Getting a good night’s sleep while exploring under the stars
Tents and cots have been staples of comfortable camping since the days of ancient Egypt’s King Tutankhamun. The tent protected the occupants from the weather while the folding bed provided relief from sleeping on rocky, uneven, cold or wet ground. Over the centuries cots and tents have been a common means of providing a good night’s rest for those camping under the stars.
But it wasn’t until 1999 that Kamp-Rite marketed the first commercially produced combination of a “tent cot” that integrated a tent attached above a cot. Since that time a number of other companies have jumped on the manufacturing and sale of one- and two-person elevated tent systems.
The GoPlus elevated tent keeps the floor 17 inches above the ground and provides 500 pounds of support for two people sleeping on the foldable cot.
A quality air mattress comes with this GoPlus elevated tent. Mattress has a waterproof side for use outside, and a soft flannel-like side for use sleeping inside the text.
Costway is one of the largest in the camping equipment market selling their folding tent/cot systems under a variety of brand names such as Outsunny, Tangkula, Safstar, Kotek, Ldaily, Reunion, Bangtane, Gymax, PatioJoy and GoPlus. They are available at brick-and-mortar stores such as WalMart, Lowes, Sears and Home Depot, plus online through the likes of Amazon, Backcountry, Electriclife, Aosom and Wayfair.
My wife and I purchased a GoPlus (MSRP: $290) through Amazon to see how an elevated two-person folding tent system would fit in with our car camping needs. This model includes a waterproof tent, folding camping bed, air mattress, two pillows and sleeping bags, and a heavy duty canvas carry bag.
The whole shebang weighs in at 51.5 pounds and just fits into the rear cargo area of our 2018 Mazda CX-5 AWD.
We carried the 40″ x 11″ x 19″ GoPlus carry bag in the cargo area of our 2018 Mazda CX-5 AWD.
We found the GoPlus two-person elevated, portable tent system worked well for car-based camping. It provided good sleeping accommodations for two while keeping the occupants 17 inches above the ground.
Pay Attention To The Specs
The reason we chose the GoPlus two-person camping combo to review is the folding cot can support up to 500 pounds according to the specifications. The weight the folding camping cot can support is very important.
There are many of these elevated tent systems that can’t handle the weight of two adults. So choose wisely. The last thing you want is to bed down for the night with a partner only to have the cot collapse with the first little movements.
Once the cot is folded open, the tent is laid on top so it can be attached to the cot’s frame.
A Good Quality Air Mattress
The other thing we liked about this elevated tent system is the double-sided inflatable air mattress has a coil-beam construction, which provides good support. The mattress also has a waterproof PVC side and a soft fabric side so it can be used in the tent or outside depending on need. The interior of the tent and air mattress are best for use by those less than six-foot.
Our only complaint is the foot-actuated air pump to inflate the air mattress was slow. Inflating the mattress took up about half the 15-minute setup time.
An air mattress is a must when using a folding cot if you want to sleep comfortably alongside a second person because it puts a nice cushion between your body and the extruded aluminum frame structure the 190T polyester fabric of the cot wraps around.
Tent comes with two sleeping bags, two air pillows, and air mattress. We added the wool blanket to our camping setup.
The two light weight backpack-style sleeping bags that come with this kit are ok for mild- season use. It also comes with a pair of air pillows. We found using our own pillows and a couple wool blankets instead of the sleeping bags fit our sleeping needs best.
An Easy Tent Setup
The first time we set up the GoPlus it took us about 20 minutes, with half that time using the foot pump to inflate the air mattress. Once we familiarized ourselves with opening up the cot, installing the tent and external support poles, we had the tent up and ready in less than 15 minutes. When it’s set up, the cost elevates you some 17 inches off the ground.
Teardown and returning the camping tent cot to its roller bag for storage took a few minutes less. The wheels of the carry bag are a nice touch because they make moving the 50 pound tent/cot easier. But it’d been nice if the wheels were wider for better floatation.
If the campsite doesn’t bode well for moving the carry bag via its roller wheels, such as sand, gravel or loose soil, the second grab handle sewn into the carry bag makes it easy for a helper to lend a hand to carry it.
GoPlus uses rectangular extruded aluminum tubing as the main supports for the cot frame and legs. The capacity is 500 pounds.
The aluminum frame and cross-braces are well designed to provide strength and rigidtiy once they are interlocked. The polyurethane-coated canvas used over the cot is exceptionally well-suited for outdoor use due to its robust combination of water resistance, UV protection, and mechanical strength.
Once the tent is set up, there are a dozen metal stakes and wind ropes to further secure it should the terrain and/or weather conditions require such use. (During our multiple days using the elevated tent we never had need for the rain fly or employing ground stakes.)
A dozen straps with plastic clips are spaced all along the tent’s top ridges so they can be hooked over the external poles to support the tent.
The GoPlus elevated tent system is a nice package for those who camp out of their vehicle and want to avoid sleeping on the ground—or sleeping in a roof-mounted tent system. It’s a simple design, but efficient. It’s compact, but strong. It’s well suited for backyard use or backcountry outings.
Pro’s
- Sturdy aluminum cot frame
- High cot weight capacity
- Ideal for couples
- Durable polyester & canvas material
- Includes air mattress, pillows & sleeping bags
Con’s
- Heavy
- Small wheels on carry bag
OutdoorX4 – Promoting responsible vehicle-based adventure travel and outdoors adventure
