air bed query?

[dirty ben]

Having suffered many uncomfortable nights wild camping with my self inflating mat(cheapo karrimor 2.5cm thick),i was wondering if a cheapo airbed with some sort of decent insulation underneath would give me a better nights sleep,and before anyone says you get what you pay for i know my bed is crap,i was poor as a student and not much better off now.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

by a a hammock and under quilt mate its the best nites kip u will ever have

 

[Mesquite]

You'd do better having the self inflating mat on top of the airbed.

Reason being an airbed is great there's a lot of air mass that has to be warmed up by you which the mat will insulate you against.

 

[sapper1]

You'd do better having the self inflating mat on top of the airbed.

Reason being an airbed is great there's a lot of air mass that has to be warmed up by you which the mat will insulate you against.

Exactly......

 

[IntrepidStu]

I never would have thought of that, but it makes perfect sense ! I agree 100%

You'd do better having the self inflating mat on top of the airbed.

Reason being an airbed is great there's a lot of air mass that has to be warmed up by you which the mat will insulate you against.

 

[v-ness]

Airmattresses are great if space and weight isnt an issue. I use them for family camping. I put space blankets ontop of them, then a blanket then a sleepingbag- TOASTY!!! lol

Cheers
Ness

 

[antzy]

I've a good airbed for the family camping and I have to say that I get more sleep on a mat, the airbeds just shift around too much and are more prone to punctures. Given the cold air bit I have to say that I would just spend the money on a better mat.

 

[dirty ben]

i have had my eye on a roll of thin foil insulation from b+q,was going to try it under a airbed,but im now going to give the over the top technique a go

 

[durulz]

I often use an inflatable mattress (not a self-inflator).
Rather than one of the big and heavy flock-covered family camping mattresses I use one of those light-weight hiker's mattresses - the ones that look a bit like a lilo. They roll up no bigger than a bog roll.
To stop it getting punctured I put one of those fold-up German army kip mats underneath it. As well as saving it from puncturing it also acts as a layer of insulation from the ground.
Mind you, I also have a hammock as well now...

 

[The Big Lebowski]

if you are looking for something light, and single person... I'll be ordering one of these shortly.

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16557&category_id=253

TBL.

 

[durulz]

if you are looking for something light, and single person... I'll be ordering one of these shortly.

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16557&category_id=253

TBL.

Flipping heck. That's the expensive way of doing it.
Or you could get one from either Blacks or Argos for just £10.

 

[para106]

I've just got a couple of the Dozers from Alpkit - well impressed for £40. I'm camping in Dec & I'll just put a cheapo foam jobby underneath.

 

[rik_uk3]

Buy an airbed and in winter put a cell foam mat on top to insulate you, very comfy You can put some little strips of self adhesive velcro on the airbed and foam mat to stop shift. To be honest I only car camp and there is no way in a million years I'd go back to a thermarest now.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Flipping heck. That's the expensive way of doing it.
Or you could get one from either Blacks or Argos for just £10.

Depends what you want really... i doubt argos/blacks even comes close to the spec. we are talking thermally efficient matress, not lie-lo's for the kids down the beach.

So i assume its a bit 'nippy' and whats £40 and the cost of a good bag to be able to sleep comfortably?

TBL.

 

[durulz]

Depends what you want really... i doubt argos/blacks even comes close to the spec. we are talking thermally efficient matress, not lie-lo's for the kids down the beach.

So i assume its a bit 'nippy' and whats £40 and the cost of a good bag to be able to sleep comfortably.

TBL.

True enough.
But I don't have a lilo. I have a hiker's mattress like the Alpkit one (I described it as a lilo because of the tubes, not because it IS a lilo).
I've had my Blacks version for years and always been warm and comfy on it. Never had a puncture. Never had problems. And it cost me ten quid. Feel free to spend £40 if you want...

 

[The Big Lebowski]

No worry's... i'll have a look-see into that then

atb, TBL.

 

[treefrog]

Feel free to spend £40 if you want...

….and anything else upwards to an Exped Downmat 9dlx at roughly £120.00



A fair bit of this discussed on SOTP
http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?23344-what-do-you-sleep-on

 

[Tengu]

Im happy with a lilo wrapped in a blanket

 

[Old Bones]

If you want a self inflate(rather than an airbed), try out Alpkits mat sale http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=category&category_id=289 - from £18.50 for a base 120, its a steal, and the dirtbag for £25. Of course, if you win the competition, you get six for nothing....

 

[Paul_B]

try an exped downmat 7 with the integral pump in 3/4 length for £49 from nordic outdoors. That is a steal for a 7cm thick airbed (longitudinal tubes which is more stable than the neo air horizontal ones) with down in the tubes. Tough skin too. It is good to -24C so you will be warmer in winter. BTW a very good mat like the exped can effectively turn a lower rated sleeping bag into a higher one in winter. I've heard that in winter you will lose heat as much through the ground so a very good mat will be a lot warmer. At £49 and 660g or so it is eminently packable. The shorter lenght might be a problem but with a pillow such as a dry bag with clothes in for the head you will probably only have your legs from your knees down not on the mat. The rucksack will be good for that rea which needs less insulation nyway. I~ am 196cm and the 120cm length is down to my knees.

A normal air mat would need anothere mat on tip to insulate you from the airmat.