One of the most common worries for would-be campers is whether they’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep in a tent – after all, a family holiday or a festival weekend isn’t much fun if you’re not getting proper rest. And the best way to make sure you sleep well in the great outdoors is on a decent air bed.

Best air beds 2023: Single and double blow-up mattresses

Most manufacturers advise that children under eight should not sleep on an air bed. Each design will also have a maximum weight capacity for the user. The Bestway Fortech design has a total weight capacity of 350kg (55 stone), for example. We found that the raised air beds in our test didn’t have any specific thermal insulating properties. To retain warmth, it’s advisable to place a rug or blanket under the air bed. Also add a blanket, or better still, a thermal mattress protector under your fitted sheet. Voited sells the CloudTouch indoor/outdoor camping blanket, that is both stylish and warm. Our teenage girls bedroom ideas will help you create a stylish space for both chilling out and studyingThe main difference between an air mattress and an air bed is that the former is designed to be used indoors, while the latter is for outdoor use. What is the lifespan of an air bed? I chose a range of double, king and queen air beds from the likes of Argos, Decathlon, Dreams and Active Era that have built-in pumps and can be manually pumped up too. I rated each air bed on its design, warmth, comfort, portability and assembly. I took into consideration pillow and edge support, how easy it was to get in and off the bed and whether it came with extras such as a puncture patch or storage bag.

Halfords Double Airbed | Halfords UK

But more than that, if you invest in a decent air bed, you'd expect it to be easy to set up and tidy away, for it not to make an irritating squeaking noise when someone turns on it and not to have an unpleasant odour.

If your air mattress doesn’t come with a repair kit, there are many available online, or you can repair the hole in the same way as you would with a bike puncture. How we select They roll up small, similar to your average yoga mat and are extremely light. Some people might find them too thin and firm. However, note that they can also be used with a camp bed base for an off-the-ground set-up. Air beds follow the same sizing rules as regular mattresses, but they can feel a bit smaller based on their level of inflation.

beds – 6 comfortable air mattresses that are worth Best air beds – 6 comfortable air mattresses that are worth

I tested out Staubs Pumpkin Cocotte Cast Iron Casserole to see if it is worthy of a place in your kitchen all year round Little ones are guaranteed sweet dreams with this rather adorable camping bed setup. Bundle Beds aren’t cheap, but they are clever – a compact bag contains a self-inflating mattress which we found inflated fully in just a minute or two on test, plus a soft, cosy duvet, a pillow and bed linen. In short, there’s everything you need ready to get your child snug and ready for a warm night in a tent, or for them to take along to their first sleepover or whip out when friends come to stay. While we could scream and shout about the best mattresses all day long, we understand that sometimes a solid and permanent mattress just doesn’t fit the bill. After all, it’s impossible to take a full-size mattress on your camping trip or slide it down the stairs to sleep your guests when the rest of your house is full.I slept comfortably on this bed overnight and didn’t need to inflate it in the morning. A two-minute bounce from Bethany and William soon changed this, but overall I was impressed at how well it retained its firmness. There was the odd squeak when I turned from side to side, but I managed to dampen this with an extra blanket on the bed. Blow up the air bed fully and then examine the entire sleeping surface and listen out for a thin hissing sound. An inflated mattress makes it easier to identify defects. If you find it hard to get in and out of bed, look for a high raised air bed design. The self-inflating air beds we tried go up to 48cm in height at the pillow end, compared to thinner camping-focused designs that can be just 16cm in height. Do air beds feel cold to sleep on? How do you inflate it? Built-in pump, but it can also be inflated with a manual pump (eg, if you're camping)

Double Air beds | Argos

The raised sides, to stop you rolling out at night, are quite thin compared to other air beds I tried, but this does give you more surface area to sleep on – something my 6ft partner Daniel, who also tested the bed, appreciated. My tester friend Tina also pointed out that she liked the feel of ‘wave beam’ structure on the top, as it made her feel secure. According to the Sleep Foundation, it’s completely natural for air beds to lose some inflation over time. However, if this happens regularly, it’s probably due to a puncture of some kind. If this sounds like a problem you’re dealing with, fear not, as DIY repairs are very common within the air bed community. The choice of airbeds for occasional guest use has become a lot more sophisticated in recent years,’ says Jessica Alexander from the National Bed Federation. ‘While they are not intended as a replacement for a proper mattress – since they don’t provide the same support – they are increasingly impressive in terms of comfort.’ If the leak is too small, it might be hard to hear so another popular method is to gently wipe over the mattress with a soapy sponge and look out for small bubbles. Washing up liquid is good for this.Any extras: While most air beds come with the inflatable mattress and the inflatable mattress alone, there are others that offer extras. They might include pillows, sleeping bags, and more. Of course, these air beds will normally be more expensive, so you need to work out whether those extras are worth the extra pennies. According to Lauren Fountain from the Sleep Foundation, to fix the leak, you’ll need to locate the hole and then clean the area. She goes on to say you then need to “use an adhesive and some plastic or vinyl patches to cover the leak” and “after letting the patch set for several hours, you can test the patch to ensure the mattress is no longer leaking”.