Air Mattress ? ? ?........HELP ? ? ?

• Aug 16, 2008

• #1

KDarsey

Senior Member

First I would like to hijack my own thread ! (can that be done?)

I think this new camping section is one of the best things to happen to the Forum in quite some time!
So to that I say THANKS to JT and whoever else gave this to us! I have really enjoyed it so far and I see it growing.

Now....
For years in my tent camping I used the thin matteress pads and I HAD (note: don't loan favorite stuff) a really nice mattress pad I bought from Sears, about 2" thick and covered in a canvas-like material. Then I have used the cots.
Well recently I have tried the Air Mat. thing. I can't get it right. I've tried several and they just don't feel right.
( my g/f says I'm a sissy, sleep on the ground! and she's with me!) I just can't get comfortable.
So, tell me....what do you use, suggest or what?
I went to the Air Mat. because I thought it would take less room in transporting.....What do I do?!?

 

• Aug 16, 2008

• #2

Doug B.

Senior Member

I have used the air mattresses they sell at Wal-Mart. I have never had a problem, unless the mattress didn't have enough air in it. Put enough air so that the mattress is good and firm and sleep like a sissy....I... uh...hmm...I mean baby.

 

• Aug 16, 2008

• #3

dixie

Senior Member

Try the "double stack" by coleman, wally world has them, almost like sleeping at home

 

• Aug 16, 2008

• #4

poochie

Senior Member

hey daddy the double stack one that dixie is talking about is the one we had that i brought up here with me- that you said would take up the whole durn tent...
but if you want to come visit you can try it out!

 

• Aug 16, 2008

• #5

24tesla

Senior Member

I use the air mat. myself. Cal me a sissy all you want. Who cares. My back feels a whole lot better in the AM. After years of football, manual labor, and a motorcycle accident, I have the knees and back of a 90 year old. Takes a little getting used to, but make sure to pump it up good.

 

• Aug 16, 2008

• #6

KDarsey

Senior Member

24tesla said:

I use the air mat. myself. Cal me a sissy all you want. Who cares. My back feels a whole lot better in the AM. After years of football, manual labor, and a motorcycle accident, I have the knees and back of a 90 year old. Takes a little getting used to, but make sure to pump it up good.

Click to expand...

Sounds like what I am going through. I guess it is about Quality and getting it pumped up just right. The last time I used one it was like sleeping on a trampoline with somebody jumping on it. Not to good...

 

• Aug 16, 2008

• #7

crackerdave

Senior Member

KDarsey said:

Sounds like what I am going through. I guess it is about Quality and getting it pumped up just right. The last time I used one it was like sleeping on a trampoline with somebody jumping on it. Not to good...

Click to expand...

I know what you mean about the trampoline! Air mattresses have improved a LOT- most of 'em aren't like that anymore.

 

• Aug 16, 2008

• #8

FERAL ONE

Shutter Mushin' Mod

we used to use a queen size but i flop so much i would launch angie in the air. ( i am more than twice her weight !!!) so we went to the single size so there was a bit of safety zone between us. pump them up hard and it will help. get the ones with the flocking on one side so it won't slip and slide around. i gotta admit i like the double one too.

 

• Aug 16, 2008

• #9

S

SWAMPFOX

Senior Member

I don't pump mine up all the way. I find it more comfortable to fill about 3/4 full. That way I am more "in" it than on top of it. That's just me.

 

• Aug 17, 2008

• #10

Sargent

Senior Member

If I am by myself, I have a self inflating RidgeRest. If my wife is with me, we have an air mattress. We got one from Sportsman's Guide and it is pretty good. Cheap, too.

 

• Aug 17, 2008

• #11

B-Man

Member

Sam's air mattress

I've gotten a few from Sam's that are very comfortable, but their best feature is a rechargable battery pack that doesn't need to be plugged in to fill the mattress. You can recharge it with an AC plug or a car charger (both included). Very fast, and easy to top off if you need a little more air in the middle of the night.

 

• Oct 5, 2008

• #12

Idratherbeoutside

Member

The Thermarest ultralight 4 season reg is one of the best backpacking mattress out. Its not the cheapest thing but I spent about eleven weeks on mine '07 summer and I love mine. It does take some getting use to after sleeping in a bed going to a sleeping bag. I guess it depends on how much you will use it. Thermarest has some really thick car camping mattresses that are ridiculous back be prepared to spend about 80 to 120 dollars for a thermarest.
If your going to be car camping though just get the biggest one you can find with a inflater.

 

• Oct 8, 2008

• #13

Rich Kaminski

Senior Member

I like the air matresses, but we use cots instead. It gives us more room for a heater, our gear and clothing.

 

• Oct 8, 2008

• #14

Randy

Senior Member

I was using the air matress but went out and bought a nice thin self inflating pad thinking I did not like the room the air mattress took up. 2" of self inflation is not enough for my fat self. I am back to the air mattress though I did go down to a twin size.

 

• Oct 12, 2008

• #15

Mechanicaldawg

Roosevelt Ranger

The wife and I just spent 7 nights camping using one of these:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...-box.jsp.form23&Go.x=0&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

I HIGHLY recommend it!

 

• Oct 17, 2008

• #16

cardfan

Banned

I take a bale of hay with me, or pine straw....or since it's going to be leaf season soon...take a couple trash bags of raked leaves...good thing is, you don't have to clean them up...their natural...

Losely pile it up under where you plan to put your tent...it makes a nice pad...the mattress will be more comfortalbe and if your a ground sleeper, or a thermarest sleeper...you'll love it...