Airbed, Roll Mat, Self Inflating Mat, Camp Bed and so on

[deepkittycaz]

Does anyone have recommendations for a lightweight, compact camp bed? 

I'm travelling by train/coach so needs to be light enough for a small person to carry!

[incident]

2 minutes ago, deepkittycaz said:

Does anyone have recommendations for a lightweight, compact camp bed? 

I'm travelling by train/coach so needs to be light enough for a small person to carry!

Unfortunately, my recommendation is that the ultra lightweight ones all have some flaws.

Specifically, all the ones I've seen have plastic joints which start to crack (and so the bed starts to collapse) after a few uses especially if you're using them on slanted or uneven ground (ie in Glastonbury fields) as the weight/pressure isn't spread evenly.

I find that the all-metal bog standard "25 quid from Argos / Blacks / everywhere else" type is about as light as you can get without hitting that problem, and is actually pretty comfortable - my only issue with it is that they're a shade narrow for my taste which may be a problem depending on how you sleep. You can get the same style from various manufacturers and shops, and all the ones I've seen are broadly the same - they all come in at about the same price, all come in at about 58 to 60cm wide, and all come in at about 3 to 3.5kg.

You can also get a wider and heavier duty versions of the above style - so they come in at 77cm wide and about 4.5kg. Though I appreciate that may not be idea for public transport.

[4AssedMonkey]

I've one of these: -

Eurohike Utah 4 Leg Campbed | GO Outdoors

Folds down small in it's own bag with shoulder strap, easy to put up and take down and surprisingly comfy.  Had mine for years and it's still fine.

[Ayrshire Chris]

1 hour ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

I've one of these: -

Eurohike Utah 4 Leg Campbed | GO Outdoors

Folds down small in it's own bag with shoulder strap, easy to put up and take down and surprisingly comfy.  Had mine for years and it's still fine.

Saw them a few days ago in go outdoors. Look ideal for a festival, lightweight and compact. maybe with a self inflating on top for extra comfort. 

[4AssedMonkey]

1 hour ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Saw them a few days ago in go outdoors. Look ideal for a festival, lightweight and compact. maybe with a self inflating on top for extra comfort. 

Honestly, it doesn't need the mat, it's very comfy as it is and as you're off the ground it stays warmer with just a sleeping bag.

[erndogz]

3 hours ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

I've one of these: -

Eurohike Utah 4 Leg Campbed | GO Outdoors

Folds down small in it's own bag with shoulder strap, easy to put up and take down and surprisingly comfy.  Had mine for years and it's still fine.

Cheers, 2 for £28 offer, that'll do just fine

[Spindles]

Just picked one of those beds up on the millets site, they are doing 2 for £30 offer with a camping chair.

[SilverLining]

37 minutes ago, Spindles said:

Just picked one of those beds up on the millets site, they are doing 2 for £30 offer with a camping chair.

Just a wee note on these beds if its cold they get so incredibly cold as there is a lot of space underneath it. I usually cram my bag etc under there to help a bit.

[clarkete]

5 hours ago, 4AssedMonkey said:

I've one of these: -

Eurohike Utah 4 Leg Campbed | GO Outdoors

Folds down small in it's own bag with shoulder strap, easy to put up and take down and surprisingly comfy.  Had mine for years and it's still fine.

And you manage to fit all 4 asses on there OK? 

[deepkittycaz]

4 hours ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

Saw them a few days ago in go outdoors. Look ideal for a festival, lightweight and compact. maybe with a self inflating on top for extra comfort. 

I have a blow up Klymit mat & sleeping bag, both should be fine for putting on top! 

Last year was hard going, so I'm after something that can give me a more comfy (& restorative!) night.

[Ayrshire Chris]

8 minutes ago, deepkittycaz said:

I have a blow up Klymit mat & sleeping bag, both should be fine for putting on top! 

Last year was hard going, so I'm after something that can give me a more comfy (& restorative!) night.

