The 12 Best Air Mattresses for Camping
There’s something truly thrilling about leaving the conveniences of modern life behind and heading into the woods to rough it for a few days. With that said, unless you’re a rigid purist, you’re likely to want at least a couple of creature comforts, like a tent to keep weather and pests at bay and a camp cookstove, in case you have trouble finding dry wood for a campfire (or dry conditions prevent you from sparking one).
Since most people are used to sleeping in beds, you might also want something between you and the cold, hard ground. This is where air mattresses can be a real godsend, especially if you’re keen to bond with your family or friend in the wilderness, instead of becoming an absolute beast after tossing and turning all night.
Along those lines, here are the 12 best air mattresses for camping, and more importantly, enjoying your time in the great outdoors.
Hest Sleep System Mattress
Best Overall
Air mattresses for camping have been around for a while, and although they’re better than a tarp on the ground, it’s long been a rather thin distinction. Enter the Hest Sleep System, featuring temperature-resilient memory foam, an inflatable drop-stitch base for support and insulation, and a multi-layer design to deliver optimal body alignment and pressure point relief.
It feels fancy enough to use at home, but it’s portable, easy to pump and pack, and rugged enough to weather nights spent under the stars.
Dimensions: 78” x 25” x 7”
NEMO Equipment Roamer Self-Inflating Air Mattress
Best For Truck Bed Camping
Roughing it is made a lot less rough with this luxurious air mattress that comes in an XL wide or double size. You can also put two XL wide mattresses together with built-in hardware to make a bigger bed, adding versatility.
It packs up small and adds about eight pounds to your carry weight. Plus, the proprietary Laylow™ zero-profile valves offer fast, easy inflation, while deflation happens at top speed, thanks to high-volume dump valves. It’s also quite comfy, featuring a stretch fabric top that conforms to the body. All of this makes it one of the best air mattresses on the market.
Dimensions: 78” x 30” x 4” XL Wide, 78” x 52” x 4” Double
ALPS Mountaineering Velocity Air Bed
Most Durable Air Mattress
This “air bed built for cushy camping” features an internal coil system that makes for a soothing night of rest, even when you’re only a few inches off the ground. The twin size supports up to 250 pounds, while the queen supports up to 500 pounds. The included rechargeable pump inflates and deflates the mattress. Alps Mountaineering is so sure their air bed will stand up to use and abuse that they offer a lifetime warranty.
Dimensions: 80” x 39” x 6” Twin, 80” x 56” x 6” Queen
Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Air Sleeping Mattress
Most Portable Air Mattress
When you see the dimensions of this light air mattress, you’ll note that it’s neither very wide nor very thick as air mattresses for camping go. However, it weighs slightly over a pound, making it among the most portable options for those who like to travel light. Is it comfy, though? More than you might think, thanks to thermoplastic polyurethane-laminated loops that connect the top and bottom dot welds, creating a cushy pad without the need for added weight.
Dimensions: 78” x 25” x 4”
Thermarest MondoKing 3D Self-Inflating Foam Camping Mattress
Best Self-Inflating Air Mattress
If you love to camp, but you really need comfort and support to get your zees, this mattress in large or XXL may be just the ticket. The StrataCore thermal foam core, situated between alternating ridges of air and foam, is designed to keep you warm, while the stretch knit fabric creates the plush feeling of your home mattress. It’s also pairable with other 3D mattresses if you want a larger sleep area. Best of all, TwinLock one-way valves make quick work of inflation and deflation.
Dimensions: 77” x 25” x 4.25” Large, 80” x 30” x 4.25” XXL
SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress
Best Support
Most air mattresses attempt some measure of humility when it comes to thickness. After all, you’re supposed to be roughing it when you camp. Not the Dream Series, which offers double the height (or more) of competitors. They also pride themselves on a no-slip sleeping experience, with an extra-thick, waterproof, flocked top, as well as a SureGrip bottom. The ComfortCoil technology, which provides 40 internal air coils, delivers the durability and support you need to drift into untroubled dreams.
Dimensions: 78” x 58” x 19”
REI Co-op Kingdom Insulated Sleep System 40 Air Mattress
Best For Tent Camping
When REI offers a sleep system, they do it right, with a large sized air pad, a quilted mattress layer for extra soft padding, and an insulated quilt and attached top sheet that you can tuck around the bottom to keep your feet from poking out or getting chilled by drafts.
It’s like a for-real bed that you just happen to take camping. Of course, it is over 15 pounds, so you won’t want to haul it on a 10-mile hike to your campsite, but if your tent setup is within feet of your car, it delivers up the comfort of home while you’re away.
Dimensions: 79” x 56” x 6”
Coleman SupportRest Double-High Air Mattress with Built-In Pump
Featuring A Built-in Pump
Famous for their camp stoves and coolers, Coleman constantly surprises with their ability to branch out into new areas of outdoor products and dominate. Case in point: Their thoughtful air mattress, featuring a built-in pump that will have your bed inflated in just 3 minutes.
What makes it one of the best air mattresses for camping, though, is the little things, like the raised edges to keep you from rolling off, the antimicrobial surface treatment to resist mold and odor, and the fact that standard, queen-size sheets fit perfectly.
Dimensions: 78” x 60” x 18”
Luno Air Mattress 2.0
Best For Car Camping
Interestingly, Luno took the tack of designing an air mattress that would fit into vehicles (over 1,800 different vehicles, to be precise), rather than just tents. This versatile design features two mattresses in one, giving you options to inflate for single or double occupancy and the ability to adjust firmness to the preference of each sleeper.
As a result, sizing will vary, but the mattress is designed to fit campers up to 6’2” tall, inflating up to 4” thick. Base extenders and air pump are included, and the system inflates in under two minutes.
Dimensions: Varies by car type
Sierra Designs 2-Person Air Bed + Pump
Best Budget Air Mattress
This queen-size air mattress works with standard, queen-size sheets for your convenience. What sets it apart from other air mattresses, though, is the thoughtful addition of a 10.5” raised pillow area that adds comfort to your sleep sitch. Just think of all the times you’ve gone camping and rolled up a hoodie to use as a pillow and you’ll see the brilliance of this small addition. The setup also includes a battery-operated pump (4 D batteries not included).
Dimensions: 78” x 56” x 7”
Kelty Kush Queen Air Bed with Pump
Suitable For Indoors and Out
Kelty is known for its revolutionary lightweight frame packs and tents, so it’s no surprise that the company would try its hand at other kinds of camping gear. This air mattress offers up six inches of thickness that’s suitable for use indoors and out, so you can avoid sore hips and enjoy a good night’s sleep, no matter where you may wander.
There isn’t much in the way of bells and whistles, but it does come with a battery-operated pump and a patch kit.
Dimensions: 79” x 55” x 6”
Exped Megamat Duo 10 Air Mattress
Best For Backpacking
This air mattress is designed to completely fill the floor space of a two-person tent. With a pack weight of just over five pounds, it’s pretty portable, too. Like other mattresses for camping, it comes with a mini pump for a faster fill. It also offers high-quality foam insulation to stave off chills, along with a stretch tricot top for support and comfort. It even features a smart pack sack that can be used as a shoulder bag.
Dimensions: 72” x 41” x 4”
Disclosure: Clicking on these links and making a purchase may earn us a small referral fee, at no extra cost to you. Learn more here.
