I have two of the nice-ish coleman air mattresses. Both have failed after a number of years, with a slow leak that is impossible to find.

I have two therm-a-rest pads that are about 15 years old. I've never found them particularly comfortable. For car camping, at least.

What would you guys recommend for car camping? I was thinking about just buying a basic intex air mattress for $7.

What about for hiking, but not ultralight. Comfort over weight. ??

REI sells pads that you blow up and they're 3" thick. Just as comfy as my sleep number at home. Camping is so much more enjoyable when you sleep well.

kayakag said:

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REI sells pads that you blow up and they're 3" thick. Just as comfy as my sleep number at home. Camping is so much more enjoyable when you sleep well.

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how much approx did it cost? I see that a lot of their air pads are in the $75+ range.

I'm looking for something reasonably compact and cheap that is good for warm/hot weather. Everything I've looked at is advertising it's insulation value, which is the opposite of what I need in South Texas.

Exped pads are comfy, though could be $$$.

Klymit static v for $40 on amazon. About 15 breaths to blow up and 1.5 inches thick. I've used it in a hammock and on the ground. Fabulous!

Home Depot sales Foam and Cordura covers for them. Bulky and hard to store, but cheap and comfy.

I have a big Agnes air core and it has been a game changer for me in terms of comfort coming from the older style of thermarest. Get the insulated version unless you only camp in very warm weather.

Look at the R value. The lower the number the cooler they are. Anything less than 3.5 will be great for Texas camping outside of the dead of winter.

I have an Alps Mountaineering pad that I like a lot.

Big Agnes. My son and I each have a pad. After 3.5 years they both developed a slow leak and would deflate 3 or 4 times a night. This is after tens of nights camping and 100 miles at Philmont.

I called Big Agnes, sent the pads in and they replaced them with new models, no charge.

I am a fan of Big Agnes. Great company.

I'm sorta in the same spot.

My 20 year old Thermarest works perfectly fine, but isn't what you would call comfortable for Cub Scout campouts.....worked like a charm last month in Colorado.

Sorry OP.

Camping heavy I sleep in a Coleman instant up 6 man tent and I sleep on a cot.

Only way To fly.

Just read this new round up last week.

http://expeditionportal.com/sleeping-pads-the-mother-of-all-reviews/

ThermaRest makes closed cell foam pads and self inflating pads. I've used both. When car camping I put a ThermaRest on top of an air mattress (best luck with Coleman) and I stay warm. The ThermaRest trail Pro is 2" thick self inflating so you can lay it directly on the tent floor. If I'm car camping, I bring an air mattress or cot though.

Unless it is very hot outside, sleeping on an air mattress in the outdoors without some type of insulator is going to be cold

ursusguy said:

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I'm sorta in the same spot.

My 20 year old Thermarest works perfectly fine, but isn't what you would call comfortable for Cub Scout campouts.....worked like a charm last month in Colorado.

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you really need to try these new generation thick pads. I was in the same spot last year with a thermarest from the turn of the century that I didn't love anymore. Even when I'm exhausted I'll wake up several times a night on a thermarest. Something always goes numb or is sore because I slept on it funny. Doesn't happen at all on my big agnes. I sleep like a baby on that damn thing and it packs smaller/lighter than my old thermarest. My only complaint when car camping with it is I wouldn't mind it being a few inches wider, but then I fall asleep and forget about it.

Do it.

The exped megamat is amazing. Not good for hiking in but if you're driving your gear in it is perfect.

My wife and I each have individual pads. She has the REI Camp Bed ( https://www.rei.com/product/870757/rei-camp-bed-35-self-inflating-sleeping-pad ). I have the Sea to Summit ( https://www.rei.com/product/882035/sea-to-summit-comfort-plus-insulated-rectangular-sleeping-pad ).

They're both great individually. However, we stick them in a Big Agnes Sleeping Giant cover ( https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Pad/sleepinggiantpadcover ) for an extra inch of memory foam goodness.

Super comfortable, warm, and helps with a good night sleep.

I've done the ultralight crappy sleep while living out of a ruck for way too long, this is about being comfortable.

For car camping we bought a bunch of those interlocking foam tiles and we line the floor of the tent with that, then put air mattress or sleep pads on top. they are great for adding a layer of cushion and help insulate you from the ground during colder weather.

Like this

My son has this one and I have something similar. Great product:

https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/897535/alps-mountaineering-stormer-air-pad-72-length

shiftyandquick said:

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I have two of the nice-ish coleman air mattresses. Both have failed after a number of years, with a slow leak that is impossible to find.

I have two therm-a-rest pads that are about 15 years old. I've never found them particularly comfortable. For car camping, at least.

What would you guys recommend for car camping? I was thinking about just buying a basic intex air mattress for $7.

What about for hiking, but not ultralight. Comfort over weight. ??

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I slept on various foam and air mattresses for over 30 years, from thin foam and self-inflating air mattresses while backpacking, to thick rolls of foam and pool air mattresses while I was a kid, and big, queen-sized air mattresses with the wife. This year, after about three campouts three weeks in a row (both cub scouts and personal stuff), I bought this cot from Academy.

The weekend before my back got irritated while sleeping on a nice REI self-inflating mattress (don't remember the model), and I wasn't quite over it the following weekend. I thought I'd finally try out a cot. I've never slept so good in a tent in all my life.

Another set of recent reviews

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-sleeping-pads-for-backpacking-and-car-camping/

Kylmit Static V. Insulated or non depending upon your needs. Or the lite if you'll be backpacking.

Did a cub scout campout this weekend. Couldn't pull the trigger on a $35+ sleep pad without knowing if it would ever be used again. Went with the basic $7 intex from Walmart. Worked great.

I have a tent cot for sleeping at the beach. Plenty comfy and easy to set up but not really meant for more than a single person.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000I641UQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479252396&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=Tent+cot