With the advent of SUVs and off-roading, it is now easy to travel to most places by your own vehicle. While we are offroad, it is fun to camp and continue the next day, until we reach home and warm up.
Since recreational vehicles, where we can do things like boiling water, and charge lanterns, are not an option to such places offroad, what is the best option in such situations?
What is the most comfortable thing to sleep on camping?
Since we already have roofs, doors, and windows read-made, it is always sensible to make use of our SUVs for overnight camping. We can have a car camping mattress spread over on the seat to convert our SUVs into a bed.
In addition to the bed, AC, easily accessible chargers, mirrors, light, audio systems, safety, and more, make the cars the best place to camp, when we are not sure about the surrounding.
With the seating arrangements, it is not advisable to be sleeping on the seats. For this reason, we have the camping mattress specifically for cars.
Car camping mattress vs a normal mattress?
A car camping mattress is different. It is different from the following three qualities.
Thicker
The thicker a mattress is, the better it will adjust to the car seat, and the more comfortable it will be to lie down on it.
Better Insulation
Since you are amidst a forest, it is sensible to have your mattresses insulated, so that the heat does not escape from the mattress.
Comfortable
As opposed to a normal hike, where you have limited weight to carry, here in the cars, you can carry mattresses that are heavier and more comfortable to sleep
Thickness
These mattresses come with foam or are inflated, or both. In any of the ways, they are thick and bulky.
This brings us to a question.
How thick should a car camping mattress be?
This is a personal preference. Some people are comfortable with a thick, hard mattress, while some other, soft, inflated mattresses. What you should consider is, that the bulkier the mattress is, the heavier it will be and a bigger place is required to carry it.
Are car mattresses comfortable?
Of course. Since you can afford to carry the mattresses even if they are a little heavier than the other mattresses, it is more comfortable.
Why do air mattresses always leak?
No! It is a wrong notion. Air mattresses do not always leak. They leak due to one of the following reasons.
- A hole in the air mattress lets the air out due to which it deflates
- If there is no hole, the mattress is overloaded, please check for the weight capacity and act accordingly
- There could be a tear in the vinyl
What can I use instead of an air mattress for car camping?
There are three options while you are using a mattress in a car for a camp.
- Inflated Mattress
- Foam Mattress
- Hybrid Mattress
If you don’t prefer the air mattress as you are not comfortable with them, you can go ahead and buy the hybrid or just a foam mattress that will not be as soft and balloon-like.
What to look for in a Car Camping Mattress?
Based on your experience and personal preference, you can consider the following things while considering a mattress for your car.
Dimension
The dimension of the mattress is important in two ways.
The size of the mattress should exactly fit into the sleepy surface without any extra mattress creating an uneven surface.
It should fit into the trunk of your car when you are selecting a two-person car camping mattress. The two-person mattress obviously takes more space. So, if it does not fit into the trunk then it is of no use.
Material
The material you are about to choose makes big difference while you sleep. You can select from Foam, Inflatable, and hybrid. Most people won’t prefer the inflatable ones as they don’t mimic the conventional mattresses, which might take your sleep.
So, you can select from hybrid or foam mattresses. A foam mattress is the conventional one, but the disadvantage could be that you might not be able to fold it and bring it to a tiny shape.
You might as well want to consider the insulation. which is generally measured by its R-value. The higher the R-value, the better the ability of the mattress to prevent heat loss. Get a mattress with a high R-value and enjoy your sleep during colder nights.
On colder days, you can wear an anorak jacket, down pants, or even climbing pants, and hiking boots.
8 Best Car Camping Mattresses
Let us check out some of the best camping mattresses of different types. We will be considering the material, insulation, size, volume, thickness, etc.
1. Inflatable Car Air Mattress Bed (car camping mattress for couples)
| Type | Inflatable |
| Material | Polyvinyl Chloride |
| Dimension | 52″L x 33″W x 5.9″T |
| Weight | 4.13 pounds |
| Price | $30.99 |
Foldable and inflatable car camping mattress for couples. It has strong support on the edges with two pillows. Comes with a healthy material designed for ergonomy.
2. KingChii CertiPUR-US Memory Foam Camping Mattress
| Type | Non-inflatable |
| Material | Memory Foam |
| Dimension | 72 x 24 x 3 inches |
| Weight | 4.6 Kilograms |
| Price | $109.95 |
Very thick rollable memory foam mattress that can resist temperature below zero degrees. This mattress comes with 3 inches thickness, and also contains 1/3 memory foam.
Despite its thickness, it is very light and portable for car camping.
3. INVOKER Camping Self-Inflating Car Camping Mattress
| Type | Self-inflatable |
| Material | Foam |
| Dimension | 77.2×27.6×3.15 inches |
| Weight | 6 Pounds |
| Price | $89.95 |
This is a self-inflating Car Camping Mattress with a small amount of breathing. It gets inflated in about 25 seconds! Phew, that’s pretty quick.
The fabric comes with a 3.15-inch thickness FlexFoam that feels like foam and provides your body with the most comfortable sleep.
4. Hikenture Double Sleeping Pad – Queen Car Camping Mattress
| Type | Inflatable |
| Material | Polyester Pongee |
| Dimension | 79″L x 55″W x 3.75″T |
| Weight | 3.64 Pounds |
| Price | $94.99 |
This is extremely thick with a thickness of about 3.75 inches and because of its thickness, to inflate it faster, it is given with 2 valves.
It is queen size and is perfect for couples to sleep during their camps in the car.
5. HEST Sleep System Sleeping Pad – From Rei Collection
| Type | Air Pad |
| Material | Moisture-wicking stretch nylon |
| Dimension | 78 x 25 x 7 inches |
| Weight | 26 pounds |
| Price | $449.00 |
This comes with a 2-layer foam construction that is durable and water-proof. Pockets are located to store gadgets on either side of the mattress.
Temperature is maintained consistently during different temperatures. The R-value of this mattress is 11.8 making it highly insulated.
6. ABE Non-Inflatable Car Mattress, Double-Sided Folding
| Type | Non-Inflatable |
| Material | Polyurethane |
| Dimension | 51.96″L x 30.7″W x 1.1″T |
| Weight | 12.52 pounds |
| Price | $128.97 |
For people who are not comfortable with inflatable mattresses, this comes as a boon to them. This will not feel too soft. It will more or less be like a foam mattress.
A layer of this mattress is made using comfort foam that has a double-sided design. It can be tied to the seat from behind and need not necessarily need a trunk to dump them in.
7. LostHorizon 4.5” Thick Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad with Solid Foam
| Type | Self Inflating |
| Material | Foam |
| Dimension | 80″L x 52″W x 4.5″T |
| Weight | 8.48 Kilograms |
| Price | $172.99 |
A little on the heavier side, this comes with a massive thickness of about 4.5 inches. This is designed for comfort and comfort only.
With a patented two-way valve design, inflation can be achieved by simply flipping the valve, which is easy to learn.
8. AIRELAX Double 3D Self-Inflating Camping Mattress
| Type | Self Inflating |
| Material | Foam, Thermoplastic Polyurethane |
| Dimension | 80″L x 52″W x 4″T |
| Weight | 14.2 Pounds |
| Price | $169.99 |
A very comfortable mattress with a 4-inch thickness with a surface material made of a material that protects you from noise and odor.
In addition, this is a water-proof material that can be used even outside of the car in a tent or such places.
