Is it worth buying an airbed?

[Swin]

+1 to the airbed plan. I used mats in the past but found my back played up every morning afterwards. If you're a young and healthy buck perhaps you wouldn't have this problem

We go camping 4 or 5 times a year, but we always take the car so space for packing isnt' really an issue - we even take a portable dvd player so we can watch a movie and enjoy a glass of wine or two watching it!

How much for a Thermarest? I could stay in a b&b for that.

I think I'll go for a £6 Asda airbed and see how it goes.

[maviczap]

After attending last years AR, I found I didn't sleep as well as I used too camping. Obviously not enough to drink

So I got a thermarest self inflating type from Lidl the other week, which should be a lot btter than my old foam mat. But its a bit on the big size, so I might go and get an air bed, as it'll be smaller to pack. I've got a battery powered air bed pump, which will do the job.

But I was in Decathlon Thurrock yesterday and they had these neat folding beds, different to the normal camping bed, but looked more comfy.

But was a bit too big for the bike

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Woz

How much for a Thermarest? I could stay in a b&b for that.

I think I'll go for a £6 Asda airbed and see how it goes.

£12.99 at Lidl and about the same at Decathlon. If you're only going to use it once, buy an airbed, then bin it

I have used a camp-bed, and a self-inflating roll-mat (that deflated when slept on - but I did blow it up a bit more than it's meant to!) Camp bed is comfortable, a bit heavy, but smaller than a roll-mat, so good for bike tours. It is colder than a roll-mat, due to only a small layer of canvas between me and the air. Roll mat was good, before it started to deflate it was better, but whisky puts me to sleep before I feel the lumps! It still holds enough air to level the ground out a fair bit.

No reason you can't use an air-bed, I doubt a single would be massive, a double would require a huge tent.

Size of tent is important for warmth, the only heater is the body inside the tent. I find a lower-roofed 2-man tent good for the bike - enough room for me and my kit inside. More headroom and space is more comfortable, but does get colder. Depends on what you need most I suppose.

[Swin]

a word of warning - don't set an air bed to inflating with an electrical inflater and wander off for a tinny while it does it - you may come back to find a beach ball sized lump in the middle of the bed!

Luckily there was a shop nearby that sold airbeds!

[Paul the 6th]

self inflating air matresses: http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/ac...ats_Vango.html

Originally Posted by Paul the 6th

self inflating air matresses: http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/ac...ats_Vango.html

Amen to that. I've used one of them for years on various exercises around the country, Dartmoor, Longmoor, Brecon Beacons, all the nasty places with cold ground. It's kept me warm and toasty with just a sleeping bag and bivvi bag on Dartmoor in the worst of weathers. The valve is self-inflating, so just leave it open for 10 minutes and the bed will inflate fully, or you can blow into it to speed the process.

Also, if you're a little bit clever you can cut through the internal matrix and make the top part into a pillow, but I never bothered.

Lovely bit of kit, packs down small, packs down light, and they normally tend to be intrinsically waterproof.

[Paul the 6th]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

My theory is the big volume in air bed allows circulation of air to cold ground... whereas thermarest does not allow this circulation. Either way I notice difference if I try and sleep in a tent sober

I thought it was the case that if you don't bother with a matt or airbed, the ground acts as a heat sink and saps all your warmth. By placing a barrier of air between you and the ground, you're adding an extra layer of insulation? Come on YC you're meant to be the physics guy

[Swin]

That's what I thought too Paul - the air gap in the mattress traps the warm air from your body and creates a layer between you and the ground.

I always felt sort of cold and damp after sleeping on a camping mat, although that could have been the ex-wife laying next to me causing it...