Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

1st off please read the below info lifted from an older customer review, I put DTC443 in the search field on amazon to be sure I was buying the model that includes the rain fly. You will notice this model is more $ than the non-rain fly model. " The product quality is excellent, but BEWARE. According to Antonette at Kamp-Rite, there are supposedly TWO DIFFERENT product numbers for this tent-cot, one with a rainfly (#DTC 443) and one without (#TC 401). " I camp about 4-5 times a year with a scout troop, since I have to set up/tear down alone (and often have other troop gear to setup) the TentCot had my attention right away. I have become accustom to using a cot while camping, If the choice was cot with no tent or tent with no cot...I'd take the cot, even though they are either bulky to carry (folding) or tedious to set up (poles). My 1st load out was a large 6 person (which means 4 person) tent with a folding cot. While I could stand up in it, the large footprint meant picking up rocks and sticks, laying tarp, erecting tent (2 man job), installing fly & setting up my cot inside. I smartened up and went to a 2 person (again...1person) tent since it went up way quicker (1 man job), required less ground cleaning & took up less valuable space at tight campsites. With the cot inside I had just enough room for shoes and gear bag, everything was perfect. Now cut the setup time from 30-40 minutes down to 5-7 minutes. Same effective size (when using the space under cot for waterproof storage bags/totes) with more bed. My new setup allows me to go from the car to ANY camp spot quicker than anyone, unused spots previously considered too small for a tent. I received my TentCot in a cardboard retail box without damage. Packing was so-so with bubble wrap applied to all 4 corners of the cot prior to putting it in the carry bag. The carry bag was a bit nicer than expected, pretty hefty feeling with a shoulder strap making it easy to walk and carry. Compared to my old folding camp cot this model is bigger and heavier but with the tote bag it is a hand free carry. I suspect a simple set of backpack style straps would make this even easier to lug around. I did not read the instructions; I had previously watched videos on YouTube and had the basics down. Setup is pretty intuitive with the exception of the cot opening in "chair mode" and it taking a minute to figure out I had to pull on the tubes to clear the chair stop. Construction seemed well thought out, designed as a total package as opposed to simply adding a tent to a cot. Starting from the bottom... The 4 legs have plastic molded feet on the corners to add to its stability, it is a non-brittle material. In the video it shows assembly requiring you to attach plastic clips to the underside of the middle legs...Between the legs and the ground. I attached mine to the cross bar above the legs, the cot set up stable and tight. While the stretched sleeping surface is solid on the top, a quick crawl under the Tentcot reveals 2 missing sections of tarp. The open areas are on the 2 parts that fold, you can see the foam thru these slits. Again the quality and dense feel of the foam was better than expected. It uses a very rubbery "heavy for its thickness" pad sandwiched between the top and bottom material of the cot for insulation, the addition of a pad or blanket inside makes a big difference in comfort. The cot itself was a bit soft compared to my stiff as a board camp cot, while the padding and large size surely added to this feeling. Laying on my back it had a tiny bit of a hammock feel, on my side and belly (my go to) I could stretch out in comfort. EDIT: after a couple nights I can say that the cot is not NEARLY as stiff as any other cot I have used. It is like a stiff hammock. The 2 side doors make it easy to sit down and slide into the cot; the end doors are convenient for storage access from outside and for the screens that give the feeling of no tent at all. All 4 doors roll up and can be tied off with quick tabs; the 2 side doors have a small Velcro vent door near the top. My only gripe with the doors is that the screen is on the inside, meaning that to roll up or down the solid doors you must be outside. On the bright side, the zippers are quality and easy to keep separated as the outer door has metal tabs & the screen has par cord tabs. Inside you have the standard 2 strings hanging from the center of the ceiling (which is pretty roomy) to hang a light or fan, both would go a long way in this little tent. Both ends have mesh pockets for little items & though the ends taper down I had better than expected head/foot room. The oversized is not claustrophobic and the domed ceiling feels like a standard 2 man tent. Prior reviews noted the dome poles being tough to install. Kamp-Rite must have made a change to the design and now instead of a sleeve for the poles the roof has a series of hooks. The poles are easy to install and uninstall. Set up and breakdown are quick and easy, nearly every step can be done without dropping on your knees or bending over too far. This cot will install over rougher ground, divots, roots & rocky areas with less visible damage to the ground than any tent its size. This TentCot will allow you to set up in areas where other tenters have not burnt a tent shape dead spot into the ground, closer to shady areas or in-between other tents in busy camps. Also, if you roll up the side doors it is easy to lean in and pick the whole thing up to move to shade, sun or under an awning. I doubt I will use the rain fly in normal light sprinkle rain (unlike nearly all tents today, this model has a solid top) but it is nice to know it is there if needed. The chair option is a bit goofy, you will be sitting on the tent section folded up. Not a bad option to have and it really does not take away from the origional use. USE: APRIL 2013 1st use was great. I was set up in 5 minutes for 2 nights that dipped to 24* and up to 90% humidity. I used 2 small blankets as a camp pad with a 0* bag. My body stayed warm all night but I did wake up to a lot of condensation on the inside of the tent and on the surface of my bag. May 2013 2 more nights spent in this cot. The 1st night it was raining and dipped into the low 30's. I used the "rain fly" for the 1st time, it was simple enough to install and gives you only 1 side door access. I awoke in the middle of the night feeling cold, but it was very warm in the tent. I sat up, reached in to my camping personal bag and fished out a small lighter. The lighter did not light, even after many many attempts. I unzipped the door flap and rain fly feeling a rush of cold air... At that point the lighter lit. If the tent was really that air tight, I don't want to find out. For the 2nd night I put up a tarp for wind/rain protection and left a bit of the outer door unzipped (with the screen door closed) A tarp is now standard for me and I will never use the rain fly again, the small built in vents obviously could not keep up with my breathing. *EDIT* On review, I did not unzip the main doors prior to installing the rain fly, I have since and had success keeping fresh air coming in.*** ***UPDATE SEPT 2013*** I have spent a few more nights in the Tent-Cot, comfort and seemingly endless set up location choices still keep me choosing this over my tent. since the addition of a standard no-name self inflating air mat, I feel no heat loss on sub 30* nights. Keeping the main doors rolled up and using the rain fly has worked for me in rainy weather, condensation continues to be the biggest draw back (in all fairness, I have only used this in weather/temp conditions that are favorable to condensation build up) ***UPDATE OCTOBER 2013*** 2 more nights and still no rips tears or product issues. Overnight temps in the low 30's, waking up to ice on the outside of the tent. Slept warm and dry. Condensation improved with max venting but is still present, I keep a small hand towel at the head of the bead to wipe the ceiling in the AM. I have coated the tent 2x with 3M water seal & touched up seams with seam sealer. The carry bag is showing signs of wear, small holes forming at the bottom & strap seams starting to stretch.