of it.  

But for folks who sleep on their sides or tend to toss and turn like me, the slightly slouched material and quiet textiles will help you get plenty of rest at camp. We recommend the Kelty Lowdown Cot for folks needing a dependable and easy-to-set-up solution for their camping adventures, whether they are a quick overnighter or a weeks-long road trip.