Went camping at the weekend with the wife and wean. The little one, who is 4, absolutely loved it. I was less keen as I had a pretty bad sleep both nights, first night due to noise (bloody seagulls) and second night due to the shitty air bed going pop but given how much my daughter enjoyed it we will definitely do it again.

So talk to me about self inflating mats, they seem like a better alternative than air beds. Weight isn’t a huge issue as we will be car camping.

Will probably get a better tent at some point – We have a 3 men tent from Blacks, something with a a porch I could stand up in to change would be better

Personally I find an airbed comfier on a campsite than a thermarest type jobbie (or the superlight jobbie I use on adventures). You tend to feel every lump in the ground through them, whereas an airbed is much softer. So maybe a better airbed? We also always stick a cheap blanket or two underneath the airbed to help with insulation.

As for noise, earplugs?

If i was going car camping I’d stuff as many douvets in the car as I could manage then spread them out in the tent and sleep on top of them in my bag.

Family room in a youth hostel, the bairn will love it – games rooms etc, proper cooking, real bed, and works in wet weather.

Camping is shite.

shitty air bed

this is the problem. I find decent air beds really comfortable (and not had one explode yet!) but obviously they cost money.

Also, couldn’t survive camping without my earplugs!!

I would agree with flyingmonkeycorps. An airbed beats a mat if weight/size isnt an issue.

Two single airbeds for a couple are better than a double, we’ve found – less chance of one restless partner waking the other if/when they roll over. An elasticated bedsheet will keep them together, double duvet over that for insulation, double duvet on top of you FTW. 🙂

Sounds like you (and family) are summer only campers so you don’t need the fully insulated sleeping mats but some insulation is good because it prevents convection currents from forming in the mat which will cool you down.

Self-inflating mats have open cell foam inside so don’t pack down as well and as above they aren’t that comfy – I’ve a classic Thermarest sleeping pad but I hardly ever use these days. The inflatable airbeds are much better but they are a little delicate unless you go for one of the massive mats like the Exped Megamat – I’ve undone one of the internal welds on an Exped mat, it got replaced on warranty. Many now come either with an inbuilt pump or some form of inflator bag like the Exped Schnozzle so inflating isn’t a chore.

Have a look here https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/sleeping-mats-c58/all-sleeping-mats-c146 for what’s available.

Noise in the countryside? Who’d have thought it 😳

I have used genuine Thermarests for nearly 25 years and the 2 original ones which are 25 years old and have been camped on for a minimum of 3 weeks a year are still going strong and my daughters now use them. Not as quite as soft as an air bed but nice and warm and reliability wins in my opinion.

As for the noise why anybody thinks they can go from sleeping inside a quiet house to outside with all the wildlife and other people making noises is beyond me. I will always use ear plugs, experiment at home to see what is comfortable over night and that should be the noise issue sorted.

Decathlon do a really good range of quality air beds, the grey coloured flocked one is really comfortable. As said above, put a blanket on it and then your sleeping bag or whatever on top

Hello, we introduced our kids to camping this year and they also thought it was the best thing ever (wait until it rains all week). I have been camping lots by myself / with mates and have found that air mats can be a little hit and miss, you really do get what you pay for.
However, on our recent trip my eldest and my wife used a cot bed Here. Both found them comfortable and slept through the nights.

and as the others, I never camp without earplugs.

Exped Megamat – The daddy of all air beds

https://www.trekitt.co.uk/34848/products/exped-megamat-10-lxw-sleeping-mat.aspx?currency=GBP&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3uboBRDCARIsAO2XcYC3TStKQ1g9hCFV04N4OkfWmTkxHpH-F3dj3SMPTRQCUI9xlbaFQE8aAmm5EALw_wcB

Pillows.
Those new memory foam ones are stupidly light and can cost peanuts.

Decathlon do some nice options for four man tents about £100, with different layouts.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-359116-tents/N-318109-berth~4-person/T-387255_387252

If you can get to a shop the staff are happy to demonstrate how to use them, but the bigger shops have all the popular models already set up as well. It helps to narrow them down.

We’ve used various Vango self inflating mats for ages, light ones and heavier, properly comfy, thick ones for huts and car camping. Might have replaced one in 15 years?
Great value and quality.

One point not mentioned so far is that the inflatable mats take up quite a bit of tent volume and depending on how close to vertical the walls of the tent are then you might not have as much space as you think. I’ve a Terra Nova LaserComp and can just squeeze two into it when using plain old Karrimats. With an inflatable mat (Exped Winterlite) there’s only just enough room for one.

Two single airbeds for a couple are better than a double, we’ve found – less chance of one restless partner waking the other if/when they roll over. An elasticated bedsheet will keep them together

Genius!

One of these might be better for you.

Camp Bed

Thanks for the responses guys. I might go with a better quality air bed. I’ll remember to take ear plugs too!

Noise in the countryside? Who’d have thought it 😳

I like countryside noise – at least birds singing etc., not combine harvesters. Just got back from a week camping in France where I slept like a baby, to London where there is a constant racket from traffic, sirens, yobbos etc.

I beg to differ.

These days, you can get loads of self inflating mats of varying thicknesses. The thick ones are waay better than both airbeds and traditional Thermarests. We have one of these:

https://www.outwell.com/en-gb/ecommerce/sleeping/dreamcatcher-double-10-0-cm-new

And I swear it’s better than quite a few hotels I’ve stayed in. Really outstandingly comfortable. And better than an air bed too, even a nice one. The foam means it’s not bouncy.

