(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best air mattresses & accessories

please STOP perpetuating that stupid myth about smartphones not being able to route or do tracks when you are out of cell coverage. Iphones and Androids can download maps ahead of time (just like with your stand alone GPS) which allow you to continue to use it when you are well OUTSIDE of cell coverage. I have used my cell phone as a GPS for on and off road for over 3 yrs now without fail (and I didn't spend an extra $600 to do it). Even a decent Garmin GPS will set you back at least $400 (I don't count the 60, 62, 76 and variants because their screens are too damn small to be effective). I also stream music to my Sena SMH10r . There are a plethura of sites that help you to easily set this up. For mostly road use, I recommend a cheap GPS or use your smartphone but if you do moderate off road, I would recommend something with a hardier plug which is what tends to be the problem (I don't mind so much since it's actually a rather easy fix on my Galaxy S4 were it to be damaged).

Tents.... do not buy too cheap on this. I have tried a lot of tents and finally settled on the Ledge Sports Recluse here . It is a three man but really just comfortable enough for two mostly, roomy with a loft and packs really small with poles that are less than a foot long collapsed (easy to fit in panniers and bags).

Personally I would make sure you find something really comfortable to sleep on. I use a blow up mattress and a pump that plugs that goes into my motorcycle to fill it up. Most the pads you see are overpriced/expensive and crap on your back or for side sleepers. If you get a hole that you can't fix, how hard is to find a WalMart or a Target to buy a new one for around 20 to 50 bucks depending on the size you want. I prefer a queen size, great for added weight and so damn comfortable. If my old Coleman Quickbed ever dies, I will be picking up the Coleman Durarest here.

I take my phone, my Nexus 7 with 4G and my small laptop with me everywhere. I have a USB Stick chock full of reading material, music and movies....never get bored and when I want to relax and gaze at the stars, only a power button stands in my way.

Phones can get you into trouble. My buddy called me one night when I was out, this was real late, like around 11 pm. He made a joke about having a soundboard that does bear, wolf or cougar sounds and walking around outside scaring people. I checked the net and found some bear sounds that I downloaded and we joked about it. I went to sleep later after having a number of beers and when I woke up around 2 am to go relieve myself, I carried my phone with me to use as a flashlight. When I was coming back, I passed near this tent of these lesbians and played some Bear sounds. I could hear them freaking a bit and I quickly scammered back into my tent. About half an hour later, a ranger comes by my tent and asks if I have heard any noises. I tell him "you mean...You waking me up". You might ask how I know they were Lesbians and what that has to do with anything but that involves more to tell that I couldn't sum up in a few paragraphs. Suffice is to say that when I am camping, I avoid children, young couples and now, Lesbians.

Good Luck with your endeavors!

Appreciate it. I'm getting an air mattress. Normally, I would put the obligatory frowny face after that sentence, but this one is actually pretty sweet. It comes with memory foam and can support a 600lb man. I tried it at a friend's house and it felt more like a high-end spring mattress. If you can save me money on this, I'd be amazed :).

You know your wife better than us, internet strangers so obviously go with your instinct (unless you are one of those who gets into​ trouble often).

I know people are telling you about ditching the air mattress but I've always found that a bit snobby.
I own a couple of different sleeping pads and although they are surprisingly comfortable, they can't beat a high rise air mattress of good quality and the reason is that you're not at floor level.

Of course, to each their own but if your wife isn't sure about tent camping, sleeping on the floor might not help. You become achy faster and the joints don't have much padding.

I don't think you need to go with the infamous "glamping" experience in order to enjoy it but maybe try making it not so different from regular life.

I have had the same Intex dura beam, bed height, built in pump for eight years now and we've used it far more than just for camping.
Intex Dura-Beam Series Elevated Deluxe Airbed with Built-In Electric Pump, Bed Height 18", Queen - Amazon Exclusive https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KLO285Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_n6VyzbG7RKN1P

As far as tent, I would stay away from the tiny dome ones because the whole squatting thing gets annoying.
Other than that, it depends on which other needs you have as far as capacity, weather, etc.

I just have a cheap Cabin style Coleman and I enjoy being able to stand in it and have a separate spot for my kids.
Is she outdoorsy at all? You might want to look into a tent with a screened porch in case you want to hang out and she's not a fan of being out.

Good luck!

When you buy tubes, check out your filling nozzles. If you have a tiny nozzle, you'll be there all day to fill it up. You'll be there all day to let out the air. I like the high volume manual air pump. The trick to inflating quickly is multiple pumps. (https://www.amazon.com/WEIFA-Mattress-Universal-Inflatables-Plastic/dp/B07FNRRYG8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=high+volume+air+pump+inflatables+manual&qid=1564660874&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1)

Get the biggest nozzle possible. It's worth an extra $ for quick release. Girls tend to like tubes with a solid bottom. Boys tend to like open bottom tubes. A solid bottom tube works great for a spare and for cooler transport.

