Best Air Mattresses for Camping – Our Buyer’s Guide and Top Choices
Looking for a camping air mattress? Take a look at our top choices and buyer’s guide to help you make an informed decision for your next camping adventure.
Looking for a camping air mattress? Take a look at our top choices and buyer’s guide to help you make an informed decision for your next camping adventure.
Nothing beats family activities like putting aside all digital devices, and to set out on an adventure.
Just imagine you all packed up in a car singing along to your favorite songs as you travel. Then arriving on your desired destination, be it a mountainside or a seas side area, setting up your tents, and of course preparing wood for a bonfire because it isn’t really camping trip without it. As the day slowly sets, you start to cook delicious food. The atmosphere is just right with good food and good company, not to mention the starry sky you get to see during the night.
Sounds so picturesque, but there is one thing that can make it less enjoyable. That is right, you’ve guessed – it’s the quality of sleeping equipment. Some sleeping bags are uncomfortable, and there is nothing worse than the lack of rest to ruin the whole trip. Luckily, if you don’t know how to choose the best sleeping bag, the modern time has blessed us with air mattresses designed especially for camping to put those bad days behind us. The options are not limited as well, from manually inflated minimalistic pads to models that contain waterproof antimicrobial covers and of course it is self-inflating. Although having options is great, it can be overwhelming to find the right choice. So, in this article, we will discuss how to select the right one for your needs, factors that make a high-quality air mattress and review the list of popular products.
If you want to sleep well while camping, you should consider these points when searching for and comparing different brands/models of air mattresses:
ALPS Mountaineering Outback is made in that way that it contains internal vertically cored layers of foam to provide the best support for hips and shoulders during the night. Despite the foam layers it weighs only 7.5lbs, when deflated, making it light enough to carry and store.
It is 4 inches thick which makes it firm enough and thin enough. Also is fitting to almost all sleepers no matter the weight. This information will make you feel at ease, in case you were worried that you wouldn’t get enough rest and support due to loss of air in the mattress during the night. Even though it is a self-inflatable air mattress, you get a manual along with it that gives you detailed instruction on how to use the additional external valve.
Valuable point to mention is that the Outback is very durable because the cover is flocked and made of thirty denier polyester. The company also offers a lifetime warranty and a reasonable price.
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What makes the Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated Mat stand out is the innovative option to flip the other side once one is damaged. This is an excellent choice for backpackers who do not bring all of the tools for on-site repairs during their trip. With the Comfort plus you won’t have to worry about storage since it weighs only 17oz when deflated but is still very comfortable as a two inches profile mat. It contains over 500 air chambers that hold air and conform according to the weight of a sleeper.
Since it has a R-5.0 rating- it assures sleepers that it is suitable for sleeping outdoors no matter the time because it contains excellent insulating ability. Besides, it comes with an antimicrobial cover, a deflation valve and inflation which is multifunctional; a repair kit and sack made of nylon along with a lifetime warranty.
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Our best value award goes to the Klymit Static V2 Sleeping Pad because this pad for camping is available for lower than 60 dollars, but it offers just as much comfort and support as some of the expensive competitors.
The top is made of baffles that are V-shaped which aligns sleeper’s body properly and the sides are raised to make sure sleeper won’t slip out of bed during sleep.
In order to make it easier for a camper to inflate it, you get a valve that has a twist-and-pull system. It is also known as a durable air mattress due to tough cover that is made of polyester which can stand the tear and wear. Fully inflated size is 1lbs which makes it very light as well. In addition, it comes with a repair kit and a lifetime warranty.
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A significant consideration for a backpacker is temperature neutrality that provides a balanced feel during both colder and warmer times. Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite has a great ability to absorb the heat but to prevent additional heating due to compartments that are baffled. Tapered and sleek design keeps the weight at less than 1lbs. It also offers a variety of sizes for every preference.
It uses a manual inflation system with an air valve that is external. Inflation takes around 2 minutes until it achieves 2 inches thickness. A big perk of this air mattress is that even when you purchase maxi even when you are buying a maximum size, it is still very portable because it gets downsized to 11 inches x 4.5 inches when deflated. The ability of insulation is rated at R-3.2 suitable for warmer seasons. When you purchase Neo Air XLite, you get a repair kit, a sack, and a lifetime guarantee.
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Compared to other air mattresses for camping, Coleman SupportRest Double High Airbed offers the best of both worlds – high quality and price lower than 55 dollars. It contains a system called Air Tight that prevents air from leaking during your sleep, so there is no need to worry that you’ll wake up to a bed that is half of its original size. When inflated it is 18 inches thick, and it has a cover made of jersey cotton that is flocked containing additional padding for better support.
The Support Rest will give you the best rest and support because of its construction, no matter your weight or sleeping position preference. It offers two sizing options – Queen- and Twin-size bed; depending on your purchase, you might get an additional pump that is external. The “wrap and roll” system makes sure that the air mattress is downsized enough to be compact when traveling. The Support Rest offers a 1-year warranty.
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WonderSleep Classic Series Air Mattress falls in the lux category that provides maximum comfort for the camper. It contains compartmentalized air in columns vertically positioned which provide high support and comfort that results in an even surface. The cover is thick enough for additional padding and is made of waterproof material.
When it is inflated it achieves 20 inches of thickness, and due to that, the process of self-inflation takes around 4 minutes, making it the thickest among other air mattresses. One cool thing is that the level of the air is adjustable based on your weight and preference. Wonder Sleep air mattresses offer two size options; the Queen and Twin size. In case you move during the night, the classic series got your back – literally, because the bottom is slip free. You get a 1-year warranty.
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The final product is our editor’s choice – the Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress. The reason why this is a great buy is due to the excellent comfort that it provides. This air mattress for camping is constructed of a system that gives you durability and no sagging during use. Also, it contains layers of micro-coil for additional comfort no matter the weight. When inflated it achieves the thickness of 18 inches, and you can find two size options; the Queen and Twin size.
That is not all. The Raised Air mattress provides its sleepers advanced retention of the air which means that never-flat built-in system makes sure that the air mattress never deflates abruptly and inflates it as needed. Also, you won’t have to manually inflate it because it has an internal pump that inflates and deflates within 4 minutes. For features that it offers, it is considered to be very affordable costing less than 60 dollars, and you get a 1-year warranty.
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Storage – Always deflate your mattress and keep it in dry spaces that are not exposed to moisture.
Inflation maintenance – Avoid to inflate the mattress more than necessary and test It before use by inflating and deflating it.
Leakage repair – First, you should find the source, then fully deflate the mattress, use one to three sealants that you can find in a repair kit and wait few minutes. If the leakage persists, add more sealants making sure they got stuck on the damaged area.
*Vital reminder – Do not, under any circumstances, put an air mattress in water to find the leakage source.
A fashion designer by profession, writer by choice and bookworm – always. As a person struggling with anxiety for years and someone who loves to sleep, I can relate to the struggles of getting a good night’s rest. When I'm not doing sleep research, I enjoy reading books, being involved in creative activities and discovering the best use of my Moka pot.
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