# Are there any air mattresses out there that last?



## OhioGuy25 (Jul 27, 2019)

I have used basic single high Intex air mattresses for years and have wanted to upgrade to something with a bit more support but the reviews for all of them that I’ve seen have said they are of poor quality and don’t last long. The ones I’ve used don’t last either, eventually they all leak throughout the night and I wake up on the floor. 

Are there any good ones out there that last?


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## MacGyver (Jun 2, 2016)

Personally, I think they're all crap now. I remember having air mattresses 30 years ago that got jumped on and didn't pop. The ones I've tried in the last five years or so have all been disasters. Well padded underneath, careful not to have anything sharp near it and careful not to flop down on it... and still wind up on the ground from holes and seam splits.


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## OhioGuy25 (Jul 27, 2019)

MacGyver said:


> Personally, I think they're all crap now. I remember having air mattresses 30 years ago that got jumped on and didn't pop. The ones I've tried in the last five years or so have all been disasters. Well padded underneath, careful not to have anything sharp near it and careful not to flop down on it... and still wind up on the ground from holes and seam splits.


That’s what I figured, pretty disappointing considering there’s such a void and huge market for them. I can’t imagine the cost of production would be that bad, it’s just plastic.


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## pootats (Jun 22, 2011)

We stopped using air mattresses years ago and have Coleman ComfortSmart deluxe cots instead.


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## Denni2 (Aug 2, 2014)

We have been using Thermarest self inflatable mattresses. We have had the same mattresses for 11 years with no issues. The problem with the cheap large air mattresses is they really aren’t made for outside use. As the air temperature changes they expand when it is warm and then shrinks when it gets cooler. That stresses the seam causing leaks. And they suck the heat out of your body.

With the self inflating mattresses you put a couple of puffs in them just before you go to sleep and open the valve when you get up. 

By they way we are both 62. We both have arthritis and we both sleep comfortably on the Thermarest mattresses on the ground.


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## dmgolub (Sep 16, 2015)

What model of Thermarest is the best? I like to go beach camping on the islands off the Florida coast. I mostly use the cheap Intex air mattress from Wal-Mart. But it's heavy, and slow to inflate.


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## MacGyver (Jun 2, 2016)

What's best is subjective. What's comfortable for me might not work for you. Having said that, I have an ancient Thermarest that's closest to their current BaseCamp model and a newer LuxuryMap, both of which I find comfortable.

People will tell you that you can "puff them up" with a few breaths of air for a bit of extra firmness, but that introduces moisture into the pad which, over time, can lead to mold. After they do their self inflating thing, I hit 'em with a battery operated high volume, low pressure pump for a few seconds and I sleep very well.


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## aakanksha5 (Aug 13, 2019)

We stopped using air mattresses long ago.


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## crawford (Nov 25, 2009)

in our coach we have a select comfort with the numbers also had home 35 years on home never a problem on my 2 coaches 20 years total.


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## adalah (Feb 6, 2019)

Never using air mattresses


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## Gregory Wilson (Jul 24, 2019)

I always avoid the air mattress problem and go straight for foam mattresses. I've been using them since I was really young because my dad cared about his back. Plus they are super easy to just cut up and alter based on your needs. At the end of the trip you just roll them up and tie them off with a bungee cord. 
They typically last me about 4-5 years, with about 6 camping trips a year (two of which are long, meaning two or more weeks). The one disadvantage is that they are too bulky for backpacking.


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## iktom (Feb 16, 2019)

We tried some of the more expensive $100-$200 air mattresses, and found that they felt and held up exactly the same as the cheap crap from Walmart. I know that even fifteen years ago, they were better, and would last for years. Everything is cheaply built now, unfortunately. 



It's one of the reasons we pretty much abandoned tent camping, and built a teardrop trailer. haha.


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## helenatree (Jul 2, 2020)

Coleman makes some good ones
www.helenatreeservice.com


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## Amy1512 (Aug 28, 2020)

I'd suggest you look for foldable mattresses. Air mattresses are trash nowadays.
Check foam ones, they are quite good.

cheers:vs_cool:


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## Tplife (Nov 27, 2017)

ThermaRest is one of a few companies (Visit REI or EMS) that make great self-inflating sleeping pads. An R-value of 4.0 or better is what you want at a minimum. We have two 1988 CampRest pads that are still in regular use, one 1995, and one that is a 2000, and only one of the '88s had a small leak by the valve that was easily repaired at home with a dab of SuperGlue. They still make great, great products - but many people don't want to pay for quality. AVOID COTS in any case - they get you off the insulated surfaces that keep you warm, and as a result in cold weather you'll always need twice as much insulation over and under you to keep warm. If you only camp in the warmest of warm weather, or you enjoy a heated tent or rv, have at it with your cots (or hammocks!).


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