Sunscreen...sunscreen...sunscreen.

We've been twice this year. We'll go again as the nights cool a bit more. There seemed to be more limbs and trees this year or maybe water was lower. I got scraped and bruised up pretty good both times. Be careful of underwater hazards.

What a neat contest!!

My goal is to raise my son to be a person who treasures and protects the environment. I’ve taught him about empathy towards animals and protection of nature. We hike and camp frequently and pick up the area while we do. He had started picking up trash around two and we now carry bags with us to make it easier.

He is almost 6 so I guess I could say I am 1/3 of the way to my goal? He is an amazing kid.

https://imgur.com/a/Kzk7rK1

The object that would help me is this air mattress for when we camp. I have had five back surgeries and have been told I likely have ALS. I can’t sleep on the ground (if I did I would need an ambulance to get up!!) and my son was given a tent for Christmas that he wants to use this summer. There is a local cabin I rent for one weekend in summer but it’s pretty expensive so the tent would be something we could do more often.

Thanks for your time!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GIIA29M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_w51ACb1F1ZKH5

Gotcha. Just my experience with air mattresses:

1. You get what you pay for. Buy the name brand. I've never had trouble with Aerobed if it was handled properly. (I left one at my aged father's place and he did something while rolling it up to pop an inner chamber. It would still hold air but support wasn't great. But he is an old man with diminished capacity who can't learn new things, so I'm sure he was mishandling it somehow.)
   
   
2. Pay extra for a tall mattress - much easier to get out of than one that is only a few inches off the ground. Something like this.
   
   
3. Air compressing over night is different than air leaking out. The instructions say that you are supposed to roll the mattress out and let it sit in the environment for at least an hour before blowing it up. That's to allow the mattress to get to the same temperature as the environment. I've only had trouble with air compression when I brought the mattress straight from my car and immediately blown it up. If I let it "warm up" for an hour or two in the place where I'm gonna sleep (not in the bag, but actually laid out) then the air doesn't compress overnight.
   
   
4. They do sleep cold. That one is much more difficult to get around. But most recently at my sister's house, we laid a blanket down under the mattress pad and bottom sheet. I think we probably needed one more blanket to really cut all the cold and it would have been perfect. Instead, I piled four blankets on top of me (it was snow weekend) and I slept warm enough.
   
   
5. Getting in and out may be an issue. But don't be afraid to fill that mattress really full (this also helps with the air compression issue). I've never gotten one so full it popped. Your murphy bed may be different, but the ones I'm familiar with sit directly on the floor so I'm not sure how that is easier to get out of than a tall, firm air mattress. But maybe.

You could actually try something. I was looking for air beds with raised perimeters. Many are a little raised but this one seems higher...

https://www.amazon.com/Luxurious-Memory-Mattress-Pillowtop-Built/dp/B00MEQMJSO

Then, make a cover for air mattress smaller than blown up size. When inflated, it will tension the fabric like a trampoline and "may" span the perimeter. I think what will happen is it will span then when you lay on it you'll be supported by both fabric and top of mattress which is memory foam. I'd bet it would be super comfortable for one person.

I slept on this bed for 2 months, and I had no issues, I'm also a really big and heavy guy, so it should be fine for most people.
http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Comfort-Elevated-Dura-Beam-Airbed/dp/B00G7H783W?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

Just let out a tiny bit of air to make it softer, but it was actually better than the old crappy mattress I was using before I moved. The mattress is still in great condition, and it should be super easy to move around, and just stand up against the wall.

Get 2 Coleman Sundome 4 person tents ($42 on Amazon), or one Coleman Sundome 6 person tent ($90). You should also invest in an EZ up (AKA pop up) canopy. Slant leg 10x10 ozark trail canopy is like $45 at walmart.com right now.

For beds, unless you;re trying to invest in something that you'll use over and over again after Firefly, just get some air mattresses. You're going to be on grass so an air mattress should last you through the weekend fine and be comfortable enough.

Coleman queen size air mattress ($23 on amazon) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0BPG26/ref=sspa_dk_hqp_detail_aax_0?th=1&psc=1

Etekcity rechargeable air pump ($26 on amazon) https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Electric-Rechargeable-Quick-Fill-Inflatables/dp/B07CTF8TS8/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=air+mattress+rechargable&qid=1556044876&s=gateway&sr=8-3

If you really want cots, I suggest these as they're light but comfortable - Byer Allagash cot (2 for $111 on Amazon) https://www.amazon.com/BYER-MAINE-Allagash-Lightweight-250lbs/dp/B07KJKDB5N/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=byer+allagash&qid=1556045223&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

Otherwise the cheapest cot you'll find will probably be the Coleman ones which are about $35 each on Amazon. But they're bulky and heavy.

