Mountain Summit Gear Self-inflating 15 Camp Pad Review
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Summit 12 Product Ratings
Displaying 1 - 5 of 12
Best Overall Camping Mattress
Therm-a-Residuum MondoKing 3D
Thickness: four inches | Type: Pump aggrandizement
Included stuff sack doubles every bit a pump
Effortless inflation and deflation
High level of comfort
Warm enough for all-season employ
The Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D, like other self-inflating camping mats in this review, is comprised of 4 inches of luxurious cream condolement. This model matches the warmth and comfort of the plushest mattresses in the test, facilitating some of the all-time sleep nosotros've ever experienced outdoors. Its updated dual-valve system is what nudged information technology into the top spot. Information technology is incredibly like shooting fish in a barrel to inflate by attaching the stuff sack to the aggrandizement valve and using the sack every bit a pump. The deflation valve is huge, significant that air dumps out of it faster, and nosotros were able to make quick work of rolling up the mattress and packing it away.
If in that location is a downside to the MondoKing, it is merely the enormous packed size. It is not the biggest on our test, but information technology is close. If you campsite with a significant other, you lot are going to need 2. Trust us. That takes up a lot of real estate in the back of the machine and the gear closet. We tested the XXL version for actress-deluxe sprawling pleasure, though it is available in a smaller size, meaning you might be able to fit two in your tent. The MondoKing is lighter than other mattresses of this type, merely you aren't going to have information technology into the backcountry unless you lot have a packhorse. However, for car camping adventures, this is our favorite.
Read review: Therm-a-Residual MondoKing 3D
An Exceptionally Comfortable Mat
Exped MegaMat 10
Thickness: 4 inches | Type: Pump inflation
More comfortable than nigh of our beds at dwelling
Inflates hands with the included pes pump
Coil-peak carrying sack makes for piece of cake packing
Expensive
Besides large for some single person tents
The Exped MegaMat 10 provides comfort equal to — and sometimes exceeding — our beds at home. Really, yous tin can't ask for much more from a rollout inflatable cream mat. The top has a soft, comfortable experience that doesn't go sticky or sweaty even without a canvas. The one-palpitate valve allows for like shooting fish in a barrel adjustment of mattress firmness. Even the most fickle testers could dial in the perfect PSI for their ultimate night nether the stars. This pad inflates hands with a compact foam foot pump and comes with a generously sized carrying sack, complete with shoulder straps.
Remember that the MegaMat 10'due south width provides extra comfort, simply it likewise takes up a lot of infinite in a smaller tent, meaning you might crowd out your neighbor. If you normally camp with a significant other, check out the MegaMat 10 Duo, which offers equal condolement on a ii-person scale. This mat is on the expensive side, simply the quality matches the price. If you lot car campsite more than than a few nights per year or fifty-fifty want an excellent spare mattress for overnight guests, this one is worth information technology, and your body will thank you.
Read review: Exped Megamat 10
Best for Ii People
Exped MegaMat Duo 10
Thickness: 4 inches | Blazon: Self-inflating
Huge
Super toasty R-value of 8.1
Comfortably sleeps two
Big packed size
Takes a lot of effort to pack away
Expensive
Want the very best mattress for car camping that coin can buy with room for two? Exped makes their super comfortable and plush mattress in a double-wide size, the Exped MegaMat Duo 10. This mattress has the same splendid features and construction as the unmarried MegaMat just in a 52-inch wide version. This is non quite equally broad as 2 singles pushed together (30 inches each), merely it fits perfectly in the dorsum of a pickup truck or minivan and in almost bigger two-person tents. Even when deflated, it's all the same relatively comfy to slumber on, which is good puncture insurance.
There is no denying, still, that it is awkwardly big. Packing it up can be a fleck of a hurting, and it'south twice the size of the side by side smallest mat. However, if you were going to accept ii mats anyways, then this is no big deal. Same with the price. Information technology'south expensive but still less than ownership two of the single MegaMats separately. The Duo is an excellent choice for families with small children as well, or even for a single private who likes a whole lot of infinite.
