Planning for your next camping trip? The camping air mattress is something you wouldn’t want to leave out, and you’ll want the best air mattress for camping because it really makes a lot of difference in your camping experience. What is the best air mattress for camping then? Let’s not get too technical, we’ve found the top camping air mattresses for different kinds of campers, so you’ll be bound to find the right one from this list. If you’re looking for a camping air mattress for 2, the SoundAsleep camping series is the best deal. It’s made of extra thick and sturdy material to give you ease of mind while sleeping outdoors. We had never experienced any leak of air from this air mattress and it never needed us to top up air for the few days we were camping. This air mattress comes with an external pump that is battery powered, so make sure you charge up the battery before you leave home. However, you can still charge it up in the car with the car lighter if you forgot.
While the 9-inch height is low this means it is lighter to carry, inflates more quickly (within 3 minutes), and rolls up smaller compared to higher air beds. Suitable for: Campers and hikers-on-the-go, who set up camp anywhere and not limited to one camp site. Read my full review for the best camping queen air mattress. If you prefer to sleep off of the ground, go for the Coleman Queen Air Bed Cot. This air mattress comes with a sturdy steel frame that holds up to 600 lbs. We used this on various surfaces including grass, soil and uneven rocky terrain. The air bed held up well and we never felt that it was going to give out at any moment. Like all tall air beds, you’ll need a wider tent to take this in, preferably cabin tents. The frame is foldable and you can certainly roll up the air bed when it’s deflated, though be warned that the entire set and the included battery pump can weigh a little more than you’d wish to carry on your back. The comfort may be worth it, maybe?
Suitable for: Campers with a large tent, who drive right up to the camp site. Check out the Coleman Cot here. Tired of popping air mattresses? Time to get an air mattress that won’t pop at the slightest poke or scratch. This Lightspeed Outdoors air mattress for two is made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) that is much more durable than the usual PVC air mattresses, and as this material doesn’t stretch as much as PVC, it is less prone to damage and losing air. This durable camping air mattress is very light. It is one of the lightest air mattresses we’ve tried. It inflates and deflates using the included battery pump, which received some comments about it not being powerful enough, though we found it was okay and inflated the mattress within 4 minutes. It’s also helpful to remove all air from the air mattress quickly so that you can roll it up. Suitable for: Campers and hikers on-the-go, who camp anywhere and everywhere. See the best price for the Lightspeed Outdoors.
I had a hard time deciding between the Coleman EasyStay and this Alps Mountaineering as the best twin size air mattress for camping, but eventually picked the Alps Mountaineering twin size for its thicker material and included rechargeable pump. You may plug the pump into a normal outlet or the car lighter to charge it up. This twin air mattress is very comfortable to sleep on as it is very firm after inflating it to the max. Inflating is fast with the powerful pump. You’ll have to pump it up a few times to max out the stretch of the PVC before putting it to real use though, because it loses a bit of air when the stretch happens. Suitable for: Campers who don’t like packing batteries. Here’s how much the Alps Mountaineering cost. Best air mattress reviews 2015 – tBlizAir beds used to be a fast-track ticket to a sleepless night and sore back the following day. Not so nowadays, with decent ones sending you swiftly off into the land of nod. Whether you want one for camping, sleepovers or just for the rellies staying over once in a while, our guide will help you find the right one for your needs.
If you’re after a high-performance option for serious camping trips, you’ll probably want an air mat, in which case consider whether it’s self-inflatable or you have to blow it up yourself. Check the sizing too – some are on the narrow side – and how small and light it is to carry during the day. If it’s for kids, there are dedicated air beds available, that are well worth checking out. And for adults in the home environment, remember bigger usually means better – and that’s not just width, but height, with some now as tall as regular beds, with similar comfort levels. Consider how fast and easy it is to inflate and deflate, as well as how robust it is – you don’t want one that works wonders for a few nights, then punctures, leaving your guests waking up on a cold, stone floor. Above all, check it’s comfortable. Every air bed claims to be snug and relaxing, but many are anything but. The best ones are well crafted with high quality air chambers and top layers consisting of the likes of memory foam, as well as allowing you to adjust the firmness or softness of the mattress.