Sounds like you're prepping for a summer of camping! One thing I would definitely recommend is an inflatable sleeping pad. I didn't use one for over 10 years and started to use one 2 years ago... total game changer. I recommended the 3 products below to my brother for the holidays. If I were buying my gear again, this is probably where I would start. Won't break the bank and all really decent quality.

sleeping pad:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008O6JIXM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


tent:

https://www.amazon.com/Kelty-40813415-Yellowstone-2-Tent/dp/B00NFCFYRE/ref=sr_1_11?srs=2594700011&ie=UTF8&qid=1480521656&sr=8-11&keywords=tent


sleeping bag:

https://www.amazon.com/Sports-TrailHead-Ultralight-Sleeping-Backpacking/dp/B00TZRPQFI/ref=sr_1_2?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1480523851&sr=1-2&refinements=p_n_feature_eight_browse-bin%3A2991229011%2Cp_89%3ATeton%2BSports&th=1

Air mattresses get a lot of grief... People complain that they leak and such. And it's true. Sort of. What air mattresses are is fragile. Drag them around and something will tear a hole in them (no matter how tiny). Treat them nice and they last a surprisingly long time. No kidding, I've got a couple of cheapies like this one that I've had for 15+ years.... And they still hold air just fine.

Point is that you can go cheap, just treat 'em nicely. Buy an air pump to go with.... and some blankets (that you probably already have). You're set.

I also sleep on an air mattress - this one.
I've been using this for 2 years now. I had a few seams pop, but it comes with a 1 year warranty so they replaced it for $15 shipping. If you want to stay on an air mattress I would seriously recommend this one. With air mattresses, a larger initial investment will definitely save you in the long run.

There are a ton of air mattress options out there that may work great for you! I have one with a built in pump that holds up to 500 lbs. and inflates in like 5 minutes. I put a 2" memory foam topper on it that I rolled up and stored in a closet when not in use. I slept on this bad boy for 2 months and it was very comfortable.

Check it out.https://www.amazon.com/Serta-Raised-Twin-Mattress-Never/dp/B006OU4IH6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1506615248&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=serta+air+mattress&psc=1

Magic Air Pump. They are expensive but as someone who has to blow up and suck down a dozen fenders that hold 1000-3000+ litres of air multiple times a day, they are freaking awesome. We also have a three story slide and two pumps make short work of it.

They can pump a lot of volume but can put out a lot of pressure as well and are pretty bulletproof.

http://www.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-DIDA-4-Inflator-Deflator/dp/B0002SDN4U/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0YBGK4H6K9MQ6HDZSAMF

They are awesome. We have 5 on the boat stashed all over the place.

Get an air bed. They are super comfortable, and if you need to move they pack up to be incredibly small. I got this guy for just over $100. It is huge and very comfy, comes with a built in pump, and is quite elevated off the ground. You can get smaller ones for less with the same double chamber that acts as a mattress and "box-spring".

Good air mattress: Under $100

Bed: Over $1000.

Plus, having a good air mattress is always useful when people come to visit and need a place to sleep.

I have always had luck with my Coleman’s. It seems to be one of the few things they still make that is excellent quality.
Coleman Soft Plush Top Inflated Quickbed , Queen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JH1MMS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XjUJBb0ZBV0V1

We have this one, similar to your first link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WL0227G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It works great, is very comfortable, and for a recent 5 day trip, we didn't need to top off the air in it at all.

Sure! I can’t seem to find the vendor we purchased from last year, so this one is not as cheap. But this is the same model we bought! It has low ratings but I think that’s just people who didn’t read the dims and expected something bigger, because we had no problems at all! 👌🏻 (You can find bigger ones if you have longer legs, but we needed something smaller to fit in our tiny tent!)

Bestway Multi-max Air Couch with Sidewinder Ac Air Pump https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015XNW9E8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nJqVAbPEWZ7VK

If you're not going to be comfortable (psychologically OR physically), then put your foot down. You can tell your husband that you just won't be able to get any sleep that way, and either you can make different sleeping arrangements or get a hotel room.

Have you considered something like this for the trip?

This looks like a winner and it's only $30.

You can also totally get by on just a mattress. I did for like 5 years.

Amazon has some really good inflatable mattresses. I bought the following and it stayed full of air for weeks without having to add more:

http://www.amazon.com/Wenzel-Insta-Bed-Raised-Bottom-Built-/dp/B000ETXX1U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1311949998&sr=8-5

My wife and I have used an Intex twin air bed for about 4 years now. For the cost they're worth it.
Edit: It's tall.

I bought a Wenzel Insta-Bed over two years ago and have used it repeatedly in that time and have had no complaints or problems with it. Also, I'm a big guy, 350 lbs or so, and have no problems with leaks or anything like that. The built in pump that inflates and deflates is a huge bonus too.

Ugh, its hard to sleep on a sucky couch. What about a cheap air mattress?


http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Pillow-Airbed-Built--Electric/dp/B000HBILB2/ref=sr_1_14?s=bedbath&ie=UTF8&qid=1416783237&sr=1-14&keywords=air+mattress