When we rounded up Affordable Sleeper Chairs & Ottomans as options for hosting overnight guests in small spaces last week, we heard from a lot of commenters that they rely on air mattresses. Indeed, air mattresses have come a long way. While they were once considered torture, they're now just as (and maybe more) comfortable than a lot of convertible sofas and chairs. Check out our top 5 picks for inflatable mattresses and weigh in with your own opinions in the comments. • EasyRest Inflatable Guest Bed from Frontgate $279.00 Although this bed would require a lot of space, with its built-in headboard it's sure to make your guest feel like they're in an actual bed. • Wenzel Insta-Bed Queen from Amazon $99.99 This bed has gotten great reviews on Amazon and also scored the top slot in Consumer Reports' list of best air mattresses. • Coleman Grand Canyon Raised Quickbed from Cabela's $99.99 Since it's intended for outdoor use, this bed will stand up to the toughest conditions.
• Serta Raised Pillow Top Airbed $156.15 With its pillow top, this option from Serta is the closest you're going to get to a real mattress while still having the ease of an inflatable. • Superior Inflatable Bed from Hammacher Schlemmer $159.95 Hammacher Schlemmer's bed has gotten great reviews, most citing its comfort and ease of use. Bonus points for looking like a proper mattress and box springs. MORE SMALL SPACE GUEST OPTIONS ON APARTMENT THERAPY • Hosting Help: Tips for Sleeping Comfortably on an Air Mattress • Small Space Overnight Guest Solution: Affordable Sleeper Chairs & Ottomans • Small Space Solution: Paq, Super Simple Armchair + Spare Bed • Bedroom in a Minute: All About Sleeper SofasWenzel Insta-Bed Raised Air Bed with Never Flat Technology ReviewA guest blog today from James Menta who runs the Best Air Mattress Guide. If you’re looking for an inflatable bed then his website is the place to go. You might also like my Comparison of Camping Mats article.
Now, I’ll let James put you to sleep… This one goes out to adrenaline junkies and adventurers who might find themselves in the cold with nothing but a backpack. If you are a campervan man, you can sit back and open another bag of potato chips ’cause chances are you won’t be needing the tips I’m about to share anytime soon. To provide the best possible advise for getting a good night’s sleep outdoors, I’ll assume the worst case scenario – that you found yourself in the cold only with some sleeping gear in your backpack and maybe a tent. If you know how to get good sleep in these circumstances, any other sleeping situation will be a breeze. Let’s dig in and see what you can do to get the much needed good night’s sleep with nothing but vinyl and a few inches of air between you and the ground. I know you might be tired and can’t wait to close your eyes and just drift away. But if you’re wet or just sweaty from the trip, you’ll HAVE TO change your wardrobe completely before going to bed (given that you don’t think that a pneumonia is a nice adventure, too).
Note that I said “change completely” – this doesn’t mean just changing your socks and that wet t-shirt, I mean completely, head to toe. if you are in the cold, have a quick meal and a glass of warm cocoa or tea before you go to sleep. Make sure that your drink is not hot but just warm enough to be pleasant and not get you sweating again. If you have them at hand, putting a bottle or two of hot water under the cover 10 minutes before you go sleep is a great idea.I hate these little pesky buzzards with the kind of zest that gives me energy. So, believe me, I know my mosquito stuff. These few tips will do the trick every time: Yeah, yeah, I know, you hate me, but it is what it is. Warming up with alcohol is not the way to go if you are in the cold. It will warm you up for a bit, but then it will mess with the temperature regulation in your body, doing more harm than good. Just a few more of these party-pooping tips and I’ll start to sound like your mother, but if there is a secret to getting a good night’s sleep on an air pad it’s layers.
