Home Forums Chat Forum Recommend me an air mattress

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  • Recommend me an air mattress
  • bigginge
    Full Member

    We’re off camping in a few weeks and I’ve just remembered two of our three air mattress have started leaking and need replacing (they’ve given up on fairly long sections of their seems so repair seems unlikely). Before I head off to the decathlon website to order up more of the same (ish) I figured it was worth asking here to see if anyone has any recommendations for something that might be a little more durable.

    These will be for car camping with the family, so don’t need to be light weight. I think the ones we have now are 120mm wide but I think we would be ok going up to 140mm and probably don’t want anything much smaller.

    kormoran
    Free Member

    No particular brand recommendation but definitely go for something with some insulation inside. So much more pleasant to sleep on

    simondbarnes
    Full Member

    Exped maegamat 10

    2
    qwerty
    Free Member

    AlpKit Dozer seems to get good reviews for car camping. I’d always use a fleece blanket on top too.

    3
    5lab
    Free Member

    You want a self inflating mattress rather than an air bed. The Vango ones on Amazon work great, 10cm thick is best and the extra wide ones are exactly half a double sheet wide so you can put them together and cover with a sheet for a bit of luxury

    1
    acidchunks
    Full Member

    We gave up on air mattresses and went self inflating.

    I’ve got a 10cm Berghaus branded one from go outdoors*, partner has a fancy Vango Shangri la 15 (which is like a proper **** bed tbh)

    Kids have these:

    https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/self-inflatable-camping-mattress-ultim-comfort-70-cm-1-person/_/R-p-307396

    All are crazy comfortable, although the Vango one is rather bulky.

    (*Replaced a similar size Outwell mattress which was uncomfortable and developed a leak after 3 uses).

    1
    gray
    Full Member

    Exped maegamat 10

    Simon is wise. Not great at spelling, but wise nonetheless. Mr brother told me that his was more comfy than some real beds. I thought that must be nonsense so took a couple of years to come around to the idea and stump up the cash. They really are great though.

    bigginge
    Full Member

    Well that’s escalated quickly.

    Is there much variation in quality for the self inflating options or is a 10cm mat from one brand broadly the same as another? There seem to be quite a wide spread of prices and I’ve not really seen one of these that is more than a few cm thick before.

    Failing that, has anyone had anything from outdoor revolution before? Their campstar 100 mats look to be some of the less pricey 10cm options available.

    superfli
    Free Member
    simondbarnes
    Full Member

    Simon is wise. Not great at spelling, but wise nonetheless

    I’ve been drinking all day 🙂

    Mr brother told me that his was more comfy than some real beds. I thought that must be nonsense so took a couple of years to come around to the idea and stump up the cash. They really are great though.

    Mine is comfier than any bed I’ve slept on

    1
    franksinatra
    Full Member

    If anyone could let me know where my Alpkit mat is I’d be very grateful. I’ve checked camping box in garage and ikea bags of doom in the loft but can’t find it anywhere.

    many thanks.

    petrieboy
    Full Member

    Alpkit dozer here – had a pair of them for 15+ years and they alway guarantee a good nights sleep whether caping or just because an extra bed is required at home. 2 teenagers are on them in a spare room as we speak because grandparents are visiting and there are no complaints at all

    jamesfts
    Free Member

    For car camping it’s another vote for the Decathlon beds with a decent sim on top. The beds are great, small and lightweight, have straps to hold the sim and can be clipped together to make a double bed. We have an Outdoor Revolution 75mm double sim that is pretty bulky but combined with the beds is as comfortable as being at home.

    1
    acidchunks
    Full Member

    Is there much variation in quality for the self inflating options or is a 10cm mat from one brand broadly the same as another? There seem to be quite a wide spread of prices and I’ve not really seen one of these that is more than a few cm thick before.

    The better ones (ime) usually have a soft, stretchy material on the sleeping surface.  I had an Outwell 10cm mat that was made with a really stiff outer material, wasn’t comfortable at all.

    Failing that, has anyone had anything from outdoor revolution before? Their campstar 100 mats look to be some of the less pricey 10cm options available.

