Coleman Airbed Cot reviewed

The Airbed Cot is Coleman’s way of putting an air mattress on legs. A folding steel cot holds an air bed in a sewn-in cover, so the mattress cannot slide off, and the whole thing stands 22 inches tall in Queen and 23.5 inches in Twin. Pull-out side tables with cup holders hold a lantern or a water bottle.

The air bed uses Coleman’s ComfortStrong coil construction for even support, and Coleman says the AirTight system is factory tested to be leak free, with a dual-sealed Double Lock valve. The included 4D QuickPump runs on four D-cell batteries, which you buy separately, so it works at a campsite with no outlet. You choose the firmness by how much air you add.

The Queen measures 78 by 59 inches and holds 600 lb; the Twin is 74 by 40 inches and holds 300 lb. Both are designed for people up to 6 feet tall. Because air circulates under the cot, you lose far less body heat than on an air bed lying on a cold tent floor.

Coleman lists the Queen at $268.49 and the Twin at $234.99, with a 1-year limited warranty and a carry bag. The Queen weighs about 43 lb packed, so this is gear for car camping, not for carrying far.