Ikea mattress pads

[flamingobingo]

What do you think?

Cheaper than these

Need the advice of experienced campers! What's going to happen if we use soft mattresses like this instead of bedrolls?

I'd say what will happen is a more comfortable night.

so the world won't come to a screeching halt?

Why doesn't everyone use one?

No, although it might pause slightly to take a look at you sleeping comfortably in a tent!

Just spoke to DH who knows about campgin (I've only done it at beer festivals where I have tended to pass out and not care too much about the comfort!). He says the reason people use the bedrolls is simply cause they are easier to transport. However, he did tell me you can get inflatable bed rolls - found some here which are easy to pack and comfy too.

There ends my public service to campers everywhere

camping not campgin (although that does sound a fun camp site!)

campgin sounds good

so it's just the size of them rolled up that's the issue?

Can't find a double inflatable bed roll for love nor money!

Although that may just be me being thick! Can you ask your campgin hubby?

So he says - he works for this company so knows his stuff. Hope they give me some credit for the free advertising there!

I think campgin should just be fore exhausted mothers (and it wil have highly comfortable and inflatable mattresses)

We have one of them near us - maybe need to head on down there.

Glad he thinks it's just the size that's the issue. Need to go to ikea and lie on one.

But it's not a mattress, it's a topper. We have one on out bed.

It makes your existing mattress extra comfy, but it's only 7cm thick, it wouldn't be comfy on it's own on the ground.

Just a wee warning: The main problem people have with camping is cold at night (cold air and coming up from the ground). There are loads of threads on it here. Airbeds are particularly bad as the large volume of air inside gets cold like a huge heat sink.

I don't know how the cotton bedrolls are at insulating but a self inflating mat is both insulating and comfortable in a firm futon kind of way. You don't need a double, just put two singles next to each other. I cannot imagine how much space in the car the Ikea mattress pad would take up... are you taking a lorry?

I read somewhere or other that the mattress pad things can become lumpy and that if they get damp it's a real pain to dry them out. I found this rather a shame because they look so comfy! We use the good old air beds with a duvet underneath and one on top. Mmmmmmmm, have had another DS sinice we last went camping, not sure how all the duvets will fit now....

The mattress pads roll up small - it says how small on the website.

We can't push two mats togeter as we have a baby between us!

The problem with the airbeds is that I get a bad back holding myself from rolling into the middle when DH is in the bed too!

You see our predicament?

Have you tried one of these? Coleman comfort, each side is a separate chamber and inflates individually, so you don't roll together and you don't get bounced when the other one moves. I love ours.

If you have the space, get the Coleman then put the Ikea pad on top, = super comfy bed.

flamingobingo you must live near Gloucester then, cause there is only one Attwoolls shop.

They specialise in camping and outdoor equipment. You could always give them a ring and they'll tell you if they have double bedmats (will ask dh to look next time he's at work).

You can buy a double self inflating mattress - by outwell, I know yeomans outdoors website have some so could try there.

I know - I'm desperate for one, but don't want to waste our money if they end up being lumpy and crap!

I'm waiting for a response to my email asking them how they manage not to get damp, and how large they are when they're rolled up.

Just found them on Amazon. Cost more, but have a good picture of what the double looks like rolled up.

They shouldn't get damp underneath, surely, because of the groundsheet - more concerned about general dampness from the air - like duvets get IYSWIM

And, at last, a review from someone who has used one, but not in relation to using them in a tent, unfortunately.

Don't do it! Just found them here for £10 less and with free delivery for items over £75.

Going to keep looking for reviews...

The proper ones look amazing, I have always hankered after one, but we would never fit it in the car, we have too much stuff already.

I remember reading an article in the guardian in which they were highly recommended.

My only concern would be damp, which may be totally unfounded, but when you are warm sleeping on something that is cold you get loads of condensation by morning, which is why it's best to air your sleeping bag, weather permitting, however sleeping mags are mostly man made so dry very quickly, whereas a huge lump of cotton is going to be far more absorbant, so damp may not be noticeable, but also take forever to dry, so it could be a problem.

This may all be irrelevant, but it's what would worry me.

Yes, it worries me too, WTWTW

We went camping for the first time as a family last week and the bedroom floors of my parents tent (that we were borrowing) were no longer waterproof so the duvet cover we'd put on the blow-up bed was damp, as was everything else. But only just a tiny bit damp - not bad enough to make the second night the slightest bit uncomfortable. The sort of dampness you sense, rather than actually feel!

Anyway, my point is, that the groundsheet of our new bell tent should be completely waterproof, being brand new, rather than 15 years old!

And the condensation should be less of an issue because it's a canvas tent, not a nylon one.

We use an Ikea mattress topper over our airbed when camping without a problem - makes it so much more comfortable. Occasionally you need to air it a bit but we just used ours for a week without a problem.