Naps were had, weights were used, and sweat broke to set up and break down each mattress. We will continue to test the mattresses on real camping trips over the course of six months to see how they hold up outside of our lab as well. Backpackers, campers, and glampers will surely find a mattress to love based on our results, so keep reading to learn more.
To test 12 camping air mattresses, we created our own version of an urban campsite in our New York City lab, which included an overnight experiment to make sure they’d stay inflated even with weights on them. We inflated the mattresses, measured their dimensions before and after weighing them down, laid on them to see how comfortable they were, and carried them around to make sure they're portable.
There’s nothing like escaping reality and indulging in a trip to the great outdoors. Sure, you can rough it out there if you really want, but some prefer a little extra comfort while embracing all that nature has to offer. After thoroughly testing camping mattresses, we think investing in one is worth every penny for waking up well-rested and ready to tackle the day.
Most air mattresses we tried have a height of four inches or less, but this one from Exped boasts a six-inch clearance, which made a noticeable difference in comfort. This mattress wowed us with a perfect balance of cushioning and stiffness for both comfort and support, so it earned the title as the most comfortable mattress we tried. The bed is nice and comfortable, and we could roll around on it with plenty of space thanks to the extra long and wide design with tons of room for one person to sleep soundly. It didn’t lose any air after we left weights on it overnight, leading us to conclude that this mattress is durable and well-constructed. The only roadblock we ran into was the set up and break down that left us breaking a slight sweat. The mattress comes with a pump sack to top it off, but it’s quite small, so you’ll have to exude some extra energy to get the mattress fully inflated. Deflating the mattress is much easier and can be done in less than 10 minutes, according to our testing.
This double Air Mattress is so comfortable, we think it could easily be used as a guest bed in a home if not for camping. During testing, we had two people lay on it and roll around, and we were impressed with how stable and stiff the material is so we couldn’t feel the movement on the other side of the bed. The top has a cushioned, soft layer of fabric, while the bottom boasts a fully waterproof material to ensure campers don’t wake up damp in the morning. We love almost everything about this mattress, but the biggest drawback is that it’s quite heavy and has a learning curve to set up and break down. We discovered that the most important thing is to get an electric pump or hand pump that matches the valve on the bed for a much easier inflation and deflation process. Otherwise, you’ll definitely want another person nearby to help with set up and break down. For under 0, we still think this double mattress is a steal of a deal for comfort and durability.
Camping can take a toll on gear, so it’s important to prioritize durability. This Alps Mountaineering pad impressed us in the lab with thick, comfortable materials and high-quality construction. The bottom fabric is 150 Denier, which means it’s designed to endure tough conditions like uneven terrain or rough handling. The top layer of elastic fabric is 30D and provides the perfect balance of stiffness and cushioning for a good night of sleep in a tent. Our biggest issue with the mattress is that it doesn’t come with a pump, and although it’s self-inflating, the one-way valve didn’t quite work as well, so we needed to use a battery-powered pump and hand pump to inflate it correctly (which you’ll have to pack separately). After that, it remained perfectly inflated after an entire night with weights on it, but you’ll likely need to invest in a hand pump for the easiest setup.
Another great option for backpackers, this lightweight mattress from Nemo doesn’t take up much room in a hiking pack. We’re big fans of the thoughtful design of this mattress, especially the fact that both the exterior fabric and insulation are made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials that are Blue Sign approved. For someone who has never used a pump sack before, there might be a slight learning curve to inflate the mattress, but once you attach the pump sack to the mattress, it should take just a few minutes to inflate it. While laying on the mattress, we felt that it provided enough support for comfort despite its thinner design. Although, side sleepers may sink down a bit at the hips. We kept weights on the mattress overnight and didn’t notice any shrinkage. We also had no issues deflating the mattress and rolling it back into the stuff sack for storage at the end of the test.
It has a lower R-Value (scroll down to our FAQ section to learn more about that), so it’s designed for camping in warmer seasons.