Read review: Exped MegaMat Duo ten
Splendid, Self-Inflating Comfort
NEMO Roamer
Thickness: 4 inches | Type: Cocky-inflating
Warm
Easy aggrandizement & deflation
Smaller packed size
Slightly bouncier than other models
While many of these mattress manufacturers merits that their mats are cocky-inflating, many take at least one-half an hour for the foam to expand, with a fair corporeality of additional pumping to become them fully inflated. Nevertheless, the NEMO Roamer self-inflates in but a couple of minutes and includes a big inflation sack to consummate inflation. Its three-valve system also makes deflation a cakewalk, and information technology packs upwardly into a squat little package that is nigh half the size of many of the other mattresses while existence significantly lighter. While nevertheless heavy for most backpacking trips, nosotros did pack it in with united states on a three-mile hike and ready army camp in the wilderness, having one of the most comfy night'due south slumber ever while backpacking.
Some testers noted that it has slightly less motion-dampening than some of the other deluxe mats, making for a minor caste of bounce when they moved in their sleep. This makes sense, as it has less foam, merely all agreed that information technology is still very comfy. The R-value for this pad is 6, meaning information technology is plenty insulating for very cold nights. Nosotros weren't able to exam it in the coldest extremes, merely nosotros did sleep on it when the temperature was around twenty degrees F, and the Roamer played a large part in keeping the states toasty.
Read Review: NEMO Roamer
An Excellent Comfort and Packability Combo
Therm-a-Balance NeoAir Topo Luxe
Thickness: 4 inches | Type: Self-inflating
Incredibly packable for the level of comfort
Fast and piece of cake inflation and deflation
Only for three-flavor utilize
Somewhat bouncy
For dedicated car camping, we are delighted by the costly luxury of cream mattresses. We can't deny their limitations, however, and if you are curt on space, spend a lot of fourth dimension backpacking, or just accept a budget for one mattress, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe might be for you. It inflates to four inches high and provides a warm and comfy night's sleep. It also packs downwardly to virtually the size of a large water canteen and weighs simply a bit over ii pounds, pregnant you tin can justify conveying it into the backcountry. This could easily be the most comfy backpacking mattress yous take e'er slept on while also making a decent car camping mat.
Testers noticed that the NeoAir Topo Luxe made a fleck of a crinkling sound when they moved around on it in the night. And, while it is comfortable, it is nevertheless an air mattress with the accompanying bounciness. This mat has an R-value of 3.7, meaning that it will insulate y'all through the shoulder seasons just will not be platonic in the colder months. Still, if you lot spend more time hiking to camp than hanging out shut to the car, this model provides a skilful deal of comfort and a ton of flexibility.
Read review: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe
Upkeep Option for Bones Operation
EnerPlex Camping ground Serial Queen
Thickness: 9 inches | Type: Air-mattress
Great for unexpected guests
Durable
Low R-value makes this model a poor option for common cold (even cool) weather
Heavy
Synthetic from PVC
Demand something to camp on just in one case, or for your unexpected guest to crash on for the weekend? And so the EnerPlex Camping Serial Queen is for you. It is non going to give y'all the condolement and warmth of most of the other mattresses in this review, but information technology volition provide some cushion on a very depression upkeep. We peculiarly enjoyed information technology for napping outside on a warm afternoon. This queen-sized mattress comes with a backpack-style storage bag and an electrical pump for a fraction of the cost of the foam mattresses.
While it does have a soft flocking on the superlative, in that location is no insulation in the Enerplex, so if you're using it in cold or even cool weather condition, it'll feel like you're sleeping on top of an icebox. This is a warm-weather or indoor selection but. But, with the toll so low, it might be worth information technology to take one of these lying around, just in case.