As with any mattress, you ultimately want one that supports your body, while providing enough “give” to conform to your natural shapes and curves. 1. Vango Flocked Airbed: From £25, Vango Who says you need to miss out on a headboard, just because you’re on an air bed? This bed, which is available in various sizes, has a headboard that also inflates. It’s comfortable and holds its air, even with reasonably heavy sleepers, and is pretty resistant to puncture. It packs back into the bag pretty easily and has a soft, flocked surface. 2. Aerobed Activeplus Dual Zone: £89.99, Ibex Camping Prefer a softer or firmer mattress to your partner? No need to argue anymore, with this high-quality, dual-control air bed that means you can inflate your side just as you like it. There’s plenty of room for two adults and it has built in pillows, although we found we needed our own as well. It inflates in less than a minute, deflating in even less time. 3. ReadyBed Deluxe Airbed Junior: £49.99, Amazon
No need for kids to miss out on the fun with this junior bed that also has a cotton, machine washable sleeping bag built into it. There are plenty of cheaper ReadyBeds, with themes ranging from The Gruffalo to Frozen, but for durability and comfort, we think this extra deep mattress is worth the money. Suitable from three years. 4. Intex Ultra Day Bed Lounge: £60, Tesco No need to save the luxury air bed for night-time with this funky purple day bed that looks as though it’s straight out of an Austin Powers movie. The backrest is detachable and there’s plenty of room for two people. The velvety finish means you can lie straight on it and the reinforced laminated bottom means it’s suitable for outdoors too. It’s easy to inflate and deflate and has good support, but you’ll need a separate pump. 5. Coleman Durarest Raised Double: £89.99, Go Outdoors Launched last year, this bed is available as a single, double and – our favourite – a raised double.
Despite weighing just 3.5kg and storing into a tiny carry wrap, it’s huge when inflated, standing almost half a metre off the ground. Inflating within just six minutes into a robust, puncture-proof but extremely comfortable bed – even for two - with a velvety finish, it lacks that plastic smell that many air beds have. 6. EZ Bed: £159, JML Direct Unusually, this comes in a huge, wheeled storage box that you unzip, plug into the mains and watch as a full size air bed – complete with proper metal frame – reveals itself within around three minutes. It’s a joy to lie on, with just the right amount of bounce and it is just as simple to set the dial to deflate and fold itself up. We found it lasted well too. Available in single or double. 7. Outwell Dreamboat: £120, Go Outdoors Self-inflating mats are ideal for campers as they are much easier to store and carry in backpacks than full air beds. This is one of the most advanced self-inflating mats out there, with quick inflation, superb comfort and support during sleep, along with extra depth and width, despite it just being a single.
All this, and yet it’s one of the lightest and smallest on the market to carry. 8. Aerobed Luxury Inflatable Guest Bed: From £179.99, Bensons for Beds This is as good as a proper bed, in terms of stability, bounce, comfort and height, which Aerobed claims is all down to the four-layer construction. You can inflate, adjust and deflate with just one touch, so there’s no need to hold a button down. It comes in a handy carry bag which is great for storage and travel. Available in single, king and double. 9. Campingaz Covertible Quickbed: £34.99, Argos This comes as a set of two single mattresses that can be used independently or zipped together to make a double bed. Or you can stack one on top of the other to make a higher mattress. They inflate in just two minutes with an electric pump and although the mattresses look a bit thin and flimsy at 19cm, they are surprisingly comfortable and lose very little air in the night. Great for those in need of versatility. 10. Snugpack Premium Airmat: £39.95, Snugpak
This affordable single air mat has a brushed effect – and the base has a non-stick surface – both ensuring that you and the mattress don’t roll about. It packs pretty small into the stuff sac and is light at 500g, as well as being very comfy for the price. It’s quite narrow, though, and stick to lying on it, rather than sitting. It isn’t self-inflating, so you’ll need to get your lungs into action to blow it up, which might be tiring after a full day of hiking. 11. Outwell Cubitura: £49.99, Amazon This single air bed is supremely comfortable, thanks to it having a quilted microfibre topper. We found it soft, but supportive and a good pack size. It’s easy to clean, thanks to the removable foam insert and machine washable cover. It keeps your body temperature on an even keel too, rather than leaving you hot and sticky at night. 12. Robens Prima Core: £79.99, Robens This compact air bed isn’t the lightest on the market (although it is one of the smallest), but it’s well worth carrying the extra few hundred grams in your camping backpack for a decent night’s kip.