Designed with backpackers or light packers in mind, this Sea To Summit mattress takes up a small amount of space and provides a surprisingly comfortable bed considering its compact nature. It took us less than two minutes to inflate the mattress with the pump sack, and it took just over three pumps to get it fully inflated. We love that this mattress evenly distributes weight so we never sink into the middle, and we found it to be perfectly comfortable for one person. Due to the thinner design of the materials, you will probably feel the ground through certain movements, but it’s still more comfortable than laying on the actual ground while backpacking. After leaving the mattress overnight with weights on top, we noticed it lost a little bit of air but not much. It’s simple to deflate the mattress within seconds and since the stuff sack is quite small, we recommend being strategic about folding it tightly to get it into the bag easier.
On the flipside, we think this Nemo double mattress is worth every pretty penny. For frequent campers or those in need of a true mattress-like bed for camping, the Roamer Sleeping Pad is your best bet. It proved to be exceptionally enjoyable to lay on in testing thanks to the thick cushioning and sturdy design that left us feeling supported and comfortable with two people on it. When one of us rolled around on the mattress, we could hardly feel the other person laying there, which is a huge plus for a double mattress. The materials feel high-quality and built to last, so we feel confident recommending this mattress since it will last for a long time. The only downside we ran into is that it was fairly cumbersome to inflate and deflate due to the large size and finicky valves. Once we read over the instructions multiple times to pump it up, it was easier, but be prepared for a slight learning curve.
For infrequent campers or money savvy shoppers, this inflatable mattress is the best one under $50 that we tried. Weighing just shy of two pounds, it’s super lightweight and compact to store (perfect for small apartments), meaning it has superior portability compared to the pricier and heavier counterparts we also tested. In just over a minute, we were able to pump up the mattress with the handy built-in foot pump. The air release valve makes it a simple process to deflate and fold up the mattress. The bed isn’t as thick or supportive as other mattresses we tried, so you’ll likely feel the ground when you roll over to one side. We still found it comfortable enough to lay on, and you can add more cushioning with a sleeping bag . This mattress is a single size, but we love that it has buttons on the corners to attach another mattress to so you can make it a double if needed.
Camping gear can be difficult to set up and break down, so we love that REI’s air mattress is intuitive to use — a huge plus for all types of campers. It took about five minutes for us to unroll the mattress, unlock the self-inflating valve, and for the inside to fill up on its own. The mattress also comes with a handy pump sack to top off the bed for the desired stiffness. After laying on the mattress, we thought it was perfectly supportive and soft for one person to sleep comfortably. It took us less than 10 minutes to deflate the mattress, roll it up, and place it back into the stuff sack. The only reason this mattress fell slightly short compared to our best overall was because at 6.6 pounds, it is a lot heavier than the Therm-a-Rest mattress, making it a little less portable. However, we had no issues carrying it around in the included stuff sack.
After taking a little cat nap on the mattress during testing, we were impressed with the soft cushioning and substantial gap between the ground and the top of the bed. We could roll around and lay on our sides without any body parts touching the floor. Best of all, it takes just a few minutes for the automatic inflation to kick in, and it’s easy to top it off with a few short breaths to get the mattress extra stiff. It was a little difficult to deflate the mattress with the one-way valve since it seemed like air was trying to get back in, but it still took less than 10 minutes to get it fully deflated and tucked away.
Therm-a-Rest created the first self-inflating air mattress, so it’s no surprise that the Base Camp Sleeping Pad won us over in testing. The single air mattress is made with thick, plush materials for getting a good night of sleep, but the mattress is shockingly lightweight at just 2.6 pounds. The pad comes with a stuff sack that has an adjustable crossbody strap, which makes carrying the folded mattress easier than ever.
We wish the valve had a deflate latch to prevent air from coming in while rolling the mattress up.
Other Camping Air Mattresses We Liked
Some other mattresses we tested are worth mentioning, though we found they didn’t perform as well as our favorites above.
Coleman PEAK1 Sleeping Pad: It’s super easy to set up and break down this lightweight air mattress, but we noticed that it deflated quite a bit overnight with weights on it.
Kelty Kush Air Bed: This is a great option for a budget-friendly and lightweight double air mattress, but it wasn’t as stable as others we tested so you may feel the other person move around at night.
Our Testing Process
We recreated a campsite in our New York City lab to test 12 camping air mattresses during a two-day test. On the first day, we focused on testing the ease of use for setting up the mattress by inflating each one based on the instructions. We noted how long it took us to set up, whether it required any additional pumps, and if we needed help from a second person. Then, we placed the mattresses inside camping tents and laid on the beds for an extended period of time to gauge comfort. If the mattress was a double, we made sure two people “slept” on it by laying still and rolling around to check for stability and support, noting whether we could feel the movement.
