If you’re in to camping, but you don’t want to rough it too much, an air mattress is a good choice for ensuring that you sleep soundly. The variety of air mattresses available on the market today make it likely that you’ll find one which suits your needs exactly, but a wide variety can also make it difficult to choose. Never fear, this post is just what you have been waiting for. We’ll talk about what you should consider when choosing an air mattress, the top brands in the business, and several specific recommendations to fit your needs.
What type of pump will work?
A lot of air mattresses come with a pump, and if you are planning to use that pump instead of buying a separate one, you will want to make sure that the pump supplied is usable in your situation. In other words, don’t buy a pump that needs to plug into a wall outlet if you are planning on camping in the middle of the woods, and don’t buy a pump that’s battery-powered if you’re notorious for forgetting extra batteries. Pumps may come in varieties that plug into the wall, run on batteries, or plug into the outlet in your car. You may also be able to find pumps that are powered manually by your hand or foot. If you’re going really deluxe, check out air mattresses with internal pumps that will automatically inflate when the mattress is unrolled. As a side note, if you are planning to buy a separate pump, make sure that the nozzle will fit your air mattress.
How thick do you want your mattress?
Air mattresses come in different heights. These can range from the super compact air pads that only lift you an inch or two off the ground, to deluxe mattresses that are 22 inches or taller. The height you want will depend on your plans for camping. Those super compact air pads are popular with backpackers, because they fold up tightly to take up little space in your backpack and can be inflated with nothing more than your lungs. If it’s important to cut back on how much gear you have to carry, it doesn’t make sense to bring along a pump. Alternatively, if you’re planning to camp in a single location which is near your car (or maybe you’re just looking for something to put in the guest room for when your in-laws visit), a tall mattress might be a good choice. They’re especially helpful if you have trouble getting in and out of a low bed. You’ll want to consider the size of your tent when you’re making this decision, too. A 22-inch tall bed in a small tent might mean that you’re sleeping uncomfortably close to the ceiling.
What size mattress do you want?
Air mattresses typically come in twin-sized and queen-sized (although you may be able to find some king-sized or full-sized if you’re willing to hunt for them). A queen-sized mattress obviously gives you more space to sprawl or cuddle with your honey, but two twin mattresses might offer more flexibility in case you’re not always sleeping in the same sized space (for example, if you’re planning to borrow tents from friends), meaning you can reconfigure if the space is too tight for a bigger mattress.
How much do you (and your partner) weigh?
Keep in mind that air mattresses have weight limits. If you or someone who is going to be using it is on the heavy side, you may want to invest in a mattress with a higher weight limit. This also goes for families who might have children crawling into sleeping bags with them in the middle of the night.
How durable does your mattress need to be?
Depending on the material, some mattresses may be more or less durable than others. Durability comes at a price, thoug. Often times, the more durable mattresses are also heavier. If the weight of the mattress is a concern (for example, if you’re backpacking) you may want to go with a lighter-weight, but keep in mind that you want to be careful to keep your kids from bouncing on it. If you’re camping a little closer to your car, a heavy mattress will be just fine and will probably help you sleep better since they tend to be a bit more comfortable.
Do you want a padded mattress?
Many air mattresses come with additional foam padding that is supposed to make the mattress more comfortable. Before dropping the extra dollars to get a mattress with padding, make sure that the padding is in a place where it counts. That means, the top of the mattress, right under where you’re going to be laying. Padding anywhere else isn’t going to do you any good. An extra benefit of this padding is the layer of insulation it provides. Air mattresses can be really chilly, since they’re filled with air that tends to be the same temperature as the air in your tent. You can bring all the blankets you want and still be freezing all night if you’re sleeping directly on top of 45 degree air. If you don’t want an air mattress with padding, bringing along an extra blanket to lay underneath you should help you stay warmer.
So What Should I Buy?
