Author
Hayley Helms & Teva Todd
Photographer
Hayley Helms
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There are a few secrets to successful car camping. First, always bring an extra roll of toilet paper and a shovel/trowel. Second, paper maps are underrated and can save your butt in the case of a dead phone battery or lost service. And third, getting a proper night’s rest isn’t just in the hands of the birds, bees, and dirt you’ll be camping with—it's on you. (Well, and the weather, partially.) Getting a quality night of sleep in the great outdoors is largely controlled by the gear you bring on your trip. If you’d like a good night’s sleep on your next car camping trip, we’ve got you covered. Just keep reading for our camping mattress gear guide.
The luxury of car camping and truck camping is that it allows for heavier, bulkier gear to come along for the ride—meaning your sleep set-up can lean more glamorous than minimalist. Compared to their lightweight, backpacking-oriented brethren, car camping mattresses are thicker, heavier, and usually inflatable. They typically feature thicker insulation and materials, and can be used anywhere from the back of an SUV, van, or pickup truck bed to a tent, suppose it's big enough.
After hundreds of hours testing sleeping pads while camping outdoors—both traditional tent camping and car camping—I’ve determined which sleeping mattresses are worth the splurge—and which should be left behind in your gear closet. I’ve camped everywhere from the California desert to the mountains and have slept on a wide range of setup. And the eight options below are my picks for the best car camping mattresses. If you’re sick of sub-par sleep in the great outdoors and are looking for an upgrade, read on for eight best camping mattress options I recommend. Sweet dreams.
What to Look for in Car Camping Mattress
The greatest thing about camping is that there is no right or wrong way to go about it. Ultimately, it’s up to preference, but there are a few things to consider when selecting a mattress for your car.
Size
Even with car camping, size still matters. Two-person car air mattress options exist if you're camping with a partner, but you should make sure the air pad fits into the back of your car or van with the rear seats down, or the bed of your truck if you're after a truck bed mattress. A number of camping pads are pliable enough for some degree of squeezing in, but the old adage still applies: measure twice, buy once!
Material
Choosing the right material can make or break a good night's rest. You can opt for a foam mattress, an inflatable air bed, or a blend between the two. All are great, but you should consider what type of sleeper you are—for example, foam mattresses may be best for stomach and side sleepers, while air pads are best for back sleepers. Hybrid mattresses made with both foam and air work best for most, as you might guess. Insulation is also important, especially in colder climates, and finding a good mattress that carries a high R-value (R-Value denotes a sleeping pad's ability to prevent heat loss) will ensure less heat escapes your body and less cold air travels up from whatever you're sleeping on, be it folded down seats, a metal truck bed, or the ground.
The 9 Best Car Camping Mattresses of 2024
Luno AIR + Foam PRO Camping Mattress
Size: 72 x 25 x 4 inches
Weight: 3 lbs
R Value: 11.2
Price: $280
Luno made a name for itself by designing air mattresses that are designed specifically to fit inside a range of vehicles—and now, the road trip and car camping obsessed brand is branching out with its Air + Foam Pro Camping Mattress, which was designed to work in both your vehicle and tent.
Upon testing, I found the Air + Foam Pro inflates very quickly—60 seconds—and offered a lot of support by way of both air and foam cushioning, and featured a comfortable sleeping surface constructed of bomber 50D polyester top, a 150D Oxford TPU coated base, and 75D nylon sides. The rectangular shape is a departure from Luno’s other winged offerings, but will still fit in most tents and a variety of vehicles I tested. The Luno AIR + Foam PRO, available in regular and tall sizes, is both the most robust mattress and warmest on this list, with an R value of over 11.2. And while it weighs slightly more than average thanks to that TPU-coated base, it’s still easy to toss in your car and go.
Exped Megamat 10 LXW
Size: 77.6 x 30.3 x 4 inches
Weight: 5.7 lbs
Thickness: 4"
R Value:__ 8.1
Price: $270
While the Swiss sleep experts at Exped offer many, many camping mattress options for a range of campers, for this list I chose Exped’s an update to the most popular and plush self inflating mattress that has been a crowd favorite since its introduction in 2011L: the Megamat 10 LXW. This design builds upon that legacy with four inches of soft foam, horizontal air channels and a brushed, stretch tricot polyester sleeping surface that comes together for a truly comfortable sleeping experience.
The MegaMat 10 LXW features an R-value of 8.1 and is rated to perform at temperatures down to -40 °F. If you take car camping literally and would like to sleep in your vehicle, rather than a tent, check out the popular Exped MegaMat Auto, which is designed specifically for sleeping soundly in your automobile. Both self inflating pads are easy to pack down and come with a Mini Pump, repair kit, and stuff sack.
Nemo Roamer Sleeping Pad
Size: 78 in x 30 in x 4 in
Weight: 5 lbs 8 oz
Thickness: 2.5"
R Value: 6
Price: $250
With its award-winning design, Nemo’s self inflating mattress is a top choice for anyone looking to elevate their car camping experience. The Roamer is lightweight and ultra-compact while featuring four-inch open-cell insulation with a memory foam feel, an R-value of 6, and a multifunction, micro-adjust valve for custom inflation. It comes with a storage bag, patch kit and Nemo's Vortex Pump, which is like a stuff sack that lets you collect a big wad of air and push it into the foam pad. Of course, you can always blow it up manually, too, if you want.
