I wish I had a penny for every time I’ve been asked this question – if so, I could retire tomorrow! There are still occasional young campers who are happy just to use sleeping bags, but more and more people are expecting to sleep in comfort on a “real bed” when they camp. Because of this, I decided to share with you the same information I give to my customers when they inquire about outdoor sleeping options.
Durability
In my opinion, this is an even more important consideration than comfort when you’re shopping for an airbed to use outdoors. Nobody wants their camping trip to be marred by a leaky air mattress and that depressing hissing sound that you can’t quite find the source of…
You’ll probably notice that this website includes my reviews of products from manufacturers who are very serious about creating the most durable mattresses possible. As an example, check out my review of the SimplySleeper SS-49T. This is a manufacturer that uses patented technology; specifically DurmothaneTM Polyester. This is among the most cutting-edge technologies available, and is the most durable material currently being produced.
Comfort
Of course you want to be comfortable; otherwise you wouldn’t be shopping for airbeds to take camping with you. Comfort is the second-most important consideration on my list. When you’re camping or traveling you really want to sleep well at night, and to be (almost) as comfortable as you would be at home in a real bed. On a camping trip, you probably spend your days hiking, exploring and generally exhausting yourself. Being comfortable at night is a top priority.
Comfort has improved by leaps and bounds in the airbed industry, and you’ll see lots of information in the reviews on this website. Airbeds are now available in king, queen and twin sizes, allowing you to have as much space as you need to be comfortable. Some airbeds allow you to choose the inflation level, helping you customize the bed according to your own needs and preferences. There are also surface materials that are comfortable to sleep on, that won’t make you either slip and slide or stick to the mattress like a bug on flypaper.
User-friendliness
As an outdoor enthusiast, you want to use your time and energy exploring outside, rather than wrestling with an air mattress and pump. Wouldn’t you rather be taking pictures of the amazing view, or canoeing on the lake? For this reason, manufacturers have created airbeds that are quick and easy to inflate. Some of the beds that are available can be fully inflated in just 60 seconds! For more information about this subject, take a look at my all-time favorite camping bed, the All-Terrain Airbed from Aero Sport. Here it is.
At the other end of your trip, you’re going to want your bed to be just as easy to deflate too. You’ll find plenty of reviews here about some of the innovative technologies that allow you to deflate a mattress just as fast as it was inflated. Lots of these airbeds include a convenient storage bag too.
Overall
Here’s a quick review:
These factors are what you should look for in a good airbed for outdoor use:
- Durability
- Comfort
- User-friendliness
I haven’t mentioned price, but that is of course an important factor too. Take a look through these reviews, and I’m sure that you’ll be able to find the perfect air mattress to meet your needs and fit your budget too!
