How to choose the best camping mattress?

Sleeping is essential for getting some blissful hours in our daily life. It is also indispensable for our health. And if we are talking about camping there, we can’t deny the inevitability of sleep.

In your camping trip, you must have to do lots of tiring work like- hiking, kayaking, cooking, etc. and after all these, you will get the night for preparing yourself for the next day, and if you can’t get proper sleep at night, it may impede your next day’s plan.

Therefore, what is most imperative for sleeping at the campsite? Your answer must be a camping mattress. Indeed, it is, and here we will discuss how you can choose the best camping mattress.

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Table of Contents

How to Choose the Best Camping Mattress?

If you have the best camping mattress for you, then you will be able to sleep properly at the campsite, which will boost your energy. But choosing the best camping mattress requires some knowledge. So, we are going to portray some crucial things which you should consider while selecting the camping mattress.

Types of Camping Mattresses

Firstly, you have to consider the types of available camping mattresses. As there are different types of camping mattresses available, you have to know about them.

Camping Mat or Closed-Cell Foam Pad

It’s the most basic type of camping mattress, but it has lots of uses and pros. The prominent two advantages are it is incredibly light-weighted, which is useful for camping and another one is its lower price. You can buy this type of mat at a low price.

It is most likely a yoga mat or car mat. They indeed provide essential services, and they remain between you and the ground. But the trick is they provide insulation, which prevents the ground to absorb all your body heat.

This type of mat provided limited service, but when sleeping on the soft level ground, they are enough. However, you can have discomfort while sleeping, and this type of mat is not the most compact.

Air Pad or Inflatable pad

Though air pad or inflatable pads are a little bit expensive, it is worthy of expending the money on it. In recent years air pad or inflatable pads have improved a lot, and they are booming in the sleeping pad technology.

If you are a person who needs extra support underneath you while sleeping, this type of mattress will be the best for you. They are also perfect for traveling as they can be deflated effortlessly and can be stored in your backpack compactly.

Some air pads can be inflated up to 3 to 4 inches thick. But remember, most of the air pad needs to be manually inflated which means with pump or mouth. But they are not abundant as traditional air mattresses, so they do not take very long to pump. Moreover, some air pads come with built-in pumps, and they can keep you warm.

Self-Inflating Camping Mattresses

The most desired mattress of campers is self-inflating camping mattress. Who is looking for a durable sleeping mattress, it is perfect for them. And the cost of self-inflating sleeping mattresses is less than the air pad but more than the closed-foam bed.

With a combination of air and open-cell foam, this type of mattress is manufactured. You will enjoy unprecedented insulation with this type of bed and by adding or releasing air, the firmness of this can be easily adjusted.

In essence, all types of camping mattresses have pros and cons and unique qualities with different features. Choosing the right one depends on your camping plan, budget, etc.

R-Value

While shopping, the camping mattress R-value is the most common term to be seen in the product description. R-value depicts the measurement of mattresses’ resistance to heat flow through the materials of beds.

While shopping, the camping mattress R-value is the most common term to be seen in the product description. R-value depicts the measurement of mattresses’ resistance to heat flow through the materials of beds.

Size, Length, Width, and Weight

You want to fit your body on the camping mattress, so the size of the bed is vital to consider. Different brands have different sizes of camping mats, and you have to choose according to your size.

A straightforward method to decide which one is perfect for you simply pitch your tent at home and then lie down inside that with as much as you can spread out. Tell someone to mark your widest point with masking tape and next connect to make a camping mat outline. This masking tape measurement will represent your measurement and will assist you while shopping.

Intended Use of Camping Mattress

Where you will use the mattress is essential to choose the best one. In-car camping has size restrictions, so you should select the comfiest bed such as- self-inflating or thick air mattresses. Again, for backpacking or traveling by bike or canoe or kayak, a lightweight and compact cushion will be perfect, just like an air mattress.

For winter camping, you will prefer a well-insulated mattress. Here, remember one thing some beds come with synthetic insulation and some with down insulation. While synthetic insulation will perform better in dampen environment than down insulation but down insulation will provide the most warmth. So, don’t forget to do your research.

Inflation and Deflation

Easy inflation of mattress is an important feature to consider. After a tiring day, if you have to put lots of energy in inflating your bed, it will be annoying. Nowadays, you will get built-in pump mattresses, and they are convenient to use.

On the other hand, easy to deflate is also crucial. If your mattress needs a long time for deflating, it will just waste your travel time and will make you disturbed.

Final Words

We often ignore the sleeping mattress and give importance to the tent and sleeping bag, but we should remember for a sound sleep camping mattress is mandatory. You can’t ignore its significance. Now you know how to choose the best camping mattress, and by following the above mentioned essential points, purchase the best one for you.

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