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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

Has anyone out there got/tried a zonkpad?

22 replies

Lovecat · 11/02/2012 22:43

I was browsing the soulpad site (as one does) and came across these

I'm wondering if this could be the answer to my bad back - much as I love camping, I have great difficulty in getting comfortable enough to sleep (without gin, anyway) and have yet to find the perfect bedding that allows me to get up without spending the first half hour of the day hobbling around like something from Planet of the Apes... have tried SIMs, airbeds, foam mats, combinations of all 3... the SIM was probably the best, but still left me stiff in the morning (fnar).

I have been looking at aerobeds, as they have been recommended to me, but have read varying reviews about slow punctures/not inflating fully etc. , and the camping-specific ones are only in a standard 4'6 double size, which is not enough room for self and DH (we both like to spread out!). I don't mind spending out for something that will last me, we have booked up 5 camping trips already this year (including 2 weeks in France) so I think it's worth paying that much if it will give me a decent night's kip.

So if anyone has got one/slept on one/can instantly see reasons why it would be awful, please let me know! :)

OP posts:
muchostinky · 12/02/2012 16:46

It looks good, if a bit expensive - but as you said Lovecat if it saves your back it is worth every penny!

I await any possible reviews too :)

Canvasali · 12/02/2012 18:18

Hi there,

I was reading about these, and apparently they sell in Lakeland and m and s as well and probably cheaper! Let me know if you find one at a better price although if it's a good nights sleep I'm sure it's worth it.

Original poster
Lovecat · 12/02/2012 21:44

Just got one on ebay for £69 plus postage if anyone's interested... I thought at that price it was worth a punt!

Lakeland discontinued them, Fads do them but for the same price as Soulpad, but they are on eBay for (relatively) reasonable sums, new.

I will let you know how it feels when it arrives! :o

OP posts:
5ofus · 13/02/2012 11:44

Marking my place. I'm fed up of my airbed now!

muchostinky · 13/02/2012 18:33

Trying to find them on ebay and not having much luck - what did you find them under Lovecat?

Original poster
Lovecat · 13/02/2012 18:48

They were listed under this seller, muchostinky :)

OP posts:
toddlerama · 13/02/2012 18:53

I've switched to a canvas and frame bed. Airbeds start out good but slow punctures and never being able to work out why it's sagging in the night really sucks. DH and I always end up rolled into the middle as they deflate!

cheerup · 13/02/2012 20:22

Looks great - bit of a beast to get in the boot though!

Original poster
Lovecat · 14/02/2012 23:45

It has arrived! I'm going to road-test it tomorrow night and will report back.

Cheerup, it's actually quite compact (albeit heavy) and will take up less room than our current layered arrangement of 2 x airbeds, SIMs and foam mats with fleeces to stop the cold air getting in (told you I was rubbish at sleeping in a tent!). As we have a bell tent, we're used to ridiculously heavy gear already, and we generally do car camping so it's not like I'll have to lug it across fields for miles. Apparently it has wheels on the bottom for ease of lug-age, but I haven't taken it out of the box it came in yet to confirm that.

OP posts:
SalAbility · 15/02/2012 10:16

How exciting Lovecat! That was a quick delivery!

lemonbonbons · 15/02/2012 12:10

Marking place - are you going to try it at home and give us a review ?

I presume you can store bits under it when it's up to keep your tent looking all neat and tidy ?

muchostinky · 15/02/2012 17:40

Ooooh, very speedy delivery. Am waiting with baited breath Lovecat and have put them on my watchlist on ebay!

NettleTea · 17/02/2012 00:15

I had one of these and the matress went down in the night, leaving an extremely uncomfortable frame to sleep on. We were probably very unlucky but it was possibly the worst nights non sleep I ever had, especially as I was expecting to be in luxury.

Original poster
Lovecat · 17/02/2012 00:32

Oh no, don't say that, Nettle! I suppose it's always a risk, but I'm hoping that even if it does go down, I can fix another one on top... well, I'm testing it tomorrow night (have been distracted by DD's birthday!), so will report back on Saturday.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lovecat · 17/02/2012 15:58

Right, here is my official review of the zonkpad/anywhere bed:

Very nicely packaged, zip up bag with wheels and pull handle (weighs a fair bit in itself), instructions sewn on the inside of the bag a la tent equipment.

Took me 10 mins from first zip of the bag to laying down on it to get it assembled, this included pauses to find the plug, setting up the electric pump and rescuing the bag (with instructions) from where I'd chucked it aside twice.

Very very easy to put up, it has an unfolding action rather like those pop-up gazebos and seems very stable. Mattress blew up without issue and 3 hours later is still fully inflated, the sheet that zips around it is very nice quality, slightly velvety in texture but not as plushy as a flocked airbed (iyswim) and adds to the 'proper bed' feeling. The airmattress itself is not attached it just slips inside the sheet bag so if it does deflate/puncture then I can easily replace it with another double airbed for far less £££. Airbed comes with a puncture repair kit.

It's a 4'6" double so I'm not sure DH and I would both fit on unless we shared the double sleeping bag, which he's a bit funny about doing, but tons of room if it's just DD & myself, so maybe I'll suggest to him he keeps his SIM on the floor and DD and I will sleep together in uplifted comfort....:o

As lemonbonbons suggested upthread, there is lots of room beneath for storing camping kit, which in a bell tent is very good to have!

And now the sleep test...

Well, I lay down on it to see how it was and half an hour later was woken up by the cooker timer going, so yes, it's astonishingly comfortable and comparable to a 'proper' bed, imho.

Can't wait to go camping for real now! :o

OP posts:
lemonbonbons · 18/02/2012 16:21

Thanks for the review - I def want to invest in 'something else' this season for camping.

Did you buy from Soulpad ( I presume you did ) ? Or the eBay seller ?

Here s to lots of comfy nights sleep Grin

Original poster
Lovecat · 19/02/2012 09:32

Hi Lemonbonbons, I bought from eBay in teh end as it was an identical product at a much lower cost. Very quick delivery and reasonable postage.

OP posts:
Nina65 · 28/03/2012 12:18

Hi LOVECAT

Can you give me the ebay details so can get one of these beauties

NettleTea · 28/03/2012 14:29

To be fair, the people I bought it from on ebay (same seller I expect) sent me out a replacement matress straight away without fuss, and the guy I sold it to said it was the bast nights sleep he had had, so dont be put off by my bad experience.
I went for 2 dozers instead, on top of a cheapy double , for my DH and I

Original poster
Lovecat · 29/03/2012 22:35

Nina, I put the link further up the thread (hope you found it!)

If not, here but they only seem to have single ones left

OP posts:
Iamnormalish · 14/08/2013 11:25

Is Lovecat about???

I was wondering if you may update (assuming you have now done some camping) and tell me/us how you have found it for sleeping on and real proper camping use. Considering saving up for one of these over the winter ready for next years camoing adventures.

WeAreSeven · 14/08/2013 13:58

She has just posted on my thread about it, Iamnormalish! She loves it!

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