Okay, now that you have thought about what your needs for an air mattress are, let’s get down to business talking about brands. This conversation also depends a lot on what your goals for your air mattress are. If you’re buying something to take on your spur-of-the-moment float trip and you don’t camp regularly, you may not want to drop all that money on a top-of-the-line brand like REI. In that case, a mattress from Intex might be the way to go. Intex makes mostly “budget” air mattresses. They are no-frills, but they keep you off the ground and they won’t cost your entire paycheck. You can find twin-size Intex mattresses starting under $20. Don’t just assume that “budget” means low-quality. It’s fine to figure out what you really need and look for mattresses without all the bells and whistles that come with higher price tags. If you’re not planning to use it much, is it really worth it to pay extra for the optional inflatable headboard?
If you camp frequently, you should think about investing in something that might last a little longer and keep you more comfortable. There are lots of options for reliable, good-quality brands. Coleman is a big name in the camping industry with some good entry-level prices, so they are a great place to start if you camp often but have a small budget. They have a wide range of products, so you can also find some higher-end items with cool extras like cot stands to hold the mattress off the ground and automatic, built-in pumps. If you’ve got a little more cash to spend, check out specialty brands like REI and High Sierra. You’re likely to find the best quality there, but that can come with a hefty price tag.
The Top Picks
Coleman Premium Pillowtop Support Rest with Built-In Pump
For those of you who want to camp, but want to sleep like they’re at home, your best bet is a Coleman with a pillowtop. The (washable!) pillowtop will give you a little extra cushion to make it feel more like a real bed. That pillowtop will also provide some insulation, which is great for camping on chilly nights. This air mattress supports up to 600 pounds and has a built-in 120V pump, which means that you don’t need to buy a separate pump, but you do need an outlet to plug in to. If there isn’t an outlet available, there is a separate nozzle that you can use for a battery-powered or manual pump.
5-in-1 Twin/King Quickbed and Hide A Sofa
This is a really cool option for the type of camping trip where you spend a lot of time hanging around the campsite, and it also provides tons of flexibility if you’re not sure exactly where you’ll be using it. The selling point for this mattress is that it’s convertible. Zippers and snaps allow you to use it as two separate twin mattresses; a single, stacked twin mattress (to raise it higher off the ground); zipped together to form a single, king-sized mattress; or as a sofa. How many times have you been sitting on a log around the campfire and aching for a backrest? Problem solved. The weight limit on this one is 300 pounds, and it doesn’t come with an air pump, so make sure there’s a little extra room in your budget for one.
Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress with Never Flat Pump
You know how you lay down on an air mattress at night and it’s so firm that it feels like you’re sleeping on a board, and then when you wake up in the morning it has lost so much air that it feels like you’re laying on a half-empty balloon? Some air mattresses come with special pumps that automatically re-inflate your mattress for you when it senses that the pressure is getting low. If this sounds like the type of mattress for you, this Insta-Bed mattress is a great choice. The pump starts out pretty noisy when it’s first inflating the mattress, but tends to be much quieter at night when it’s just re-inflating. This recommendation comes with a caveat, though: the pumps have to be plugged in to work, so this mattress is a good buy if you’re planning to use it indoors or will be camping with a constant power source nearby. You’re unlikely to find one of these automatic air mattresses that doesn’t need an outlet. This Insta-Bed mattress is available in twin- or queen-sized, and you can get the queen size with cool extras like a headboard and a pillowtop. The twin-sized bed is just under $120, and the queen-sized bed is around $140-175, depending on what features you want.
Lightspeed Outdoors PVC-Free Air Bed
This is a good higher-end option for serious campers who are also finicky sleepers, since you can easily adjust the firmness of the mattress until it’s comfortable for you. Another great feature of this one is that it’s made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), instead of the standard PVC. TPU tends to be more durable than PVC, and it’s much lighter. For example, the queen-sized version of this bed weighs only six pounds, but supports about 360 pounds.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Venture WV Mattress
Now, like we talked about previously in this article, if you’re into backpacking you have different needs in an air mattress than other campers do. This Therm-a-Rest mattress is a great option for backpackers because it balances compactness with comfort. When it’s inflated, it’s 2 inches tall, and the way it’s constructed provides more insulation than a typical air mattress, meaning that you can stay warmer without worrying about bringing extra insulation. The two-inch height means that it’s possible to inflate it with just your lungs, but you can also attach a pump if that’s more your style.