The Camping Forum

[MrsPitStop]

Seen as I now need to take this air bed back, I was just wondering which is best a air bed or camp bed?

Ive heard everyone say that with air beds you need to put blankets under them to stop them getting cold I just wondered weather with the space under a camp bed if they get cold too?

I noticed that Go Outdoors have some camp beds down to £4.99 this week, I know they wont be the best but I might look into others if they are possibly the better choice? The reason I went for an air bed originally was because I wanted a double sleeping bag but OH has now said to get myself a single one as he is happy with his mummy bag and is worried about the heat loss that a double would have Im now thinking if we both have single bags then its not so important to have a double air bed.

[ChrisR]

Air bed for me.

Having said that i can't say i've actually tried a camp bed for quite a long time.. roll out mats i have and personally prefer the air bed.

[valleydaddy]

I've got both and I like both!!

If on my own I use the camp bed similar to the GO one.

If with the OH we have a double height airbed that inflates of the leisure battery with inverter

nice and cosy

[MrsPitStop]

I've got both and I like both!!

which is warmer? I was going to get my daughter the Coleman game bed but not so sure now as delivery is £6.95 , and unfortunately no where near sells it, not sure if I can justify that much money for her bed to the OH so she may just end up with a normal one.

[Donnelly69]

Thermarests for us, there's nothing comes close to the insulation or comfort of the Base Camp model.

Air beds have at least four inches of space below you that the ground just loves to suck the warmth out of and the same for camp beds. Yes, you're off the ground, but your body loses heat from all sides. There's also no need to carry extra blankets, roll mats etc for extra insulation.

We've pitched on ground so hard from frost that I've had to use a claw hammer to put the pegs in! and slept many a night on frozen snow Mind you, a decent sleeping bag also helps!

[valleydaddy]

the campbed seems warmer but wouldn't swear to it as in airbed I'm usually sharing it with OH

I prefer the campbed as it's off the ground.

Saw a really nice Outwell XL campbed in a store the other day but it was £50

[MrsPitStop]

Well Im hopefully going camping shopping tomorrow, going to go back to the exhibition that ends at the weekend they had a few camp beds there and lots of air beds. I know they had a pink childrens camp bed that little one would love but like I thought you would lose heat from all around you. She says she was warm enough Saturday night on an air bed with an envelope sleeping bag unfolded underneath it. Just all these extra rugs are going to take more room in the boot.

Just trying to justify the price of that coleman before telling the OH I dont think there is a justification other than I think its cool.

As for us again I keep going back to an air bed, if I had the money right now it would be one of the double hight ones

[valleydaddy]

tesco had the double height ones for around £30 or less on offer last week for a double, they self inflate of a electric hook up or via a 240v incar convertor which I use.

[Rob-merlin1973]

Be aware that a double height air bed will drasticly reduce the room in your pod and if you have a pod with sloping sides you may find the bed or your face pressed against it.

I use 2 options
We have a Coleman Comfort double air bed which has 2 seperate air chambers to prevent roll together. This is an exellent double that has never gone down on us (YET)
We also have 2 single self inflating mat's, held together with a fitted sheet. These are also really comfortable and at 7cm thick they are warm.

My secret with the airbeds and insulation is not loads of blankets but Laminate flooring underlay (the silver backed foam sort on a roll). I have cut this into lengths and i use it to carpet the floor in all the pods. This makes the pods a lot warmer and it costs very little.

[MrsPitStop]

Why oh why do I bother

Took the air bed back to go out doors and my dad spotted the £4.99 camp bed He said that would be perfect for little one, I had a lay on it and felt very comfy so picked one up

Got home, what with previous experience I thought it was best to get it out and make sure all the bits where there. Tried to put it together and OH came down he tried to put it together but no, it wont go, the long bars a far to long to fit in the channel no matter how much pulling a tugging there is no way they will go in.

He dont like the chair I bought him from the exhibition he finds my bright pink one more comfortable so have to go do the driving all other again tomorrow

There was me back all happy we finally had everything for when we go away.

[Wayne]

Personally, I never got on with airbeds, I have found the best thing for us is a SIM (self Inflating Mat) as Merlin said. Ours is a double at 5mm think, wouldn't want to go any thinner than that to be honest.

[MrsPitStop]

I think Im finally all sorted now, cant think of anything else that needs buying before we go away at the end of August. Got us the Vango double and little one the Campingaz single in the end. thanks for the info though I keep reading how comfy the SIM's are but just don't fancy being that low to the ground, I would never get back up again

[LittleWideWorld]

I recently borrowed a friends camp bed (to try out and help me decide whether to get one). I put my SIM on top of the camp bed and had the best nights sleep I've had in years.

It helped that the kids were 70 miles away

I am going to invest in a camp bed before my next camping trip.

[MrsPitStop]

I think it might be what we eventually trade up to, a Camp Bed with SIM on top, but will probably stick to the air beds for the next couple of years.

[valleydaddy]

I recently borrowed a friends camp bed (to try out and help me decide whether to get one). I put my SIM on top of the camp bed and had the best nights sleep I've had in years.

That's what I do and it's amazingly comfy