That’s why we added a self inflate mat.  And our own pillow from home! 

[compactdisc]

Reviving this thread as I'm having last minute doubts!

 

I usually sleep on a thick self inflating mattress, which is glorious. However this year I'm on a coach and it's a going to be too bulky to carry in with me.

 

I have ordered a cheaper thin SIM, but I am worried that it's going to be too thin and provide little in the way of comfort. 

 

Should I just accept my fate and order a new airbed?

[Mark E. Spliff]

40 minutes ago, compactdisc said:

Should I just accept my fate and order a new airbed?

 

Which type is most comfortable for you is a personal preference thing.  I was an early adopter of self inflating mats and I never really got on with them - I always get a dead arm on whichever side I was sleeping on.  Others swear by them, and you've obviously had good experiences with your last one.  So can't help on that front.

 

What I can help with is the size.  All self-inflating mats are bulky beasts because they contain a full bed's worth of foam inside.  This is in contrast to inflating mats, which are essentially balloons.  (I'm not talking about old-school airbeds here - I'm on about the inflatable mats, e.g. Thermarest NeoAir.)  There's a huge range in price for these things you can pay several hundred pounds, down to £7 for the Crivit one that Lidl occasionally sell (which is excellent by the way.)  What I do is get two of these inflatable mats and double-stack them inside a single cotton sleeping bag liner, to get an incredibly comfortable mattress.  And because you're only packing three very small packages in your luggage (the 2 mats and the liner) it's really easy to sqeeze them into any little spaces.

 

TL:DR: don't bother with the self-inflating one.  Go and find a Thermarest NeoAir-type thing, or two.

[bennyboi]

On 3/4/2024 at 10:20 AM, 4AssedMonkey said:

I've one of these: -

Eurohike Utah 4 Leg Campbed | GO Outdoors

Folds down small in it's own bag with shoulder strap, easy to put up and take down and surprisingly comfy.  Had mine for years and it's still fine.

I double this, revelation in comfort! 
Seriously, I sleep so much better in a tent now, being off the floor makes it feel less “roughing it” 

 

with this particular one though, it’s no good if your 6ft+, I’m a hair over 5’ 10 and it’s almost too small for me. 

[Spindles]

9 minutes ago, bennyboi said:

I double this, revelation in comfort! 
Seriously, I sleep so much better in a tent now, being off the floor makes it feel less “roughing it” 

 

with this particular one though, it’s no good if your 6ft+, I’m a hair over 5’ 10 and it’s almost too small for me. 

I've bought one this year, I'm 6'3 so we'll see how I get on.

[Watergirl]

Thin inflatable therm-a-rest. Comfortable enough and not too bulky/heavy.

[JohnnyUtah24]

got one of these, probably end up being sh*t but if it works, saves carrying 3 different things for one

 

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3400229?clickPR=plp:5:24

[incident]

9 minutes ago, Spindles said:

I've bought one this year, I'm 6'3 so we'll see how I get on.

 

I'm also 6'3", and personally (as a strong advocate for using a camp bed) I don't see the length as that big a deal. Worst case scenario your feet are hanging over the end but that doesn't really bother me.

 

For me the width is a bigger issue for that model - if you don't sleep exactly straight, or if you move around a bit then you can end up pressed against a metal bar. As a result I take a substantially wider model than the above (specifically, Kampa Slumber Plus) to festivals where I'm driving and packing weight doesn't matter so much.

[bennyboi]

1 hour ago, Spindles said:

I've bought one this year, I'm 6'3 so we'll see how I get on.

aslong as your happy with your feet dangling. 
 

the raised pillow end is great though, you only need one small camp pillow for it to be real comfy. 

[Spindles]

Sounds good.  I'm a hoopy frood who uses a rolled up towel for a pillow.

[Olshansky]

I use an inflatable pool raft.  

packs up very small, and extremely inexpensive