Big Agnes Rapide SL Insulated Tent Floor Pad
Size: 50 in x 40 in x 78 in
Weight: 3 lbs
Thickness: 4"
R Value: 6.6
Price: $199 - $300
If you like more room and don’t want to be constricted to a small mattress, then Big Agnes’s Rapide camping pad is something to consider. It’s large enough to cover a tent floor but with its tapered design, the pad is pliable enough to squash into SUVs when the back seat is down. At an R-value of 4 and with a four-inch thickness, the insulated pad is durable and ultralight, yet comfortable enough to keep you sleeping sound on your next car camping trip. I also recommend the Big Agnes Captain Comfort inflatable mattress, another favorite of frequent car campers.
Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D Sleeping Pad
Size: 30 in x 80 in x 4 in
Weight: 5 lb 8 oz
Thickness: 4.25"
R Value: 7
Price: $240
I'm a big fan of Seattle-based Therm-a-Rest. As the brand's largest mattress, the MondoKing is a best-in-class sleep system that maintains a compact and durable design that's easy to inflate and deflate. It features an R-value of 7.0, a compressible foam core, and a speedy dual-valve design to bring the comfort of home to the outdoors. It also comes with a stuff sack air pump, so you can avoid all that huffing and puffing.
Teton Sports Outfitter XXL Camp Pad
Size: 82 in x 38 in x 3 inches
Weight: 9 lbs
Thickness: 2.5"
R Value: NA
Price: $130
The Outfitter bedroll system uses a quick setup to make a camper comfortable while sleeping out of home. Just roll out the pad, let it self-inflate, and off to bed you go. The air mat fits in a variety of cars or truck beds, though it's also perfect for the tent or, heck, right on the ground for cowboy camping if you get down like that. With its 300D brushed polyester canvas and two-and-a-half-inch thick open-cell foam, the Outfitter is durable enough to last a lifetime of comfort under the stars. (Also, it integrates perfectly with Teton Sports' cots, if you'd rather sleep outside or in a tent).
Zenbivy Flex Mattress & MotoBed
Size: 25 x 72 x 1.75 inches
Weight: 2 lbs 7 oz
Thickness: 1.75"
R Value: 5
Price: $129
Zenbivy’s sleeping platform is a cult favorite in the camping community, particularly by those who pick quilts over sleeping bags. The Motobed 35 Synthetic fits any 25x78 inch Zenbivy mattress (or any camp mattress up to 26 x 78 x 3.5 inches) and features 200g UF-M SM Polyester batting in the quilt. The Motobed 35 Synthetic includes a quilt, sheet and pillowcase — but the mattress is sold separately.
I picked the Flex Mattress from Zenbivy’s selection to pair with my Motobed. The Flex Mattress is made with a 4-way stretch top and horizontally-cored foam insulation to provide a warm, comfortable sleep experience, and has an R-value of 5. At just over two pounds with a modest packed size, it’s easy to throw in the car and head to the campsite without a second thought—and will be easy to lug around in case your site is a bit of a trek. Offered in two sizes for single-person sleeping, the MotoBed and Flex mattress is the most efficient sleep system on this list.
REI Co-op Camp Dreamer Double Self-Inflating Deluxe Bed
Size: 6 ft 2 in
Weight: 9 lbs 5 oz
Thickness: 4"
R Value: 6.6
Price: $279
Looking for a simple sleeping mat setup, the REI Camp Dreamer is a solid choice. It's perhaps the most similar to the blow up air beds you might find at big box stores (which, for the record, you should avoid—they always pop). It's a fast self-inflating pad that’s large enough to fit two people, has welded seams for robust durability, and comes with a pump that doubles as a padded pillow, and an included carry bag. With an R-value of 6 and a four-inch thickness, the Deluxe Bed is no slouch in cold weather either. Just toss your sleeping bag on and you're good to go.
Emoor Japanese Futon Mattress
Size: 79 L x 63 W x 2.5 inches
Weight: 11.2 lbs
Thickness: 2.5"
R Value: NA
Price: $260
If you’re the type of car camper that can’t stomach the thought of blowing up one more camping mat, you’re in luck, there are options for you! If you’ve got the space and don’t mind some extra weight, some Reddit users have recommended bringing a Japanese futon mattress along for your next car camping trip. Sure, at 11 pounds it’s much heavier than other options on this list, but it never deflates, takes almost zero effort to set up, and won’t suffer from rips, punctures, or tears. Sure, it’s a little bougie, but isn’t that what car camping is all about, Captain Comfort? This ain't no ultralight backpacking sleeping pad, after all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need An Air Pump For A Camping Mattress?
Although many car camping air mattresses are designed to self inflate — and many of them come with mini pumps or pump sacks to help along the process — sometimes it’s still a real pain to get your mattress to your desired inflation level. If you’re the type that likes to cut down on hassle, and you have the space to pack another piece of gear, an air pump will save you time and energy, and keep frustration levels to a minimum. Here are a few we’d recommend:
Published 04-05-2022
Updated 07-24-2024