For the overnight portion of the test, we placed 100 to 220 pounds in weights on each mattress to see if any air escaped from the mattresses after a 12-hour period. We made sure to measure the mattresses before and after the nighttime test to compare the dimensions. The next day, we deflated the mattresses, rolled them up, and placed them back into their bags to rate how easy or difficult the breakdown process was. We considered the portability of each mattress for different uses like car camping, walking into a campsite, and backpacking. We also sent out each mattress to our Travel + Leisure team members who plan on camping this year to test for an additional six months. We will take notes on how the inflatable mattresses feel in real-world camping conditions and will update our results with more detailed findings after thoroughly using them.
Tips for Buying a Camping Air Mattress
Choose the right size for your needs
Air mattresses for camping come in all different sizes, so you’ll want to consider the width and length before purchasing one. Luckily, most air mattresses are offered in various sizes like regular, long, extra long (this will matter if you’re tall), wide, and double sizes. Two people will want to opt for a double mattress for tent camping, but backpackers should opt for two separate ultra-lightweight single mattresses. You’ll also want to pay attention to how heavy the mattress is if you plan on hiking with it. This will matter less if you’re driving to a campsite.
Pick a pump that works for your environment
Most mattresses are either self-inflating and come with a pump sack to top it off or require either a manual pump or an electric pump that may or may not be included. It’s super important to make sure that you know what kind of pump comes with the mattress or if you need to buy one ahead of time. There’s nothing worse than arriving at a campsite only to realize you can’t inflate your bed so double-check this crucial step at least before you leave on your trip. If you plan on packing an electric pump, make sure you will either have access to your car or even an outlet at the campsite to plug it in or put working batteries in it so you can use it without any larger power source.
Consider portability
Checking the weight and size of an air mattress will help you decide whether or not it’s the right one for you. Some camping air mattresses can be quite heavy (we tested a 16-pounder), while others can weigh as little as one pound, so the sizes can vary greatly. The weight may not matter as much if you don’t need to walk long distances with it, but you will want something more lightweight and compact if you plan on hiking with it or using it in the backcountry. You’ll also want to consider if it comes with a carrying case that you can attach to a backpack or any other bag to store it in when you’re not camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to inflate an air mattress?
Most of the time, the air mattress will come with some way to inflate it, even if it’s technically self-inflating. It’s common for an air mattress to come with a pump sack, which is a manual bag that you can use to top off an inflatable mattress for camping. Of course, there are always other options that make it easier and quicker to inflate the mattresses, like a hand pump or a battery-powered electric pump, but you’ll want to make sure the pump will match the valve.
We spoke with Brandon Bowers, Product Line Manager at Therm-a-Rest, who pointed out that some campers even prefer to mouth-inflate their mattresses to avoid carrying extra bulk. Though you can mouth-inflate most mattresses (at least the single ones), “it's really recommended you don't mouth-inflate a product with down because the moisture affects the down,” Bowers says.
How do I patch a leak in an air mattress?
Sometimes accidents happen and your air mattress might get a hole — it happens. Some air mattresses will come with a repair kit, but it’s not standard, so you may have to invest in a repair kit for air mattresses. If it’s a tiny hole, you may be able to use a plastic or vinyl patch to cover it. You can also look into the product warranty, but holes or environmental factors may not always be covered.
How do I know what type of insulation I need?
The measurement for insulation in air mattresses is referred to as R-Value. The higher the R-Value number is, the better the mattress will be when it comes to protecting you from a cold ground. Air mattresses with an R-Value from one to three are best for spring or summer camping and offer less insulation. Values closer to five or higher will be better for winter camping when the temperatures drop. Anything in between is good for all-seasons. Sleeping bags can also give you extra warmth.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
Anna Popp is a Commerce Writer at T+L, where she writes about and reviews travel products. Anna grew up camping in Oregon and flies back west every year to partake in her family’s annual camping trip in the Umpqua National Forest. She participated in this test and combed through T+L’s testing notes to recommend the best camping air mattresses on the market.
T+L also sought insight from Therm-a-Rest Product Line Manager Brandon Bowers to get even more expertise on what to look for in inflatable camping mattresses and how they are made.
Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.