As much as I love spending the whole day walking to the wild campsite, sometimes I indulge in the luxury of car camping. Either alone or with my wife and kids.
When you go car camping you automatically avoid the obvious “hardships” of camping in the wild like the possibility of rain, cold nights, mosquitos, moisture and many more. Car camping also gives you the flexibility to switch camping spots in a snap.
When I was younger, I simply slept on the front seat of my car. Later, I became smarter and started using inflatable car mattress (inflatable car bed).
So, how an inflatable car mattress is different from other types of mattresses and what you have to know before you decide to buy one online or in the store?
The backseat of your car is not that small as it may seem at first sight. And, when you deploy a mattress on it, it gets almost twice the width. Why? – Simply because you fill the gap between the rear and the front seats. After you inflate your travel mattress and fit it on your backseat, you will get a bed of decent size – up to 6 ft 6 in (or more) in length and up to 4 ft wide. That is quite a huge bed, even for two people.
Car mattresses have special shapes (most have cut-outs for the console which sticks out between two front seats).
They have a special bottom part which fills the space where passengers feet go when they seat on the backseat.
They are less thick than the usual inflated mattresses simply because your seat is already soft and you don’t need more softness.
There are also inflatable car mattresses specially designed for the pick-up truck. These can accommodate your whole family.
When flipped upside down it make a great soft couch for use at the camping site.
It is not only about camping. If you took a cross-country trip and you take a rather spontaneous approach, you may never know when and where you are going to sleep. That is the time a blow-up mattress for the car comes into play. When deflated, it doesn’t take much space and it only takes several minutes to inflate (when you use an electrical 12V car pump). This makes you extremely flexible – you can set up your bed within minutes. A back seat air mattress is good to have in your car at all times.
Now, let’s see what exact models of blow up car beds there are on the market so that you can choose the one that suits you best. Read this and then pick your best blow up mattress for car.
This car air bed is made of good quality PVC. The good thing about it is that the mattress has two separate chambers which can be inflated separately. This way you can adjust the hardness of both parts to that it fits well on the back seat of your car.
Short time of inflation. It will take only 2-3 minutes to inflate it.
Takes relatively little space when deflated. You can always have it in your car.
12V car air pump included.
Can be used also as a couch when flipped upside down.
Made of non-toxic materials. Safe for adults, children, and pets.
Sturdy and holds weight up to 800 lb (~360 kg).
Repair kit included so you don’t have to worry about punctures when it happens.
Has to be reinflated after 10-12 hours of use because air leaks away from it bit by bit.
Even though velvet material is comfortable, it makes the dust and lint stick to it and the cleaning of it is not that easy.
If you have a smaller car, you’ll probably have to deflate it (at least partially) before driving. The front seats must be slid all the way to the front when the mattress is laid down on the back seat.
The valve is in an uncomfortable position. It might be hard to get to it to deflate the mattress.
This is an air mattress specially designed for SUVs. This one is huge. If you are young parents, you might even fit on it with your child.
This giant back seat air mattress fits most SUVs and minivans. The mattress consists of three folding pieces which help the mattress adjust to the vehicle interior.
It is huge and it will fit 2 or even 3 people.
Inflates and deflates fast (around 5 minutes).
Will fit in almost any SUV or minivan.
The pillows are not included, so make sure you have them before heading out.
Some people say the mattress is too thin. Comparing to air mattresses for the backseat, this one is actually a bit thin. It could be thicker because it is put on the hard ground, not on the soft backseat.
May be too large for crossovers and smaller SUVs.
Inflation is a bit tricky. One plug has to be inserted into the valve before starting to inflate the mattress. Otherwise, the air will be escaping.
This inflatable car mattress fits nearly every sedan because its size can be adjusted by the level of inflation. We can call it one of the most universal car travel mattress.
Inflates and deflates very fast. This car air mattress comes with the newest special air tap for extra-speeded inflation and deflation. Keeps the air inside for 10-12 hours and more. After 10-12 hours you might need to inflate it a bit to make it hard again.
The mattress is made of 3 separate airbags which makes it more stable and less likely to deflate fast.
The mattress is surprisingly comfortable. It features the exquisite flocking surface, thickened design, 6P environment-friendly material.
The pump which comes in package works relatively silently.
One of the most universal car air mattresses. Its size can be adjusted by the level of inflation.
Lightweight and takes little space.
Easy-to-use 12V car air pump included.
Inflates and deflates fast (around 3 minutes).
Has to be inflated additionally after 10-12 hours of use because of natural leakage of the air.
This is my favorite one. First, I like the color. Second, the size.
In my opinion, this inflatable air mattress for cars if a must have if you go car camping with your SUV or minivan.
Easy to inflate and deflate, this inflatable mattress gives you the comfort of sleeping in the back of your car within minutes.
Some people say that the mattress is too thin.
Fits great for most sedans.
Two inflatable pillows included in the package.
Great thing to have in your car at all times.
May be used as a couch when flipped upside down.
Inflates and deflates fast (around 2-3 minutes).
These are the 5 best inflatable car mattresses. If you have used any of them or some others, leave a comment below or ask questions.
Air bed for the car is a great idea both when you are going camping and cross-country traveling. They take little space and are very helpful when it comes time to rest.