Getting ready to go camping this weekend so I blew up our airbeds to check they were ok and 2 of them are losing air. I’ve tried locating the leaks but with no luck.

They are both fairly cheap pvc mattresses so I’m wondering if it’s worth spending more for something that will last. Any recommendations?

Even when airbeds remain inflated they’re just a convenient way to circulate cold air underneath you. If you’re car camping then something like the double self-inflating number below is awesome. We have a version of this and it’s as good as sleeping at home.

https://www.alpkit.com/products/double-dozer

Yeah, the cheap ones are basically Lilos so you need something that stops air flow, i.e. insulation. Unlike sleeping bags which have an upper comfort limit, mats can be warmer than you might need so get the best insulating one you can afford then if things get a little nippy at night you’ll be fine.

If you are car camping then weight and bulk aren’t that much of a concern. Self inflating mats tend to be a bit heavier than the ones you inflate because they are full of foam that’s a bit like a sponge. Compare the Double Dozer at 5Kg with this Exped at 1Kg https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/sleeping-mats-c58/airmat-hl-duo-m-regular-double-sleeping-mat-p9405, twice the price though.

There was a thread on here where people were extolling the virtues of the Exped Megamat but it’s not one I’ve used.

As above really. I’m pretty happy on a standard air bed and the one we bought from Inter on a recent camping trip lasted just fine on an extended tour of Europe but recently we’ve bought this from Go Outdoors and its so much better. Way more comfortable. Lets wobbling when two up a lot softer, yet still firm, more like a proper mattress. Its a lot of money but well spent if you value sleep. We’ve used it a few times in B&Bs where it was much better than the mattress on the bed.

Me and Mrs Blackflag can’t stand to touch each other, so we have two single Dozer mats from Alpkit. Awesome.

Whenever i’ve just used a simple inflatable airbed i’ve woken up freezing.

https://www.alpkit.com/products/dozer