see also:

• photography and camping main index page
• car camping / glamping MY WAY
• air beds, mattresses and stretchers for camping

• many struggle with getting a good night sleep
• the trick is to ensure your “bed” and pillow is a similar to your own one in terms of comfort, insulation, and width
• if it is too narrow, as with most hiking mats, your elbows will fall off it and your knees will too when you lie on your side
• furthermore, most of the time you are better being elevated oof the ground for the following reasons:
  • it is warmer the higher you are in your tent, especially if you are in a small 1-3P tent
  • if it is higher than ~38cm, you can sit on it to put your shoes on in the morning and it is easier to get onto and off
  • it gets your bedding off the floor which despite waterproofing, may get wet in heavy rain, and you do not want your bedding wet, especially if it is down
• ideally, it should not take too long to set up and to pack up and it should not weigh over 10kg
  • you can get heavy duty stretchers that quick fold, these are generally very bulky and heavy
  • you can get sturdy compact, lightweight stretchers at around 3-4kg or less, but they take time to set up and pack up as they require assembling
  • a single high air bed or even a double high air bed by itself, is NOT insulating and lacks comfort

• 195x135x42cm; R10.5; 8.4kg; packs to 78x35cm; $449 plus pump
• this is really a Zempire Monstamat 10cm self-inflating mattress on top of a thick air bed but joined so the top one does not slide off
• the 42cm height is perfect for most adults
• the top air bed is actually a 10cm thick self-inflating foam air mat which in itself is a great mattress and contributes most of the insulation and comfort, but becomes even better with the air bed attached under it
• at 135cm wide, it gives one person a luxurious wide bed, but can provide reasonable space for a couple, or one adult and a child
• the large air component reduces movement when person moves so you get less disruptions
• whilst it is bulky at 78x35cm packed size, this is actually shorter than a single self-inflating mat but thicker and twice the weight
• unlike most stretchers, it does not have weight bearing legs that can damage your tent floor
• unlike many air beds it does not contain PVC (PVC is not the best for you with prolonged exposures if you slept on one every night)
• you should have the rechargeable Zempire Monstapump that is designed to attach to it via a screw adapter (otherwise you may need to hold a pump onto it which would be a nuisance and not as effective)
• if worst case occurs and the bottom air bed fails, you will still get a comfortable sleep on the top mat
• if this is too big, there is a single version but it is not quite as supportive when sitting on the edge
• cons
  • bulky and relatively heavy
  • the bottom air bed may puncture requiring repair so you need to be careful there are no sharp objects near it or under it
  • the valves may leak requiring repeat inflation
  • it will be noisy to inflate - so don't be arriving at a campsite after 10pm and waking everyone else up
  • you will need to bring the pump and ensure it was charged up prior to departure
  • reasonably expensive
  • cannot adjust height to account for uneven ground (but then, most stretchers do not allow legs to be individually adjusted for height either) - bring some thick rubber square mats to hep with leveling
  • needs to be kept away from heat sources and camp fire embers
  • needs to be deflated a little during the day time to avoid over-inflation as it warms up
  • max of 1psi, so best to use the Zempire Monstapump for safety to avoid over-inflation
  • takes a bit of time to deflate with you lying on it rolled up, and if using the pump to dramatically speed this up, it will be noisy so don't be packing up before all the campers wake up! Deflating with the Monstapump uses 4.8Wh of its battery.

• most 2P hiking tents are 150cm wide internally, but many slope inwards towards the top and so you will need to check that the width at 42cm height will be wide enough
  • it will snuggly fit inside the 2P version of the 3f UL Gear TC cotton Kangaro inner tents but not the Vidalido Land Yu 2Persons TC Cotton S-T139 Tent
• a 3P hiking tent would not have any issues
  • the 3P Goout Springhill Penglai Kangaro TC bird-wing style tents Black Inner Tent would be awesome inside a NatureHike Sand Dune 10.9 hot tent and give extra room, fantastic ventilation options on warm days - true 4 season glamping!
    • https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006384349983.html but its just over $AU400 delivered with GST unless you are lucky enough to get it on special

• the main purposes of the electric blanket are:
  • provide some luxurious sleeping warmth
  • some insurance against inadequately warm quilt or sleeping bag
  • if in a small 1-2P tent, it will help to warm up the air you breathe which makes sleeping much more comfortable and healthy - see the problem with cold air whilst camping
• finding a 12V electric blanket for this size is not easy and whichever size and model you get, you will need to ensure it does not crumple up while it is on as this creates hot spots which could lead to scorching or worse
  • to ensure they don't crumple up, attach tarp adapters to each corner and hold each corner in place by using a large bungee cord or similar wrapped around under the air bed
• examples:
  • see 12V heating pads / "electric blankets" to lie on (you will also need a 12V LiFePO4 battery of at least 60Ah for a couple of nights use on low power)
  • the ElectroWarmth T36 mattress pad “twin” size at 152x91cm is probably the best size but these are hard to get in Australia for a reasonable price if at all
  • the generic Chinese models with 9 setting controller with various timers on it are probably the best compromise, if used carefully
    • you may only need this on setting 1!
    • single bed generic Chinese electric blanket is 175x65cm (you could fit two of these so each partner has independent heat control!)
      • for a single one, you would need two 2.8m total length bungee cords plus luggage straps, webbing straps or similar to hold it in place
      • if using two singles, then you need to join them then use two 2.1-2.2m elasticated cords to hold them in place
    • double is a bit too wide at 160x150cm and wastes your power
  • a compromise is the Kickass blanket with 3 settings
    • 142x98cm makes it a nicer fit, but it powers off after 45min which is a real nuisance

• 10-15cm self inflating relatively wide King Single mat
  • this is very versatile and comfortable but still quite bulky and expensive
  • if these are too big, consider something like the Sea to Summit Camp Plus Mat Self Inflating WIDE Regular 75D R4.3 7.5cm thick 183x64cm 1220g
  • see air beds, mattresses and stretchers for camping
• sturdy, compact 65-70cm wide stretcher
  • there are many around and you don't need to buy the super expensive Helios models
  • ensure you get the model with the add on extra height legs as these will get you higher up at around 38cm
  • you should also consider buying a strong mat or tarp to put under the stretcher legs to protect the tent floor
  • see air beds, mattresses and stretchers for camping
• add a single bed size 12V electric blanket as above