If i was going car camping I’d stuff as many douvets in the car as I could manage then spread them out in the tent and sleep on top of them in my bag.

Except you’d basically crush all in the insulation in the duvets with your bodyweight rendering them near useless unless you have 20 or 30 of them or are improbably light.

The Alpkit Dozer is a super comfortable, thick, self-inflating mat that’s not insanely expensive plus available in a double-sized version if that’s your bag.

me = lifelong camper most years car camping and finally settled (Mrs Rider too and she suffers with even regular mattresses) on 7.5cm self-inflating mat for the most comfortable and warm sleep, while still not taking acres of space in the car when rolled. Yes it’s still a sizeable roll to pack but you can’t beat a luxury sleep on hols. Go 10cm if you have the load space/cash but IME 7.5 is enough and I’m 16st big guy. Sheet, duvet, pillows, extra blankets. Done.

Don’t forget to ‘top off’ the mat with a few lungfuls if air into valve before screwing shut, just to get the right firmness. Always site yr pitch as level as possible and pick rocks/lumps obstructions before pitching. Here’s a double on offer:

Vango 7.5 double mat

2x singles also work, just use a double fitted sheet to keep together. If they slip on yr groundsheet put a big blanket under. PS I worked away for 6 months and slept nearly every night on a Vango 7.5. As Molgrips says – a good thick self-inflator (oooer) is better than a lot/most of hotel beds. I still prefer one than our Sealy Ortho mattress at home, no hype. What you want is firm enough for yr hip bone to stay off the ground and also yr spine not to slump. These do this like magic and yet aren’t rock-hard. If you like a *very* soft mattress and sleep like a bent pin then look elsewhere/big air mattress but prepare to bounce around, get cold and have no purchase for ‘other’ indoor/outdoor pursuits 🤣

As Molgrips says, airbeds are rubbish, they’re usually cold, especially if the ambient temperature drops – I spent a really miserable weekend on one in July when the weather turned cold and wet overnight, I ended up using several blankets I kept in the car, and wearing all of my clothes to try to get warm!
I bought a 10cm self-inflating mattress, and it was wonderful, I spent nine days camping in October, with a thicker sleeping bag, and slept like a log!
I did need earplugs, though, because of the wind in the hedge behind my tent.

airbeds are rubbish, they’re usually cold, especially if the ambient temperature drops

Uninsulated ones, yes for the reason I gave earlier, they are basically LiLos. Insulated ones, no, most definitely no. Mine is good to the -15C sort of range.

I agree with Molgrips, a thicker self inflating mats are great. And yes, earplugs too.

self inflating mat on top of a camp bed if you want warm and comfy

self inflating mat on top of a camp bed if you want warm and comfy

Is there a camp bed that –

1. Doesn’t roll occupant into the middle to resemble an inevitably stock-still Egyptian mummy?

And/or

2. Doesn’t have sticky-up pokey frame in the centre?

Thanks again. This info is pushing me toward a nice self inflating mat.

Now Tents!

Are inflatable tents worth the coin? Would be looking at a 4 or 5 man with height to stand up in the “living room”

Rich, the Decathlon inflatable ones are ace, good value, well made and smart design. You’ll never regret getting one for the type of stuff you’ll be doing. You’ll see ours on my FB feed from last summer at Hoddam.

Cheers Iain. I did have a look at the Decathlon one.

How does it stand up to the weather? The Vango ones I’ve been looking at all have a better waterproof rating than the Decathlon one.

1. Doesn’t roll occupant into the middle to resemble an inevitably stock-still Egyptian mummy?

I dunno, I sleep in the middle of my camp bed anyway, so I haven’t found it an issue. Do you have one big enough to roll around in?

THICK self inflating mat (note you still have to inflate so the name is misleading.) 7.5-10cm. some are thinking self inflating mat = thin lightweight only (which I personally sleep fine on but my partner has had hip problems since giving birth).

You’ll see ours on my FB feed from last summer at Hoddam.

Hoddom.

You’re welcome 😉

I have 2 of the Alpkit thick mats and they are the best thinks I have ever bought for camping.
https://www.alpkit.com/products/dozer the are girlfriend comfort approved too.

Also I have a Coleman Ridgeline Plus Four-Person Tent going spare which I no longer use. If you want more details drop me a message.

Uninsulated ones, yes for the reason I gave earlier, they are basically LiLos. Insulated ones, no, most definitely no. Mine is good to the -15C sort of range.

Especially as, if it’s cold, you’ll have just inflated them up up a lot of cold air.

We just put a couple of blankets on top of the mattress, under the fitted sheet. Better than insulating the airmat from the ground, as you’re not having to heat the volume of air in the mattress.

My inflatable airbed suffered a failure on Cub Camp the other week, so I’ve just boight a 30mm self inflator off eBay for £15. Camping again this weekend and will let you know how it compares.

has anyone had any experience of the cheap thick self-inflating mats? It looks like the 10cm ones start at ~£35 on ebay/amazon..

We have the outwell mats mentioned above.
Very,very comfy. I often* use two stacked on top of each other for maximum plushness.
* when the missus doesn’t camp!

Rich, the Decathlon one of ours has had a few nights of heavy rain and gales, incl at Hoddom (pp 😜) and has been perfect.

Never done airframe but I’m a big fan of Decathlon popup tents, super-quick and easy to put up, not much longer or trickier to take down. Sturdy and clever designs – I like. 🙂