Hi-Gear Deluxe Single Air Bed with Built-in Foot Pump and Raised Pillow, Single Air Mattress, Single Inflatable Bed, Ideal for Camping and Festivals, Camping Equipment, Grey, One Size

Product Information

The top surface can be a soft, non-slip material, for example, brushed cotton. Some contain additional comfort materials such as a layer of memory foam. Sometimes the inside of the mattress is divided into chambers - either vertically or horizontally arranged - to ensure better support.’ Consider whether you want a single or a double – there are also some great ones for kids – as a standard single air mattress is just 60cm wide, which is much smaller than a normal single bed. So, if you want to spread out, or snuggle up with someone, a double may be far more comfortable. Of course, if you're going away, ease of use and transportation are also super important, and there are so many designs and varieties out there that suit all needs.

A smooth-to-the-touch greige polyester fabric covers the PVC structure on this air bed. I was impressed: I think it would blend well into most modern and classic design schemes. I slept comfortably on this bed overnight and didn’t need to inflate it in the morning. A two-minute bounce from Bethany and William soon changed this, but overall I was impressed at how well it retained its firmness. There was the odd squeak when I turned from side to side, but I managed to dampen this with an extra blanket on the bed. Supplied in a carry bag that’s around the size of a pillow, this camping mat has two valves to make inflating and (importantly) deflating super simple. If you wait for an hour, air will naturally be drawn inside and it will just need a few big breaths to top it up to the firmness you like – or, if time is tight, it doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes to inflate manually. It can also be clipped to a second mattress to make a double, which is a well thought out bonus.I may not have my priorities right, but the first thing I wanted to do when inflating the Intex was to give it a stroke. Its top layer of wonderfully smooth fabric feels good to touch. Team that with the vertical lines spanning the bed’s length, and the Intex looks and feels very enticing to sleep on. What makes air beds worth it is the far better quality of sleep they offer by elevating you properly off the ground. They also allow you to eschew sleeping bags in favour of proper sheets, pillows and duvets to make camping far comfier. A good air bed is also a great investment for putting guests up in comfort at home. Not a brand generally associated with the great outdoors but certainly one that’s synonymous with sleep and mattresses, Silentnight’s self-inflating design is solid value and an incredibly comfortable option. We tested the double, however, a 60cm single is also available for half the price. With two drawstring pulls on either side, the bag that this air bed comes with is possibly the most practical of all the storage bags in this test. It’s also one of the lightest to carry. The built-in pump can be used for up to five minutes at a time to inflate and deflate, and I found that the bed was nicely blown up with a bit of squish at around the 4.5 minute mark. It has an insulation “R” rating of 2.3, making it best suited for summer expeditions. We love the fact it also comes with an expensive repair kit and a bag that can be used to inflate the air mattress saving your lungs after a long day’s hiking.

READ NEXT: The best inflatable tents to buy The best air mattresses and sleeping pads you can buy in 2023 1. Snugpak Air Mat with Built-in Foot Pump: Best lightweight easy inflation air mattress The choice of airbeds for occasional guest use has become a lot more sophisticated in recent years,’ says Jessica Alexander from the National Bed Federation. ‘While they are not intended as a replacement for a proper mattress – since they don’t provide the same support – they are increasingly impressive in terms of comfort.’ Whether you're off on a family camping trip, heading to a festival with your friends, have unexpected house guests, or you're just planning on having a cosy night in your living room watching Netflix, having the right air bed is essential. Whether it's a single, double, or something a little bigger, the following factors are non-negotiable if you want to guarantee a good night's sleep: comfort, quality, and materials.The average air bed can easily last up to 15 years. Often, if you opt for an air bed that has a built-in pump, the pump will fail before the bed will. How to choose the best air bed for you It took around three minutes to inflate and deflate, making the Intex one of the faster-to-assemble air beds in this round up. The manual inflation port within the cord storage is also easy to find, which would come in useful if you’re camping and want to use your own standalone pump. Air mattresses are usually either self-inflatable or need blowing up manually. Usually, only the thinnest camping mats can be inflated with just lung power; larger air mattresses usually require a pump and can take some time to fill. What often sets good mattresses and cheap mattresses apart is the use of one-way valves. These make blowing them up much easier as no air can escape during the process and they are also much less likely to leak.