Airbed vs self-inflating mattress? And what about electric hook-up?

[beanie123]

We are off on our first camping trip with DD (3) and DS (1) in a few weeks time. I did loads of camping when younger and am really excited, but dh is less keen on the whole camping thing... We are being a bit ambitious and are off for 12 days
We are definitely on a budget so I don't want to spend too much cash on equipment before we go - but on the other hand I want it to be comfortable enough so that dh is up for going again!
SO the dilemma - do I go for a double airbed or for self inflating mattresses.... and do I bother with electric hook-up? Any advice gratefully received!

I've tried lots of things, and think I've finally cracked it!

It's best to have an airbed each, I think. A double mattress gets a bit like a trampoline when the OH turns over...

Tesco do some single air beds for about £8 each. They are much more comfortable and warmer than the self-inflating mattresses. We have invested in a rechargable air pump - you charge it overnight on the mains and then take it with you. It works (and sounds!) like a hairdryer, and a single bed inflates in just a few seconds.

It's so nice to not wake up with aching hips (showing my age!).

My biggest tip would be to take earplugs to cut out the sound of late revellers/early risers (delete as appropriate!), and eyemasks if you get woken by light.

We have a double air-bed and a double sleeping bag - very comfortable and cosy

We don't bother with EHU, (though at some sites you have to have a pitch with EHU), and our electric inflater airpump stays charged throughout our holiday (with 2 single airbeds to do too) and we do a trip of 3 campsites, so 1 double and 2 single x 3 times (plus any slight inflating in-between if necessary!)

I second the eyemasks, but I've never really needed earplugs - I guess that depends on the site you're going to.

most people on here say that self inflating mats are warmer than airbeds - as they trap the heat better - i know my foam matress at home is really warm. i agree with all the other comments and we have always had single matresses due to people saying about trampolene effect. never had ehu - make sure you take decent lights if you don't have it as grovelling around in semi-darkness is no fun. lidl and aldi do good camping kit deals. kids could use rollup foam mats that dont inflate - harder for them to damage

If you do decide on airbeds, take a blanket and put it on the airbed before your sleeping bag, it is warmer. For the kids I would recomend readybeds, mine seem to stay in the sleeping bags better on these and they don't rool off them so easily. Buy the best sleeping bags you can afford, and wear a hat in bed if it's cold. There's nothing worse than being cold in bed and it can put you and the kids off camping.
Have fun and keep warm!!!

Self inflating mats more comfortable and much warmer imo.

No need for ehu yet, see if you both like camping first.

Lie on a self inflating/roll mat before you buy it to see what you think - I've got "good child bearing hips" (to quote my mother ) and find they knacker by back.

Coleman do a double air mattress with twin chambers - each side inflates separately so you don't get the trampoline effect nearly so badly. We got one and it was very comfortable, but I was COLD - I'm going to try a cheapy foam mat between me and the mattress next time!

I wouldn't worry about an EHU (unless you're desperate for a fridge), but make sure you have a means to recharge a lantern or a good supply of batteries (and if you're relying on cigarette lighters, make sure they work without the ignition on - German cars often do, Japanese ones often don't. We've just changed from German to Japanese... haven't quite worked out the solution yet )

we have a Coleman and it's fab! We use self inflating mats for overnight stops and dd2 - as she rolls around off an airbed - but I couldn't sleep for a fortnight on one however fancy fat airicy they were.

try before you go if poss.

we have ehu for cold wine/beer and abroad to stop the butter from going all runny!

some of us who camp in Wales do not need such fripperies as refridgerators to keep our butter from going runny.

Nowt wrong with a plastic box and the fresh open air to keep all your food perfectly cool

Does the Welsh air cool your rose too slubber?

I have knowledge of the Welsh sunshine acksherly - onceuponatine in Criccieth..... for a whole afternoon and the day we has ye olde pint on Porth Dinllaen.

had

am afraid I'm suffering from a dreadful Pizza Hut (lack of) service experience for dd1's birthday at the mo

Lucy, were you mning whilst simultaneously hosting a bday party at Pizza Hut? Wow if you were [impressed at multitask talents]

yes yes yes
I'll bet the ambient temperature at night over on the Lleyn is lower than inside my coolbox with a couple of ice blocks in. 2 weeks to go. It better bloody warm up a bit.

One day...one day we will go to France and I will enjoy this camping in hot temperatures lark.

No don't think dh would have been too impressed! The party was at lunchtime and it took me all day to stop seething at the incompetence of it all!!