Looking for a camping mat, it will predominantly be used by my partner on car camping trips (she has a bit of a bad back so doesn’t get on well with regular camping mats), and myself on my DIY bed setup in the back of my car.

Single width (or double but can fold/split to single width)
Very comfortable (at least compared to a regular Argos style air mattress)
Not mad expensive (maybe £100 or so max?)
Size/weight isn’t too important as it will generally be kept in a car, but if it was compact enough to be used backpacking that would obviously be great.

Options like this look like what we are after, but obviously price is too much – are there cheaper but still decent options? This thick foam, plus air sounds like a good option
https://www.thermarest.com/ie/sleeping-pads/camp-and-comfort/mondoking-3d-sleeping-pad/mondoking-3d.html

Or should we be looking at something totally different? I would be up for a fold up Z style mattress, but they’re a bit too bulky I think.

I assume anything that is air only will be too bouncey (I have a Thermarest Neo air and it’s great but I don’t find it mega comfy)

Thanks,
Duane.

Oh and don’t mind if it needs an electric pump, foot pump etc to inflate.

Any 7.5 or 10 cm self inflating mattrice. (N.B sled inflating still need air adding but get 80% of the way there)

We’ve got a Vango 10cm self-inflating mattress for car camping. Combined with a fitted sheet and double quilt it’s better than sleeping at home. On the downside, deflating it and rolling it up somehow seems to make it bigger, it is quite large.

We have 2 of these. They’re often at a lower price. Longer and wider than a standard single

I bought an Alpkit Fatboy for these reasons and certainly doesn’t make my back any worse (as long as you remember too not massively over inflate). Also started using them on the floor of the van.

Have you got a decathlon store nearby? They have a lot of options, you can probably try them out in store. I’m sworn off Alpkit mats as I’ve had so many failures.

We’ve got a Vango 10cm

That’s the one we have. The pack size is bigger than our tent!

Tick!

in true STW style, i’ll ignore all the parameters you set and recommend what i have – Exped Mega Mat – in what ever size works best for you (single, extra wide / long / double). by far the comfiest car camping mat i’ve used. comes in either 10cm or 15cm thicknesses, and i think they recently launched a range of 7.5 cm ones. have tried a number of different £50-£100 double mats in the past (vango, outwell etc) and they have all either failed after a few years use and / or weren’t actually that comfortable in the first place (ok for a couple of nights but not great if you’re camping for a week) so the less expensive ones were a bit of a false economy. bit the bullet and spent around £200 iirc a few years ago on the mega mat duo extra wide and it’s been brilliant. support runs all the way to the edge, comfier than my mattress at home, doesn’t seep air in the night, and super easy to deflate and pack away relatively small (compared to others iv’e had), good ground insulation and exped had a decent warranty / repairs. i’m sure i’d of saved my self money if i’d of just bought one in the first place

Alpkit dozer. Saved my back. Double or single available. Something very clever about the foam

All mats. Inflate and lie on mat. Release air until you’re about to ground out. Bit like tyres. No point going big then pumpimg up hard. You need to be close to a pinch flat

Dozer

We’ve got a Kampa Kip 10cm self inflating one which is super comfy. Does take up quite a bit of car space though.

Dozer. Double or single.

No point going big then pumpimg up hard.

That’s what does your back in to start with.

Dozer out of stock.

Is car camping a posh term for dogging?

No posh dogging is “going for a hack”. You have to be into horses to get into the upper end of the dogging society.