Right, so the final tip of getting a good night’s sleep is not falling asleep. Some expert I am, huh? Seriously now, here’s what I mean – don’t fall asleep right away, fight it for a few minutes. Because when you lay down, your blood is still rushing, and you feel warm. Only when it settles (in 5-10 min) will you be able to feel how warm you really are. This will allow you to add or peel some layers and get into that just-right zone. If I helped a little here and the hatred of telling you not to drink on your camping trip is fading, kill a mosquito for me some day. Take care and sleep tight. Read more about inflatable air mattresses on James’ website or read my Comparison of Camping Mats article (fast becoming the most popular page of my whole site) – Tim.Sometimes it is difficult to find a comfortable bed to sleep on, and whether you are camping and sleeping on hard ground, visiting friends or relatives and sleeping on the unyielding floor, or find yourself any other bed-less activities, waking up with sore and achy muscles is never a pleasant experience.
Fortunately, with a Coleman air mattress, you can sleep as if you are resting on a cloud, feeling energized and joyful the next morning. When using one of the many Coleman air mattresses while you are on-the-go, it is important to maintain its buoyancy and comfort through proper folding, cleaning, and maintenance techniques. With a little folding and maintenance knowledge, you can always ensure that no matter what situations you find yourself in, you can always have a cozy Coleman mattress on which to get some comfortable sleep. When it comes to fervent campers and travelers, porting a Coleman mattress everywhere they go can tend to put extensive wear and tear on the mattress's nylon or plastic mattress material, which often leads to leaks and a useless mattress. Therefore, Coleman owners should take extra time to properly fold and roll their mattress after every use. With some Coleman mattresses, such as theQuickBed that features the innovative Wrap N' Roll Storage System, consumers can enjoy an innovative tube that keeps the mattress tight and compact while it is in storage.
However, every Coleman mattress typically features the same folding-and-rolling process. To deflate the air mattress to make it suitable for storage, simply pull the air plug or twist the air valve to release the air, remembering that with self-inflating Coleman mattresses, opening the plug or valve does not automatically release the air. For thinner mattresses, it can help to fold the mattress over itself to push this air out, while making sure not to jump on the mattress or use other harsh, sudden actions, as this could damage both the plug and the valve. With all of the air out, make sure to keep the air plug or valve open when folding, as this pushes out the extra air that is still trapped inside. Failure to do so could cause a rupture in the mattress material or make it impossible to effectively fold. Next, lay the bed flat and conduct a simple tri-fold lengthwise, folding one side approximately halfway across and the other side on top of it, creating a much thinner rectangle.
Lastly, start from the opposite end of the air plug or valve and begin tightly rolling it with your palms and using knuckles and fingertips to keep constant downward pressure, much like a sleeping bag. The most common issue that users experience with an improperly folded and worn Coleman air mattress is a leak that comes from a puncture hole in the mattress material. Often, these punctures can be quite miniscule and virtually invisible to the naked eye. Therefore, when maintaining the quality of a Coleman air mattress, users must know how to locate and patch air leaks. To start, inflate the mattress as much as possible, inflating it so that it is just slightly overinflated. While it might sound strange, the best way to then locate a leak is for users to moisten their lips and pucker them up like they are readying for a kiss. Lips are sensitive to cold air, so starting from one end of the mattress to the other, go back and forth feeling for this cold air. Additionally, users should keep their ears open as a slight hissing sound also comes from the puncture hole.
Using a patch kit, you can apply a small amount of rubber cement around the leak and then smooth it with a rubber glove. When the rubber cement is almost dry, cut the patch so that it is just slightly larger than the leak and put it in place. A high-quality Coleman air mattress is often the most versatile solution for comfort when sleeping on hard and durable places, allowing you to always wake refreshed and alert. Furthermore, you do not even need to leave your home when searching for your own Coleman air mattress or mattress maintenance supplies, as a simple trip toeBay provides you with access to a massive selection of brand-new mattresses. To search effectively on eBay, simply locate the search bar found on every page and enter keywords specific to the mattress of your choice, with useful keywords options including "Coleman Queen Size Air Mattress" or " Air Mattress Repair Kit." By properly folding and maintaining a Coleman air mattress, you can continue to experience quality sleep no matter what situation in which you might find yourself.