Read review: EnerPlex Camping Series Queen
Compare Products
Get the best dark's sleep possible on a deluxe camping ground mattress.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
Why You lot Should Trust Us
This review is brought to you by a Dream Team of OutdoorGearLab contributors Laurel Hunter and Matt Bento. Laurel Hunter lives in Central Oregon and is a car camping ground aficionado. She, her hubby, and two pups take crisscrossed the American West (and Canadian West) multiple times in their pickup, finding mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, and camping adventures. Equally a member of Yosemite Search and Rescue and a traveling rock climber, Matt Bento has spent many nights on air mattresses and understands all of the finer points well-nigh them, equally well equally the value of a good night's sleep.
We began this quest for camping condolement past combing through the range of bachelor options before deciding on the mats that are discussed here. After purchasing them and throwing them in the dorsum of the car, we took each of them out on numerous camping trips. They got used in our houses when nosotros had overnight guests, packed into our baggage for flights across the state, and lent out to friends and family unit for their utilize and feedback. Finally, we lined them all upwards side-by-side and measured aggrandizement and deflation times, laying on them one afterwards another to solidify our impressions from camping into a consensus of opinion. Throughout the testing process, we paid attention to things like insulation value, packed size, and ease of utilise, in improver to the nearly crucial factor of all, comfort.
Related: How We Tested Camping Pads & Mattresses
Assay and Test Results
Car camping mattresses are by and large several steps college on the condolement scale than the typical sleeping pad. The preferred sleeping pads for backpacking are lightweight and pack downwards into very small bundles, providing just plenty padding to help you sleep. The mattresses in this review are designed for maximum comfort. If y'all are but conveying it from the machine to the tent, why settle for a thin mattress? Nix beats a good night'southward sleep except a expert night of sleep in the outdoors. Many of these options are the pinnacle of inflatable luxury that will have you lot looking forward to bedtime every bit much equally y'all do your daytime adventuring.
If you lot live in your vehicle, so this level of comfort is worth its weight in aureate. These are essential equipment for committed auto campers, reluctant campers, or those who appreciate that meliorate recovery happens with a comfortable nighttime of slumber. Unexpected guests? Many of these mattresses will allow them to slumber also on your floor as they do in their own bed. One of these models was taken along on a wildland burn down assignment, and the tester reported excellent sleep every night for over two weeks, making it worth every penny.
Related: Buying Advice for Camping ground Pads & Mattresses
We tested the Xl versions of the leading manufacturers' high-end mattresses because if we're looking for luxury, why would we cull annihilation less than maximum real manor? Most of them were enormous. The typical dimensions are around 77 inches long past xxx inches wide for a unmarried mattress (6.v feet past 2.five anxiety). With then much surface area, however, you lot will want to consider the size of your tent earlier making a purchase. Many one-person tents are likewise small-scale to conform a mat of this mode, and smaller two-person tents may not fit ii.
We also tested a handful of big enough products for two people, which may exist smaller than two individual mattresses. Some models, however, practise come in more than moderate dimensions. All of the mattresses in our exam range from iii to 9 inches thick inflated. While machine campers probably don't need to worry about the weight, the big size means that they do counterbalance more standard sleeping pads.
Become the best night'south sleep possible on a deluxe camping mattress.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
Value
If you're in the market for a dedicated camping ground mattress, information technology might be because you've decided that you want something more comfortable than a lightweight backpacking pad or a accident-upwardly air mattress. The next question is, how much are you willing to spend? Nosotros can help y'all detect high-performing models that don't cost an arm and a leg. The Lightspeed XL is a corking option that volition salve you a lot of money compared to the Exped MegaMat. Our favorite mats all hover somewhere in the middle, including the Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D.
Comfort
Condolement is the main reason to add one of these mattresses to your chance kit. To examination this all-important metric, we took each i auto camping. Nosotros used them in the back of trucks and vans, in tents, and loaned them out to as many young man campers as we could find. Ane person who was prepare to surrender on camping altogether changed his mind later a deep nighttime'due south slumber on the Therm-A-Rest MondoKing. We rotated pads through the Tuolumne Meadows SAR site, where great sleep is essential for the job, and sore muscles make for very discerning sleepers. One gorging tester strapped ane onto his haversack for a short hike into the wilderness.
