Airbed or self inflating mat??? Need to order today!! Help!!

[Maudy]

I'm trying to decide which to buy before going camping in France this weekend. As usual i've left it to the last minute. I've always used airbeds in the past but the last two we have had have gone flat and I'm thinking of investing in a self inflating mat.

Can anyone tell me if they roll up small? The double ones look good but doesn't the foam get all squashed when you roll it and do you have to bend it in half to roll it up?

Running out of time as all the local shops only seem to have singles and so i will need to order a double online - special delivery....

I'm hopeless at making decisions...

[PandaG]

We have double self inflating - and yes, you do fold it in half before you roll it, and it is bigger than airbed when squashed. Ours is 5 cm thick when inflated, cost £40 from Go Outdoors. Much more comfortable than the airbed we had before imo. Don't think the 3.5cm ones are as good. HTH

[Maudy]

Thanks PandaG. I saw the ones from Go Outdoors - is yours an Outwell one? Thats the one i'm thinking of getting.

[PandaG]

Is easy to fold in half to roll btw, and yes, I suppose the foam does get squashed when you roll it to a certain extent, but the air which is sucked in when you do the self inflate bit helps it puff back up I think. what I like is you don't get the roll together you do on a double airbed, nor the sunk in the middle of the night phenomenon when you get a puncture. I think they are warmer too

[PandaG]

Yep, is the Outwell

[PandaG]

Where do you live? If anywhere near Sheffield would be happy to lend, as long as we got it back before BH w/end (Don't suppose you are though, as if near Sheff would just go buy one!)

[Maudy]

yes, I've heard they are warmer which is great as i get freezing when camping in England. Don't think i'm going to have that problem in the south of France though as the weather looks boiling!!

Thanks for your help, I think I'll give it a go.

[Slubberdegullion]

I spent ages wondering about this one too. having asked here, and trawled the camping archives and been on another camping website and read through their archives (I like to research these things thoroughly). I went for the self inflating mat.

I bought 4 of these on monday. Still waiting for them to arrive. (Oh yes spent a while price checking them, this seemed a good deal, was in Blacks this morning and I think they were £62 each in there)

They are expensive (have not told DH how much they cost). BUT (she says justifying her spending splurge like mad), they last for ages, seem to be virtually indestructable, are comfy to slepp on (DH and I camped all round Oz using the thinnest ones), you don't have to pump them up and they roll up small.

I got the 4 individual ones as for the time being DH and I will be separated (will have a DD each at either end of the tent) iyswim.

HTH

[Maudy]

No, Bristol!! I'm sure there are some big places that sell them nearby but i just dont have the time to go and get one. All the small shops such as Blacks, Millets etc just sell the singles. Plus they are really expensive.

Thanks for the offer though, thats very sweet of you.

[Maudy]

I considered getting two singles as well. I thought it would be good for when i don't take DP with me and just go with the kids - which is more often than not!! It is expensive though. Mind you, i agree with your justifying....I bought one of those battery operated airbeds that just blow up in a few seconds and I've only used it about 6 times and its broken. I think that was about £40 or something.

Hmmmm....

[PandaG]

bot if you go with the kids you could still use the big one - we found that the outwell double was cheaper than 2x singles, so went for the double, was on a special deal at £40 in May, could still be that cheap.

[Maudy]

yes, its still £40 but they can't guarentee it will be with us by Sat...Arghh. I also phoned World of Camping who sell them and they were really unhelpful. I asked if I could send it back if it was not right and they said no I should go to a shop first and try it out and then when i decided to order one anyway on next day delivery they said that I was too late as they stop taking orders for that at 12pm. It was 12pm exactly!!

Now i don't know where to go. That'll teach me for dithering.

[Maudy]

Just ordered one from Outdoor Megastore for £42 including postage. They were really friendly on the phone and it'll be with me tomorrow. Phew!

Thanks for your help. I'll let you know how it goes.