    Not a mat but had one of their drive away awnings.  No complaints.

    droplinked
    Full Member

    We’ve got the Berghaus 10cm self inflating ones from go outdoors. Far more comfortable than air beds.

    stevenmenmuir
    Free Member

    We have an Alpkit Dozer, very comfortable but not all of our Alpkit mats have lasted well. We used to carry a spare just in case. We also have a couple of https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/self-inflating-camping-mattress-comfort-65-cm-1-person/_/R-p-142436
    Comfortable, had them for a while now, no issues. My partner has one of the inflatable bases, she likes, I’m not a fan. Might be because I’m a side sleeper but always feels a bit unstable. I have a posh sea to summit mat that I haven’t tried yet, packs much smaller and it’s insulated.

    wheelsonfire1
    Full Member

    I have one of these https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16428573/sea-to-summit-comfort-plus-self-inflating-sleeping-mat-16428573 there’s an extra 15% off at the moment. It’s the most comfortable that I’ve had, suitable for back packing at a push (not lightweight), it’s insulated too so prevents the cold coming through. I used it in November and Late February in bad conditions and it was brilliant. Hope this helps.

    stayhigh
    Full Member

    Another happy Alpkit Dozer user here which lives in the back of the van and gets used frequently for breaks on my nights, van camping, general camping, and as a spare bed indoors when required.  Have had it for around four years with no complaints at all, comfortable and cosy especially with a fleece blanket over the top.  It also has a 6.8 R rating.

    Little review HERE plus a few other options which may or may not be of interest.

    bigginge
    Full Member

    I’ve ended up putting a order in for some outdoor revolution campstar 100 mats; will try and remember to report back on how they seem once they turn up.

    Suspect I may now need to start looking for a roof box though as I’m not sure the Octavia will swallow our usual camping crap, these and the new air beam tent.

    jaminb
    Free Member

    if you want a comfortable nights sleep stop messing about, this is what you need

    https://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Exped_Mega_Mat_10LXW/

    got a dozer and returned the decathalon equivalent – not even 2nd division compared with the Mega Mat

    5lab
    Free Member

    Suspect I may now need to start looking for a roof box though as I’m not sure the Octavia will swallow our usual camping crap, these and the new air beam tent.

    Our 2 10cm sims take about the same amount of space as our 5 man air beam tent

    robertajobb
    Full Member

    Mrs has had an Alpkit Dozer for probably 15 years. Probably longer. A happy camper with it.

    We have just bought 2x Decathlon 8cm thick versions to use this coming weekend (can’t get to where we safely stored the Dozer !) Will report back !

    For  reasonably light weight / bike packing, I got an inflatable Rab Stratos last year. A very good night’s sleep (I side sleep and it kept my hip off the floor, and I’m carrying a few LBS (stone actually 😖) too much).  A.good compromise between size / weight and ££ compared to the latest lightest pricey offerings from Exped and Thermarest. A mate has a Thermarest NeoAir Xlite. Packs tiny, but it sounds like he’s sleeping on 1000 walkers crisp packets mic’d to a 100w Marshall amp and 4×12 cab, every time he moves a muscle.

    gravedigger
    Free Member

    I slept on an Exped megamat last night on a mates kitchen floor – it really is as comfy, or maybe more, than my expesive mattresses at home.

    I bought two and straps to connect them for a glamping trip a couple of years ago, which worked really well. Even got a fitted egyptian cotton sheet made for them and took the normal baavet duvet and pillows for some glamping luxury 🙂

    jamiemcf
    Full Member

    We have two single 7.5cm Vango self inflaters for the boys. We got a double 10cm Berghaus from go outdoors. We should have got two singles. It’s comfy but one huge bulk (as opposed to 2 big bulks) and a pain to deflated, and roll up compared to the singles. It doesn’t go up as well / quickly either

    jaminb
    Free Member

    been sleeping on mine ever since No.2 was born (its her 6th birthday on saturday).

    Cant wait for my divorce to be finalised so I can sleep on it in my new house!

    ampthill
    Full Member

    I bought an alpkit dozer when my back was stiff and painful. Just an amazing but of kit. Bed levels of comfort.

    I think it’s the nature of the foam that is crucial. It sort of adds damping

    bigginge
    Full Member

    The postie/delivery guy just dropped off the new mattresses. I was expecting them to be quite a bit bigger than the air beds they were replacing but, it seems, hadn’t quite matched my expectations to reality (based on the specified dimensions of the packed mats).

    I think I might need a bigger boat.

    acidchunks
    Full Member

    I think I might need a bigger boat.

    I’d love to say that getting a trailer for camping cured my packing anxiety but Mrs Acidchunks just insists on taking more stuff.

    tall_martin
    Full Member

    We went camping just after lockdown allowed it. My wife is not a great sleeper under any circumstances and not on camping matresses. I blew the budget on a pair of theses and don’t regret it.

    https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/camping/sleeping_mats/therm-a-rest_mondoking_3d_sleeping_mattress-14500

    Hope your ones work out well 🙂

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