The 10 Best Camping Air Mattresses of 2023, Tested by Outdoor Editors

The Therm-A-Rest Mondoking 3D has a unique body contouring pad that makes it feel custom and comfortable to any type of sleeper. It features a dual valve and compressible foam, meaning you can forget the traditional pump because it is completely self-inflating. This makes the setup and breakdown easier than any other mattress on this list, while its four inches of stabilized loft makes it suitable for any type of surface.

Backpacking is our of the question with this bed, as it packs a bit larger than others and weighs in at just under five pounds. For your typical car camper, however, you're guaranteed a good night’s sleep on this mattress-meets-sleep-pad hybrid.

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For under $200, you can't you can’t beat the durability of this sturdy Coleman air mattress and cot combo. Its fold-out steel frame holds up to 600 pounds, making it a solid choice for couples. Plus, each side of the cot features slide-out side tables with cup holders. As for the mattress, the no-leak design ensures it stays firm through the night, making it ideal for side sleepers who need a little support.

The only downside to this mattress is it takes up some space when packed away and weighs more than many of the mattresses on this list (about 40 pounds). But when you consider you're getting a comfortable mattress that rises up off the ground and comes with side tables, this is a lux pick avid campers will love.

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When you don’t have the convenience of packing an entire sleep system in your car, your goal is minimal packed weight and size. The Klymit Static V sleeping pad combines a thin layer of air with a quilted baffle design, making it more comfortable than your traditional sleep pad while also being more compact.

It weighs just a pound and a half and is a solid option for all-weather camping thanks to its cozy 4.4 R-rating. Combine that with a full three inches of support between you and the ground, and you're looking at one of the best air mattresses under $100 money can buy.

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Hest sleeping pads require a more significant investment than most air mattresses, but if you're out camping a lot then the money up front is well worth the long-standing comfort and durability. The Sleep System is designed with a cooling memory foam top and an inflatable bottom to help provide additional support.

The result is hands down the most comfortable air mattress you can currently buy. It also comes with features like a roll-up design with a carrying bag, a washable cover, and a hidden phone and stash pocket at the top of the mattress.

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The Sound Asleep series isn’t for the light packer, but it will bring comfort pretty damn close to that of a real bed. You’ll need a larger tent to fit this heavy-duty mattress, but in our experience it's been a worthwhile tradeoff. It features something called ComfortCoil and SureGrip technology to ensure firmness and stability on any surface. The description says it’s best for indoor use, but we've spend plenty of time testing it in the outdoors and found it to be plenty durable.

The SoundAsleep can hold up to 500 pounds, making it the best camping air mattress for a heavy person, while its thickness makes it firm enough for people with back pain. It inflates in just under three minutes and even comes with a rechargeable electric pump.

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REI’s Kingdom Insulated Air Bed is a trusted dual sleeper in the camping community. Its soft-touch surface has done a great job of keeping us cool throughout the night, and also benefits from little added texture to keep us from slipping around. The mattress also comes with welded seams to prevent annoying overnight leaks, and you get a manual air pump and a stuff sack for your money as well.

We've found the Kindom works well for all-weather camping and sleeps much more like a traditional mattress than an air bed. Big, comfortable, and durable, the Kingdom is one of our favorite options for car camping in a 4+ person tent.

At first glance, this might look pricey, but if you’re an avid camper, it’s one of the most worth-it investments you can find. The Exped Megamat might look like a traditional foam sleep pad, but it’s actually self-inflating, combining the convenience of a pad with the comfort of an air mattress. It’s made from durable nylon and a thick level of foam that feels like a pillow top.

The most common review is that you don’t bottom out when changing positions, something many campers experience with a sleeping pad or air mattress this low to the ground. We'll also note that the added durability of this pad has made it our go-to when we're camping with pets as the rugged face fabric can handle our dog's nails without springing a leak.

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If you’re only cmaping once or twice a year, an expensive air mattress doesn't make a lot of sense. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your sleep on the rare occasion you find yourself sleeping out in the woods. This Powerlix air mattress will only set you back around $40, making it the best bang for your buck on this list.

It may not be the most sophisticated option out there, but it's built surprisingly tough and rated to handle up to 250 pounds of weight. We've found it quick to inflate using lung power alone, and warm enough for three-season use thanks to its included thermal insulation.

The Astro Lightweight is a lofty sleeping pad that weighs under a pound and a half (regular, non-insulated) and inflates to about 3.5 inches thick. It's also extremely packable and made with tear-resistant 75D recycled polyester.

Our favorite feature this pad is Nemo's impressive range of size and shape options. The Astro comes in regular, long, and extra wide sizes, and can also be ordered with insulated. We've been particularly impressed testing their insulated models, which use name-brand Primaloft synthetic fill for outstanding loft and warmth without the crinkle.

When you’re not ready to splurge on an expensive car camping tent, an air mattress made specifically to fit in the bed of your car is a smart alternative. It’s also much easier to set up and great for spontaneous trips.

Luno makes custom camping air mattresses that fit the make and model of your car. It’s a tailored design for optimum comfort and convenience, ensuring a perfect fit every time. Luno thinks of every detail, so you don’t have to stress on the road, even if you pull off for a quick snooze on a long road trip. We've been particularly fond of Luno's decision to split the mattress into two separate inflatable panels, which works great for minimizing motion transfer between you and your partner. We also love that the entire assembly packs down to about the size of a carry-on bag, so we can keep it stashed in the vehicle 24/7 for impromptu overnights on the road.

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If we were to put together a wish list for the perfect backpacking pad, the Nemo Tensor would be about as close to the perfect do-it-all air mattress we could imagine. Lightweight, warm enough for three-season use, and impressively compact: This one checks all the major boxes and then some.

We've taken the latest Tensor out on a few backpacking trips this year, and one thing that really stands out to us is just how quiet this pad is. Most air mattresses this light crinkle loudly as you roll around throughout the night, but the Nemo uses a unique design that suspends the insulating film inside the pad between two channels of air, giving you all the benefits of reflective sheeting with none of the drawbacks.

Take all the thickly padded foam coziness of the original Exped MegaMat and stretch it out over 80 inches wide and you've got the MegaMat Duo. We've used this pad in our plus-sized car camping tent throughout spring and fall, and we're not sure we'll over go back to regular sleeping pads.

The MegaMat Duo works much like a memory foam mattress (in fact it has four inches of memory foam stashed inside), which means you won't feel your partner rolling around or getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. This is a particularly good pad for the cold months, as all that added insulation delivers a whopping 8.1 R value, which is ideal for sleeping even in freezing conditions.