Plush cream mattresses plow your truck into a comfy nighttime out.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
We had house guests sleep on them, inside, on the living room floor, to get more than opinions on which mattress is the most comfortable. Lastly, we lined all of the models up side-by-side and spent an afternoon rolling around from pad to pad, carefully comparison the claim and flaws of each to make sure we got the ratings correct.
Comfort is subjective; some people like a very house sleeping surface, while others want a fluffy down pillow top to rest on. With this in mind, we evaluated whether each mattress could be adjusted from very firm to more than cushioned. We also looked at how easy it was to make adjustments and if they impacted other aspects of mattress performance. Some of the cocky-inflating foam mattresses are still comfortable, even when minimally inflated. We also considered whether each mattress was comfy for sleeping in dissimilar trunk positions, similar the back, stomach, and sides.
Another aspect of condolement we considered was whether these models agree air all dark or if they deflate over fourth dimension. If they lost air, did it cause u.s.a. to experience the ground below? Some of the thicker mats like the Sea-to-Tiptop Condolement Deluxe SI seemed to lose some air in the night, but we chalk that up to temperature differences between the evening and the morn.
The Exped MegaMat ten, Therm-a-Residue MondoKing 3D, REI Camp Dreamer, NEMO Roamer, Sea-to-Summit Comfort Deluxe SI, and Lightspeed Outdoors 40 all take near four inches of self-inflating foam and a similar soft polyester topper. All of these earned loftier marks for comfort. If you like the about foam possible to protect from the basis below, the Exped MegaMat Max 15 features an eye-popping six inches of air channeled cream. None of these models felt sticky, even on warmer nights. The Exped MegaMat Duo ten, which is the same mat as the MegaMat ten but nigh twice every bit wide, is as well notable for its high level of comfort. We put all of these in a special "supreme comfort" category that rivals your bed at dwelling.
About other pads are comfortable, just non exceptional. Least comfortable, compared to the other products in the test, were the bouncy air-core mats like the Enerplex Air Bed and the Klymit Insulated Double V. Proceed in heed that these mats will provide more cushion than a lightweight backpacker'south pad. Air mats or mats with pasty, plastic surfaces can be improved with a nice sheet, but for our review, we considered the bare surfaces of these mats lonely for comfort.
Warm, comfy, packable, lightweight! It'south non foam, just it's pretty impressive.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
Ease of Use
Nosotros considered ease of use to be the second most important metric behind condolement and weighted it 20 percent of a product'south final score. Who wants to wrestle with deflating and packing up a large mattress when all you want to do is become out of campsite and have fun? Likewise, nobody wants to spend an hour blowing up a large mattress with the power of their lungs.
Dual one-fashion valves hateful each one does a better job. Inflation-merely means you can accept your time between pumps without losing air. Large deflation valves dump air speedily for ease in packing.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
The ease of utilise ratings reflect how like shooting fish in a barrel a mattress is to set upward and inflate, and deflation and stowing abroad. If you lot're only using your mat occasionally, ease of packing might non be essential. For frequent campers, a mat that'due south awkward to whorl upwardly and difficult to fit in its storage sleeve can be a meaning headache. We used each of these mattresses in different situations to test this metric, from common cold nights in the back of a truck to summer evenings in a spacious tent. Nosotros then created a test scenario where we set up them all up at the same time in the aforementioned circumstances to improve analyze the nuances betwixt each one.
Why Doesn't a Self-inflating Mattress Cocky-Inflate?
The term "self-inflating" is a flake of a misnomer. Most self-inflating models take foam inside that slowly expands and draws air in once the pad is unrolled. Still, this process never fully inflates the pad. Typically, it gets the pad 60-eighty% inflated, and so you complete the inflation with a pump, inflation sack, or your lungs. Also, this self-inflation process can take up to 10 minutes. Therefore, when yous get to your campsite spot, we recommend immediately unrolling your pad to allow the foam to expand. Depending on your pad, it might likewise help to prop open the inflation valve with the handle of a utensil or a edgeless stick. Some come with a toggle for this purpose. The Sea-to-Summit Comfort Deluxe SI and the NEMO Roamer are both notable exceptions to the rule, self-inflating in less than five minutes.
