Self inflating mats vs airbeds?

[Ceolas]

Which do you use and why?

We spent ages pumping up airbeds on our last trip but I'm worried a SIM might not be as comfy (especially for a larger person )

We have had airbeds, my dh used one up to two years ago when we tried out a sim. I have to have a bed as I can't get off the floor (arthritis) He slept really well quicker to set up just undo the top and leave it do up top when your ready to go to bed. Our girl have hand those low to the ground cheap argos metal camp bed but as they are getting old and the older one had to use the sim on a camp she went on and really liked it have just bought the Vango 3/4 length trek mats. My dh also has a vango one it is wide. If you go to go outdoors they have a area with stones on that you can try them out on. Which is what he did. We then knew what to look for in other shops

I have a gelert adventure xl SIM it is seriously comfy, it is 10cm thick and I reckon it is more comfy than my bed at home.

My Dd's sleep on Aldi 5cm SIMS and they are fine on them, much warmer than airbeds too.

I recently bought an Aldi SIM and slept on it at home on Sat night (we had guests, I wasn't just being a bit odd). It was quite comfy, but maybe the thicker and more expensive ones would be even more so. I think the cheaper, thinner ones are better for children, rather than fat old slightly overweight people

i've got 2.5cm outwells, honestly, even at that thickness they are SO much better to sleep on than poxy airbeds.

After years of air-beds ( and 1 experience of blowing the buggers up with a hand pump) We just switched to 3.5 inch self inflating mats.They were AWESOME Ive never slept so well. Mine is better than my bed at home.Im all done with air beds now

After TONS of research and conflicting opinions, I bought the Alpkit Dozer (60 quid) for my and DH and the Little Kippa for my sons. The Dozer's are brill - I am a proper princess and do NOT like roughing it!! Just back from first camping trip and slept really well for 5 nights. Next time I'm taking my pillow though. As for the Little Kippa - my littlest who is 4 slept fine but my older son (7) is really too big for it already and it's supposed to be for an average 9 year old!

www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=category&category_id=289

We used air beds for a few years but my bad back forced me to buy a (Gelert, I think) airbed. Usually I crawl out of bed with my back, but after using this for one night I leapt up like a young 'un!

If you have a little plug in the back of your car, or a cigarette lighter socket, you can inflate air beds in a matter of seconds with a small pump that costs less than a tenner.
If you stick with blow-ups.

we have a battery pump,cost a fiver and inflates an airbed in seconds

Thanks for all the comments. I find with our battery pump that it only inflates so far and I have to blow them up a bit at the end. It's a right pain. Mudand, did you switch to a Gelert self inflating mat?

I brought an aerobed a few months ago, used it for the last week and it has been wonderful. I did have a roll mat underneath to stop the cold coming up. Comes with battery pump that I charged up at home which lasted the whole week. Pump also deflates.

I am looking at SIMS - Dozers are sold out from Alpkit (and can't find them anywhere else). Am now looking at Vango 7cm vs Outwell 7cm mats (vs Thermarests but I think we might have to try and keep our budget down as we're buying a lot of stuff!). Anyone have any experience of them?!

We just bought some 10cm SIMS from Go outdoors. They were £22.50 each with a voucher code from their website. They're HiGear (their own brand) but were very comfortable.

Full price was £55 I think.

I have the Thermarest Basecamp XL bought on-line from Facewest for approx £70, it is one of the thickest they do, unless you but the one with memory foam on top of it aswell. It is very, very warm and I do get a decnet nights sleep but I am a side sleeper so I sometimes wonder if i would have been better off with the Alpkit Dozer....it's obviously not as comfy as my bed at home but it keeps me warm and that is essential for me, I hate to be cold.

We've got a king size aerobed, and it is a fantastic nights sleep. Inflates in under a minute, and you can adjust the firmness with the remote to get it exactly right whewn you are lying on it. Doesn't deflate overnight

I've got the Alpkit Airo, which is 2.5cm thick, and it is perfectly comfortable even on very bumpy ground. It seems a reasonable compromise between comfort & weight (often camping without a car, so didn't want something weighing nearly 2 kg like the Dozer!)

Quite a challenge getting enough air out of it to get it into its original bag, though - would have much preferred a slightly larger one, even though it would take up a bit more space in the rucksack.

Useful to hear other people's experience of the different ones! I am so annoyed they have sold out of Dozers! Could buy a wideboy or dirtbag but worried they are only 5cm and I am a side sleeper too...

Interesting about the 10cm ones from GoOutdoors - will have a look - thanks.

SIM over airbed anytime! The thicker the better, although even as a side sleeper I find my standard thermarest and ds aldi SIM fine, but a heavier person might not. A cheap closed cell camping mat under the SIM can be helpful on very stony ground.

We have gone for 10cm gelert adventure xl - will be trying them out in 10 days time. They haven't arrived yet. Will let you know how they are!