Car campers who prefer extra comfort will find self-inflating camping beds to be the ideal solution, providing a homelike sleeping surface with enough cushioning to support shoulders and hips when rolling around in bed at night. Unfortunately, however, they’re not as compact as backpacking sleeping mats (with the exception of NEMO Quasar and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Topo Luxe models) so more storage space must be allocated in your vehicle or truck for these beds.
These self-inflating camping mats all boast unique features, but their primary draw is padding thickness. While some pads may only provide two inches or three, others can go as thick as four or more, offering comfort from standard camping mats to mattress-like experiences. Naturally, thicker pads will offer greater night’s rest–though this often comes at the expense of packability and weight considerations.
Our top pick for luxury camping beds is the Therm-a-Rest Luxury Map, which provides a luxurious sleeping experience that mimics sleeping at home. This is due to the plush, supportive layers of foam. Furthermore, its slip-resistant fabric and 3-inch air mattress lift you off the ground while its tight carrying bag make packing and unpacking difficult.
Apart from padding, other considerations for selecting a camping bed include durability, warmth, and ease of setup and deflation. All the self-inflating beds featured here are well made and durable; although some models may take longer to inflate. They all deflate quickly though and their inflation valves screw and unscrew more effortlessly than any others I’ve used.
Decathlon’s self-inflating hikers’ camping mat is an affordable alternative for European adventurers looking for comfortable nights of rest on an elevated platform and protecting you from cold ground surfaces. While it has some drawbacks like slow inflation and an R-value rating of only 2.6, Decathlon’s version remains an excellent budget option for adventurers in Europe.