It was quickly apparent which mattresses are a breeze to inflate and deflate and which other ones nosotros literally (at times) spent ten minutes or more wrestling with. The Sea-to-Summit Comfort Deluxe SI cocky-inflates more chop-chop than the other models. Our testers could stand and sentinel it take shape before their eyes, and information technology only requires v or so breathes if you lot like a business firm mattress. Similarly, the NEMO Roamer is a fast cocky-inflater, and the inflation sack is quick and easy to go the mat gear up for sleep.
The included pump sack moves a lot of air fast, making inflation of the Roamer super quick.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
On the reverse end of the spectrum are the Exped MegaMat models. We had to look more than than ten minutes for the self-inflating feature to do its job. The included manual mini-pump also requires a bit of boosted time to inflate these massive pads fully. Nosotros were quite impressed with the Therm-a-Residue dual-valve inflation system on both the MondoKing 3D and the NeoAir Topo Luxe, which apply the stuff sack every bit an easy-to-use inflation pump.
The REI Co-op Military camp Dreamer Twoscore uses a foam pump like the Exped, but information technology is much larger and moves more air, making the pad inflate more than apace. The pump doubles equally a debatably comfortable pillow. Whatever of these pads can be inflated with a bombardment-operated pump, equally well. In general, mattresses with dual valves were easier to utilise, equally a dedicated deflation valve makes packing upwards in the morning much quicker. Thicker foam mattresses were often harder to gyre up small enough to fit in their stuff sacks. The Exped MegaMats (10 and xv models) feature a Sidewinder stuff sack that opens on the side instead of the top, making for easy storage while all-around a slightly inflated mattress.
Warmth
Yous might assume that a warm sleeping bag will provide all the warmth you need for a night outside. But what about underneath yous, where your body weight crushes out the heat-trapping loft needed to go on you snuggly warm? Although often overlooked, the thermal properties of your sleeping pad play a very large part in how warm or cold you will be when you slumber exterior. Not convinced? Effort sleeping exterior with eight inches of un-insulated 40-degree air nether your body and see how it feels. For this review, we did, and it was cold.
To rate for warmth, nosotros started with our anecdotal experiences similar the one described above. Just we all slumber comfortably at different temperatures, not to mention the differences in sleeping bags, and so we relied on the manufacturers' stated R-values. With R-value, the larger the number, the greater the fabric'south ability to insulate against both heat and cold. The warmest and about insulated car camping mattresses are the Exped MegaMat Max and the Exped MegaMat 10. In the centre of the pack are the Lightspeed Outdoor XL, REI Co-op Camp Dreamer Twoscore, the NEMO Roamer, the Body of water-to-Superlative Comfort Deluxe SI, and the Therm-a-Balance MondoKing 3D.
The coldest, least insulated mattresses, which did cause us a chip of suffering outside in the mountains, even in summer, is the air bed-- the Enerplex Air Bed. Insulated air mattresses had a broader range of comfort, especially the Therm-a-Residue NeoAir and the Klymit Insulated Double V. However, foam core mattresses insulate much ameliorate than mats that utilize air to maintain their shape. Ane thing to keep in mind is that unless y'all're camping in sub-freezing temperatures, a mat with an R-value of 9 isn't going to feel very different than a mat with an R-value of vi, simply the warmer pad will have a larger packed size and is potentially more expensive.
The tester domestic dog loves the MegaMat x, too.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
The truth is, we didn't realize how essential the insulating properties of our sleeping pad were until we camped out for a weekend in the mountains in nearly-freezing temperatures. The get-go night we slept on un-insulated inflatable air beds, and despite beingness cocooned in 800-fill goose-down sleeping numberless, we were awake and cold all night long. The next night we changed mattresses, choosing those with an R-value of 6, and it made all the deviation. We slept well and felt incredibly cozy. That is the difference that insulation can make, and that is why we assigned warmth every bit twenty pct of a production's terminal score.
Our testers enjoyed the air mattress for a nap in the sunshine. Information technology lacks insulation for sleeping out in colder temperatures, however.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
Versatility
Versatility is a metric that takes a lot of different factors into consideration, including some of the other things we rated for. In a nutshell, the nigh versatile mattresses are the ones that best answer this question: Tin I use this pad right now, no affair what the activity or season? The lite, packable, and comfy Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe is a breeze to inflate and can fifty-fifty exist tucked into an airplane deport-on bag, making it an first-class option for traveling backpacking or camping. With an R-value of three.7, it volition provide ample insulation for about iii-flavor camping.
From the above description of what a very versatile mattress offers, you lot can imagine what the contrary stop of the spectrum looks like: heavy, bulky, difficult to utilize, cold to sleep on, etc. These are the kinds of things that mean you lot have to advisedly consider the weather and other weather earlier packing up your auto camping mattress. The reality is that most of us only want one mattress that will work pretty much all of the time. Compared to all the others that we tested, the least versatile auto-camping mattresses were the trio of air beds, in part considering they depended on their various methods of bombardment, mechanical, or electric inflation systems. Should the arrangement neglect (or if you don't want to bother your camping neighbors with the sound of a motor), it would be quite a feat to accept to inflate one of these babies using but your lungs.
Their full lack of insulation was also a large part of this assessment, meaning they have a limited temperature window for apply. Additionally, more than a few of these pads are too big to fit in a two-person tent, and some are besides large to fit in a standard truck bed. Overall, nosotros weighted versatility as 10 per centum of a product'due south concluding score.
Some mattresses accept a smaller amount of foam, therefore packing upwardly smaller, while still providing ample comfort.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
Packed Size
The final examination metric is packed size. Even in your car, there is a limited amount of room for lugging all the camping ground gear around, especially if you have a family unit.
Our award winners packed up for comparison.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
None of these mats come close to the compactness of a backpacking sleeping pad, with the possible exceptions of the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe, but the packed size is nonetheless a consideration when selecting a camping mattress. For that reason, we lined all the models in their stuff sacks up side-by-side and rated them based on what was the largest (lowest score) and smallest (highest score). The emerging pattern is articulate — the thicker, more comfy foam core mats have a larger packed size, while the less comfortable air mats can stow away in smaller spaces. Nevertheless, the NEMO Roamer has a bully trick of packing into half the height without beingness twice the width, making it much more maneuverable into pocket-sized spaces.
The Exped MegaMat 10 Duo is the largest mattress in its packed state, though it is big enough to sleep two. The most packable models are the Klymit Insulated Double Five, which can sleep two, and the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe. Neither of these mats are the most comfortable in our review, but they pack downwardly small enough to fit in your baggage and won't take up too much space in the minivan if you need mattresses for the whole family. The Exped MegaMat features a side-opening carrying bag, which is great for sloppy packing and holds extra bedding.
The side-opening stuff sack that comes with the MegaMat 10 makes storing the mattress a breeze.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
Decision
Enough of room for two on this double mattress.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
There are several things to go along in listen when you choose a car-camping mattress, and with all the models available, information technology tin can be a challenge knowing how to begin. Fortunately, in that location are some neat options available. Once you know whether you adopt a single or double mattress, inquire yourself how many nights will be you exist camping each yr. Similar to a mattress for your bed at dwelling house, some of the camping ground mats we reviewed can be pricey. But remember, if you are playing difficult outdoors, y'all volition want to recover well with a great nighttime'south slumber. A really comfy mattress will help y'all sleep also on the route as you do at home. If you lot spend a lot of time camping and playing hard outside, the actress expense seems well worth it. We hope that this review has helped you narrow down the option to choose what is all-time for you.
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Source: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/camping-and-hiking/best-camping-mattress
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